UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals

The Brain May Learn More from Rare Events than from Repetition How we learn to predict an outcome isn’t determined by how many times a cue and reward happen together. Instead, how much time passes between rewards is also important. Understanding this process has ...

When it comes to test prep, long-term studying is more effective than cramming. That’s because when learning experiences happen too close together, the brain absorbs less information, a study finds. The takeaway? “Timing is everything,” UCSF’s Dennis Burke says. https://ucsfh.org/46iORCx

Periods May Trigger Pain for Many Who Have Sickle Cell Disease UCSF researchers found that 64.4% of female patients report sickle cell disease (SCD) pain during menstruation. However, these patients also report low rates of hormonal contraceptive awareness or use...

For nearly 2/3 of girls & women with sickle cell disease, periods cause severe pain, a study finds. The results "open up a dialogue between patients, hematologists and reproductive health specialists about the serious pain these patients are facing," Dr. Neha Bhasin says. https://ucsfh.org/4qQYkIo

Childhood Trauma Accelerates Aging. This Therapy Can Change That. New UCSF research reveals that Child-Parent Psychotherapy repairs a biological process that could benefit kids for life.

Trauma can impact young children right down to their biology. But new research offers hope: While early trauma speeds up biological aging, healing therapy with a caregiver can actually slow it down. https://ucsfh.org/4c3baQo

🗣️New @ucsfchildrens.bsky.social study in the American Journal on Addictions!

📱Greater #socialmedia use associated with early adolescent #nicotine experimentation. Positive beliefs about smoking may influence this relationship.

🔗To learn more, visit: tinyurl.com/SMNicExp @ucsf-ihps.bsky.social

🗣️ New @ucsfchildrens.bsky.social in
@ajpmonline.bsky.social!

📱 Problematic #screen use in early adolescents is linked to #mental health and #behavioral health outcomes one year later

🔗To learn more, visit: tinyurl.com/PSUYouth @ucsfpsych.bsky.social @ucsf-ihps.bsky.social @ucsfhealth.bsky.social

UCSF-led Clinical Trial of Patients with Juvenile Arthritis-associated Uveitis Validates Continued Treatment with Adalimumab - UCSF MedConnection In a study published last January in The Lancet, UCSF researchers sought to assess efficacy and safety of discontinuing treatment in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis by c...

Discontinuing the uveitis & arthritis drug adalimumab led to higher rates of recurrence in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis, a study finds. The good news? "Disease control can be regained after restarting treatment,” Dr. Nisha Acharya says. https://ucsfh.org/4qGioxZ

A bed with a wet spot on a blue sheet, next to a teddy bear and a pillow.

15% of 5-year-olds & 10% of 6-year-olds experience bed-wetting. While it often becomes less common as kids get older, caregivers should look into possible physical causes if wetness is ongoing or accompanied by UTIs. Learn more about diagnoses and treatment here: https://ucsfh.org/49RUGHO

Psychiatrists Hope Chat Logs Can Reveal the Secrets of AI Psychosis UCSF psychiatrists may have documented what is likely the first case of AI psychosis in a peer-reviewed journal. He tells us what to know as media reports about cases mount.

While researchers don’t yet know whether chatbots cause, worsen or merely reflect psychosis, Dr. Karthik Sarma hopes chat log analysis can help identify risks of mental health crises and safeguards for kids and teens. https://ucsfh.org/3LP10I7

Group of medical staff and a patient family waving in a hallway at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals.

Two individuals standing in a hallway at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals, smiling beside a door marked "Immunocompromised Patient Unit."

A child wearing pajama pants and a grey shirt reaches up to ring a bell in the hallway of UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals.

Four individuals smiling for a photo in a hallway at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals.

Please congratulate Nancy! She rang our end-of-treatment bell surrounded by her care team and family, after multiple rounds of chemo for acute myeloid leukemia. After four months in and out of our Oakland hospital receiving treatment, she’s heading home to Humboldt County!

Trauma or Toxic? A Deep Dive into the Impact of Stress on Kids’ Health UCSF researchers found evidence that stress occurring as early as before birth or as late as adolescence can affect multiple conditions in kids, from asthma to mental health to cognitive functioning.

Stress can worsen many conditions in kids, such as asthma and cognitive function. “We have tools that can help immediately and have a lasting impact," UCSF’s Nicki Bush says. "Let’s start providing every child & family with the resources to be as healthy as possible." https://ucsfh.org/4a494xX

Promising study out of UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals for kids with heart defects KTVU spoke with UCSF's Dr. Shabnam Peyvandi, the senior author of the study, about what her research findings mean for families whose babies are born with congenital heart disease.

Babies born with heart defects are vulnerable to developmental issues, but oxygen tests and brain scans can help doctors identify those most at risk, a study finds. “It’s really about early detection and early treatment," Dr. Shabnam Peyvandi tells @ktvufox2.bsky.social. https://ucsfh.org/45ixKQF

Kids are spending a lot of their school days on their phones | CNN Adolescents spend an average of 70 minutes of their school days on their phones, new research finds. But parents can help suggest ways kids not use phones at school.

Kids spend ~70 minutes of the school day on their phones. But caregivers can help by modeling healthy screen time, Dr. @jasonmnagata.bsky.social says. Caregiver phone use is “one of the biggest predictors of adolescent phone use, or screen use in general,” he explains. https://ucsfh.org/49b2mGg

A smiling toddler dressed in a brown shirt and red plaid overalls with matching bow tie, sitting on grass.

Two adults smiling and holding a newborn baby at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital.

Three children smile while sitting on a sofa under a "Thankful & Blessed" sign.

Infant in red outfit smiling in a chair with a festive floral pattern, with a Christmas tree in the background.

Jonah is doing great after three heart surgeries at our hospital — please congratulate his family! He'll need more heart and abdominal surgeries in the future, but for now, he is thriving.
“He is so resilient and just has a smile that lights up the room,” his mom, Angel, says.

Thirdhand Smoke: This Hidden Danger Puts Kids and Adults at Risk Thirdhand smoke is toxic lingering tobacco residue on surfaces that harms children most. California's new AB455 mandates disclosure of this environmental hazard in real estate deals.

Kids are most at risk for thirdhand smoke, the toxic residue tobacco leaves behind on surfaces, a study from UCSF, @sandiegostate.bsky.social & @berkeleylab.lbl.gov finds. New CA smoke disclosure requirements for real estate deals started 1/1 and could help. https://ucsfh.org/4b4Rzi1

Happy holidays from everyone at our hospitals! ☃️🎁🎄

Santa Claus visits a child patient at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, both are smiling, surrounded by medical equipment.

Santa Claus visiting a child in a hospital bed at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals, surrounded by medical equipment.

Santa Claus standing with a smiling healthcare worker in a hospital corridor, next to a cart filled with gifts, with a UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals logo visible.

Santa Claus visits a child at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals, both are smiling; Santa holds a teddy bear and the child is surrounded by plush toys.

Thank you for visiting us and bringing joy to our patients, Santa Claus! 🎅❤️🎁

Kids’ Behavioral Health Is a Growing Share of Family Health Costs New research shows a jump in pediatric medical spending on behavioral health from 2011 to 2022, highlighting the urgent need to boost access and capacity for treatment.

The percentage of healthcare costs for treating mental health, substance use & other behavioral care for U.S. kids has nearly doubled since 2011. “As a country, we need to make sure behavioral health care is accessible & affordable for every family," Dr. Ashley Foster says. https://ucsfh.org/45dNxA5

Can We Solve the Mystery Behind Cleft Lip and Palate in Infants? UCSF’s Program in Craniofacial Biology (PCB) brings together researchers to study the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying craniofacial development and birth defects, such as cleft lip and pal...

Tiny cell movements behind cleft lip and palate could help us make sense of health concerns in both kids and adults. "Understanding fundamentally what these genes do in development is extremely useful for understanding all human diseases," researcher Jeffrey Bush says. https://ucsfh.org/48x28sH

Oakland's UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital becomes babies' home away from home On Giving Tuesday, KTVU Fox 2 is partnering with UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals to raise money for children, like 9-year-old cancer survivor Penny DeBoer.

At just 13 mos. old, Penny was diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma. After 6 rounds of chemotherapy, tumor removal and 198 days in our Oakland hospital, she's now cancer-free! This Giving Tuesday, Penny's mom recalls her daughter's last scan on Christmas Eve. https://ucsfh.org/4apGEPA

A newborn baby resting in a hospital incubator.

Some babies born premature can develop apnea, which periodically stops breathing for more than 15 to 20 seconds at a time and sometimes is associated with slowing of the heart rate. Fortunately, apnea is treatable. Learn more here: https://ucsfh.org/3UTn4lQ

🍁 Happy Thanksgiving from all the little turkeys at our hospitals! 🦃

Some Children’s Tantrums Can Be Seen in the Brain, New Study Finds New research shows how brain networks differ in neurodiverse children who are and aren't resilient in the face of sensory overload.

For some children, strong feelings show up on brain scans, a UCSF study finds. “If we know an individual child’s brain patterns and how that maps to emotion and behavior, we may be able to use this to personalize treatment,” co-senior author Dr. Pratik Mukherjee says. https://ucsfh.org/44vQifM

How to Predict Developmental Differences in Kids with Heart Defects New testing in maternal hyperoxia — giving extra oxygen to pregnant people — shows that prenatal interventions might yield better outcomes for babies with congenital heart disease.

A simple oxygen test can identify which babies with congenital heart disease (CHD) are at higher risk for developmental abnormalities like ADHD, a study finds — potentially leading to early detection and life-changing treatments. https://ucsfh.org/43xour4

How A.I. and Social Media Contribute to ‘Brain Rot' (Gift Article) A.I. search tools, chatbots and social media are associated with lower cognitive performance, studies say. What to do?

Kids who spent at least an hour on social media daily scored lower on reading, memory and vocabulary tests than kids who didn't use social media, a study finds. To help focus on enriching activities, Dr. Jason Nagata recommends families establish "screen-free zones." https://ucsfh.org/43QMHss

Toddler twins Zazil and Alaia wearing corrective helmets and sitting side-by-side in a double stroller, inside UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals.

Twins Zazil and Alaia graduated from their baby helmets — please congratulate them! 🎉 🎓
They're among the first group of patients to graduate from our new pediatric orthotics and prosthetics clinic at Parnassus, and both toddlers are thrilled to go helmet-free!

📣 New @ucsfchildrens.bsky.social study in @jama.com!

Underage social media use linked to lower reading and memory scores - even low levels of social media exposure were linked to poorer cognitive performance

🔗 tinyurl.com/3vnpw4p3 @ucsf-ihps.bsky.social

Facing Terminal Childhood Cancer, These Mothers Made an Impossible Choice | KQED Two mothers of boys with brain cancer made opposite choices — one chased a cure, the other chased joy. Both paths reveal how underfunding leaves families with no good options.

Federal funding cuts are slowing research on treatments for pediatric cancer. “In the 1960s, essentially a pediatric cancer diagnosis was almost universally fatal,” Dr. William Temple tells KQED. "Nowadays, ~70% of those kids are now cured... because of clinical trials." https://ucsfh.org/4o3EQ2S

Kids who use social media score lower on reading and memory tests, a study shows Data from a large, ongoing study of adolescents shows a link between increasing social media use and lower cognition and memory in teens.

Preteens who use increasing amounts of social media perform poorer in reading, vocabulary & memory tests compared w/ those using none or very little, a study finds. Dr. Jason Nagata notes that even "low users had smaller differences in their cognitive scores." https://ucsfh.org/4mZCVeb

Did you know that even mild or partial hearing loss can affect a child’s ability to speak & understand language? Early detection allows parents, teachers & doctors to better assist with development and corrective options. Learn more about diagnosis & where to get treatment: https://ucsfh.org/46GokQ6

UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals Rank Among Nation's Best for 2025-2026 UCSF ties for best hospital in Northern California, with three specialties in the top 10 nationwide.

👏 U.S. News and World Report results for Best Children’s Hospitals are in! We’re proud to rank as the best children’s hospital in Northern California again, and Top 10 in the nation for cancer, neonatology and gastroenterology! 🎉
https://ucsfh.org/4o5ISXY