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Helping a child who struggles with reading can be a rewarding experience. A nationally known expert offers some tips for parents who are trying to help their child work through these difficulties. Patricia Edwards, professor of language and literacy at Michigan State University’s College of Education, said it’s essential to approach this challenge with patience,…  read on >  read on >

Video games and social media are keeping school kids up at night, according to a new survey from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). But so, too, are more constructive pursuits, including homework and extracurricular activities, which can be a problem when it comes to setting a good sleep routine early in the school…  read on >  read on >

A new COVID variant with very few known cases but many mutations has been swiftly moved into the World Health Organization’s “variant under monitoring” classification. Four known cases of the variant, dubbed BA.2.86, have been so far identified worldwide, including one case in Michigan. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday that…  read on >  read on >

The brain is a complex organ, and a new study — believed to be the largest ever on the brain’s genetics — identifies more than 4,000 genetic variants linked to brain structure. The research, involving some 36,000 brain scans, was led by a team at the University of Cambridge in England. Brains are quite varied…  read on >  read on >

Teens’ desire to start smoking, and later to keep smoking, may be linked to differences in gray matter in their brains, a new study reveals. Researchers found that reduced gray matter in the left frontal lobe was found in kids who started smoking by age 14. This area is involved in decision-making and rule-breaking. Once…  read on >  read on >