This week on the Contemporary Pediatrics website, we covered topics ranging from the rise in type 2 diabetes rates to neurodevelopmental outcomes after infant heart surgery. Take a look at some of our top stories from the past week (Monday, February 09, to Friday, February 13, 2026) and click on each link to read and watch anything you may have missed.

Gut microbiome insights shed light on rising youth-onset type 2 diabetes

Rates of youth-onset type 2 diabetes have risen markedly in recent decades, raising concern among pediatric researchers and clinicians. In an interview with Contemporary Pediatrics, Quin Xie, PhD, research fellow at the University of Toronto, highlighted a significant increase in the incidence of type 2 diabetes in children, particularly in high-income countries such as the United States.

Although surveillance data for type 2 diabetes in youth are less comprehensive than for type 1 diabetes, available evidence indicates a substantial upward trend, especially among children and adolescents of non-European ancestry. These patterns parallel rising rates of childhood obesity and point to widening health disparities.

Jayne Danska, PhD, professor at the University of Toronto, emphasized that understanding the relationship between obesogenic environments and the gut microbiota may strengthen prevention strategies. She described this work as part of a broader, holistic approach to managing obesity and reducing risk for metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.

Akihiro Shiroshita, MD, MPH, highlights asthma risk from combined indoor and outdoor exposures

In an interview with Contemporary Pediatrics, Akihiro Shiroshita, MD, MPH, PhD student at Vanderbilt University, discussed the importance of evaluating indoor and outdoor environmental exposures together when assessing childhood asthma risk.

The study found that greater exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), a history of home water damage, and the absence of dogs in the home were each independently associated with an increased risk of childhood asthma. Notably, children exposed to both home dampness and elevated PM2.5 levels faced an even greater asthma risk than those exposed to either factor alone, suggesting additive or synergistic effects.

These findings underscore the importance of considering multiple environmental exposures simultaneously when identifying at-risk children and developing asthma prevention strategies. Shiroshita emphasized that prevention efforts may be more effective if they account for the combined impact of indoor and outdoor conditions.

Experts discuss key clinical signs to help identify sepsis risk in young infants

Sepsis remains a leading and persistent cause of morbidity and mortality among young infants worldwide, particularly those younger than 60 days. However, new evidence shows that current World Health Organization Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) clinical signs reliably identify infants at risk, according to Sophie Driker, MPH, research assistant at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Anne CC Lee, MD, MPH, Levinger Family Professor of Pediatrics at Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

All 7 signs currently included in the IMCI checklist were significantly associated with mortality or culture-confirmed sepsis. Poor feeding emerged as one of the strongest predictors, with a 13-fold increase in mortality risk and a 5-fold increase in odds of sepsis. Neurologic signs—including lethargy, drowsiness, unconsciousness, and weak or absent cry—were also strongly associated with adverse outcomes, as was hypothermia.

Jane Newburger, MD, MPH, highlights neurodevelopmental gaps after infant heart surgery

In a recent interview with Contemporary Pediatrics, Jane W. Newburger, MD, MPH, Associate Chief for Academic Affairs at Boston Children's Hospital, highlighted the high rates of developmental diagnoses and service use after infant heart surgery, as well as the persistent gap between American Heart Association recommendations and real-world implementation of comprehensive evaluations.

In the featured study, investigators examined publicly insured children who underwent cardiac surgery before 12 months of age and were followed through age 5 years. They assessed the prevalence of neurodevelopmental and neurologic diagnoses, related health care utilization, and risk factors for earlier diagnosis or therapy. By the first year of life, nearly 20% to 30% had at least 1 neurodevelopmental diagnosis, and almost 64% had received some form of developmental service. By age 5 years, half had at least 1 neurodevelopmental diagnosis, and nearly 83% had utilized related services.

Aldo Conti, PhD, says trigeminal nerve stimulation ineffective for pediatric ADHD

In a recent interview with Contemporary Pediatrics, Aldo A. Conti, PhD, MsC, BsC, CPsychol, research associate at King’s College London, discussed findings from a large, multicenter clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of trigeminal nerve stimulation (TNS), a noninvasive brain stimulation device marketed for children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Although the device had previously received FDA clearance based on a small US pilot study, Conti’s team found no evidence that it improved ADHD symptoms beyond placebo effects. The study assessed external TNS in 150 children and adolescents aged 8 to 18 years across 2 research sites. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either active TNS or a sham condition.

While the intervention was found to be safe, with no serious adverse events reported, it did not demonstrate clinical efficacy. Most participants experienced no adverse effects, and those reported were mild, including headaches or difficulty falling asleep. Importantly, there were no significant differences in symptom improvement between the active and sham groups.