Kids more often get the psychiatric care they need if they live in states that mandate insurance coverage for child mental health care, a new study confirms. Parents and caregivers were 20% less likely to say they’d had trouble getting mental health services for a child if they lived in states with comprehensive laws around… read on > read on >
All Mommy:
More Toddler Screen Time Brings More Tantrums, Study Finds
Using tablets as ‘e-babysitters’ for toddlers could lead to more tantrums, which in turn can have harried parents trying to calm a child by handing them a tablet, new research shows. This type of “vicious cycle” played out during the early years of many of the Canadian youngsters tracked in the study. The bottom line,… read on > read on >
Obamacare Boosted New Moms’ Access to Mental Health Care
Pregnant women and new moms have better access to treatment for mood disorders, thanks to Obamacare, a new study finds. More women received treatment for their pregnancy-related depression or anxiety after the Affordable Care Act (ACA) went into effect in 2014, researchers reported Aug. 9 in the journal JAMA Network Open. However, researchers said more… read on > read on >
Blood Test Can Predict a Dangerous Lung Issue for Preemie Babies
Simantha Nation’s son, Atticus, struggled to breathe from his very first gasp for air. Born very preterm at 26 weeks’ gestation, Atticus was rushed to the NICU, where he was intubated and connected to a ventilator. The first time Nation saw her son, he was covered in tubes and wires. “It was devastating to see… read on > read on >
How Likely Is It That Autism Recurs in One Family?
There’s a good chance that if one child in a family has autism, another will also develop the disorder, a new study suggests. Children are seven times more likely to be diagnosed with autism if an older sibling has the disorder, researchers reported recently in the journal Pediatrics. “Pediatricians and family members have to keep… read on > read on >
Text Messaging Can Help Teens Kick the Vaping Habit
An interactive text-message support program can help teenagers quit vaping, a groundbreaking new clinical trial finds. Teens who subscribed to the anonymous program, called This Is Quitting, were 35% more likely to report not vaping nicotine by the end of a seven-month study, researchers reported Aug. 7 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.… read on > read on >
Many Doctors Underestimate the Pain of IUD Insertion for Women. The CDC Wants to Change That
Plenty of women know that having an IUD inserted in their uterus can be an excruciating experience, but new government guidance issued Thursday may soon make the experience less painful for many. For the first time, updated recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advise doctors to counsel women about pain control… read on > read on >
EPA Bans Vegetable Pesticide That Can Harm Fetuses
In an historic move, the Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday banned the use of a pesticide that can harm fetuses. Known as dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA or Dacthal), the weedkiller is used on a variety of crops, including broccoli, onions, kale, Brussels sprouts and cabbage. However, when a pregnant woman is exposed to the chemical, it… read on > read on >
Miscarriages in Horses Offer Insights to Help Prevent Human Miscarriages
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 7, 2024 (HeathDay News) — Researchers are gleaning important insights into miscarriages in women from an longtime four-legged friend: horses. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, since female horses have long pregnancies (11 months) and embryos of both species grow at similar rates, said a team overseen by Mandi de Mestre, a professor… read on > read on >
Fewer U.S. Teen Girls Are Reporting ‘Persistent Sadness’
There’s a hint of good news for parents concerned about teen mental health: After 57% of U.S. teen girls surveyed in 2021 said they felt “persistent sadness,” that number declined somewhat by 2023, to 53%, new government data show. In the latest biennial poll of over 20,000 high school students nationwide, called the Youth Risk… read on > read on >