The American Academy of Pediatrics is strengthening its recommendation to ban spanking and other forms of corporal punishment, citing new research that says that type of discipline can affect normal brain development. Harsh verbal punishment, such as shaming or humiliation, is also a threat to children, the AAP says in an updated policy statement. “The…  read on >

More than 17 million cosmetic procedures are performed in the United States each year. Most of these are minimally invasive, designed to improve your appearance in subtle ways without the surgery, stitches and long healing time of early facelifts, once the only rejuvenating option available. Today’s most popular procedures are: Botox injections to soften lines,…  read on >

Living in noise-saturated neighborhoods might be more than simply annoying, with new research suggesting it seems to raise the risk for serious heart problems. Chronic noise from traffic and airports appears to trigger the amygdala, a brain region critically involved in stress regulation, brain scans have revealed. Noise is also associated with increased inflammation of…  read on >

Some bystanders may avoid performing CPR on women because they fear hurting them, or even being accused of sexual assault, preliminary research suggests. In two new studies, researchers tried to dig deeper into a puzzling pattern that has been seen in past research: Women are less likely than men to receive bystander CPR if they…  read on >

Obese kids may have extra difficulty with schoolwork and coping under stress, a preliminary study suggests. In a survey of nearly 23,000 parents, researchers found that kids who were obese were less likely to show certain indicators of “flourishing,” versus their normal-weight peers. That meant less engagement in schoolwork and learning, and more difficulty coping…  read on >

An “alarming” number of American parents save unused antibiotics and give them to family members and other people, a new study finds. This type of misuse helps fuel antibiotic resistance, the study authors said. Their report is scheduled for presentation Monday in Orlando, Fla., at the national conference of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).…  read on >

Social stigma may play a large role in the depression, anxiety and other mental health woes experienced by many people with autism, a small new study indicates. British researchers found that 72 percent of the psychological distress reported in 111 adults with autism was linked to social stigma, including discrimination and rejection. Many people with…  read on >

When stroke patients get an infection while in the hospital, that may raise the chances they will wind up back in the hospital later, new research suggests. Researchers examined data on more than 319,000 U.S. patients who had an ischemic stroke (blocked blood flow to the brain) who were readmitted to the hospital within 30…  read on >