Higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol during the third trimester of pregnancy may impede intelligence quotient (IQ) scores in boys aged 7 years old, according to research presented at the 26th European Congress of Endocrinology, held 11–14 May, in Stockholm. Surprisingly, cortisol levels in the blood are not associated with IQ scores in girls, but higher urine cortisone levels improved their scores. The findings highlight the important role cortisol plays in fetal development in boys and girls independently ..read more

When it comes to improving the lives of children with genetic conditions, medical research often focuses solely on the children. But there is an equally important population in need of research that a faculty member at the University of Colorado Department of Medicine is highlighting—the caregivers ..read more

What do infants see? What do they look at? The answers to these questions are very different for the youngest babies than they are for older infants, children and adults. Characterized by a few high-contrast edges in simple patterns, these early scenes also contain the very materials needed to build a strong foundation for human vision ..read more

Among neonates undergoing urgent endotracheal intubation, successful intubation on the first attempt occurs in more neonates undergoing video laryngoscopy than direct laryngoscopy, according to a study published online May 5 in the New England Journal of Medicine to coincide with the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies, held from May 2 to 6 in Toronto ..read more

Australian researchers have discovered how changes in antibody levels over time can predict which children are likely to outgrow their peanut allergy ..read more

Mothers' childhood experiences of trauma can predict their children's behavior problems, even when the mothers did not raise their children, who were placed for adoption as newborns, a new University of Oregon study shows ..read more

Symptom burden is prevalent among young childhood cancer survivors, with caregiver anxiety and greater neighborhood deprivation associated with greater symptom burden, according to a study published online May 7 in JAMA Network Open ..read more

Colorectal cancer incidence has steadily increased among younger people in the U.S. over the last two decades, with the youngest seeing the most dramatic jumps, according to a study scheduled for presentation at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2024. Between 1999 and 2020, the rate of colorectal cancers grew 500% among children ages 10 to 14, 333% among teens aged 15 to 19, and 185% among young adults ages 20 to 24, researchers said ..read more

Some 27% of Brazilian children and adolescents suffer from musculoskeletal pain of unspecified cause, according to a study reported in the Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy. The problem is frequently underestimated by parents and health professionals, the authors of the article note, and an understanding of its true extent will contribute to better planning of public health policy regarding treatment of chronic pain in adults, the leading cause of disability in the world ..read more

Many parents ponder why one of their children seems more emotionally troubled than the others. A new study in the United Kingdom reveals a possible basis for those differences ..read more