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.
As usual, in the first week of a new month, the journal club list arrives.
Here are some of the highlights:
An interesting study was published in the Lancet this month about a promising intervention to reduce childhood obesity. Chile introduced a ‘Food Labelling and Advertising Law’ in 2016 (introducing prominent black warning labels on unhealthy foods alongside marketing and school restrictions). -Using a large national dataset of over 300,000 Chilean children, the authors applied a cohort ’difference-in-differences’ approach comparing children exposed with unexposed groups. They found that the policy was associated with modest but meaningful reductions in excess weight, particularly with longer exposure.
Non-primary maternal CMV infections (reactivation or reinfection) are increasingly being recognised as a contributor to congenital CMV (cCMV). In a recent retrospective cohort study in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 300 infants with symptomatic cCMV were analysed, comparing outcomes by maternal infection type. While most cases were still linked to primary infection, more than 30% were due to reactivation/reinfection.
ECG interpretation is a trainable skill that might decline quickly without continuous practice. A recent study in the Journal of Pediatrics evaluated an online, case-based educational intervention to improve interpretation skills. A group of >300 paediatricians trained with ECG cases with immediate feedback until they reached a predefined competency standard. At baseline, performance was reasonable, but with structured practice, all areas improved meaningfully, particularly diagnostic specificity. About two-thirds of participants reached the competency threshold after 6.5 hours of practice.
You will find the list is broken down into four sections:
1.Reviews and opinion articles
Bridging the Gap: Implementing Race-Conscious Clinical Guidance in Pediatrics.
Rosen RH, et al. Pediatrics. 2026 Jun 17.
Uncovering the Relationship Between Skin Pigmentation and Bone Density.
Cheeti J, et al. Pediatrics. 2026 Jun 17.
Achieving Equity in Pediatric Clinical Guidance.
Wright JL. Pediatrics. 2026 Jun 17. doi: 10.1542/peds.2026-076070a.
Achieving Equity in Age of Artificial Intelligence.
Mistry KB, Cheng TL. Pediatrics. 2026 Jun 17.
Norman-Bruce H, et al. Arch Dis Child. 2026 Jun 16:archdischild-2025-329775.
Carnazzo SM, et al. J Paediatr Child Health. 2026 Jun 15.
Preventing pediatric acute kidney injury: is it even possible?
Kim LH, Goldstein SL. Pediatr Nephrol. 2026 Jun 12.
Neonatal Acute Kidney Injury-An Australian and New Zealand Perspective.
Desai S, et al. J Paediatr Child Health. 2026 Jun 9.
The Ketogenic Diet: Three Decades Later.
Kossoff EH, Turner Z, Hartman AL. J Child Neurol. 2026 Jun 4:8830738261450750.
Eosinophilic esophagitis: An aerodigestive perspective.
Temtem TA, Liu K, Kennedy KL, Gold BD. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2026 Jun 26.
A Practical Guide to Chromosome Microarray Interpretation for Paediatricians.
McPherson ZE, et al. J Paediatr Child Health. 2026 Jun 26.
2.Original clinical studies
Fuller SJ, et al. Arch Dis Child. 2026 Jun 18:archdischild-2025-329616.
Discontinuation, Medication Switching, and Augmentation After SSRI in Pediatric Depression.
Lee H, et al. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2026 Jun 17:S0890-8567(26)00273-X.
Continuous glucose monitoring in neonates at risk of hypoglycaemia: a feasibility study.
Engen K, et al. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2026 Jun 15:fetalneonatal-2025-330011.
Use of percutaneous cholecysto-cholangiogram in the evaluation of neonatal cholestasis.
Spector PR, et al. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2026 Jun 16.
Beyond the Tip of the Iceberg: The Clinical Impact of Maternal Nonprimary Cytomegalovirus Infection.
Peleg G, et al. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2026 Jun 17.
Don’t Skip A Beat: Deliberate Practice and Mastery Learning of Pediatric Electrocardiograms.
Boutis K, et al. J Pediatr. 2026 Jun 16:115192.
Adherence to Guideline-Recommended Testing in Youth With Hypertension: 2014-2024.
Nugent JT, Kaelber DC. Pediatrics. 2026 Jun 17:e2026075912.
Improving Adherence to Pediatric Hypertension Guidelines: Go the Distance.
Cabana MD, Rinke ML, Brady TM. Pediatrics. 2026 Jun 17:e2026076288.
Guideline-Discordant Bronchiolitis Care in Community Emergency Departments.
Casey SD, et al. J Pediatr. 2026 Jun 15:115195.
Jahan A, et al. J Pediatr. 2026 Jun 15:115194.
Costa-Pinto JC, et al. J Paediatr Child Health. 2026 Jun 15.
The Accuracy of a Commercial Wearable Neonatal Home-Monitoring Device: A Simulation Study.
Noone AN, et al. J Paediatr Child Health. 2026 Jun 15.
Althaf R, Laboni S, Rahman AKMF, Mestre J, Dike CR.
J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2026 Jun 12.
Supporting Safer Surgery: System-Level Interventions to Enhance Pediatric Perioperative Safety.
Natarus ME, et al. Pediatrics. 2026 Jun 11:e2025072662.
Long-Term Outcomes of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children up to 4.5 Years After COVID-19.
Mehrotra-Varma S, et al. Pediatrics. 2026 Jun 10:e2025075578.
Egg Allergy Prevalence Before and After Guidelines for Earlier Egg Introduction.
Koplin JJ, et al. JAMA Pediatr. 2026 Jun 8:e262080.
Smartphone Acquisition and Use at Age 13 Years and Health Outcomes at Age 14 Years.
Bren Z, et al. JAMA Pediatr. 2026 Jun 8:e262118.
Somatic and gastrointestinal symptoms longitudinally predict early adolescent disordered eating.
Hamilton AL, Deyo AG, Kidwell KM. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2026 Jun 8.
Rotavirus Vaccine Coverage and Potential Barriers Among US Children Born From 2007 to 2024.
Moran MC, et al. Pediatrics. 2026 Jun 8:e2025074382.
Rotavirus Vaccines Are Safe and Effective: So Why Aren’t All Children Protected?
Cataldi JR, O’Leary ST. Pediatrics. 2026 Jun 8:e2026076103.
Ha E, et al. J Paediatr Child Health. 2026 Jun 6.
A National Quality Improvement Collaborative to Reduce Subthreshold Phototherapy for Jaundice.
Satrom KM, et al. Pediatrics. 2026 Jun 4:e2025071494.
Longitudinal Telesimulation Program and Rural Clinicians’ Neonatal Resuscitation Performance.
Melendi M, et al. Pediatrics. 2026 Jun 3:e2025074251.
Thomas G, et al. J Pediatr. 2026 Jun 1:115184.
Increased Risk of Heart Rhythm Abnormalities in Adolescents and Young Adults Who Vape.
Tsalatsanis A, et al. J Pediatr. 2026 Jun 1:115183.
Intravesical Botox: An Effective Therapy for Refractory Monosymptomatic Nocturnal Enuresis.
Szwarcberg E, Kimber C, Taghavi K. J Paediatr Child Health. 2026 Jun 1
Sanderson K, et al. Pediatr Nephrol. 2026 Jun 27.
Paraje G, et al. Lancet. 2026 Jun 27;407(10548):2630-2640.
Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir for the Treatment of COVID-19 in Children Aged 6 Years and Older.
Gerhart J, et al. Pediatrics. 2026 Jun 25:e2025073999.
Rees P, et al. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2026 Jun 24:fetalneonatal-2026-330421.
Berring-Uldum AA, et al. J Child Neurol. 2026 Jun 30:8830738261456884.
Harding JE, et al. JAMA Pediatr. 2026 Jun 29:e262486.
Çirkin G, Gülçek N, Orhan Ö. J Paediatr Child Health. 2026 Jun 28.
Ferro V, et al. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2026 Jun 29.
3.Guidelines and best evidence
Salazar de Pablo G, et al. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psy. 2026 Jun 22:S0890-8567(26)00277-7.
Wan KW, et al. JAMA Pediatr. 2026 Jun 22:e262248.
Araújo RD, et al. J Paediatr Child Health. 2026 Jun 10.
4.Case reports
Baima-Quzhen, et al. J Paediatr Child Health. 2026 Jun 23.
Disseminated Tuberculosis With Cavitary Lung Disease in a Very Preterm Infant.
Laycock KM, et al. Pediatrics. 2026 Jun 23:e2025074037.
A 6-Year-Old Boy With Body Aches.
Ogundu PI, et al. Pediatrics. 2026 Jun 18:e2025074738.
Toro DL, et al. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2026 Jun 16.
The Hidden Face of Rickets: Unmasking Osteopetrorickets in a 2-Month-Old Infant.
Yılmaz AF, et al. J Paediatr Child Health. 2026 Jun 25. doi: 10.1111/jpc.70477.
Chronic hyponatraemia with a reset osmostat: when abnormal is normal.
Butaye H, Hoskens L, Bockenhauer D. Pediatr Nephrol. 2026 Jun 30.
If we have missed out on something useful or you think other articles are absolutely worth sharing, please add them in the comments!