Topic: Children's health

Girls who start puberty “very early” are more likely to be at risk of psychological problems and early pregnancy, researchers suggest.

The onset of “normal puberty” is said to commence in girls from around 10 years onwards, while in Europe the lower end of the “normal range” for the onset of puberty is 8 years in girls.

Extreme protection against sun exposure should remain as study suggests high levels vitamin D does not boost teen academic performance.

Findings suggest the benefits of the vitamin on brainpower do not emerge until later in life.

Research published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health analysed the academic performance and GCSE results of over 3000 teens between the ages of 13 and 16.

The teens’ vitamin D3 and D2 levels were measured when they were nine years-old.


The return of ‘tight swaddling’ is causing a rise in baby hip problems, it is suggested.

Professor Nicholas Clarke, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Southampton General Hospital, claims tightly wrapping babies in blankets to keep them warm and help them sleep is a practice that is increasingly becoming adopted by mothers. 
 


Over a thousand stillbirths could be avoided every year in the UK, neonatal charity Sands has claimed.

The report Preventing Babies’ Deaths: what needs to be done, says routine antenatal care is “failing to detect far too many babies that need help”.

It claims a combination of more research, better care and a greater awareness of the risks of stillbirth and newborn baby death could save as many as 1,200 babies’ lives each year.

Obesity rates in children aged 10 and 11 is rising, NHS data suggests.

According to NHS Information Centre figures, obesity levels among final year primary school children have increased by 1.5% since 2006/07.

The total number of obese 10 and 11 year olds now stands at 19% - almost one in five - as measured by the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP).

The number of children of the same age that have been classed as 'overweight' has also grown slightly – up by 0.2% from 2006/07 to 14.4%.

Lorna a Fern PhD MSc
Research & Development Co-ordinator
National Cancer Research Institute's Teenage and Young Adults Clinical Studies Group
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Susie Pearce MSc BSc   
Health Services Researcher for Young People with Cancer University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Four in ten parents think all children should be offered the flu vaccine on the NHS, it is claimed.

The survey of Mumsnet users adds weight to a growing consensus among healthcare professionals supporting a policy change to vaccinate healthy children against flu.

Up to 10% of children under 14 were struck down with flu during the 2010/2011 flu season.

The period also saw 70 fatalities in this age group in England and Wales.

Furthermore, many of the deaths were not linked to any underlying health conditions.

Nelly Ninis
Consultant Paediatrician
St Mary's Hospital, London

Nurses play a central role in the diagnosis of meningitis and are vital for disseminating accurate health information to patients, including advising on and administrating vaccines

Louise Naughton
Reporter
Nursing in Practice

Primary healthcare professionals are being warned not to succumb to negative attitudes and dismiss alcohol and drug abuse among children as antisocial behaviour

Alarming figures were recently released from the Welsh Government showing that at least 1,200 children under the influence of alcohol have been admitted to A&E departments each year for the past three years across Wales. Some such children are believed to be as young as four.

The percentage of the English child population immunised against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) by their second birthday continues to rise and is closing on the percentage high seen in the mid-1990s, an NHS Information Centre report shows today.

According to NHS Immunisation Statistics, England 2010–11, in 2010–11 89.1% of children in England had received the MMR vaccine by their second birthday, compared to 88.2% in 2009–10. The report also shows the reported percentage of children vaccinated against other diseases is growing.

At least 1,200 children are admitted to Welsh A&E departments for alcohol and drug abuse each year, new research has found.

The figures, obtained by BBC Wales, show more than 800 children have attended casualty every year for the past three years to be treated for alcohol abuse. Some such children are claimed to be as young as four.

Hundreds more patients under 16 have been seen after taking drugs – whether that be as a result of accidental swallowing of tablets, medication overdose or substance abuse.
 

The national cot death charity, the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID), today called for parents of low-birth weight babies to be given more advice on how to reduce the risk of cot death, as the latest research shows they are at higher risk.

Figures released today by the Office of National Statistics show that babies born under 2.5kg were over five times more likely to die suddenly and unexpectedly than those of normal birth weight.