Low dose atropine eye drops safe and effective for short-sightedness in UK children

Trial results will help inform policymakers in the UK, say researchers Low concentration atropine eye drops are a safe and effective treatment for  short-sightedness (myopia) in UK children, although the effects are small, suggests a clinical trial published by The BMJ today. The researchers say the drops led to small but significant reductions ...

2026-06-12T10:03:32+01:0012 June 2026|Press release, The BMJ|

School spending cuts linked to poorer GCSE grades among 16 year olds in England

Impact more noticeable in areas of socioeconomic disadvantage Policy reform to bridge historical funding gap didn’t staunch declining attainment School spending cuts are linked to poorer GCSE grades achieved by 16 year olds in England, finds an analysis of local authority spend on each pupil between 2014-15 and 2022-23, and ...

Cost of emergency hospital admissions for mental health problems in young people almost quadruples over a decade

Growing financial strain on the NHS due to longer stays in hospital Eating disorders and self-harm most common reasons for emergency admissions The total cost of emergency admissions for mental health among children and young people in England rose from £22.5 million in 2012/13 to £87.3 million in 2021/22, finds ...

2026-05-19T17:00:21+01:0020 May 2026|BMJ Open, Press release|

Sedatives in pregnancy not linked to psychiatric disorders in children

Findings offer reassurance to clinicians and pregnant women, say researchers  A large South Korean study published by The BMJ today finds no increased risk of psychiatric or neurodevelopmental disorders, such as ADHD and autism, in children whose mothers used sedative drugs (benzodiazepines or Z-hypnotics) during pregnancy. Benzodiazepines and Z-hypnotics are used to ...

2026-04-30T11:52:38+01:0030 April 2026|Press release, The BMJ|

New brain stimulation technique improves short term social skills in children with autism

Accelerated continuous theta burst stimulation (a-cTBS) may be a “viable and scalable therapeutic option” say researchers  A new non-invasive brain stimulation technique known as accelerated continuous theta burst stimulation (a-cTBS) improves social communication at one month follow up and has a favourable safety profile in children with autism, finds a ...

2026-05-12T11:33:37+01:0030 April 2026|Press release, The BMJ|

Further evidence of developmental risks linked to epilepsy drugs in pregnancy

Study adds weight to previously reported risks and calls for monitoring of new antiseizure drugs Findings published by The BMJ today reinforce previous research linking use of the antiseizure drug valproate during pregnancy to neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD and autism in children, and indicate no substantial risk for several other antiseizure ...

2026-03-12T09:56:41+00:0012 March 2026|Press release, The BMJ|
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