WEDNESDAY, Jan. 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) – Toddler behavior won’t always be good. Outbursts are normal. Yet, you can also use those aggravating moments to help shape your little one’s behavior, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Start by teaching the “house rules,” the AAP advises. Put away valuables you don’t want your…  read on >  read on >

Cats have a long history of boosting people’s moods and brightening their days. And that’s probably true for kids on the autism spectrum as well, new research shows. The small study suggests that adopting a shelter cat may help reduce separation anxiety and improve empathy in kids with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). “Cats, and…  read on >  read on >

Deidre Johnson spends her days leading a center that provides resources to help Black people in her community overcome health disparities and other societal challenges. She understands the impact this can have. As a mother of two and a Black woman, Johnson faced discrimination in the hospital when her sons were born and she experienced…  read on >  read on >

People in nursing homes have been suffering in isolation during the coronavirus pandemic, with their institutions in constant lockdown to prevent potentially fatal outbreaks. Now that they’re some of the first in line to receive COVID-19 vaccinations, it would be natural for nursing home residents to expect that visits from friends and family will soon…  read on >  read on >

Kids who see their parents bicker during a separation or divorce are more likely to develop a fear of abandonment, new research warns. And even if a youngster feels close to one or both parents, that fear can still undermine his or her mental health down the road. The findings stem from interviews with roughly…  read on >  read on >

Despite being locked down during the pandemic, child care responsibilities often fell on women’s shoulders, a new study shows. “Most people have never undergone anything like this before, where all of a sudden they can’t rely on their normal child care, and most people’s work situation has changed, too,” said researcher Kristen Shockley, an associate…  read on >  read on >

Most transgender women can safely continue their estrogen treatments during gender-affirming surgery, a new study finds. Estrogen therapy and surgery can increase the risk of blood clots, so experts have suggested that transgender women stop taking the hormone when having gender-affirming surgery. But the sudden loss of estrogen was sometimes very uncomfortable, causing symptoms similar…  read on >  read on >