Recently the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warned against the use of so-called "sleep positioner" products because of the dangers they pose to infants. These warnings serve as timely reminders during this SIDS Awareness Month that although we have learned a great deal about SIDS—the sudden, unexplained death of an infant younger than one year of age—we still have more to learn.
News
NICHD issues News Releases and Media Advisories to the news media. Spotlight and Research Feature articles explain NICHD research findings and public health issues to the general public. An Item of Interest is a short announcement of relevant information, such as a notable staff change.
Annual Federal Statistics Compilation Reports Second Straight Decline In Preterm Births
Preterm births and adolescent births declined, eighth graders' math and reading scores increased, and more children had health insurance, according to the federal government's annual statistical report on the well-being of the nation's children and youth. The report also showed several economic changes that coincided with the beginning of the economic downturn: increases in child poverty and food insecurity, as well as a decline in secure parental employment.
Children Being Well
It is said that you can’t truly understand someone until you’ve walked a mile in his or her shoes. Since 1997, the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics has been trying to "walk in the shoes" of the nation’s children and youth to understand the features of their health and well-being. By reporting on these features, the Forum provides a snapshot not only of our children’s lives, but also of the country’s future.
Partners in Maternal & Child Health
As part of its mission, the NICHD strives to help improve the health of children, adults, families, and communities not only in the United States, but throughout the world as well. Our neighbors in the global community often want the same things for themselves and their families as we do—health, happiness, security, and peace. Working together to achieve these things is mutually beneficial—it’s as good for us as it is for our partners.
NIH Study Finds That Overweight Girls Who Lose Weight Reduce Adult Diabetes Risk
Overweight girls who lose weight before they reach adulthood greatly reduced their risk for developing type 2 diabetes, according to researchers from the National Institutes of Health and Harvard University, who analyzed 16 years of data on nearly 110,000 women.
Infants Capable of Learning While Asleep
Newborn infants are capable of a simple form of learning while they're asleep, according to a study by researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health. The finding may one day lead to a test that can identify infants at risk for developmental disorders that do not become apparent until later in childhood.
Higher Oxygen Levels Improve Preterm Survival, Increase Risk for Eye Condition
Two findings from an NIH research network study provide new information on how much oxygen very preterm infants should receive starting on the first day of life and the most effective means to deliver it to them.
NIH Study Confirms Location of Stem Cells Near Cartilage-Rich Regions in Bones
Working with mice, a team of researchers has pinpointed the location of bone generating stem cells in the spine, at the ends of shins, and in other bones. The team also has identified factors that control the stem cells' growth. The research was conducted at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions.
Risk of Newborn Heart Defects Increases with Maternal Obesity
The more obese a woman is when she becomes pregnant, the greater the likelihood that she will give birth to an infant with a congenital heart defect, according to a study conducted by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and the New York state Department of Health.
New Online Resource for Nurses
In 2007, the NICHD, the National Institute on Nursing Research, and other national partner organizations released Continuing Education (CE) Module on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): A Curriculum for Nurses to help nurses make the most of their important role in health care to reduce the risk for SIDS.
Online Version of Nurses Continuing Education Program on SIDS Risk Reduction Now Available
An online version of NIH's continuing education program for nurses about SIDS risk reduction is now available. The Continuing Education Program on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Risk Reduction was developed by NIH's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) in collaboration with national nursing and health organizations.
Stillbirths Drop Dramatically After Newborn-Care Training in Developing Countries
The rate of stillbirths in rural areas of six developing countries fell more than 30 percent following a basic training program in newborn care for birth attendants, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The study tracked more than 120,000 births.
Pregnancy 2.0
Text4baby is a free service that delivers evidence-based health information about pregnancy and baby’s first year directly to the cell phones or mobile devices of moms-to-be and new moms.
SIDS Linked to Low Levels of Serotonin
The brains of infants who die of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) produce low levels of serotonin, a brain chemical that conveys messages between cells and plays a vital role in regulating breathing, heart rate, and sleep, reported researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Study Links Factors to Choice of Infant Sleep Position
Researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health have identified three principal factors linked to whether caregivers place infants to sleep on their backs. Those three factors are: whether they received a physician's recommendation to place infants only on their backs for sleep, fear that the infant might choke while sleeping on the back, and concerns for an infant's comfort while sleeping on the back.
NIH Awards $8.5 Million for Research on Pharmaceuticals for Children
Studying drugs in pediatric populations is challenging because drugs often affect children differently than they do adults. The scarcity of pediatric studies limits the ability of doctors and scientists to predict drug dosing, safety and efficacy in children. To address this gap, the National Institutes of Health announced today 18 grants to help determine outcome measures and increase the likelihood of success of future trials of treatments for children.
NIH Newborn Screening Research Program Named In Memory of Hunter Kelly
The National Institutes of Health today announced the establishment of a research program to enhance newborn screening, in memory of the son of National Football League Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly.
National Children's Study Scholars Program
The National Children's Study (NCS) is a unique epidemiological study of children's environmental health. The largest child health study ever undertaken in the United States, the NCS will longitudinally assess the effects of the chemical, biological, psychosocial-cultural, and physical environments on child health and development, with a special emphasis on gene-environment interaction and gene expression. The NCS will follow women through pregnancy and birth and their children through 21 years of age. Further information about the Study is available at http// www.nationalchildrensstudy.gov.
Treating Even Mild Gestational Diabetes Reduces Birth Complications
A National Institutes of Health network study provided the first conclusive evidence that treating pregnant women who have even the mildest form of gestational diabetes can reduce the risk of common birth complications among infants, as well as blood pressure disorders among mothers.
Understanding America's Children
Understanding the changing needs of the nation's children and the conditions they live in can play an important role in helping the country thrive both today and in the future. To create a comprehensive picture of children's lives, the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics, of which the NICHD is a member, compiles data on indicators of health and well-being for children and youth and reports its findings every year.