Two companies are issuing new recalls on Monday for millions of previously recalled rocking sleepers for infants, with about 115 infant deaths possibly linked to use of the sleepers so far reported. With both products, the Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleepers and the Kids2 Rocking Sleepers, infants have rolled from their back to their stomach… read on > read on >
Sperm donation is apparently a grueling and exacting process through which not many men emerge. Fewer than four out of every 100 men who apply to be sperm donors actually wind up providing a sample that’s used in fertility treatment, a new study reports. The rest either give up or wash out, according to findings… read on > read on >
Children with autism often have difficulty grasping the emotional cues in other people’s voices, and now researchers may have zeroed in on the reason why. In a study of 43 kids with and without autism, researchers were able to trace such difficulties to a particular brain area — one involved in social communication. Experts said… read on > read on >
Older women who don’t stick to a set sleep and wake schedule may be more likely to struggle with feelings of depression and anxiety — even if they get a normal amount of zzzs. What’s more, a postmenopausal woman who goes to bed very early and wakes up very early (an “early bird”) or goes… read on > read on >
Following the deaths of 15 infants, families are advised to immediately stop using all models of Kids2 Rocking Sleepers, according to a second recall notice. Four of those 15 babies died after the first recall notice, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported. The company is recalling 694,000 Rocking Sleepers. Parents can contact the… read on > read on >
A leading pediatricians’ group has issued new guidelines on treating obesity in children and teens that, for the first time, call for early, aggressive intervention that can include weight-loss drugs and surgery. “There is no evidence that ‘watchful waiting’ or delayed treatment is appropriate for children with obesity,” Dr. Sandra Hassink, an author of the… read on > read on >
Patients with an incurable, genetic liver disease have new hope after an animal study showed that a single drug could reverse its effects. Alagille syndrome is caused by a mutation that prevents the formation and regeneration of bile ducts in the liver. About 4,000 babies a year are born with this condition. Often, they require… read on > read on >
An antidote to teenage depression might be found in school gymnasiums and on sports fields, a major new review argues. Supervised exercise programs are associated with significant reductions in symptoms of depression among children and teenagers, according to the analysis of data from 21 studies involving more than 2,400 kids. “This is the first time… read on > read on >
For teens who are obese, weight-loss surgery can be life-changing — but not always in a good way. A new study finds a troubling downside to weight-loss surgery among 13- to 19-year-olds: They’re at increased risk of alcohol use disorders. And their risk stays higher for up to eight years after their surgery. “We have… read on > read on >
Air pollution may trigger more asthma attacks in urban children and teens, a new study reports. Even moderate levels of ozone and fine airborne particulates — two ingredients of smog — appear to increase kids’ risk of asthma attacks, according to findings published online Jan. 4 in The Lancet Planetary Health journal. “The strong association… read on > read on >
