[Source: Medical X-Press]

Scientists have devised a new approach for detecting and potentially heading off the effects of two rare pediatric diseases before birth.

The study, performed in mouse models of the diseases and published today in Cell Reports, represents an important step toward much-needed early interventions for Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome and Silver-Russell syndrome.

Both diseases result in growth-related symptoms in children and often lead to additional problems later in life, such as increased cancer risk from Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome and increased metabolic disease risk from Silver-Russell syndrome.