Adults aren’t the only ones susceptible to urinary tract infections, or UTIs. They can occur in kids, even infants, if bacteria get into the urinary tract, often from the bowel. Any child can get a UTI. But some kids are more prone than others, and girls get them more often than boys. A UTI doesn’t…  read on >

In many U.S. states, teenagers who send “sext” messages to each other can be prosecuted as child pornographers — and that should end, researchers argue. Many states have recently passed laws that specifically address teen sexting — exempting it, to varying degrees, from longstanding child pornography statutes. But in 23 states, those outdated laws still…  read on >

Whether you call it snowplow, bulldozer or helicopter parenting, these child-rearing styles have gotten a lot of attention recently, and the acknowledgment that they may not be the best way to raise a confident, well-adjusted young person. Moving obstacles out of a child’s way is not the same as providing the nurturing he or she…  read on >

Pre-cut, packaged melon distributed by major grocery chains across 16 states have been tied to an outbreak of salmonella illness, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned Friday. The outbreak has so far involved 93 cases of Salmonella Carrau illness, including 23 cases so severe the patients required hospitalization, although no deaths have been reported,…  read on >

Young sports buffs recovering from mononucleosis may be itching to return to the game they love. But one expert says the risk of suffering a burst spleen during play means staying on the sideline longer than some would like. Along with extreme fatigue, sore throat, fever and swollen glands, “mono” causes spleen enlargement. That can…  read on >

Privacy curtains in hospital rooms might offer patients some personal dignity, but they can also harbor dangerous, drug-resistant bacteria. That’s the claim of a new study where researchers took more than 1,500 samples from privacy curtains in 625 rooms at six skilled nursing facilities in Michigan. The samples were collected from the parts of the…  read on >

Traffic pollution causes about 4 million new asthma cases in children worldwide each year, new research shows. Two-thirds of these kids live in urban areas, according to the study by researchers at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. “Our findings suggest that millions of new cases of pediatric asthma could be prevented in cities around…  read on >

When babysitting, it’s important to know what to do in an emergency, says Safe Sitter. Sometimes, unfortunate incidents can happen, even if you’re careful. Being prepared is the safest precaution for anyone watching children. Safe Sitter offers this guidance to sitters: For fires and break-ins, stay calm, stay low and call 9-1-1. If the power…  read on >