Breastfeeding’s benefits seem to stretch well beyond motherhood: New research suggests it may reduce a woman’s risk of heart disease when she’s older. And the longer a woman breastfeeds, the lower the risk. In the study, researchers assessed heart and blood vessel health in postmenopausal women, along with their breastfeeding history. After adjusting for other… read on >
Java junkies can sniff out even tiny amounts of coffee, and the more they drink, the better they can smell it, British researchers say. It’s a discovery with powerful implications for treating people addicted to substances with a distinct smell. “The higher the caffeine use, the quicker a person recognized the odor of coffee,” said… read on >
Suicide rates are on the rise among American children, but the increase is greatest among girls, a new study finds. “Overall, we found a disproportionate increase in female youth suicide rates compared to males, resulting in a narrowing of the gap between male and female suicide rates,” said study author Donna Ruch. She is a… read on >
Coupons, samples, branded hats and T-shirts: When teens use or wear promotional items from companies that make alternative tobacco products like electronic cigarettes, they are more likely to try those products, new research shows. The study included 757 California teens, aged 13 to 19, who were followed for a year. At the beginning of the… read on >
You know the scenario — your child has a meltdown, leaving you frustrated, embarrassed and arguing even though your brain says it’s a battle you’re not likely to win. Tantrums often start during the “terrible 2’s” because little ones can’t yet clearly voice their frustrations. But it’s never too late to correct the behavior, even… read on >
Clues about your child’s physical development can be found in the way the child moves and plays, says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. By the age of 1, the CDC says most children can: Get into a sitting position without help. Walk while holding on to furniture. Take a few steps without… read on >
More than 20 million babies are born across the globe weighing far less than they should, and the problem isn’t limited to low-income countries, new research shows. In 2015, nearly three-quarters of infants with low birth weight (less than 5.5 pounds) were born in Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. But low birth weights persist in… read on >
Shhhhh. Preterm infants can benefit from quiet times in hospital neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), a new study says. High noise levels are known to harm health, and infants in NICUs are especially vulnerable, so some NICUs have created quiet times to limit potentially dangerous noise levels, according to the Acoustical Society of America. “Although… read on >
If you’re part of a multi-generational home, you’re in good company. The number of Americans living with two or more adult generations of one family rose during the last recession and has grown to an all-time high during the recovery. More than 64 million Americans live in a multi-generational home, according to a census analysis… read on >
They might be too young to abuse opioids themselves, but America’s kids are suffering nonetheless because of their drug-dependent parents. New research shows more than 600,000 American parents with kids under 18 are addicted to opioids. That amounts to almost 1% of parents of minors, most of whom aren’t getting treated, the study found. In… read on >
