The White House on Wednesday unveiled a national plan to roll out coronavirus vaccines for 5- to 11-year-olds that is designed to make getting shots as easy and comfortable as possible for both kids and their parents. Rather than mass vaccination sites, the Biden administration plans to have pediatric COVID shots delivered in settings that…  read on >  read on >

Dust mites and smoke are known triggers of asthma in children. Now, scientists have identified previously unknown combinations of air pollutants that appear tied to the respiratory disorder. “Asthma is one the most prevalent diseases affecting children in the United States. In this study, we developed a list of air pollutants a young child may…  read on >  read on >

The answer to helping kids with “lazy eye” before it’s too late could be a hand-held screening device, a new study suggests. Amblyopia can’t be treated with glasses or contact lenses after a child’s vision reaches maturity, and without treatment, it can lead to poor school performance and impairments in depth perception and fine motor…  read on >  read on >

Researchers have created a six-stage process to help families of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) deal with the disorder. “This framework is family-centered, focused on breaking down the barriers that families face from before diagnosis to preparing children with ADHD for the future,” said Dr. Andrea Spencer, director of the Reach for ADHD…  read on >  read on >

Preschoolers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) rarely receive the gold-standard treatment recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for their condition, a new study reports. The AAP recommends a behavioral therapy technique called “parent training in behavior management,” or PTBM, as first-line treatment for ADHD kids ages 4 and 5. But only 1…  read on >  read on >

Fear, grief, uncertainty and isolation during the pandemic have triggered a national state of emergency in the mental health of America’s youth, leading child health care groups warned Tuesday. Youngsters already faced significant mental health challenges, and the pandemic has made them worse, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Academy of…  read on >  read on >

Laser-based vaginal “rejuvenation” is all the rage among women concerned about vaginal dryness and other “down there” symptoms of menopause, but it’s buyer beware when it comes to these procedures, new research warns. It turns out that laser-based vaginal rejuvenation may not be any better than placebo (dummy) treatment when it comes to relieving vaginal…  read on >  read on >

Americans hospitalized with COVID-19 could now face thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket medical costs, according to a new report. In 2020, most health insurance companies waived co-pays, deductibles and other cost-sharing for hospitalized COVID-19 patients, but many stopped doing that early this year, the University of Michigan researchers noted. “Many insurers claim that it is…  read on >  read on >