In the United States, six of every 1,000 babies do not live to celebrate their first birthday. This translates to approximately 23,000 babies dying every year. Although more babies are reaching this milestone today than in the past, the U.S. infant mortality rate (IMR) is relatively high when compared to Japan, Canada, and many European…
Over the past decade, hospitals across the country have increasingly moved away from the traditional use of nurseries for healthy newborn infants, choosing instead for babies to “room-in” with mothers so that they are kept together throughout their hospitalization. Among many health benefits to both mom and baby, rooming-in supports mother-child bonding, encourages skin-to-skin contact—which…
The early years of life set the course for a child’s future, laying the groundwork for them to grow and thrive, engage in healthy relationships, and succeed at work and school. Improving health and development for all children during those formative years can advance individual and social outcomes for the next generation. Supporting children in…
Preeclampsia, a dangerous disorder where a mother’s blood pressure spikes during pregnancy,is one of the leading causes of maternal and infant illness and death. According to the American Academy of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG), it has increased 25 percentin recent decades. There is an urgent need to reduce these numbers, to identify and spread evidence-based…
Over 13 million children live in rural areas and of them, nearly a quarter live in poverty. There is an urgent need to understand and respond to the disparities in health outcomes for this population of children, says NICHQ Chief Health Officer Elizabeth Coté, MD, MPH. “Rural children in poverty are effectively invisible to decision…
No mother should feel alone on her breastfeeding journey. But for new mothers and caregivers, who are often operating on limited sleep and balancing the needs of their newborn with the demands of their home and work life, breastfeeding can be an overwhelming and sometimes isolating experience. That’s what makes breastfeeding support, especially during those…
With rising opioid addiction rates, increasingly high numbers of babies are being born with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Babies with NAS may suffer from multiple withdrawal symptoms including tremors, sleeping problems, irritability, fever, diarrhea, difficulty eating and gaining weight, and seizures. Researchers at Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital have published findings (Hospital Pediatrics, January, 2018) that…
I’m worried my baby is not getting enough milk. I need to go back to work soon, and I can’t breastfeed or pump when I’m working. My baby prefers the bottle or does not want to breastfeed. According to a recent NICHQ survey, these are some…
Families have an unmatched impact on their child’s health, especially during the early years of life when children’s rapidly developing brains are laying the groundwork for their future health and wellbeing. To be the best advocates for their children, families need the right supports, whether they be access to public assistance programs like Medicaid and housing,…
With 2018 drawing to a close, we’re taking stock of the stories you found most engaging over the past year. From the opioid epidemic to mandated reporting to bedsharing and safe sleep, this year’s top stories tackle tough issues and are filled with passionate voices seeking to drive change in children’s health systems. Thank you for…