Health
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If your particular query isn't included in these files, check our Ask the Doctor previously asked questions, or email your query to our qualified GP, Dr Sarah Brewer.
Please note: if you are worried about any aspect of your child's health please consult your GP.
Any opinion expressed does not necessarily reflect our views, and is provided for your information only.
Home birth 'safe as in hospital'
Giving birth at home is as safe as doing so in hospital with a midwife
18/05/2009
Cash to tackle childhood obesity
The Scottish Government has announced plans to spend a further £6m in the fight against childhood obesity.
14/04/2008
Sleep may cut childhood obesity
A good night's sleep may reduce a child's risk of becoming obese, according to a US study.
07/11/2007
Gene 'links breastfeeding to IQ'
A single gene influences whether breastfeeding improves a child's intelligence, say London researchers.
07/11/2007
'Clear smoking link' to cot death
Almost nine out of ten mothers who lose a baby to cot death smoked while pregnant, say researchers.
07/11/2007
Man donates for grandchild
A 72-year-old man has agreed to become a sperm donor for his own "grandchild".
11/10/2007
GPs 'snub' child asthma advice
Many children with asthma in the UK are receiving inappropriate treatment, research suggests.
10/09/2007
Cradling to right shows 'stress'
Mothers who cradle their baby on the right side of their body could be showing signs of extreme stress.
29/08/2007
Woman admits faking baby illness
A woman has admitted faking the illness of a baby girl which led to the child being admitted to hospital for a series of unnecessary operations.
29/08/2007
Fury over child's 'missed' tumour
The parents of a four-year-old girl say she could have died after doctors in West Sussex failed to diagnose a brain tumour for three months.
16/08/2007
Middle Class 'child weight risk'
The children of wealthier parents, particularly those with working mothers, are more likely to be obese or overweight, a study says.
24/07/2007
Child fear over pylon plan
A committee of MPs has concluded there is an "undoubted link" between high voltage cables and childhood leukaemia.
24/07/2007
Breech birth women 'choice call'
Pregnant women should be offered an alternative to caesareans if they are facing breech births, experts say.
24/07/2007
Unborn baby survives chemotherapy
A baby has surprised the medical world by surviving in his mother's womb while she underwent months of chemotherapy.
24/07/2007
Family sets up organ donor appeal
The family of a baby girl who died after a suitable donor for her could not be found said they plan to set up an appeal in her memory.
28/06/2007
Baby tops heart transplant list
An 18-month-old girl who has had six heart attacks since she was born has been put at the top of the European heart transplant list.
28/06/2007
Wrong medicine prescribed to baby
A mother from Kent claims her baby son could have been caused serious harm after being given the wrong prescription by a hospital doctor.
11/06/2007
Woman's bus adverts for egg donor
A 54-year-old woman and her husband are advertising for an egg donor on London buses in a last-ditch attempt to try to have a baby...
06/03/2007
Stress may 'damage child brains'
High levels of stress may physically scar a child's brain, a study suggests.
06/03/2007
Breastfeeding 'aids class status'
Babies who are breastfed are more likely to move up the social ladder as adults, a study has suggested...
06/03/2007
Lack of donors 'fuels IVF tourism'
British couples desperate for a baby are travelling abroad for fertility treatment because of a shortage of egg donors in the UK...
15/02/2007
Christmas toys 'are hearing risk'
Many toys available this Christmas could damage a child's hearing, the charity Deafness Research UK warns...
06/02/2007
First UK embryo test babies born
The first UK babies have been born after a pioneering embryo test...
15/02/2007
Heart checks for all babies suggested
All children should have ECG’s in their first month after birth to check for problems with the heart…
14/11/2006
Whooping cough still widespread
Studies suggest that nearly 40% of children who have a persistent cough have symptoms of whooping cough…
25/07/2006
Babies need more ‘tummy time’
Parents are urged to give their babies more time on their tummies to aid development…
17/07/2006
MMR Doctor Faces GMC Charges
The doctor who first implied a link between the MMR vaccine and autism is to face charges of serious professional misconduct…
05/07/2006
Warning: Children’s TV and Computer Use
Children are spending a total of 2½ months every year staring at screens, studies show…
14/06/2006
Wait for jab threatens children’s lives
The wait for vaccination against a potentially lethal disease may be too long…
08/06/2006
IVF Pregnancy Complications
A Norwegian study, suggests that IVF may causes a dangerous complication during pregnancy…
02/06/2006
NHS funding for rare condition
Great Ormond Street department receives funding for rare condition...
07/06/2006
Stress may be good for unborn babies!
Moderate stress during pregnancy does not harm, but may actually advance the baby in later life…
30/05/2006
Are working mothers the healthiest women?
Working women with stable relationships are said to be the healthiest women in a recent study, suggesting that housewives are more likely to become obese...
25/05/2006
Revolutionary heart operation performed on child
A 12-year-old girl is believed to be the first person in the UK to have her donor heart removed and her original heart restarted...
11/05/2006
High meat diet causes stress for babies
Diets that are high in protein and low in carbohydrates should be avoided during pregnancy as research shows that they are likely to cause increased levels of stress in offspring...
28/04/2006
Parents express uncertainty in fever treatment
Recent studies suggest parents are administering incorrect doses of medicine to their children in the attempt to treat fevers...
10/05/2006
Junk food child ad rules unveiled
Plans to curb food advertising aimed at children are being unveiled by Ofcom...
28/04/2006
Hospital has been cleared over baby death
A hospital where a boy died should not be criticised, a coroner has said...
11/04/2006
Pupils 'learn from foetal moves'
Children who do daily exercises, mimicking a baby in the womb, have shown dramatic improvements in maths and English, new research suggests...
11/04/2006
Research to be conducted into how babies learn
A research project, which seeks to find out more about how babies learn and acquire knowledge has been set up...
11/04/2006
One in five families in poverty
More than one in five households in Wales are living below the poverty line according to UK Government figures...
31/03/2006
Breast milk 'won't halt obesity'
Childhood obesity is not related to whether a baby was breastfed in infancy, a US study suggests...
31/03/2006
Woman loses frozen embryos fight
A woman left infertile after cancer treatment cannot use her frozen embryos to have a baby, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled...
29/03/2006
Life of sick baby 'intolerable'
A baby at the centre of a landmark case over whether life support can be withdrawn has an "intolerable life", the High Court has heard...
29/03/2006
Plastic heart 'saves baby girl'
Surgeons saved the life of a critically-ill baby girl using a pioneering mechanical heart to keep her alive until a transplant was found...
29/03/2006
Prematurity 'affects personality'
Being born very premature can affect a child's personality into adulthood, a study has suggested...
29/03/2006
Midwives call for epidurals fee
Women having babies would be asked to pay for epidurals under a proposal from the Royal College of Midwives...
29/03/2006
Probe prevents baby brain damage
Scientists have devised a probe which can warn if a baby is being deprived of oxygen during birth...
29/03/2006
'Shaken baby' convictions need re-considering
A "small number" of the so-called shaken baby convictions need to be re-considered by the courts, Attorney General Lord Goldsmith has said...
29/03/2006
Fertility drug use booms in China
Wealthy couples in China are turning to fertility drugs in growing numbers, with a report suggesting some may be using it to beat the one child policy...
29/03/2006
More training needed on heart disease in pregnancy
More doctors must be trained to prevent pregnant mothers with heart disease from dying unnecessarily, experts say...
29/03/2006
Gasping cells theory of cot death
Cot death could be caused by a genetic defect which means babies who stop breathing cannot kick-start their lungs, research suggests...
29/03/2006
Baby given MMR jab 'by mistake'
A seven-week-old baby has been given the MMR jab by mistake, it has emerged...
29/03/2006
Free child dental care 'threat'
Dentists in some parts of England are telling parents they will no longer offer free treatment for children...
29/03/2006
Experts' baby monitoring project
Scientists have been carrying out computer research aimed at helping doctors to treat premature babies....
29/03/2006
New child jab for lethal disease
The UK childhood vaccination programme is being extended...
29/03/2006
Too many drugs 'not child tested'
Too many children's drugs have not been properly tested, a report says...
29/03/2006
'MRSA risk' patients on baby ward
Health campaigners want an inquiry after patients thought to be a high MRSA risk were placed in a maternity ward...
29/03/2006
Drink firms tackle child obesity
Global drinks firms, including Coca-Cola and Cadbury Schweppes, have unveiled a European initiative aimed at tackling the problem of obese children...
29/03/2006
Epilepsy doctor fit to practise
A doctor who wrongly diagnosed hundreds of children with epilepsy has been told he can continue to practise medicine...
29/03/2006
Fertility predictor test launched
Women are being offered a new test kit that allows them to predict the rate at which their fertility is declining...
29/03/2006
Anxious dads 'raise birth pain'
Anxious fathers can make Caesarean operations more painful for mothers, research suggests...
29/03/2006
New scan 'may save babies' lives'
A brain scanner is being developed, which could aid treatment and possibly save the lives of premature and newborn babies...
29/03/2006
Drug risk to mother's descendants
Drugs given to a woman at risk of having a premature baby may affect the brains and behaviour of her grandchildren...
29/03/2006
Couple's wait over newborn mix-up
A couple were forced to endure a five-week wait for DNA results to find out if a newborn baby was theirs...
29/03/2006
Concern over birth unit closures
More expectant parents are being denied a choice of where they can have their baby, campaigners have warned...
29/03/2006
Slower conception 'leads to boys'
The longer a woman takes to get pregnant, the more likely she is to have a boy, scientists suggest.
29/03/2006
Pregnancy risk for cot death mums
Women who have a baby who dies from cot death have an increased risk of suffering complications in other pregnancies, scientists have found...
29/03/2006
Launch of child disability guide
A guide aimed at improving the care of children with disabilities has been launched by the government...
29/03/2006
Infants need mental health checks
A tenth of two to five-year-olds have a serious psychiatric illness, yet most cases are being missed, warn experts...
29/03/2006
Disorder ruining parents' sleep
Many parents of children with a hyperactive disorder get as little as six hours sleep a night, a study says...
29/03/2006
Eye test looks for brain problems
A Devon scientist is developing a test to diagnose and monitor brain disorders in children using eye movements...
29/03/2006
Law stops mum from breast feeding
A woman who says she was stopped by the police after breastfeeding her baby in public is demanding an apology...
29/03/2006
Family balancing choice opposed
Parents should not be allowed to choose their baby's sex simply to balance their family, a snapshot survey finds...
29/03/2006
Checks on IVF parents simplified
People seeking fertility treatment will face fewer and faster checks to make sure they will be suitable parents under new guidelines...
29/03/2006
Concern at baby care contingency
Officials at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary's neonatal unit have defended contingency plans to fly women having premature babies to units as far away as Belfast...