The health problems of preemie babies cause untold heartache for new parents. But these families also face a strained financial future, a new study finds. About 30% of parents with a very low birth weight baby, under 3.3 pounds, have had to make serious decisions about their employment and career based on their child’s health,…  read on >  read on >

Smoking marijuana during pregnancy may quell your morning sickness, but it could also harm your child’s development, a new study warns. Cannabis exposure in the womb is associated in early childhood with poorer thinking skills, researchers reported Oct. 28 in the journal JAMA Pediatrics. These kids also have behavioral problems like impulse control, poor attention…  read on >  read on >

DNA analysis of newborns can detect many more preventable or treatable health problems than standard newborn screening does, a new study shows. Genome sequencing identified 120 babies with serious and treatable health conditions out of 4,000 newborns, researchers reported Oct. 24 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. By comparison, conventional screening techniques only…  read on >  read on >

Anxiety is driving more children with potentially dangerous food allergies to seek out psychological care, a new study finds. Focusing on one Ohio hospital, the researchers found a more than 50% jump in psychology referrals for kids with food allergies between 2018 and 2023. “Our center has devoted significant resources to address the psychosocial support…  read on >  read on >

In a move that further toughens safety standards for lead paint dust, the Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday announced the finalization of a rule that declares any detectable amount of the toxin in a home or child care center to be hazardous. “Too often our children, the most vulnerable residents of already overburdened communities, are…  read on >  read on >

Experiments in sheep are hinting that doses of caffeine given to women in pregnancy, as well as their newborns after birth, could prevent cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is a disabling condition often caused by asphyxia — reductions in oxygen supply — around the time of birth. Asphyxia can cause other neurodevelopmental disorders, as well. Researcher…  read on >  read on >

The United States experienced a small but significant rise in infant deaths in the months following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision overturned Roe v. Wade, a new study shows. The Dobbs ruling, handed down in July of 2022, led to outright bans on abortion in 14 states and tighter restrictions in eight others. According to…  read on >  read on >