New research provides some of the first evidence that medications taken by millions of American children to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) offer long-term benefits. Based on an analysis of Medicaid claims for nearly 150,000 children diagnosed with ADHD in South Carolina between 2003 and 2013, researchers including Princeton University postdoctoral associate Anna Chorniy found treatment with ADHD medication made children less likely to suffer consequences of risky behaviors such as sexually transmitted diseases, substance abuse during their teen years and injuries. Read More

Among children born with the chromosome disorders trisomy 13 or 18 in Ontario, Canada, early death was the most common outcome, but 10 percent to 13 percent survived for 10 years, according to a study appearing in the July 26 issue of JAMA. Among children who underwent surgical interventions, 1-year survival was high. Trisomy 13 and 18 are genetic diagnoses associated with characteristic physical features and organ anomalies, often including cardiac malformations and neurologic impairments that occur in approximately 8 to 15 per 100,000 live births. Most children with these disorders die shortly after birth, although limited data suggest some children survive longer. Surgeries are controversial, and little evidence is available about outcomes. Lack of information about longer-term survival complicates clinical decision making. Read More

A study by researchers at Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), Brigham and Women's Hospital and the California Department of Public Health suggests that all babies with a known mutation for cystic fibrosis (CF) and second mutation called the 5T allele should receive additional screening in order to better predict the risk of developing CF later in life. The results, published in the journal Genetic Testing and Molecular Biomarkers, indicate that adding specific DNA sequencing to current newborn screenings would allow for early diagnosis in ethnically diverse populations and may increase the number of CF diagnoses in the U.S. over time. Such diagnoses could result in earlier treatment of CF, which could ultimately improve the outcome and prolong the life of a child with the disease.  Read More

When asked how lack of sleep affects emotions, common responses are usually grumpy, foggy and short-tempered. While many jokes are made about how sleep deprivation turns the nicest of people into a Jekyll and Hyde, not getting enough shut-eye can lead to far more serious consequences than irritability, difficulty concentrating and impatience. Candice Alfano, a clinical psychologist and associate psychology professor at the University of Houston, says children who experience inadequate or disrupted sleep are more likely to develop depression and anxiety disorders later in life. Funded by a grant from the NIH's National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the study seeks to determine the precise ways inadequate sleep in childhood produces elevated risk for emotional disorders in later years. Read More

For the first time, scientists believe they've discovered a cause of multiple types of birth defects triggered by environmental stresses. The breakthrough made by scientists at the Victor Chang Institute, shows that cellular stress could be the key to understanding why many babies are born with defects of the heart, vertebrae and kidney, among others. Affecting 1 in 100 babies, childhood heart disease is the most common form of birth defect in the world. But despite its prevalence, surprisingly the genetic and environmental causes are very poorly understood. The research, led by professor Sally Dunwoodie, analyzed the effects of short term oxygen deficiency on heart development in an embryo. Read More