Children's Health News & Updates

May 8, 2025 — With Mother’s Day approaching, we asked five top doctors for maternal health tips that showed just how smart their moms really were.

April 25, 2025 — As U.S. measles cases rise, a study suggests the disease could become endemic again – meaning bigger than an outbreak but not quite as big as a pandemic.

March 27, 2025 — The FDA has approved diazoxide choline (VYKAT XR) as a drug to treat hyperphagia, an uncontrollable urge to eat, in people with Prader-Willi syndrome, a rare life-threatening genetic disorder.

March 25, 2025 — Girls are twice as likely as boys to be diagnosed with depression, and researchers in London have now uncovered clues as to why.

March 20, 2025 — For the first time, scientists have found that babies are able to store memories in the brain region called the hippocampus. The ability appears to start around 1 year old.

March 10, 2025 — In early stages, measles can easily go undetected, putting you, your family, and your community at risk. Understand the signs and what to do if you notice them.

February 26, 2025 — The Texas Department of Health and Human Services says a school-age child who had been hospitalized in the West Texas town of Lubbock and was not vaccinated against measles has died in a measles outbreak.

February 21, 2025 — Measles cases surge in the United States, led by a significant outbreak in Texas, highlighting the need for increased MMR vaccination as recommended by the CDC.

February 3, 2025 — During the two quick years when a child is considered a preschooler, a diet high in ultraprocessed foods may put them at risk of developing overweight or obesity by the time they start kindergarten.

December 20, 2024 — The FDA has approved olezarsen, a new drug that helps reduce high triglyceride levels in adults with a rare genetic condition called familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS).

December 20, 2024 — The FDA has approved remestemcel-L, a new treatment for children age 2 months or older with steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease (SR-aGVHD), a major complication of donor bone marrow transplantation.

December 17, 2024 — The FDA has approved crinecerfont, marketed under the brand name Crenessity, a first-in-class oral drug for treating classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), a rare genetic condition present from birth.

November 18, 2024 — The FDA has granted fast-track approval for a groundbreaking gene therapy indicated for a rare genetic disorder called aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency.

October 16, 2024 — It may not sound surprising that treating obesity in adolescents and teens may have positive mental health impacts, but researchers this week reported reassuring findings about whether popular new injectable weight loss medicines carry mental health risks. Here's what to know.

September 26, 2024 — Within days of approving the first treatment for a rare genetic disorder, the FDA has approved another treatment for the same condition.

September 24, 2024 — Miplyffa treats Niemann-Pick disease type C, which progressively impacts the abilities to speak, swallow, and walk or move independently.

September 20, 2024 — Whooping cough is surging in the U.S., with four times as many cases reported so far this year, compared to all of 2023. Here's what to know.

September 13, 2024 — Why do some parents choose not to act when their child is going through a mental health crisis? And what can and should parents do to keep mental illness from getting to a fever pitch?

August 15, 2024 — Like many diseases, whooping cough reached record low levels during the early days of the COVID pandemic. Also known as pertussis, it’s back with a vengeance and could even threaten people who are vaccinated against the disease, since protection fades over time.

June 19, 2024 — The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends that children and adolescents with a high body mass index (BMI) receive intensive counseling – but not weight reduction drugs – to achieve a healthy weight.

April 12, 2024 — Within the first 3 months of 2024, the U.S. surpassed the total number of measles cases recorded in all of 2023. Could the nation break a record this year? Here's what to know.

March 27, 2024 — It’s not quite the end of March, and the U.S. has already tallied more measles cases this year than were reported in all of 2023.

March 20, 2024 — Each spring, around 30 million people descend on Florida’s beaches, cities, and theme parks for some fun in the sun. But this year as the state gets set for spring break, it’s also wrestling with a measles outbreak that’s leaving many travelers wondering whether it’s still safe to go.

March 14, 2024 — Just over 2 months into 2024, the CDC has already reported 45 cases of measles in 17 jurisdictions across the United States. Here's what to know.

January 30, 2024 — Throughout the COVID pandemic, what was happening in Europe foretold what we could expect here stateside. Is the same true for measles? WebMD asked experts just how concerned we should be, and what, if anything, about measles keeps them awake at night.

January 30, 2024 — Teenagers who drink alcohol, or smoke cigarettes or pot are more likely to experience mental health issues than those who don’t regularly use those substances, reports a new study.

December 18, 2023 — Severe obesity among preschool-age children from low-income families is on the rise in the U.S., according to a new analysis of federal data.

December 13, 2023 — Given the prevalence of the issue, the task force recommends behavioral interventions that include at least 26 hours of supervised physical activity sessions for up to a year.

December 7, 2023 — Amid an outbreak of pneumonia and other respiratory illnesses in China, parts of Europe and, now, the U.S., experts say to be cautious but calm.

November 8, 2023 — Starting Friday, Walmart stores across the country will institute “sensory friendly” hours to create “a less stimulating environment” from 8 to 10 a.m. every day, the world’s largest retailer said on its website.

October 27, 2023 — Acupuncture is often used to manage pain, digestive issues, emotional conditions, and stress, and parents are beginning to turn to acupuncture as a safe, effective, and holistic way to treat their children’s anxiety and physical ailments.

October 16, 2023 — While medical experts have viewed childhood obesity as an epidemic and a crisis for years, some are now saying it’s time to focus even more attention on the situation, and to do so earlier rather than later.

September 22, 2023 — As respiratory virus season approaches, the shortage of amoxicillin that began last fall still hasn’t been resolved.

September 7, 2023 — Researchers hope to enhance pediatric care by printing tablets in child-friendly doses, shapes, and flavors.

August 2, 2023 — A new study shows that children’s apparent inability to pay attention may actually allow them to outperform adults and retain information that they were told to discard in ways that adults can’t.

July 13, 2023 — Nearly 9 out of every 100 U.S. children are now diagnosed with a developmental disability, according to updated figures from the CDC.

July 10, 2023 — About one-quarter of children in a recent study had one or more new eye-related findings that may have contributed to their headaches, researchers say.

May 30, 2023 — More children and teenagers are getting surgical procedures to lose weight, according to a report published in JAMA Pediatrics on Tuesday.

April 26, 2023 — A new analysis shows that many melatonin gummies contain far more melatonin than their labels indicate. The researchers said the mislabeled products pose a serious risk for teens and children, pointing to recent data that shows young people are increasingly using – and being poisoned by – the lightly regulated supplement.

April 24, 2023 — The diaper analysis was the first step in a study that aims to identify causes of chronic inflammatory diseases such as asthma, eczema, and allergies. The researchers were surprised by the sheer number of viruses that they found.

April 24, 2023 — Sleep problems during the transition from childhood to adolescence could lead to later psychiatric and behavioral symptoms.

April 19, 2023 — A new study suggest that even slightly longer meals -- even 10 minutes longer -- can promote healthy eating in kids.

March 20, 2023 — A new study suggests that recent government efforts to limit human exposure to hormone-disrupting “forever chemicals” may miss the mark and not provide much protection.

March 15, 2023 — The pandemic increased anxiety and depression among children; other leading safety concerns include staff shortages, violence in health care facilities, and medication list discrepancies.

March 8, 2023 — Half of young kids in the U.S. don't eat vegetables daily, a new report says.

February 24, 2023 — Exposure to “forever chemicals” widely used in consumer products disrupts important biological processes in children and young adults, a new study says.

February 22, 2023 — New guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatricians on childhood obesity have been well received by many. But some experts question whether the recommendations might have unexpected consequences.

February 21, 2023 — Many parents are giving children fever-reducing medication when it’s not recommended, a new poll shows.

February 16, 2023 — In 2020, suicide was the second leading cause of death in youngsters and young adults (ages 10 to 34) and the 12th leading cause of death in the U.S..