Source: Children’s Health Defense

Texas Cities Have Some of the Highest Preterm Birth Rates in the US, Highlighting Maternal Health Crisis Nationwide

The Conversation reported:

Seven years ago, at 30 weeks into a seemingly low-risk pregnancy, I unexpectedly began to bleed. Doctors diagnosed me with complete placenta previa. Then, while on bed rest at 32 weeks, my placenta suddenly ruptured, leading to an immediate emergency cesarean section.

I became one of about 10% of women giving birth in Nigeria to experience a preterm birth, which means before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Now, as a maternal and child health researcher in the U.S., I’m struck by the stubbornly high preterm birth rate here. According to the most recent March of Dimes Report Card on maternal and infant health, released on Nov. 17, 2025, 10.4% of babies in the U.S. were born prematurely in 2024.

Preterm birth is the second-leading cause of infant deaths in the U.S., contributing to over 20,000 infant deaths each year. Some who survive are at increased risk of immediate and long-term health problems, with substantial emotional and financial tolls.

ByHeart Formula Faces Lawsuits After Babies Sickened With Botulism

U.S. News & World Report reported:

Several families have filed lawsuits against infant formula maker ByHeart, claiming its contaminated formula caused their babies to develop botulism, a rare but dangerous illness. The legal action comes as federal investigators continue looking into the outbreak and a separate class action lawsuit continues. So far, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says 31 infants in 15 states have had suspected or confirmed botulism after consuming the formula. All of the babies were hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

ByHeart confirmed this week that lab tests found Clostridium botulinum spores in some samples of its formula. The bacteria can release a toxin that attacks the nervous system and may lead to paralysis, breathing problems or death in severe cases. “We immediately notified the FDA of those findings, and we are working to investigate the facts, conduct ongoing testing to identify the source, and ensure this does not happen to families again,” the company said.

ByHeart told NBC News that it cannot comment on the lawsuits but is “focused on the recall and root cause investigation at this time.” Families describe frightening hospital stays for their babies, many of whom needed feeding tubes and IV treatment.

A Smartphone Before Age 12 Could Carry Health Risks, Study Says

The New York Times reported:

What is the “right” age to get your child a smartphone? It’s a question that vexes many parents — torn between their pleading tweens and researchers who warn about the potential harms of constant connectivity. But new study findings strengthen the case for holding off.

The study, published in the journal Pediatrics on Monday, found that children who had a smartphone by age 12 were at higher risk of depression, obesity and insufficient sleep than those who did not yet have one. Researchers had analyzed data from more than 10,500 children who participated in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study — the largest long-term look at children’s brain development in the United States to date.

The younger that children under 12 were when they got their first smartphones, the study found, the greater their risk of obesity and poor sleep. The researchers also focused on a subset of children who hadn’t received a phone by age 12 and found that a year later, those who had acquired one had more harmful mental health symptoms and worse sleep than those who hadn’t.

“When you give your kid a phone, you need to think of it as something that is significant for the kid’s health — and behave accordingly,” said Dr. Ran Barzilay, lead author of the study and a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Is Your Child at Risk? New Research Links Pesticides to Serious Brain Development Issues in South Africa

Independent Online reported:

In South Africa, agriculture represents more than an industry; it serves as a vital foundation for society. From the fertile valleys of the Western Cape to small family farms in rural areas, food production is a unifying element across communities. We shop for what looks fresh, affordable and safe. What we don’t often think about is the unseen world behind the harvest, the chemicals protecting our crops, and how they may be quietly shaping the health of the children growing up in farming regions.

A new study led by scientists from the Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research at the University of Cape Town and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute at the University of Basel is now forcing that conversation into the light. The findings suggest that routine, low-level exposure to agricultural pesticides may be affecting children’s brain development, with potential long-term effects on their cognitive skills and emotional well-being.

Published in Environmental Research and forming part of the long-running Child Health Agricultural Pesticide Study in South Africa, the research serves as one of the clearest warnings yet: children living in farming communities may be paying a hidden price for the country’s agricultural success.

New FDA-Approved Glasses Can Slow Nearsightedness in Kids

AP News reported:

For many children, the experience of getting their first pair of glasses is an inevitable milestone, the first in a lifetime of visits to the eye doctor. But what if those lenses could actually help preserve the child’s vision and reduce the chances for more serious eye problems in adulthood? That’s the promise of a new type of lens approved by the Food and Drug Administration in September. While the technology has previously been available in Europe, Asia and other parts of the world, it’s now rolling out in the U.S.

Here’s what to know about the new approach. Myopia, commonly called nearsightedness, is when people can clearly see objects at close range but struggle with distant objects, which often appear blurry or indistinct. Studies conducted around the world have shown rising rates of myopia, which researchers have associated with increased time indoors looking at screens, books and other objects held close to the eyes.

In the U.S., 30% to 40% of children will have myopia by the time they finish high school, according to Dr. Michael Repka, a professor and pediatric ophthalmologist at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

TikTok, Instagram Ban for Australian Kids Heralds Global Curbs

Bloomberg reported:

Policymakers in other nations say they’re watching Australia’s age ban closely and planning moves of their own to protect young users.

Australia will soon ban its youth from popular services like TikTok and Instagram, becoming the world’s first democracy to carry out such a crackdown in response to growing concerns about social media’s harms. It’s likely to be the first of many.

The platforms will be required by law to block under-16s from holding accounts from Dec. 10, with companies that don’t comply facing fines of up to A$49.5 million ($32 million).