News | Paediatrics and neonatal

GPs must take on more responsibility for paediatric prescribing from hospitals

The importance of safe paediatric prescribing must not be overlooked as healthcare systems evolve.…

Number of young children prescribed antidepressants has risen by 41% since 2015

Exclusive: NHS data also reveal that the majority of those patients aged 5–12 years prescribed antidepressants between 2015 and 2021 were males.…

Infants could be given unlicensed treatment to protect them from respiratory infections this winter

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has described the unlicensed monoclonal antibody nirsevimab as a "promising" treatment for respiratory syncytial virus in infants.…

Managing childhood eczema: a visual guide

Research has revealed concerns about using topical corticosteroids in children with eczema, both among parents and pharmacists, leading to suboptimal treatment that perpetuates the condition.…

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No difference in cognitive outcomes in children born to women taking antiseizure medicines

Researchers found no significant differences in the development of children born to mothers taking antiseizure medicines during pregnancy and those who did not.…

OTC painkillers may be associated with increased foetal health risks, study suggests

Babies exposed to over-the-counter analgesics were found to be 1.5 times more likely to experience health issues, although an expert has warned it is "impossible" to confirm whether these were directly caused by the medicines.…

Assessing pharmacy teams’ confidence on the safety of drugs in lactation

The views expressed in this letter are those of the author’s. If you would like to submit a letter to The Pharmaceutical Journal, please click here. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, followed by partial breastfeeding for …

Evaluating ‘Pharmacy4mums2B’ — a pilot community pharmacy service for women planning a pregnancy, pregnant women and mothers with young children in North West London

The views expressed in this letter are those of the author’s. If you would like to submit a letter to The Pharmaceutical Journal, please click here. Community pharmacies are often the first port of call for women planning a pregnancy, pregnant women and mothers with children up to the age of…

Fatal mistakes: why do ten-fold medication errors in children keep happening?

This feature explores the issue of ten-fold medication errors in children — currently the subject of a national investigation — and what could be done to eliminate them once and for all.…

Adherence to low-dose aspirin improves pregnancy outcomes

Researchers have found that close adherence to taking low-dose aspirin daily led to more pregnancies and live births, and fewer pregnancy losses.…