Announcements

MDPI will attend the Nutrients 2026 Conference as the organizer and exhibitor. This event will be held in Barcelona, Spain, from 22 to 24 October 2026.

As a leading academic conference in the field of nutrition and health sciences, this event gathers renowned experts, scholars, clinicians and industry practitioners from around the world. It covers frontier research and practical applications in nutritional intervention, metabolic health, pediatric care, dairy nutrition, dietary management and antioxidant science, with multiple parallel sessions and keynote forums to promote in-depth academic exchange and industry collaboration.

The following open access journals will be represented at the conference:

• Nutrients;
• Diabetology;
• Children;
• Clinics and Practice;
• Dairy;
• Dietetics;
• Obesities;
• Antioxidants.

If you are planning to attend the above event, please feel free to start an online conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at our booth and answering any questions you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://sciforum.net/event/Nutrients2026.

Children (ISSN 2227-9067) is an international, open access journal dedicated to the streamlined, yet scientifically rigorous dissemination of peer-reviewed science related to childhood health and disease.

More information about the journal is available at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/children.

We are delighted to share several outstanding Editor’s Choice Articles recently published in Children in the “Pediatric Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine” Section.

These selected articles highlight important advances in pediatric respiratory medicine, sleep disorders, neonatal pulmonary conditions, and long-term respiratory health monitoring in children.

In addition, Children has recently achieved further recognition in the latest journal rankings. The newly released CiteScore (2025 Edition) is 4.5, ranking 67/351 (Q1) in the category of Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health. The newly released Impact Factor (2025 Edition) is 2.6, ranking 39/190 (Q1) in the category of Pediatrics. These achievements reflect the continuous contributions and support from our authors, reviewers, and Editorial Board Members.

We are pleased to highlight the following Editor’s Choice Articles:

1. “Lung Function Trajectories After Preterm Birth: A Life-Course Approach to Age-Specific Monitoring”
by Dorina Hoxha, Ilaria Bucci, Sabrina Di Pillo, Francesco Chiarelli, Marina Attanasi and Paola Di Filippo
Children 2026, 13(4), 500; https://doi.org/10.3390/children13040500
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/13/4/500

2. “Relationship Between Sleep Irregularity and School Non-Attendance Among Japanese Elementary and Junior High School Students”
by Ikuko Hirata, Tomoko Nishimura, Yuko Osuka, Manabu Wakuta and Masako Taniike
Children 2026, 13(1), 80; https://doi.org/10.3390/children13010080
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/13/1/80

3. “Sleep Education Program with Self-Help Treatment—Sleep-Promoting Behaviors for Children and Adolescents in Japan”
by Hideki Tanaka, Norihisa Tamura, Kaori Yamaoka and Taro Matsuki
Children 2026, 13(1), 92; https://doi.org/10.3390/children13010092
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/13/1/92

4. “Physiology-Based Diagnosis and Management of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Associated Pulmonary Hypertension (BPD-PH)”
by Yogen Singh, Sfurti Nath, Sheen Gahlaut and Belinda Chan
Children 2026, 13(2), 272; https://doi.org/10.3390/children13020272
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/13/2/272

You can read other high-quality Editor’s Choice Articles via the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/children/editors_choice.

You can submit your next manuscript to Children via the following link and choose a suitable Section: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/children/sections.

We look forward to receiving your articles.

Children Editorial Office

Conference: American Public Health Association 2026 Annual Meeting and Expo (APHA 2026)
Date: 1–4 November 2026
Location: San Antonio, USA

Each year, APHA’s Annual Meeting and Expo brings together about 11,000 public health professionals and partners from around the world to engage, collaborate and grow, gathering a broad spectrum of professionals across a variety of disciplines. As the largest public health gathering of the year, this is a meeting you will not want to miss. This year's theme is Together We Thrive: Health Across the Lifespan, and MDPI looks forward to welcoming you at Booth #628.

The following open access journals will be represented at APHA 2026:

• International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH);
• COVID;
• Sports;
• Gastroenterology Insights;
• Epidemiologia;
• Nutrients;
• Allergies;
• Psychiatry International;
• TropicalMed;
• Children;
• Therapeutics;
• Nursing Reports;
• Hygiene;
• European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education (EJIHPE);
• Green Health;
• Trends in Public Health.

Our delegates are excited to connect with you in person at our booth and answer any questions you may have. For more information regarding this conference, please visit the following link: https://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual.

Children (ISSN 2227-9067) is an international, open-access journal dedicated to the streamlined yet scientifically rigorous dissemination of peer-reviewed science pertaining to childhood health and disease. More information about the journal is available via the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/children.

We are pleased to share that Children has received a new IF of 2.6 and CiteScore of 4.5 for 2025, both of which up from Q2 to Q1.

The full details can be found here:

• https://www.scopus.com/sourceid/21101055706;
• https://jcr.clarivate.com/jcr-jp/journal-profile?journal=CHILDREN-BASEL&year=2025.

We would additionally like to present some Editor’s Choice Articles published in 2026 in the “Pediatric Dentistry & Oral Medicine” Section of Children; we believe that will be of particular interest to our readers and important in their respective research fields.

1. “Equity or Two-Tier Care? Guardrails for Silver Diamine Fluoride and Delegated Early Childhood Caries Pathways”
by Ziad D. Baghdadi
Children 2026, 13(3), 386; https://doi.org/10.3390/children13030386
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/13/3/386

2. “When “Advances” Become Substitutes for Access: A Systems Critique of Children’s Dentistry in NHS England and the Normalisation of Extraction, Containment, and Planned Tooth Loss”
by Ziad D. Baghdadi
Children 2026, 13(2), 263; https://doi.org/10.3390/children13020263
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/13/2/263

3. “Late Oral Complications in Childhood Cancer Survivors: Implications for Pediatric Dentistry and Survivorship Care”
by Lucija Ruzman, Ana Zulijani, Tomislav Skrinjaric, Domagoj Buljan, Jasminka Stepan Giljevic, Iva Bilic Cace and Ana Milardovic
Children 2026, 13(1), 114; https://doi.org/10.3390/children13010114
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/13/1/114

To view the full list of Editor's Choice Articles, please visit the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/children/editors_choice.

You can submit your manuscript to Children via the following link, where you can choose a suitable section for your paper: https://www.mdpi.com/user/manuscripts/upload/?journal=children.

We look forward to receiving your articles.

Children Editorial Office

Children (ISSN 2227-9067) is an international, open access journal dedicated to the streamlined, scientifically rigorous dissemination of peer-reviewed science on childhood health and disease. More information about the journal is available at https://www.mdpi.com/journal/children.

We are pleased to share the news that Children has received an updated Impact Factor of 2.6 and a CiteScore of 4.5 for 2025, which are both up in Q2 from Q1.

The full details can be found here:

https://www.scopus.com/sourceid/21101055706;
https://jcr.clarivate.com/jcr-jp/journal-profile?journal=CHILDREN-BASEL&year=2025.

We are also pleased to share our Editor’s Choice Articles, selected from articles published in 2026 in the “Pediatric Mental Health” Section of Children, which we believe are of particular interest to our readers, as they represent important developments in their respective research fields.

1. “Resilience in Adverse Contexts: Youth and Clinician Perspectives on Navigating Community Violence”
by Angel Boulware and Deidra Bibbs
Children 2026, 13(1), 122; https://doi.org/10.3390/children13010122
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/13/1/122

2. “Socio-Emotional Wellbeing in Parents of Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Systematic Review”
by Mª Lourdes Álvarez-Fernández and Celestino Rodríguez
Children 2026, 13(1), 99; https://doi.org/10.3390/children13010099
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/13/1/99

3. “Sleep, Emotion, and Sex-Specific Developmental Trajectories in Childhood and Adolescence”
by Giuseppe Marano and Marianna Mazza
Children 2026, 13(2), 171; https://doi.org/10.3390/children13020171
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/13/2/171

4. “Perceived Financial Strain and Adolescent Mental Health: Evidence from a Population-Based Study in South Tyrol, Italy”
by Christian J. Wiedermann, Verena Barbieri, Hendrik Reismann, Giuliano Piccoliori, Adolf Engl and Doris Hager von Strobele-Prainsack
Children 2026, 13(1), 121; https://doi.org/10.3390/children13010121
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/13/1/121

5. “Effects of Personalized Mental Imagery Training on Anger Expression and Resilience in Adolescent Rugby Players: A Controlled Study”
by Donatella Di Corrado, Patrizia Tortella, Marinella Coco, Giuseppe Messina, Francesca Campoli and Maria Chiara Parisi
Children 2026, 13(2), 249; https://doi.org/10.3390/children13020249
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/13/2/249

6. “Growing Up in Families with Parenting Stress and Conflict: Longitudinal Psychosocial Risk Patterns, Behavioral Problems and the Moderating Role of the Home Learning Environment”
by Susanne M. Ulrich, Anja Linberg, Sabine Düval and Susanne Kuger
Children 2026, 13(2), 276; https://doi.org/10.3390/children13020276
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/13/2/276

The full list of Editor’s Choice Articles can be viewed at https://www.mdpi.com/journal/children/editors_choice.

Authors may submit their manuscripts to Children via the following link, and may select a Section suitable for their work: https://www.mdpi.com/user/manuscripts/upload/?journal=children.

We look forward to receiving your submissions.

Children Editorial Office

We are pleased to announce that MDPI will be exhibiting at the XXIX IFSO World Congress 2026, taking place from 1 to 4 September 2026 in Toronto, ON, Canada.

This year’s IFSO World Congress theme, “The Future of Obesity Management: From Weight Loss to Health Gain”, highlights a pivotal shift in managing metabolic conditions from a focus on weight reduction toward comprehensive health improvement and the effective resolution of obesity-associated diseases.

This Congress will unite global leaders from diverse disciplines, including metabolic bariatric surgeons, medical specialists, allied healthcare providers, researchers, and industry innovators, to redefine best practices in medical and surgical treatments, ultimately improving patient outcomes and enhancing quality of life.

Why visit MDPI’s booth?
Join us at MDPI’s booth to discover how we are advancing open science by supporting rapid, transparent, and accessible research dissemination.

• Learn more about MDPI’s open access publishing model and commitment to advancing open science;
• Explore journals covering medicine, pharmacology, public health, healthcare, and clinical sciences;
• Connect with the MDPI’s editorial team to discuss publishing opportunities and collaborations;
• Pick up conference materials and MDPI giveaways.

Confirmed MDPI Journals Being Represented:

• Children;
• Clinics and Practice;
• Diseases;
• International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health;
• Journal of Aesthetic Medicine;
• Nutraceuticals;
• Nutrients;
• Obesities;
• Surgeries;
• Women.

If you are planning to attend the XXIX IFSO World Congress 2026, we would be delighted to meet you in person. Visit us at booth #27 to speak with our team and learn how MDPI can support the visibility and impact of your research.

We look forward to welcoming you in Toronto!

To thank our reviewers, the Children Editorial Office will announce our Exceptional Reviewers each month. You can see the award list here: https://www.mdpi.com/about/announcements/15639.

We wish to congratulate Dr. Aswathy Shailaja (Duke University School of Medicine, USA) for being included in this list. She also shared some professional opinions about the current peer-review process.

The following is an interview with Dr. Aswathy Shailaja:

1. Could you briefly introduce yourself and your current research topic to our readers, as well as the important role of your research area in promoting children’s health?
My research experience spans microbiology, neuroimmunology, and neonatal infectious diseases. My current research focuses on understanding how inflammation and infection influence the developing brain, with particular interest in the biological mechanisms that contribute to neonatal brain injury and long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes in premature infants.
The neonatal period represents a particularly vulnerable stage of neurodevelopment, during which inflammation and infections such as sepsis can have consequences that extend well beyond the initial illness. By better understanding the cellular and molecular pathways involved in these responses, we can identify potential therapeutic targets and strategies to protect the developing brain. I believe research in this area is important not only for improving survival, but also for improving long-term neurological and developmental outcomes and, ultimately, the quality of life of affected children.

2. What criteria do you consider most important when evaluating a manuscript? How do you view the role of a reviewer in shaping the quality and integrity of newly submitted research?
When evaluating a manuscript, I consider several factors, including the originality and significance of the research question; the scientific rationale of the study; the appropriateness and rigor of the experimental design; ethical considerations; the quality and presentation of the data, particularly figures; the validity of the statistical analyses; and whether the authors’ conclusions are adequately supported by their results. Reproducibility and transparency in reporting methods are also particularly important to me.
I view peer review as both a responsibility and an opportunity to contribute to the scientific community. A scientific review should be rigorous, objective, constructive, and respectful. As a reviewer, the goal should not only be to identify weaknesses in a manuscript, but also to help authors recognize the areas that need to be strengthened and clarified. Reviewers play an important role in maintaining scientific integrity and helping ensure that published research is clear, reproducible, and valuable to the broader scientific community.

3. What are your thoughts on the use of AI tools in the academic publishing industry, and what are your recommendations for ensuring quality control in the future?
AI tools can be useful in academic publishing for tasks such as language editing and organizing scientific literature, but they should not replace human scientific judgment and critical thinking. One concern is that AI-generated content may contain inaccurate information or unreliable citations.
To ensure quality, journals should have clear policies for AI use, and authors, reviewers, and editors should remain responsible for verifying the accuracy, integrity, and appropriate disclosure of AI-assisted content.

4. What advice would you give to early career researchers who want to become strong peer reviewers? Or do you have any suggestions for the current peer-review process?
For early career researchers, I believe becoming a strong reviewer begins with learning how to critically evaluate research while remaining constructive and respectful toward the authors. Reviewing manuscripts is also an excellent way to strengthen one’s own scientific thinking and writing.
I would encourage early career reviewers to first understand the main objective of the manuscript and then evaluate whether the experimental design, evidence, methodology, and conclusions adequately support that objective. Mentorship can also be extremely valuable. Opportunities for early career researchers to review manuscripts alongside experienced mentors, combined with reviewer training and constructive feedback from journal editors, could help develop thoughtful and responsible peer reviewers. Ultimately, peer review should be viewed as a collaborative part of the scientific process, with the shared goal of improving the quality, transparency, and reliability of published research.

Please contact the Children Editorial Office (children@mdpi.com) if you also want to review some new research; you can also apply for the volunteer reviewer via this link: https://www.mdpi.com/reviewers.

Children Editorial Office

Children (ISSN 2227-9067, IF: 2.6 Q1, CiteScore: 4.5 Q1, indexed in PubMed) held an Editorial Board meeting for the “Pediatric Neonatology” Section on 29 June 2026. We thank Section Editor-in-Chief Dr. Elizabeth Asztalos for chairing the meeting to deliberate on the development of this Section. We are grateful to the 13 Editorial Board Members who attended the session. We also welcome further suggestions from all Board Members via offline communication.

You may contact the Children Editorial Office (children@mdpi.com) or Deputy Managing Editors (dme-children@mdpi.com) at any time.

We kindly invite you to review the following meeting summary. The meeting began with an overview of MDPI company developments, journal performance, key metrics for Children and its “Pediatric Neonatology” Section, the work plan for the remainder of the year, marketing and promotional activities, and an open discussion.

The following topics were covered at the Editorial Board meeting:
1. “Pediatric Neonatology” Section Performance and Editorial Board Development
Performance statistics for Children overall and for the “Pediatric Neonatology” Section.
You can find our current Section Editorial Board Members at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/children/sections/Pediatric_Neonatology.

2. Special Issues Strategy and Guest Editor Responsibilities
The Editorial Office encouraged Editorial Board Members to propose new Special Issue topics and serve as Guest Editors.
You can access our current Special Issues at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/children/special_issues.

3. Pre-Check Process and Communication Improvements
New Guide ensures that Guest Editors are involved from the earliest stage of manuscript evaluation.
The editorial process is outlined at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/editorial_process.

4. Publication Charges and Financial Support
MDPI’s reviewer voucher program:
You can apply to be our volunteer reviewer at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/reviewers.
You can learn about processing charges at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/children/apc.

5. Conferences, Webinars, Awards, and Promotion
The Children’s First International Online Conference on Children’s Health will be held from 17 to 19 November 2026 (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/children/events).

6. Introduced the Early Career Editorial Board Members program
Children is inviting interested and eligible early career researchers to apply for Early Career Editorial Board (ECEB) membership: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/children/announcements/17726.

Attendee list (ordered alphabetically):

• Dr. Daniele Trevisanuto, University of Padova, Italy;
• Dr. Elizabeth Asztalos, University of Toronto, Canada;
• Dr. Ivan Hand, Kings County Hospital, USA;
• Prof. Dr. Karel Allegaert, KU Leuven, Belgium;
• Dr. Lawrence M. Noble, Mount Sinai Hospital, USA;
• Dr. Luigi Gagliardi, Ospedale Versilia, Italy;
• Dr. Mina Hanna, Kentucky Children’s Hospital, USA;
• Dr. Ronella Marom, el Aviv University,Israel;
• Prof. Dr. Ru-Jeng Teng, Medical College of Wisconsin, USA;
• Prof. Dr. Sascha Meyer, Saarland University, Germany;
• Dr. Shantanu Rastogi, The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, USA;
• Prof. Dr. Štefan Grosek, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia;
• Dr. Sunil Kumar Jain, University of Texas Medical Branch, USA.

To thank our reviewers, the Children (ISSN 2227-9067) Editorial Office will announce our Exceptional Reviewers List each month, which you can access via the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/about/announcements/15639.

We wish to congratulate Dr. Chaiyavat Chaiyasut (Chiang Mai University) for being on the list.

In this interview, Dr. Chaiyasut shared some professional opinions about the current peer-review process:

1. Could you briefly introduce yourself and your current research topic to our readers, as well as the important role of your research area in promoting children’s health?

I am a researcher in pharmaceutical sciences with particular interests in probiotics, functional foods, dietary supplements, natural products, and the gut microbiome. One of my research areas focuses on how probiotics and modulation of the gut microbiota may contribute to metabolic, inflammatory, and cognitive health. For example, our research in obese Thai children investigated the effects of probiotic supplementation on obesity indices, neuroinflammatory and oxidative stress markers, gut microbial diversity, and working memory.

I believe this area is particularly important for children’s health because the gut microbiome is closely connected with metabolism, immunity, and the gut–brain axis. Understanding these relationships may help us develop safe, evidence-based nutritional approaches that complement conventional strategies for preventing childhood obesity and promoting long-term physical and cognitive health.

2. What criteria do you consider most important when evaluating a manuscript? How do you view the role of a reviewer in shaping the quality and integrity of newly submitted research?

When evaluating a manuscript, I mainly consider scientific originality, methodological rigor, appropriateness of the study design and statistical analysis, validity of the conclusions, ethical standards, and the contribution of the study to existing knowledge. I also pay particular attention to whether the conclusions are truly supported by the data rather than being overstated.

The reviewer should identify weaknesses, suggest realistic improvements, and help ensure that the published work is transparent, reproducible, scientifically sound, and useful to the research community.

3. What are your thoughts on the use of AI tools in the academic publishing industry, and what are your recommendations for ensuring quality control in the future?

AI can be very useful in academic publishing, particularly for language improvement, literature organization, and assisting researchers in identifying patterns in large amounts of information. However, AI should remain a supporting tool rather than a replacement for scientific judgment.

Quality control will therefore require clear policies regarding transparency, human accountability, data confidentiality, and disclosure of AI use. Authors must independently verify AI-generated information and, ultimately, bear responsibility for its accuracy.

4. What advice would you give to early career researchers who want to become strong peer reviewers? Do you have any suggestions for the current peer-review process?

My main advice is to review manuscripts as you would want your own work to be reviewed. First understand the research question, then carefully examine the methodology, results, interpretation, and limitations. Comments should be specific, evidence-based, respectful, and focused on improving the science rather than criticizing the authors. Early career researchers should also read widely within their field, strengthen their knowledge of research methodology and statistics, and learn from high-quality published studies and experienced reviewers.

Please contact the Children Editorial Office (children@mdpi.com) if you would also like to review research. You may also apply to become a volunteer reviewer via the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/reviewers.

Children Editorial Office