Kids’ academic test scores might improve if they boost their brain power with some high-intensity exercise before picking up a pen, a new pilot study says. Children had significantly higher test scores after they spent nine minutes performing high-knee walking, jumping jacks, lunges and squats, researchers report in the journal Psychology of Sport & Exercise.…  read on >  read on >

A child’s symptoms of autism might vary according to their parents’ exposure to workplace chemicals, a new study says. On-the-job chemical exposure among moms and dads prior to a child’s birth was significantly linked to increased autism severity, worse behavioral issues and poorer cognitive performance, researchers found. “Our findings suggest that parental exposure to certain…  read on >  read on >

Up to 60% of women feel some level of fear about giving birth, but a new study suggests that a strong sense of mental well-being could make a difference. Researchers from Robert Gordon University in Scotland and the University of South Australia (UniSA) surveyed 88 women in their third trimester before they attended prenatal classes…  read on >  read on >

Most children involved in fatal car crashes are not safely and properly restrained, needlessly placing them in harm’s way, a new study says. About 7 of 10 kids younger than 13 weren’t safely strapped in when a fatal auto accident took place, researchers reported in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention. “We found more than half…  read on >  read on >

Researchers have debunked long-standing concerns that Tamiflu can cause neurological and psychiatric problems when given to influenza-stricken children. For decades, doctors have debated whether the antiviral drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu) increases kids’ risk of seizures, mental problems and hallucinations. But Tamiflu actually cuts by half a child’s risk of such problems, compared to leaving influenza untreated,…  read on >  read on >