Most parents know that child behavior experts recommend against spanking, but new research suggests that so-called “positive” discipline methods don’t always work either. For example, the common tactic of “verbal reasoning” with an unruly child “was associated with a mixed bag of outcomes, some positive and some negative,” said study author Andrew Grogan-Kaylor. He’s a…  read on >  read on >

In a finding that should reassure women with multiple sclerosis (MS) who want to have a baby, new research suggests the disease doesn’t raise the risk of pregnancy complications. “Women with multiple sclerosis may be understandably concerned about the risks of pregnancy,” said study author Dr. Melinda Magyari, from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.…  read on >  read on >

Many young Americans are prescribed psychiatric drugs to treat medical conditions, but nearly one-third of them wind up misusing the medications, a new study finds. “Misuse of prescription substances is alarmingly high among U.S. youth and young adults,” said lead researcher Israel Agaku, a part-time lecturer in oral health policy and epidemiology at the Harvard…  read on >  read on >

It only takes a second. Experts are warning that unsecured televisions, bedroom dressers and other heavy furniture can crush, maim and even kill curious children, and the issue may only worsen during stay-at-home lockdowns. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), between 2000 and 2019, 451 kids aged 17 years and younger died…  read on >  read on >

Living in a noisy neighborhood with less green space negatively affects teens’ sleep, which may lead to poorer memory and thinking skills, according to a pair of studies. In a study on residential environment, researchers found that as noise levels steadily increased, so too did the time needed for teens to fall asleep. They also…  read on >  read on >