kids

On September 26, a marijuana-based childhood epilepsy drug took a step closer to winning approval when its maker announced promising phase 3 clinical trial results. [1]
Justin Gover, CEO of the British biotech company GW Pharmaceuticals, said that the children participating in the trial had previously tried 10 other anti-epileptic drugs. Despite using the medication, the young participants still experienced 3 seizures a day, approximately 90 a month. Said Gover:

A rather shocking thing occurred this week when U.S.

A leading group of pediatricians said in a statement published September 19 that codeine is not safe for children and should not be used to relieve pain or coughs. [1]
The guidance nearly mirrors a January 2016 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning that codeine should not be given to children and most teens.

According to a new Finnish study published in the European Journal of Nutrition, a healthy diet in the first 3 years of school is linked to enhanced reading skills.
The study involved a collaboration between University of Eastern Finland and University of Jyväskylä. For the research, 161 Finnish children aged 6 to 8 were studied, with researchers following the participants through their journey from 1st to 3rd grade.

A new study shows that the number of college students who use pot continues to rise, but they’re more often rejecting other, harder drugs, including amphetamines and opioids. [1]

A new study published September 12 in the journal Pediatrics shows that many parents accidentally overdose their children on liquid medicines, but standardizing measuring instruments and labels may reduce these errors. [1]

A survey released by UCLA found that when dealing with children’s concussions, most parents are doing more harm than good by following outdated advice.
Dr. Christopher Giza, a pediatric neurologist at UCLA, has stated that concussion symptoms used to be downplayed. Now, however, parents err too far on the side of caution, which might interrupt the child’s recovery.
Giza said of the results of his survey:

Great efforts have been made to get people to quit smoking, and to help them avoid starting. The Great American Smokeout, held every third Thursday in November to encourage people to give up tobacco, began in the 1970’s. Medications like Zyban, Wellbutrin, and Chantix were introduced to help would-be quitters fight their cravings. And in the 1990’s, toll-free quit lines were launched in every state. [1]

People born in winter and people born in regions with less sunlight and shorter days may have a lower risk of developing celiac disease (CD) than those born in warmer regions or seasons, a new Swedish study suggests.

In April of this year (2016), medical marijuana became legal in Pennsylvania, and lawmakers said children would get the first crack at obtaining the medication. Let’s take a look at recent developments.