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Jump to Key Points At the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 2026 National Conference in San Diego, researchers spotlighted a new policy statement on the dangers of consuming unpasteurized milk products, examined an alternative treatment approach for babies with plagiocephaly, and applied medical devices to a little-studied population: stuffed animals.
Renewed Call to Avoid Easily Preventable Illness
Unpasteurized milk and milk products pose serious infection risks to pregnant people, infants, and children, and should be banned nationwide, according to an AAP policy statement published in Pediatrics.
The Context
- Raw milk remains legal in at least 27 states and continues to cause outbreaks of infections from pathogens such as Listeria, Campylobacter, and Escherichia coli, with consequences that can include fetal miscarriage and neonatal death.
- Pasteurization does not significantly alter the overall nutritional value of milk; only vitamin B2 declines meaningfully, the statement notes.
- H5N1 is an emerging threat; the virus can survive in unpasteurized milk from infected cows for up to 5 weeks when refrigerated.
Hands-On Treatment for Infants With Flat Head?
Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) may represent a safe treatment approach for managing positional plagiocephaly in infants, according to Kimberly Wolf, DO, and colleagues.
The Context
- The prevalence of positional plagiocephaly, characterized by asymmetrical flattening of the cranium, has increased substantially, partly due to the success of campaigns to have children sleep on their backs.
- In a study of 67 families, participants completed 10 visits for OMT, which involved licensed physicians using their hands to improve the structure and function of the body. The approach uses “gentle and passive modalities that are well-tolerated by infants,” according to the investigators, and no serious adverse events were reported.
- Most parents were satisfied with OMT, and many identified secondary benefits such as improvements in feeding, fussiness, reflux, and sleep.
In Their Own Words
“A flat head is a common reason parents bring their infants to the pediatrician in the first few months of life — yet until now, families have had strikingly few choices for treatment,” Wolf said in a news release.
- AAP policy: unpasteurized milk/products ↑ infection risk; nationwide ban urged.
- Raw milk linked to Listeria, Campylobacter, E. coli; miscarriage + neonatal death reported.
- Pasteurization minimally alters nutrition; only vitamin B2 ↓ meaningfully.
- H5N1 can persist in refrigerated raw milk up to 5 weeks.
- OMT for infant plagiocephaly: 67-family study; no serious adverse events; parent satisfaction high.
Teddy Bears Ease Kids’ Anxiety Around Medical Devices
Teddy bears fitted with medical devices such as gastrostomy tubes, tracheostomies, and pacemakers may help normalize these devices and reduce anxiety in children who need them, according to a project described at the AAP meeting.
The Context
- Anders Jenson, MD, a pediatric resident at Mayo Clinic, implemented the program with a $2200 grant and donations of equipment and materials to represent medical devices — for example, beach ball inflation valves to simulate gastrostomy tubes.
- The stuffed animals can help children learn about the devices, increase patients’ willingness to engage in care procedures, and educate their peers.
- For the medical students and pediatric residents who helped outfit the bears, the project offered another benefit: dedicated time to practice suturing.
Their Own Words
“As someone with a medical device myself, I remember how isolating it could feel growing up surrounded by those without one,” Jenson said.
This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
