I've been reading a lot about childhood obesity this week, thanks in part to Michelle Obama's announcement of her "Let's Move" campaign aimed at reducing …
Author: Erin Digitale
The not-so-immortal life of tissue banks
After hearing Terry Gross of NPR's Fresh Air interview science journalist Rebecca Skloot on my commute home last night, I'm itching to read Skloot's new …
Could a diabetes drug treat teen obesity?
Will medication help overweight teens control their weight? That's the question posed by a new study published today in the journal Archives of Pediatrics & …
Extraordinary Measures: a film about metabolic disease
The new CBS film Extraordinary Measures, which opens in wide release tonight, describes a father's struggle to save his children from Pompe disease, a rare …
A scar-free future for kids?
Several physicians at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital are working on novel methods for minimizing scarring in children. There's good reason for their efforts. Children with …
New Stanford trial targets rare brain tumor
Today is the first anniversary of the death of five-year-old Dylan Jewett, a cancer patient I wrote about last summer in Stanford Medicine magazine. Dylan …
Mozart may help preemies gain weight?
Listening to Mozart could help premature babies gain weight more quickly and go home from the hospital faster, suggests a study published in the January …
Does Down syndrome need a "cure"?
The right drug regimen might ameliorate some of the cognitive problems of Down syndrome, making it easier for children with Down syndrome to learn and …
New NIH grants fill gap in pediatric drug research
Eighteen new grants worth $8.5 million represent part of an ongoing effort by the NIH to re-think old attitudes toward drug testing in kids. The …
Don't add buzz to the booze, says FDA
It's not OK to use caffeine as an additive in alcoholic drinks, the FDA told 30 beverage manufacturers last week. About time. During the five-year …
H1N1 flu tips for pregnant women and new moms
In this new video from Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, obstetrician Natali Aziz, MD, offers the latest flu advice for pregnant women and mothers of infants. …
Kitty has H1N1 …
"Don't kiss the cat, don't put beans in your nose, and don't go through the neighbors' garbage." I can't count the number of times my …
Food stamp use shows scope of child poverty
New findings published today in the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine suggest child poverty in the United States is even more widespread than previously …
The Atlantic questions H1N1 vaccination
A new story in The Atlantic on influenza vaccination is sure to raise the ire of the public health officials now encouraging everyone and their …
WIC food vouchers shape up
Big news this week for pregnant women, moms, babies and kids who receive food vouchers from the federal Women, Infants and Children program. For years, …
H1N1 flu: Health tips for fall
The back-to-school rush and impending flu season have many parents worried about a possible resurgence of H1N1 flu, a.k.a. swine flu. In a new video, …