Can’t get enough of Bubble Wrap? The Bubble Wrap Plus is a monthly paediatric Journal Club reading list from Professor Jaan Toelen (University Hospitals Leuven) and Dr Anke Raaijmakers (Sydney Children’s Hospital).
This comprehensive list is developed from 34 journals, including major and subspecialty paediatric journals. We suggest this list can help you discover relevant or interesting articles for your local journal club or allow you to keep a finger on the pulse of paediatric research.
Our highlights from the studies for this month focus on some perinatal and developmental outcomes that paediatricians should consider when counselling parents.
A nationwide cohort study from Taiwan (2017–2020) investigated whether maternal VZV reactivation (zona) during pregnancy is linked to adverse neonatal or neurodevelopmental outcomes. They studied 630,000 singleton pregnancies with 0.46% maternal VZV reactivations. Reassuringly, neither early nor late gestational zona was associated with increased risks of preterm birth, low birth weight, low Apgar scores, congenital anomalies, or neurodevelopmental disorders within the first two years of life. These findings suggest that maternal zona, unlike primary VZV infection, should not alarm us regarding neonatal health or early neurodevelopment.
A large retrospective study from an Irish tertiary hospital examined the impact of maternal diabetes on neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission rates. Among more than 25,000 births, neonates born to mothers with type 1 and type 2 diabetes had significantly higher NICU admissions (41.8% and 31.1%, respectively) compared to those with gestational diabetes (12.5%). The study also found earlier delivery and higher birth weight centiles in the type 1 cohort. As expected, hypoglycaemia proved to be an important risk across all diabetes types.
And finally, a longitudinal English cohort study linked birth data with school attendance and performance across compulsory education. Children born small for gestational age (SGA) showed higher school absences and consistently lower performance in English and Mathematics across both early and late educational stages. Notably, socioeconomic status modified the impact: the educational gap was more pronounced in children from higher-income families, indicating that affluence did not buffer the developmental disadvantages of SGA. The discussion part of this publication explores some of the possible explanations for this finding.
You will find the list is broken down into four sections:
1.Reviews and opinion articles
Pediatric migraine care: bridging gaps, overcoming barriers, and advancing solutions.
Özge A, et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2025 May 24;184(6):362.
Atopic Dermatitis: Update on Skin-Directed Management: Clinical Report.
Schoch JJ, et al. Pediatrics. 2025 May 19:e2025071812.
Exercise-Induced Dyspnea: There is More to This Than Meets the Eye!-A Narrative Review.
Papamichael MM, et al. J Paediatr Child Health. 2025 May 15.
When our treatment is complicated: an overview of drug-induced acid-base disorders: part 1-acidosis.
Florio G, Bockenhauer D. Pediatr Nephrol. 2025 May 14.
Disruptive lesions can cause developmental anomalies in the fetal brain: Mini-review.
Gafner M, et al. Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2025 May;56:80-83.
Cope J, et al. J Paediatr Child Health. 2025 May 7.
State-of-the-art review of blenderized diets-Status and future directions.
Weston , et al. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2025 May 5
The Current Landscape for Screening and Monitoring of Early-Stage Type 1 Diabetes.
Narayan K, et al. J Paediatr Child Health. 2025 May;61(5):676-684.
Damp and mouldy home: impact on lung health in childhood.
Moorcroft C, et al. Arch Dis Child. 2025 May 16;110(6):419-421
Nutritional and growth concerns of vegetarian diets in children.
Puri K, et al. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2025 May 8.
2.Original clinical studies
Chen YC, et al. J Pediatr. 2025 May 29:114675.
Is late diagnosis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy still a reality?
Beckerq MM, et al. Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2025 May 10;57:35-40.
Long-term respiratory outcomes in school-aged children born before 32 weeks of gestation.
Merino-Hernández A, et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2025 May 30;184(6):375.
Childhood Humoral Immunity During and After COVID-19 Lockdowns.
Mallebranche C, et al. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2025 May 23.
Cadete V, et al. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2025 May 23.
Hyperprolactinemia in children and adolescents: clinical characteristics and etiological spectrum.
Kilci F, et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2025 May 28;184(6):366.
Consumption of energy drinks among youth in Spain: trends and characteristics.
Teijeiro A, et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2025 May 27;184(6):365.
Long COVID in Young Children, School-Aged Children, and Teens.
Gross RS, et al. JAMA Pediatr. 2025 May 27
Vermeiren E, et al. J Pediatr. 2025 May 22:114665.
Obrycki Ł, et al. Pediatr Nephrol. 2025 May 20.
Intrarenal reflux is linked to subsequent kidney scarring: a retrospective study.
Hwang J, et al. Pediatr Nephrol. 2025 May 24
Approach to childhood tremors: Insights from a pediatric neurologist.
Ozbudak P, et al. Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2025 May;56:74-79.
Loganathan PK, et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2025 May 23;184(6):356.
Hillick D, et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2025 May 22;184(6):354.
Rowe MA, et al. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2025 May 16:S0890-8567(25)00252-7.
Pitkowsky Z, et al. J Pediatr. 2025 May 19:114662.
Hannan J, et al. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2025 May 20:fetalneonatal-2024-328378.
Cramer SJE, et al. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2025 May 19:fetalneonatal-2024-328123.
In Utero Exposure to Gestational Diabetes and Child Health at Age Three to Seven: A Cohort Study.
Oladimeji , et al. J Pediatr. 2025 May 12;284:114639.
Neville JJ, et al. Arch Dis Child. 2025 May 18:archdischild-2024-328195.
Piteková B, et al. Pediatr Nephrol. 2025 May 14.
Diagnostic accuracy of an over-the-counter infant pulse oximeter for cardiorespiratory events.
Travers CP, et al. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2025 May 12:fetalneonatal-2025-328540.
Mohamed Z, et al. Arch Dis Child. 2025 May 16;110(6):471-479.
Effect of glycerin on colonic motility in children.
van der Zande JMJ, et al. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2025 May 8.
Miyake R, et al. J Paediatr Child Health. 2025 May 5.
Colchicine treatment in PFAPA: how long should we wait for the clinical response?
Koru L, et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2025 May 2;184(5):322.
Baranyi G, et al. Arch Dis Child. 2025 May 16;110(6):455-462.
Cord Blood Treatment for Children With Cerebral Palsy.
Rosenbaum P, et al. Pediatrics. 2025 May 1;155(5):e2024070467.
Cord Blood Treatment for Children With Cerebral Palsy: Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis.
Finch-Edmondson M, et al. Pediatrics. 2025 May 1;155(5):e2024068999.
Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury and Social Determinants of Health.
Chan V, et al. JAMA Pediatr. 2025 May 1;179(5):573-575.
Oveporexton, an Oral Orexin Receptor 2-Selective Agonist, in Narcolepsy Type 1.
Dauvilliers Y, et al. N Engl J Med. 2025 May 15;392(19):1905-1916.
Cagney J, et al. Lancet. 2025 May 24;405(10492):1817-1836.
Lentiviral Gene Therapy for Severe Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency Type 1.
Booth C, et al. N Engl J Med. 2025 May 1;392(17):1698-1709.
3.Guidelines and best evidence
US Preventive Services Task Force. JAMA. 2025 May 6;333(17):1520-1526.
Groen J, et al. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2025 May 30.
Hu J, et al. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2025 May 26.
Hyde E, et al. Arch Dis Child. 2025 May 24:archdischild-2025-328523.
Albaum C, et al. JAMA Pediatr. 2025 May 19:e251012
Anti-regurgitation infant formulas and antacid medication: match or mismatch?
Tommelein E, et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2025 May 13;184(6):336.
Phage diversity in human breast milk: a systematic review.
Guo Y, et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2025 May 10;184(6):334.
Gut microbiota-targeted therapies in pediatric chronic kidney disease: gaps and opportunities.
Iyengar A, et al. Pediatr Nephrol. 2025 May 1.
Puberty blockers for gender dysphoria in youth: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Miroshnychenko A, et al. Arch Dis Child. 2025 May 16;110(6):429-436.
4.Case reports
Pyloric Stenosis in Premature Twins: A Case Report.
Tan Tanny SPY, et al. J Paediatr Child Health. 2025 May 5.
Growth trajectories in monochorionic and dichorionic twins with weight discordance: a cohort study.
Cortez Ferreira M, et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2025 May 1;184(5):319.
Altered Mental Status and First-Time Seizure in Teen With a Subacute Inguinal Mass.
Little KM, et al. Pediatrics. 2025 May 1;155(5):e2024069855.
An Alarming Widespread Vesicular Rash in a Neonate.
Sahadevan G, et al. J Paediatr Child Health. 2025 May;61(5):822-824.
If we have missed out on something useful or you think other articles are absolutely worth sharing, please add them in the comments!
