Sharing a book with your baby will build her vocabulary fast, but time with screens likely won’t, Norwegian researchers report. Their new study on shared reading and vocabulary size dovetails with a new policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics that urges parents to read books to their little ones. A team at the… read on > read on >
Even air pollution levels considered safe by U.S. standards appear to cause differences in the brains of growing children, a new review suggests. “We’re seeing differences in brain outcomes between children with higher levels of pollution exposure versus lower levels of pollution exposure,” said corresponding author Camelia Hostinar, an associate professor of psychology at the… read on > read on >
In a world where families may be more apt to interact with technology than with one another, some things never change. Many still struggle to get along. But just what do 21st century families fight about? A new survey of 593 parents with at least one child between the ages of 4 and 17 offers… read on > read on >
One in every three girls may not have access to menstrual products, something researchers are dubbing “period poverty.” “Our study highlights the widespread nature of period poverty and the need for broad actions — both locally and nationally — to increase the affordability and accessibility of these products for youth,” said study lead author Meleah… read on > read on >
Black American infants born with congenital heart disease are less likely to survive to the age of 1, compared to white babies with the condition, a new study finds. The research suggests that Black infants aren’t reaping the same benefit from recent advances against heart defects, the researchers said. From 2005 to 2019, “the death… read on > read on >
Read to your little ones. That’s the American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) prescription for fostering loving, nurturing relationships during early infancy and early childhood — a time of critical brain development. “Reading together with young children weaves joyful language and rich interactive moments into the fabric of daily life,” said Dr. Perri Klass, a professor… read on > read on >
Over the past decade, rates of preterm birth in the United States jumped more than 10%, a new study of more than 5 million births shows. The rise dovetailed with an increase in some factors that make an early delivery more likely, including rates of diabetes, sexually transmitted infections and mental health conditions, along with… read on > read on >
Babies conceived through assisted reproductive technology are more likely to be born with a major heart defect, new research shows. That risk was 36% higher in babies conceived through techniques such as in vitro fertilization (IVF). Some congenital heart defects are life-threatening. The increased risk is especially pronounced with multiple births, which are more common… read on > read on >
Grandma’s pill organizer. Fido’s pain medication. A tossed-away tissue. All are potential sources of opioid poisoning for young children, researchers at the New Jersey Poison Control Center report. Their five-year look at 230 cases of opioid exposure in children between 1 month and 6 years of age shows how easily they get their hands on… read on > read on >
If you think it isn’t important to start breastfeeding your newborn while still in the hospital, think again. New research shows that infants who were exclusively fed breast milk during their hospitalization right after birth were 22% less likely to develop asthma in early childhood. The findings, to be presented Sunday at the American Academy… read on > read on >
