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Following nearly two decades of decline, U.S. infant death rates edged up by 3% in 2022, new provisional government numbers reveal.

"This was the first year we saw statistically significant increased rates of infant mortality in about 20 years,"said study author Danielle Ely, a statistician at the U.S. National Center for He...

Many antibiotics long used to treat common childhood infections are no longer effective because of antibiotic resistance.

The authors of a new study say global guidelines on antibiotic use need to be updated to reflect this, and they called for an increased focus on developing new antibiotics for in...

Federal regulators have sent warning letters to two companies for illegally selling probiotic products for use in preterm infants.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also sent a letter to health care providers warning of the risks.

Probiotic products contain live organisms such as bacteria or yeast. They are commonly found in dietary supplements.

These products may be dange...

Demand for a new shot that protects babies against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has outpaced supply, prompting U.S. health officials to recommend the doses be saved for high-risk infants.

In an alert posted Monday afternoon, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said nirsevimab (Beyfortus) should be reserved ...

It's well known that mothers can suffer postpartum depression, a condition that affects not only their well-being but also their child's development.

Now, new research finds that fathers can also experience depression after the births of their babies and this doubles their children's odds of having three or more adverse childhood experiences before the age of 5.

"There's a number of...

Which U.S. kids see specialists for ear infections and have tubes placed to drain fluid and improve air flow differs significantly by race.

Asian, Hispanic and Black children are much less likely than white kids to see ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctors, new research shows.

"For the first time, our study found there are significant differences in the rate of ENT office visits for ch...

THURSDAY, Oct. 12, 2023 (HealthDay News) - Hand, foot and mouth disease is an infectious disease that's highly contagious. Common in children, it spreads quickly at day care centers and schools.

This guide will tell you what you need to know about hand, foot and mouth disease, its symptoms, causes, stages and treatment.

What is hand, foot and mouth disease?

Hand, foot and mout...

Croup can be a scary thing for new parents to watch their babies struggle with, so here is a primer on what it is and how to best treat it.

Croup is a common respiratory illness, characterized by a narrowing of the main airway (the trachea), just below the vocal cords. It can be caused by many different viruses, including influenza, COVID-19 and RSV. However, the most common virus to caus...

Postpartum depression is commonly thought of as something new moms experience, but fathers can also suffer from these feelings when entering this phase of life.

A pilot study from the University of Illinois Chicago suggests new dads should also be screened for the condition. Addressing their health may also be an important tool for improving the maternal health crisis, given that the phys...

Federal regulators are cautioning doctors not to give probiotics to preterm infants.

An infant given probiotics at an undisclosed hospital has died, U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials said in a recent warning letter.

Preterm infants given probiotics are at risk of potentially fatal infection because of ...

What a baby eats, or how the baby eats, may have an impact on future weight and health, research has shown.

A new study backs that up. It found that 9-year-olds who had been breast-fed for six months or more had a lower percentage of body fat than their peers who were ne...

When pregnant women get a COVID vaccine, it helps protect their newborns from the virus, a new government study shows.

"These findings indicate that maternal vaccination during pregnancy could help prevent COVID-19--related hospitalization in infants too young to be vaccinated," researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wrote.

Antibodies after COVID vaccin...

A Pfizer plant that makes vital drugs, anesthesia and hospital supplies has restarted production after a 10-week shutdown.

The plant, located in Rocky Mount, N.C., sustained severe tornado damage on July 19, when roofs were ripped off and medications tossed around.

"This expedited restart is a proud achievement for the Rocky Mount team; however, it is only the first step toward ful...

It's always a good time to check your baby's sleep space.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has released its annual report on the topic, showing that risks associated with nursery products continue to be high. More than 160 babi...

Ashley Haugen's 13-month-old daughter, Kipley, woke up projectile vomiting in their Texas home one morning in July 2017.

The Haugens took her to the doctor after it became apparent she wasn't keeping anything down. After not responding to medication, Kipley was whisked to a nearby children's hospital for emergency surgery.<...

Women may soon have a vaccine they can take during a pregnancy to help protect their newborn from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Following approval one month ago by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday also approved the shot, called Abrysvo. That marks the last hurdle needed for the vaccine to become widely available.

"T...

The United States is experiencing an alarming wave of congenital syphilis, and one southern state saw a 1,000% rise in babies born with the infection between 2016 and 2022.

The number of babies born with the infection in Mississippi rose from 10 in 2016 to 110 in 2022. Syphilis is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection. Congenital syphilis occurs when an infected mother passes the dis...

Many a new mom knows that when her newborn cries, her milk releases.

Now, animal research reveals a newly discovered brain circuit that may explain why that happens.

This new study showed that when a mouse pup starts crying, sound information travels to an area of its mother's brain called the posterior intralaminar nucleus of the thalamus (PIL).

This then sends signals to o...

Breast milk supplies many benefits for babies and their moms, and a new study highlights another one: Mother's milk provides proteins that are important for a newborn's gut health.

"Here we show that the concentration of certain proteins in human breast milk predicts the abundance of specific gut microorganisms in infants, which are known to be important [and] necessary for health,"s...

Certain combinations of bacteria found in dust in children's day care settings may have an impact on their young lungs.

Researchers are trying to understand whether attending day care can affect children's lung health. Their aim is to lower the risk of asthma.

"We find mixtures of different bacteria and other microbes living everywhere -- outside, inside our homes, on our skin and ...

Two new studies looked to explain an increased risk of respiratory infections like coughs and colds in babies and young children, finding city living to be among the culprits.

Young children who grow up in towns and cities instead of the countryside suffer more respiratory infections, according to research presented Monday at a meeting of the European Respiratory Society, in Milan, Italy....

Babies who have more mature microbes in their gut are less likely to have allergy-related wheezing and asthma in early childhood, according to new research.

"Our studies on the Barwon Infant Study showed that a more mature infant gut microbiota at one year of age...

If you were a big baby -- or your spouse or partner was -- your baby has a good chance of being big, too.

New research shows parents who were large babies are more likely to give birth to a large baby.

Knowing this has the potential to improve prenatal care and interventions by identifying which pregnancies have higher risk of labor and delivery complications.

To study this, r...

Doctors are seeing a spike in severe cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) among young children in Florida and Georgia, U.S. health officials warned Tuesday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent an advisory to doctors, noting that regional increases us...

Infants whose first year of life unfolded during the pandemic appear to have fewer types of bacteria in their gut than infants born before COVID-19 raced across the planet, a new study suggests.

Specifically, these pandemic babies had lower amounts of Pasteurellaceae and Haemophilus -- bacteria that can cause various infections -- and significantly different bacteria di...

Just 1 in 4 children with autism is diagnosed before age 3, but a new eye-tracking technology may allow for earlier diagnosis and intervention, according to three clinical studies of more than 1,500 kids.

Autism is a disorder marked by difficulties with communication and social interaction. In the United States, it affects about 1 child in 36, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Con...

Women may soon have a vaccine they can take during a pregnancy to help protect their newborn from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), following U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of the shot, called Abrysvo, on Monday

The vaccine is designed to be given to pregnant women between 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy as a way to protect infants from birth through 6 months from the sometimes ...

Too much screen time can lead to developmental delays in babies, researchers say.

When 1-year-olds viewed screens for more than four hours a day, they had delays in communication and problem-solving skills when assessed at ages 2 and 4, according to a new study published Aug. 21 in

All infants should receive the new long-acting preventive monoclonal antibody for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the nation's leading pediatrics group said.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) urged that access to the new medication, called nirsevimab, be equitable.

RSV is common, contagious and sometimes deadly, the AAP said.

The antibody boosts the immune system.

As experts begin preparing for another season of viruses, they now know that even healthy infants with no underlying health issues are at risk for severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

New research finds that most infants who were admitted last fall to an intensive care unit for RSV were generally healthy before their infection. So, preventative measures -- including a newly approved ...

Parents and caregivers are being advised to immediately stop using La-La-Me Infant Loungers because they pose a risk to babies of suffocation and falling.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued the warning Thursday. It said the loungers failed to meet its Infant Sleep Products Rule for several reasons.

The product's seller, La-La-Me of Bellmore, N.Y., has not agre...

About 1 in 5 newborns hospitalized for surgery to treat a life-threatening bowel infection are given opioids for pain relief and some then need methadone to wean off the addictive drugs.

But there is wide variability in use of opioids after surgery in infants, and babies who need methadone tend to remain in the hospital a lot longer, a new study shows.

"Nobody wants a baby to be in ...

Diagnosis of congenital heart defects while a baby is still in the womb offers opportunities for earlier corrective surgery. And that can mean better outcomes for an infant's neurodevelopmental and physical health, new research shows.

"For infants with critical disease especially, getting surgery...

Early and gradual exposure to peanuts under medical supervision curbed infants' allergies, according to a new study.

While researchers had seen that peanut oral immunotherapy was well tolerated by toddlers, this research focused on an even younger age group.

"We've seen how peanut oral immunotherapy is well-tolerated in toddlers, but there is limited real-world evidence available to...

Steroids are often unnecessarily prescribed to pregnant women thought to be at risk of preterm birth, a new evidence review contends.

As a result, millions of babies are needlessly exposed to long-term health problems associated with steroid use in gestation, such as increased risk of infection and delayed brain development, researchers say.

Steroids can't prevent preterm birth, but...

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday recommended that all infants under the age of 8 months be given a new antibody shot to help guard against severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

The antibody shot, sold as Beyfortus, has been shown to reduce the risk of both hospitalizations and healthcare visits for RSV in infants by about 80 percent, the CDC said in a

Experts have long recommended breastfeeding for its many benefits for infants, but a new study puts a hard number on breast milk's lifesaving effects.

Breastfeeding is associated with a 33% reduction in infant deaths in the first year, according to the study of nearly 10 million U.S. babies.

The research looked at babies born in 48 states and Washington, D.C. between 2016 and 2018...

Pediatricians have suspected it for years, and now a new study may be proving them right: Cold air really can help ease children's croup symptoms.

Croup is a common childhood illness that usually starts as an ordinary cold. It arises when the infection causes swelling around the voice box (larynx) and wind pipe (trachea), leading to some distinctive croup symptoms: a cough that sounds lik...

A micronutrient in human breast milk may provide significant benefit to developing newborn brains, according to new research that sheds light on the link between nutrition and brain health.

Scientists looked at this sugar molecule in rodents and in human neurons. They said the micronutrient, called myo-inositol, may lead to improved infant formulas.

"The current research does indica...

Enjoy that summer sun, but keep some safety tips in mind, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises parents.

"It's great to see children enjoying nature and reaping the benefits of outdoor activities,"Atlanta-based pediatrician Dr. Rebecca Philipsborn said in an AAP news re...

Summer's here and the Mayo Clinic says babies need protection from the sun's damaging UV rays, too.

It only takes one severe sunburn during childhood or adolescence to nearly double the risk for a deadly melanoma later in life, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association.

Babies are far more vulnerable to sunburn than older kids, so it's essential to protect them ag...

Screening newborns for severe combined immunodeficiency -- SCID, sometimes referred to as "bubble boy disease" -- significantly increases survival rates, researchers say.

Infants with SCID appear healthy at birth, but have no immune defenses, making them highly susceptible to severe and often fatal infections. The 1976 TV movie "The Boy in the Plastic Bubble" promoted awareness of th...

Jeremy Davis made sure his wife, Chloe, got lots of support when she was breastfeeding each of their three sons.

"When she'd been up nursing all night, I'd take over with the baby in the mornings so she could get extra sleep,"the Wilton, Conn., man recalled. Davis also learned to give special breastfeeding massages to help with milk flow and took on middle-of-the-night diaper duty.

...

Could high-quality child care for young children translate into better grades in math and science?

Yes, says new research that found children with caregivers who provided both warmth and mental stimulation go on to do better in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in high school.

"Our results suggest that caregiving quality in early childhood can build a strong foundatio...

Babies around the world are dying because the antibiotics used to treat sepsis infections in hospitals are losing their effectiveness, a new report warns.

A team of 80 researchers from four continents has been studying the issue of antibiotic-resistance and newborn sepsis in 19 hospitals.

"The observational study has been instrumental in providing the high-quality data that we ...

A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel on Thursday recommended that the agency approve an RSV vaccine for infants and some toddlers.

The monoclonal antibody shot would protect against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in infants born during or entering their first RSV season, the New York Times reported. It could also be used for toddlers up to 24 months old who are p...

After two more infant deaths, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is are urging parents and caregivers to stop using recalled Boppy Newborn Loungers, which are now linked to 10 deaths in all.

The loungers were recalled in September 2021 because of eight baby deaths. An additional two deaths have been reported since the recall, the commission said Wednesday.

The recal...

Federal regulators have finalized new guidance on how much inorganic arsenic can be present in apple juice, in an effort to limit the exposure of infants and young children to this environmental contaminant.

What is the new limit? 10 parts per billion, a number first proposed in 2013.

"We are finalizing an action level of 10 ppb because we consider this level achievable with the u...