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.
Unlike in previous months, we are not going to give you the “highlights”. Instead, we will offer some intriguing questions…
- Are children with ADHD suitable candidates for the treatment of constipation with transanal irrigation (water enema)?
- Is complement C3 a good marker to assess severe malnutrition in patients with anorexia nervosa?
- Are prenatal cannabis and opioid exposures associated with lower birth weight? And what about nicotine and alcohol?
- Are management practices for uncomplicated acute otitis media in pediatric patients different on weekends versus weekdays in hospitals with well-established clinical guidelines?
- Can maternal pantoprazole levels be detected in breast milk?
- Is switching to conventional cigarettes the only effective way to help young adults quit vaping?
- Is hypothermia a risk factor for mortality in young children presenting to the emergency department?
- Is PET-CT a useful tool in the evaluation of fever of unknown origin in children?
- Does maternal RSV vaccination influence the effect of infant nirsevimab administration?
- Do hospitalised children exhibit excessive sedentary behaviour?
- Have you ever heard of index finger vein inspection (“Zhiwen”) for assessing pneumonia severity in children?
- How reliable is AI-based smartphone lung auscultation in detecting wheeze? And can AI outperform physicians in interpreting paediatric exanthems?
- Does serotype 19A remain relevant despite its inclusion in licensed pneumococcal vaccines?
- Is norovirus becoming the new rotavirus?
- Do complex febrile seizures and familial predisposition increase the risk of recurrence?
- Is the effect of HPV vaccination consistent across different regions of the world?
You will find the list is broken down into four sections:
1.Reviews and opinion articles
What Is a Paediatrician? Reflection on the Specialty of Paediatrics.
Massie J. J Paediatr Child Health. 2026 May 6.
Rethinking monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis as a developmental variation.
Uemura O. Eur J Pediatr. 2026 May 25;185(6):434.
Swetha J, et al. Pediatr Nephrol. 2026 May 21.
Infection, inflammation and immune dysregulation: evolving perspectives on the host response.
O’Donovan CJ, et al. Arch Dis Child. 2026 May 20:archdischild-2025-330158.
Why Is Mumps Vaccine not Persistently Effective?
Plotkin SA. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2026 May 8.
Recognizing Signs of Abusive Head Trauma.
Irie MN, et al. J Paediatr Child Health. 2026 May 25.
2.Original clinical studies
Cortes-Ledesma C, et al. Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2026 May 21;62:36-42.
Sutton S, et al. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2026 May 29.
Neuroprotection Bundles and Intraventricular Hemorrhage Rates in Neonates <29 Weeks’ Gestation.
Deshpande P, et al. J Pediatr. 2026 May 27:115162.
Vidović A, et al. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2026 May 25.
Parental vaccine hesitancy and immunization practices in children with food allergy.
YiÄźit EĹž, et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2026 May 27;185(6):439.
Academic achievement in children born extremely preterm: a cohort study.
Kaul YF, et al. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2026 May 25:fetalneonatal-2025-329756.
Bandoli G, et al. Pediatrics. 2026 May 26:e2025074604.
Gao W, et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2026 May 23;185(6):432.
Schneider E, et al. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2026 May 22.
Is There Any Level of Stress Exposure That Is Beneficial?
Smith IC, et al. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2026 May 8:S0890-8567(26)00223-6.
Bor SvEur J Pediatr. 2026 May 21;185(6):425.
Predictors of E-Cigarette Quit Attempts and Cessation in Young Adults.
Williams BS, et al. Pediatrics. 2026 May 22:e2025075276.
Costa PO, et al. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2026 May 21.
Hypothermia and Mortality Among Children in the Emergency Department.
Campbell L, et al. Pediatrics. 2026 May 20:e2025075725.
PET/CT as a Diagnostic Tool in Pediatric Fever of Unknown Origin: A Multicenter Study.
Berlak N, et al. Pediatrics. 2026 May 19:e2025074944.
Dual Immunization Against RSV With RSVpreF and Nirsevimab.
Tréluyer L, et al. JAMA Pediatr. 2026 May 18:e261346.
Maternal RSV Vaccination, Infant Nirsevimab, or Both: Interim Analysis of a Randomized Trial.
Rostad CA, et al. Pediatrics. 2026 May 4:e2025075223.
Van de Velde S, et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2026 May 16;185(6):403.
Winther L, et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2026 May 16;185(6):402.
Cros P, et al. Arch Dis Child. 2026 May 14:archdischild-2025-329523.
Le Hoang MQ, et al. Arch Dis Child. 2026 May 18:archdischild-2025-330230.
Wheeze detection in real-world pediatric care: AI applied to smartphone lung auscultation.
Pais-Cunha I, et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2026 May 12;185(6):383.
Sleep Duration Among US Adolescents, 1991-2023.
Widome R, et al. Pediatrics. 2026 May 12:e2025074933.
Rieger B, et al. J Pediatr. 2026 May 7;295:115148.
Gençeli M, et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2026 May 8;185(6):372.
Rate and timing to clinical remission in celiac children on a gluten-free diet.
Sbravati F, et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2026 May 8;185(6):374.
Respiratory Readmissions in First 3 Years of Life for Children with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.
Akangire GG, et al. J Pediatr. 2026 May 6;295:115140.
Akçay N, et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2026 May 7;185(6):356.
Portefaix A, et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2026 May 2;185(5):334.
Pneumococcal Pneumonia: Understanding the Past to See the Future.
Ratner AJ. Pediatrics. 2026 May 1;157(5):e2025075677.
Pneumococcal Pneumonia in Hospitalized Children: 2017-2023.
Engstrom EE, et al. Pediatrics. 2026 May 1;157(5):e2025073196.
Enteric Viral Pathogens in Infants in the United States: 2017-2020.
Cannon JL, et al. Pediatrics. 2026 May 1;157(5):e2025072461.
Burden of Enteric Viral Infections Among United States Children in the Post-Rotavirus Vaccine Era.
Laban NM, et al. Pediatrics. 2026 May 1;157(5):e2025075045.
Pediatric Vaccine Effectiveness Against Influenza Hospitalization and Outpatient Visits: 2021-2024.
Olson SM, et al. Pediatrics. 2026 May 1;157(5):e2025073973.
Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness in European Primary Care Pediatric Practices: 2022-2024.
Lucaccioni H, et al. Pediatrics. 2026 May 1;157(5):e2025072907.
The Meaning of Vaccine Effectiveness: Candid Communication About the Flu Shot.
Chow EJ, et al. Pediatrics. 2026 May 1;157(5):e2025074682.
Evaluation of the Risk Factors for Recurrence in Patients With Febrile Seizures.
Sadık ZZT, et al. J Paediatr Child Health. 2026 May;62(5):794-799.
Valved Holding Chambers in Young Children With Acute Wheezing: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
Csonka P, et al. JAMA Pediatr. 2026 May 1;180(5):567-574.
Brisson M, et al. Lancet. 2026 May 2;407(10540):1726-1737.
3.Guidelines and best evidence
Interventions to improve neonatal and infant intubation success: a meta-analysis.
Tjurin W, et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2026 May 29;185(6):450.
Effect of probiotics on allergic rhinitis in children; A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Bakhshi A, et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2026 May 29;185(6):447.
Dagur G, et al. Pediatrics. 2026 May 27:e2025071101.
Dionisopoulos Z, et al. JAMA Pediatr. 2026 May 26:e261815.
Llopis-Alonso I, et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2026 May 25;185(6):435.
Gordon M, et al. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2026 May 20.
Fortune A, et al. Arch Dis Child. 2026 May 11:archdischild-2025-329096.
Wildes D, et al. J Paediatr Child Health. 2026 May 10.
Digital Media Use and Child Health and Development: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Teague S, et al. JAMA Pediatr. 2026 May 1;180(5):510-517.
Bourke M, et al. JAMA Pediatr. 2026 May 1;180(5):500-509.
Islam N, et al. JAMA Pediatr. 2026 May 1;180(5):486-499.
Microvascular ultrasound imaging of the neonatal brain: a scoping review.
Ramana A, et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2026 May 21;185(6):422.
Castro-Avila AC, et al. Arch Dis Child. 2026 May 4:archdischild-2025-329287.
4.Case reports
Redwood B, et al. J Paediatr Child Health. 2026 May 27.
The Wild West: A Case of Bubonic Plague.
Thompson GE, et al. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2026 May 22.
Subgaleal Haematoma-A Rare Cause of Head Swelling in a School-Aged Girl.
Walker PJB, et al. J Paediatr Child Health. 2026 May 5
Progressive Linear Bullous Eruption in a Young Athlete: A Diagnostic Challenge.
Chan CJ, et al. J Paediatr Child Health. 2026 May;62(5):894-896.
A Febrile Mystery: Atypical Helicobacter pylori in a Child Returning From an Endemic Region.
Ramirez Escobar M, et al. Pediatrics. 2026 May 1;157(5):e2025073014.
Tabassum S, et al. J Paediatr Child Health. 2026 May;62(5):874-878.
If we have missed out on something useful or you think other articles are absolutely worth sharing, please add them in the comments!