Although survival rates of extremely preterm infants have continued to climb, later rehospitalization and neurodevelopmental impairment are still common, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Survival rates rose from 6.6% in 2008-2012 to 10.9% in 2013-2018 for infants born at 22 weeks, and from 32.3% to 49.4% for infants born at 23 weeks.

Most infants in a recent study received antibiotics, even if they had a low risk of early-onset sepsis, and the duration of treatment did not significantly vary from the administration of antibiotics to babies born with higher-risk deliveries. The study, published in Pediatrics, found that 80.4% of newborns at low risk for developing early-onset sepsis received antibiotics, compared with 91% of ]infants who were not considered low-risk for early-onset sepsis.

A study in BMC Oral Health found that children with celiac disease had more manifestations of recurrent aphthous stomatitis and dental enamel defects, when compared with a healthy control group. Data did not show significant difference between rates of dental caries or malocclusion. 

The CMS released updated guidance requiring health care facilities receiving Medicare and Medicaid funding in 24 states to ensure eligible workers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by March 15. The guidance, issued a day after the CMS rule was upheld by the Supreme Court, does not apply to Texas, where a preliminary injunction is still in effect, and the CMS said the high court ruling won't affect the Feb. 28 vaccination compliance date in 25 states, Washington D.C., and US territories that did not challenge the rule.

The NICU at Community Hospital South has started a program called First Edition to give every baby born at the hospital a free book for family members to read to them. Hearing those voices can soothe infants in a stressful environment, physical therapist Palak Shah said.

Children ages 1 to 7 with type 1 diabetes who followed a digital program involving an artificial pancreas app for four months experienced better glucose control and shorter time in hyperglycemia, compared with those who used manual control therapy for the same period. The findings published in The New England Journal of Medicine also showed that the digital program helped children reduce A1C levels from a 7.3% baseline to about 6.6%.

Indiana lawmakers are considering a bill that would revise regulations for nursing education programs that would enable schools to hire more part-time instructors and increase enrollment. The measure is designed to address the state's shortages of nurses.

A study from marketing agency Three Whiskey shows that 26% of millennial and 42% of Generation Z health care providers do not trust pharmaceutical firms' informational materials aimed at patients. Respondents said topics most important to include in materials for patients were treatment options, drug information and disease management support.