childhood

A meta-analysis, pooling the results of 40 previous studies - involving more than 310,000 children and adolescents in total - concludes that treatment rates for mental disorders in these age groups are "generally low, especially for depression and anxiety". The research, published in JAMA Network Open, shows that the treatment rate for any mental disorder is 38%, ranging from 31% for anxiety, 36% for depression, 49% for conduct disorders and 58% for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

A study conducted with nearly 58,000 boys and girls revealed that increased television or DVD screen time starting from 12 months of age had a negative impact on later development, as reported by JAMA Pediatrics.

Two decades of research has found no differences in psychological well-being and the quality of family relationships between children born through assisted reproduction with third-party intervention (gamete donation or surrogacy) and those born naturally. The results, published in Developmental Psychology, suggest that it is better to talk to them early, at preschool age, about their biological origins.

Between 10-15% of childhood brain tumours are diffuse midline gliomas, a type of tumour that occurs within the brainstem, making it almost impossible to remove surgically. Research published in Science Translational Medicine has used a type of molecule (antisense-ASO oligonucleotides) in mouse models of this tumour to slow tumour growth and prolong survival. The authors hope that the research will reach clinical trials and, in that case, the potential new treatment would be combined with others such as radiotherapy or immunotherapy with CAR-T cells.

Babies who are exposed to dogs and cats during foetal development and early childhood have a lower risk of food allergies up to the age of three, according to a Japanese study published in PLoS ONE. Previous work has focused on the beneficial effect of dogs in this period, while this analysis, based on retrospective data from more than 66,000 children, also includes other pets such as cats and hamsters. According to the study, exposure to dogs is associated with a lower incidence of egg, milk and nut allergies, while contact with cats is linked to a lower incidence of egg, wheat and soy allergies. However, exposure to hamsters is associated with a higher incidence of nut allergy.

People who had a lower respiratory tract infection—such as bronchitis or pneumonia—before the age of two have twice the risk of premature death from respiratory disease in adulthood, according to a study published in The Lancet. The research is based on long-term data from over 3,500 people born from 1946 onwards in England, Scotland and Wales. According to the study, one in five premature deaths in this representative sample could be due to respiratory infections. The team adjusted their estimate by taking into account factors such as socioeconomic status in childhood and smoking in adulthood.  

A study carried out by researchers at the University of Amsterdam Medical Centres on more than 220,000 children examines the academic performance at age 12 of children born by induced labour. According to the authors, a reduction in scores was observed in infants born after induced labour between 37 and 41 weeks. The research is published in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica.

22% of children worldwide have signs of disordered eating behaviours, a figure that rises to 30% for girls alone, according to an analysis published in JAMA Pediatrics led by researchers from the University of Castilla-La Mancha. The research brings together 32 previous studies that used the same diagnostic tool (the SCOFF questionnaire). It includes in total more than 60,000 children aged 6 to 18 in 16 countries. The article also states that the risk of disordered eating behaviour increases with age and Body Mass Index (BMI).  Disordered eating behaviours include behaviours such as ‘weight loss dieting, binge eating, self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise, and the use of laxatives or diuretics (although not to the level to warrant a clinical diagnosis of an eating disorder)’.

A meta-analysis of 42 studies from 15 countries, including Spain, concludes that the covid-19 pandemic caused learning delays in school-aged children and a loss of knowledge equivalent to 35% of the learning of a school year. The research, published in Nature Human Behaviour, highlights that these effects persisted over time.

A study published in PLOS Medicine estimates that the implementation of sugary drinks taxes in the UK in 2018 was associated with an 8 % reduction in obesity in English girls aged 10-11, particularly among those living in more deprived areas.