This week on the Contemporary Pediatrics website, we covered topics ranging from how sodium supplementation supports infant weight gain to breathing issues in spina bifida. Take a look at some of our top stories from the past week (Monday, January 26, to Friday, January 30, 2026) and click on each link to read and watch anything you may have missed.

Jeffrey Segar, MD, highlights sodium supplementation to support infant weight gain

In a Contemporary Pediatrics interview, Jeffrey L. Segar, MD, neonatology specialist at the Medical College of Wisconsin, discussed research examining the impact of sodium supplementation on weight gain in very preterm infants and how targeted approaches may improve early growth outcomes in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Segar explained that his work in this area spans more than a decade and began with concerns that many extremely preterm infants may not be receiving sufficient sodium to support optimal growth. In an early study, his team used urine sodium concentrations to identify infants at risk for sodium depletion.

Infants found to have low urine sodium levels were given supplemental sodium, and their growth outcomes were compared with those of historical controls. The results showed that infants who received supplementation demonstrated improved growth, including greater weight gain, compared with infants managed under standard practices.

Henri Salo, MD, discusses how cardiovascular risk factors may impact cognitive function

In a Contemporary Pediatrics interview, Henri Salo, MD, PhD student at the University of Turku, discussed findings from a study examining how cardiovascular risk factors beginning in early childhood may influence cognitive function in young adulthood.

According to Salo, the study demonstrated that cardiovascular risk factors present even in the earliest years of life may have measurable effects on cognitive function by young adulthood. The most consistent associations were observed between markers of obesity—specifically body mass index and waist circumference—and lipid profiles. Greater levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and lower levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were linked to less favorable cognitive outcomes, suggesting that metabolic and cardiovascular health may play an important role in brain development over time.

Renée Shellhaas, MD, MS, highlights breathing issues in spina bifida

In this interview, Renée Shellhaas, MD, MS, professor at Washington University in St. Louis, discussed findings from a multicenter study examining breathing abnormalities in newborns with severe spina bifida, specifically myelomeningocele.

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) was assessed using a polysomnogram performed before hospital discharge during the newborn admission. The study found that SDB was highly prevalent: just over half of the infants (53%) had evidence of sleep-disordered breathing. While this condition was not universal, it was common enough to represent a significant clinical concern in this population.

Initial, unadjusted analyses suggested that infants who underwent fetal surgery had more severe SDB, with an apnea–hypopnea index approximately 50% greater than that of infants who had postnatal surgery. However, after adjusting for prematurity, the apparent difference by surgical approach disappeared. Instead, gestational age at delivery emerged as the primary driver of SDB risk.

FDA accepts centanafadine NDA for priority review for ADHD in children, adolescents

The FDA has accepted for priority review the New Drug Application (NDA) for centanafadine (Otsuka Pharmaceutical), an investigational, once-daily extended-release capsule for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, adolescents, and adults, according to an announcement from Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc., and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) target action date is July 24, 2026.

Centanafadine is a first-in-class norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin reuptake inhibitor (NDSRI). The NDA is supported by results from 4 pivotal phase 3 clinical trials evaluating efficacy and safety across pediatric, adolescent, and adult populations.

“ADHD manifests differently across patients, highlighting the importance of having multiple therapeutic approaches available,” said John Kraus, MD, PhD, executive vice president and chief medical officer, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. “The FDA’s acceptance and priority review designation of our NDA for centanafadine marks an important milestone in our effort to bring forward a novel treatment option for people living with ADHD. If approved, centanafadine would offer a first-in-class NDSRI option designed to support broad symptom management. We extend our sincere gratitude to the patients, caregivers, and investigators whose participation made this milestone possible.”

Click here for the full article.

AAP updates guidance on therapeutic hypothermia for neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released an updated clinical report providing revised guidance on the use of therapeutic hypothermia for newborns with neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). The report, Therapeutic Hypothermia for Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy, was published in the February 2026 issue of Pediatrics and updates an AAP policy statement first issued in 2014.

According to the updated clinical report, therapeutic hypothermia involves reducing an infant’s temperature to approximately 92.3°F (33.5°C) within the first 6 hours after birth, when the benefit to brain injury and survival outcomes is greatest. Infants are maintained at this target temperature for 72 hours before controlled rewarming. Evidence summarized in the report supports the use of this therapy for infants born at 36 weeks’ gestation or later with moderate to severe HIE.

The report notes that infants who receive therapeutic hypothermia are more likely to survive and experience fewer long-term neurodevelopmental impairments compared with infants who do not receive cooling therapy. The guidance also addresses timing considerations, stating that when therapeutic hypothermia cannot be initiated within the first 6 hours after birth, treatment may still provide a small benefit if started between 6 and 24 hours of life. In such cases, the AAP recommends that clinicians consider individual clinical circumstances and engage in shared decision-making with families.

Click here for the full article.