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Gut Microbe Imbalances Could Predict a Child’s Risk for Autism, ADHD and Speech Disorders Years Before Symptoms Appear
Early screening for neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism is important to ensure children have the support they need to gain the essential skills for daily life.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children be screened for developmental delays, with additional screening for those who are preterm or have a low birth weight.
However, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has called for more research into the effectiveness of current autism screening practices.
Primarily based on milestone checklists and symptoms, autism diagnoses also currently rely on observations of behavior that often manifests after crucial developmental stages have passed.
We are researchers who study the role the microbiome plays in a variety of conditions, such as mental illness, autoimmunity, obesity, preterm birth and others.
In our recently published research on Swedish children, we found that microbes and the metabolites they produce in the guts of infants — both found in poop and cord blood — could help screen for a child’s risk of neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism.
And these differences can be detected as early as birth or within the first year of life. These markers were evident, on average, over a decade before the children were diagnosed.
Chickenpox Vaccine to Be Offered to Babies at 12 Months
The Health Service Executive has added a chickenpox vaccine to the childhood immunization schedule.
The addition of the jab is one in a series of changes for babies born on or after October 1st this year.
Under the changes, babies will no longer receive the dose of MenC vaccine at six months.
The chickenpox vaccine, also known as varicella, will be administered at 12 months. At 13 months, there will be a replacement of the combined HIB/MenC with a 6-in-1 and a MenC vaccine.
There are no changes to the number of GP visits required. They remain at two, four, six, 12 and 13 months.
Depression, Anxiety Diagnoses Have Increased Among Young People
Diagnoses of depression and anxiety among kids, teens, and young adults increased from 2017 to 2021, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a cohort study in Southern California.
Among 1.7 million participants, the overall incidence of depression diagnosed clinically increased by 55.6% (from 1.35% to 2.10%) over this time period, and the prevalence of depression clinically diagnosed increased by 60% (from 2.55% to 4.08%; P<0.001 for trend for both), reported Anny H. Xiang, PhD, of Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) in Pasadena, and co-authors in JAMA Network Open.
Co-author Sid Kumar, M.D., also of KPSC, told MedPage Today that there was already a youth mental health crisis before the pandemic, but the demand for psychiatric services grew with the onset of COVID-19.
Kumar said the study was developed to better understand the increased demand that clinicians were experiencing, and focused on youths because their lives were “completely disrupted.”
Only 1 in 10 Children Meet Global Health Guidelines, Researchers Discover
New research has found only 14% of children aged three to four years old are getting adequate physical activity, sleep and time away from screens.
The analysis, led by the University of Wollongong (UOW) and supported by the University of Stirling’s Dr. Simone Tomaz, examined 7,017 children, aged three to four, across 33 countries, with the aim of providing a comprehensive snapshot of their health and activity levels around the world.
The World Health Organization evidence-based global Guidelines on Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior and Sleep for Children Under 5 Years of Age, recommends that children aged three to four years old should, in a 24-hour period, undertake at least 180 minutes of physical activity, of which 60 minutes should be moderate to vigorous intensity, have less than an hour of sedentary screen time, and receive 10 to 13 hours of good quality sleep.
While the researchers noted differences between sexes, regions, and country income levels, the universal finding was that most children were not getting enough movement and were spending too much time on screens.
Flu Deaths in Children Hit New Record as Vaccination Rates Decrease: CDC
The number of kids dying from influenza in the 2023-2024 season has set a new record for a regular flu season, after one new death was reported last week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
There were 200 pediatric flu-related deaths in the 2023-2024 season, compared to the previous high of 199 during the 2019-2022 season.
About 80% of the kids that died from flu this season were not fully vaccinated against influenza, CDC data shows. Nearly half of the children had at least one pre-existing medical condition.
Radon-Induced Child Cancer Widespread Across US, Even at Low Levels
An analysis of more than 700 counties across the U.S. has uncovered a connection between childhood leukemia and exposure to radon gas, even at levels below federal guidelines for mitigation.
The research, led by researchers at Oregon State University, suggests that radon may pose broader health risks than previously understood, particularly for children.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas produced from the decay of uranium found in rocks and soils. While generally harmless outdoors, radon can accumulate indoors, becoming a significant health hazard.
It has long been recognized as a leading cause of lung cancer, responsible for between three and 14% of all lung cancers, according to the World Health Organization. However, it had not been linked to other forms of cancer — until now.
Control Smartphones Like Tobacco, Says Leading WHO Expert
Countries should consider regulating digital devices like smartphones in a similar way to tobacco products, to combat social media’s rising negative impact on young people’s mental health, the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) Natasha Azzopardi Muscat said.
With increasing evidence that problematic gaming and social media behavior is on the rise among adolescents in Europe, countries should take inspiration from other areas of public health where legislation has helped address potentially damaging habits — such as tobacco laws, she said.
Measures including age limits, controlled prices and even no-go zones worked for regulating tobacco, so they could be taken as an example for how to curb damaging use of handheld devices like smartphones, Azzopardi Muscat, director of country health policies and systems at WHO Europe, told POLITICO on the sidelines of the European Health Forum, in Gastein, Austria.
Nurturing Brain Development in Young Children Through Shared Reading
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) encourages parents and caregivers to read aloud with their newborns and young children as an opportunity to foster loving, nurturing relationships during a critical time of brain development, and recommends that pediatricians support families with guidance and books at well-child visits, according to an updated policy statement.
The policy statement, “Literacy Promotion: An Essential Component of Primary Care Pediatric Practice,” marks the first update in AAP recommendations since 2014.
Given the extraordinary amount of research in this area, an accompanying new technical report reviews the evidence for shared reading as a way to strengthen and nurture relationships, stimulate brain circuitry and create early attachments.
“Reading together with young children weaves joyful language and rich interactive moments into the fabric of daily life,” said Perri Klass, MD, FAAP, lead author of both statements.
“As a pediatrician and parent, I suggest making books your bedtime routine, using them to connect and wind down after a busy day, and generally building them into life with a young child. It will strengthen the bonds that hold you together, and build your child’s developing brain.”
Doctor Explains the Health Benefits of Yoga for Children
Cleveland Clinic News Service reported:
Yoga is good for both your body and mind.
Dr. Gina Robinson, a pediatrician for Cleveland Clinic Children’s, highlights the health benefits it can offer kids.
“Yoga is a good way to get moving. It helps with flexibility, strength and promotes mindfulness,” Robinson said.
Kids ages 6 and up should get at least one hour of physical activity a day, and yoga can be a fun way to help them reach this goal.
Along with the physical benefits, Robinson said, practicing yoga encourages mindfulness and teaches kids tactics like deep breathing.
During yoga, this allows them to be in the moment and tune out the distractions of cellphones and other devices.
Deep breathing can also be used outside of yoga to help kids manage difficult emotions from stress to anxiety.
