Early use of risdiplam in newborns with SMA shows improvements in motor development

Early use of risdiplam in newborns with SMA shows improvements in motor development

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a rare genetic condition that causes progressive muscle weakness, which, when untreated, prevents infants with the most severe form from gaining motor development – never gaining the ability to sit – and typically leads to death before 2 years of age. The oral drug risdiplam benefits symptomatic patients with improved…

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Childhood and adolescent immunizations decline in Michigan, study shows

Childhood and adolescent immunizations decline in Michigan, study shows

Routine childhood and adolescent immunizations declined in Michigan between 2017 and 2023, particularly among counties with lower household income and higher uninsurance rates, a new study suggests. For many key pediatric vaccines, completion rates dropped sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic and have not yet recovered, according to Michigan Medicine led findings in Pediatrics.   “Our…

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Children show delayed exposure to respiratory viruses after COVID restrictions

Children show delayed exposure to respiratory viruses after COVID restrictions

COVID-19 prevention methods such as masking and social distancing also suppressed the circulation of common respiratory diseases, leaving young children lacking immunity to pathogens they otherwise would have been exposed to, a new multi-center clinical research study reveals. The investigators say their findings help explain the large post-pandemic rebound in these diseases and enable more…

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Excessive screen time linked to higher cardiometabolic risk in youth

Excessive screen time linked to higher cardiometabolic risk in youth

Children and young adults who spend excessive hours glued to screens and electronic devices may have higher risks for cardiometabolic diseases, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and insulin resistance, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open-access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association. A 2023 scientific…

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Study uncovers inflammatory pathways that contribute to asthma flare-ups in children

Study uncovers inflammatory pathways that contribute to asthma flare-ups in children

A recent multicenter clinical trial has uncovered inflammatory pathways that contribute to asthma flare-ups in children that occur despite treatment, according to findings published in JAMA Pediatrics. Eosinophilic asthma is characterized by high levels of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell involved in the body’s immune response. While eosinophils typically help fight infections, in…

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