Many children deal with chronic health issues — but it doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy life as much as other kids, a new study finds. Researchers found that among more than 1,200 5- to 9-year-olds, those with some of the most common childhood ills were no less happy with their lives than other kids. They…  read on >

A major medical group has issued new guidance on detecting and treating the leading cause of death in pregnant women and new mothers in the United States. Heart disease accounts for 26.5% of pregnancy-related deaths, and rates are highest among black women and those with low incomes. On Friday, the American College of Obstetricians and…  read on >

Eating solid foods is a milestone in your child’s life. With the right precautions to reduce the risk of choking, you can make this a safe transition. Teach children to sit up straight from the earliest age. Always supervise mealtime. A choking child may not make any noise to alert you from another room. Don’t…  read on >

Being stopped and questioned by a police officer can be a stressful encounter for anyone, but it is especially hazardous for those with autism. Things can go so wrong that the person with autism winds up in jail because of miscommunications and misunderstandings. Previous research has found that an estimated 1 in 5 teens with…  read on >

Up all night, stressing out, feeling pressured. Cramming for college finals can bring all that, plus have students reaching for fatty, sugary foods, a new study suggests. “Stress has long been implicated in poor diet. People tend to report overeating and comfort eating foods high in fat, sugar and calories in times of stress,” said…  read on >

“No sex for six weeks” used to be the standard advice following childbirth and, according to many doctors, it is still a good practice to allow healing. But it’s not a hard-and-fast rule. Although a woman is at the highest risk for infection during the first two weeks postpartum (a period that could be longer…  read on >

A type 2 diabetes drug for adults also controls blood sugar levels in children and teens with the disease, researchers report. Type 2 diabetes is on the rise among children and teens, but they have fewer treatment choices than adults, the study authors said. Currently, the only drugs approved for treatment of children and teens…  read on >

Asthma inhalers can’t do the job if they’re not used correctly. And that’s an issue for many children, U.S. researchers say. “We know from past studies that both parents and children overestimate the ability of children to properly use their inhaler,” said study author Dr. Anna Volerman, from the University of Chicago. The study included…  read on >

Are your mornings always chaotic? Between making breakfast, packing lunches, getting everyone dressed and hunting for homework assignments, it’s easy to feel like you’ve put in a day’s worth of work before 9 a.m. The answer is to start the night before, with kids and parents picking out the next day’s clothes and filling backpacks…  read on >