Violence against children continues to happen early in life, repeatedly, and most often within the home. This is revealed by a survey conducted by Pequeno Príncipe Hospital marking the 20th anniversary of the For Life Campaign (Pra Toda Vida Campaign) — Violence Cannot Mark the Future of Children and Adolescents. Over two decades, the institution has surpassed the milestone of 10,000 consultations involving infants, children, and adolescents with suspected abuse and mistreatment.

In 2025 alone, 637 cases related to violence against children and adolescents were recorded. The data reveal a persistent and concerning pattern: in 64% of cases, the violence was sexual in nature; 67% of victims were up to 6 years old; and 72% of assaults occurred within the home environment.

The figures also highlight the recurrence of violence. More than one-third of the records showed repeated histories of aggression, indicating that violence often does not occur as an isolated event but persists over time. Read more about this important subject in the main article of the 2026 May edition of Pequeno Príncipe News.

In this newsletter edition, you will also check the articles below. Click on the links to read the full length texts.

• Hospital advances preparations to perform intestinal transplants. In February, the institution was accredited by the Brazilian Ministry of Health as a Reference Service for the Treatment of Patients with Intestinal Failure. The Pequeno Príncipe also started training a multiprofessional team focused on this type of procedure. Physicians and professionals directly involved in this line of care participated in an international training program at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, one of the world’s leading centers in this field.
• Pelé Pequeno Príncipe Research Institute study points to effects of herbicide combinations on human intestinal cells. The research project has brought new warnings regarding the impacts of combined exposure to herbicides widely used in agriculture. Published in the scientific journal Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, the study demonstrated that the association between the herbicides dicamba and 2,4-D may cause more severe damage to human intestinal cells than exposure to each substance individually.