News and Features Related to Children's Health
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Gene Therapy Works for 'Bubble Boy' Disease
Aug. 24, 2011 -- Nine years after getting gene therapy for a rare, inherited immune system disorder often called "bubble boy disease," 14 out of 16 children are doing well, researchers report. The children were born with severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID). They got an experimental gene
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Walking School Bus Programs Take Off
Aug. 22, 2011 -- A walking school bus isn't yellow, burns no gas, and is fueled by human energy. The "wheels" on this "bus" go round and round when small groups of children pedal their bikes or walk to school as adults supervise them along the route. This people-powered form of transportation has ca
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Sharp Drop in Chickenpox Deaths Due to Vaccine
July 25, 2011 -- Chickenpox deaths in the U.S. have been nearly eliminated thanks to widespread use of the varicella vaccine, according to a new CDC study. Researchers found chickenpox deaths have dropped by 88% overall and by 97% among children and adolescents since 1995, when the varicella vaccine
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Frogs That Spread Salmonella Are Being Sold Again
July 20, 2011 -- A California company whose African dwarf frogs have been linked to at least 241 cases of salmonella illness going back to 2009 has resumed selling the tiny animals after a temporary pause. The CDC says most of those sickened by the frog-borne bacteria have been children under the ag
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Late Talkers Not at Risk for Behavior Problems Later On
July 4, 2011 -- Late talkers or children with limited number of words by age 2 may have some behavioral and emotional issues as toddlers, but these issues will not follow them through their childhood and teen years. The new findings appear in the August issue of Pediatrics. Researchers followed more
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Can HPV Vaccine Stop Throat Cancer?
June 23, 2011 -- Can HPV vaccines stop the explosive rise of HPV-related head and neck cancer? HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccines protect against the sexually transmitted strains of HPV that cause cervical cancer. The same HPV strains -- spread by kissing and by oral sex -- cause oropharyngeal (OP)
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How to Fight Trend of Preschool Obesity
June 23, 2011 -- A growing number of preschool-age children in the U.S. are overweight or obese and greater efforts are needed to address the problem, the health policy group Institute of Medicine (IOM) says. In a new report, an IOM committee outlined policies designed to reduce obesity by promoting
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Food Allergies in Kids More Common Than Thought
June 20, 2011 -- The largest study ever to track childhood food allergies in the U.S. shows that they may be more common and more dangerous than previously recognized. The study, a detailed survey of families with at least one child younger than 18, shows that 8% of kids under age 18 are allergic to
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Head Traumas: Big Source of Young Athlete Deaths
June 20, 2011 -- Tough tackles and blows on the football field may take its toll on young players. A new study suggests blunt traumas may be an underappreciated and preventable source of sports-related sudden deaths. Researchers say 14% of the 1,827 sudden deaths among young athletes reported over t
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Portable Pools May Pose Drowning Risk for Kids
June 20, 2011 -- Portable pools may come with a smaller price tag than in-ground swimming pools, but a new study shows that they are associated with a similar risk of drowning for young children. Researchers found 209 children died as a result of drowning in a portable pool from 2001 to 2009. A port
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