Child safety experts have warned about the sometimes lethal dangers of toy water beads. Now, a report finds a doubling in just one year of U.S. pediatric ER visits linked to the products. “The number of pediatric water bead-related emergency department visits is increasing rapidly,” said study senior author Dr. Gary Smith, who directs of…  read on >  read on >

Want to be a better, more effective mom or dad? Trying sharing a good laugh with your kid. New research among folks ages 18 to 45 found many citing humor as one of the reasons they had, and continue to have, a positive relationship with their parents. “My hope is that people can learn to…  read on >  read on >

Not all babies born prematurely will suffer long-term developmental problems, a new study finds. Preemies tend to fall into three risk categories, with about one in five (20%) scoring above average on standard cognitive tests, researchers reported Aug. 13 in the journal Child Development. A second profile representing 41% of preemies scored above normal on…  read on >  read on >

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 >

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 >

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 >

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 >