The COVID-19 pandemic likely played a role in the 50% increase in deaths from fireworks in the United States last year, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says. Many public fireworks displays were canceled last summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That led many people to light rockets, sparklers and firecrackers in their own… read on > read on >
More than half of American babies are exposed to at least some alcohol before they are born — and for 8 out of 10, it happens before their mothers even realize they’re pregnant, according to a Yale University study. Because alcohol consumption may harm the developing fetus, researchers said their findings underscore the need to… read on > read on >
Is spanking good for parents? Is spanking good for kids? Is spanking good for anyone? No, no and no, according to a big new review of prior research. “Zero studies found that physical punishment predicted better child behavior over time,” said study co-author Elizabeth Gershoff, a professor of human development and family sciences at the… read on > read on >
Because they’re often given drugs that suppress their immune systems, people battling a blood cancer known as multiple myeloma have varying responses to the COVID-19 vaccine, new research shows. Some patients had no evidence at all of COVID-fighting antibody production after getting two doses of vaccine, the new study found. In a minority of cases,… read on > read on >
Despite being particularly susceptible to severe COVID-19, many U.S. teen and young adult cancer survivors are wary of vaccination, a new study finds. Cancer survivors often have weakened immune systems and are more likely to develop severe respiratory infections. That puts them at greater risk from COVID, so it’s strongly recommended that they get vaccinated.… read on > read on >
When child care centers were forced to close in the pandemic’s early months, hundreds of thousands of American working mothers lost their jobs, new research shows. The study is just the latest illustration of the toll the pandemic has taken on working women in the United States. Over the first 10 months of the U.S.… read on > read on >
Good news for couples considering fertility treatments: Children born through assisted reproductive technology (ART) don’t have an increased risk of cancer, researchers say. In the new study, kids born through high-tech fertility treatments — such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) and frozen embryo transfer (FET) — were followed for 18 years on average. The results… read on > read on >
Using a bit of sleight of hand, researchers were able to demonstrate that babies who were the most intrigued with magic tricks became the most curious toddlers. The children’s early delight in the unexpected could be a sign of their future thinking skills, the researchers said. “Something about a baby’s curiosity about magic tricks is… read on > read on >
Juul, the leading e-cigarette maker in the United States, has agreed to pay $40 million to settle a lawsuit by North Carolina that alleged the company intentionally got scores of teenagers hooked on nicotine. North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, who sued the company two years ago, announced the settlement on Monday. The company did… read on > read on >
As babies and toddlers grow, parents may feel excited about their little one learning to crawl, walk or talk. But these same milestones can also raise concerns when parents fear their child may not be developing normally. Nearly a quarter of parents — 23% — who participated in a new nationwide poll said they had… read on > read on >
