Paediatric research articles from across Nature Portfolio

Yang, Zeng et al. investigate associations between maternal metabolic profiles during early pregnancy and offspring development using untargeted metabolomics in the Shanghai Birth Cohort. Several metabolites are associated with offspring birth weight and cognitive development in childhood and reflect sex-specific patterns.

Wonkam et al. use whole-exome sequencing of 46 multiplex Cameroonian families, alongside cell-based assays and a knockout mouse model, to identify genetic causes of hearing impairment. They find a high diagnostic yield with MYO15A and TMC1as the most common genes, identify three candidate genes SUN2, TGM6, and TMC3, and show that SUN2 is unlikely to be causal, underscoring both the genetic diversity in African populations and the opportunities for future gene-therapy–relevant discoveries.

Child malnutrition is high in Mozambique despite multiple policies and programs to improve the situation. In this Comment, the authors discuss the reasons for the lack of progress.

Investigational research into class III active implantable devices requires rigorous design, safety and ethics. However, these barriers can be broken down and addressed by a systematic approach. An ongoing trial in paediatric epilepsy illustrates this methodology and the lessons we learned.

Nyarko and Santa et al. explore AI and digital health utilization for childhood cancer care in Ghana. Collaborative efforts among the government, health institutions, and international organizations are essential to drive investments in digital infrastructure, capacity building, and policy development in Ghana.

In March 2024, we convened a symposium to consider the state of the art regarding the mechanisms and management of congenital obstructive uropathy caused by bladder outlet obstruction, at which overarching themes emerged and opportunities for research were discussed to fill key knowledge gaps in achieving the best future for children with congenital obstructive uropathy.