This Is How Toddlers Know if People Share a Special Bond, And It’s Gross

The thought of sharing an ice cream cone with a stranger can trigger feelings of disgust – however that’s often not the case with someone close to us, such as a romantic partner or child.   A new study in the journal Science on Thursday shows that children are aware of this dynamic from a … Read more

Babies can tell who’s closely related from whether they share saliva

Infants and toddlers seem to expect people who exchange saliva, for example by taking bites of the same food, to be close enough to comfort each other if one gets upset Mind 20 January 2022 By Alice Klein Sharing a spoon may be a sign of a close bond kate_sept2004/Getty Images Babies and toddlers can … Read more

Type 1 diabetes: Artificial pancreas regulates blood sugar levels in children

An app that wirelessly links to an implanted glucose sensor and insulin pump can automatically regulate blood sugar levels in children better than the current standard therapy Health 19 January 2022 By Carissa Wong A child holding a phone using the CamAPS FX application University of Cambridge An artificial pancreas made of a mobile phone … Read more

Flu vaccines during pregnancy protect babies for 6 months after birth

Evidence shows that getting a flu jab during pregnancy provides substantial protection to young babies, but uptake in many countries is still concerningly low Health 14 January 2022 By Alice Klein Pregnant women can pass on antibodies to their babies Shutterstock/Rido Babies are two-thirds less likely to get the flu in their first six months … Read more

Omicron in children: Cases remain mild despite rise in hospitalisations

By Michael Le Page More school-aged children are being infected by omicron, but findings suggest it causes less severe disease than previous variants Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Several countries are reporting record numbers of children being hospitalised as omicron spreads, with babies especially likely to be admitted. While this has led to claims that omicron is … Read more

After Surgery, Black Children Are More Likely to Die Than White Children

Editor’s Note (12/21/21): This article is being showcased in a special collection about equity in health care that was made possible by the support of Takeda Pharmaceuticals. The article was published independently and without sponsorship. Studies have repeatedly shown that Black patients’ experiences with the U.S. health care system are worse than those of white … Read more

Affluent Children Are More Prone to Tooth Decay, First Meta-Study of Its Kind Reveals

Even with regular visits to the dentist, affluent children are more likely to experience tooth decay, according to the first meta-analysis of its kind. The systematic review suggests the corrosive effects of soda, juices, and energy drinks have eaten away at some of the privileges provided by wealth and education.   Across 65 studies from … Read more

Black Children, as Well as Other Minority Kids, Fare Worse Than White Children in Common Surgeries

A pandemic is a stress test for society, revealing not only hidden cracks in health systems but also broader social failings. A deep fissure further exposed by COVID is the long-standing inequity in the health and medical care of racial and ethnic minorities. The outbreak has shown that Black, brown and Indigenous adults in the … Read more

India defuses its population bomb: Fertility falls to two children per woman | Science

Back in the 1960s, India faced an exploding population, with a fertility rate of nearly six children per woman. When famine struck, U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson initially refused to deliver food aid, citing the country’s high birth rate. In response, India’s Prime Minister Indira Gandhi dramatically expanded the first national family planning program in … Read more

COVID Is Driving a Children’s Mental Health Emergency

When COVID shut down life as usual in the spring of 2020, most physicians in the U.S. focused on the immediate physical dangers from the novel coronavirus. But soon pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris began thinking of COVID’s longer-term emotional damage and those who would be especially vulnerable: children. “The pandemic is a massive stressor,” explains … Read more