If your child has a food allergy, safety prevention belongs at the top of your back-to-school checklist. “Ensuring that parents and school personnel are all on the same page as far as preventing exposures and treating symptoms is critical to keeping food-allergic children safe,” said Dr. B.J. Lanser, director of the Pediatric Food Allergy Program…  read on >

High levels of exposure to the insecticide DDT in women seems to more than double the risk of autism in their children, new research suggests. The study looked for a link between the development of autism and two common environmental chemicals — DDT and PCBs. PCBs are chemicals that were used in many products, especially…  read on >

Women whose mothers lived a long and healthy life have a good chance of doing the same, a new study suggests. A long-term study of about 22,000 postmenopausal women in the United States found that those whose mothers had lived to age 90 were 25 percent more likely to reach that milestone without suffering serious…  read on >

Many kids struggle with math — and for a number of reasons. Knowing when to be concerned will allow you to get your child study help early on, which is important because research shows that young children who have difficulty with math typically will continue to struggle as they get older. Signs of math difficulties…  read on >

The total solar eclipse of August 2017 was one of the most watched scientific events ever for millions of Americans, researchers report. And it led a record number of them to seek more information on eclipses, survey results show. Based on responses from thousands of Americans, the University of Michigan researchers concluded that 88 percent…  read on >

Children born to women who got the Tdap vaccine during pregnancy have no greater risk of autism than other kids, a new study finds. The Tdap vaccine protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, which is better known as whooping cough. U.S. health officials advise pregnant women to get a booster shot in order to protect…  read on >

Controversial state laws that promote vaccinating kids against the human papillomavirus (HPV) do not increase the likelihood that teens will engage in risky sexual behavior, a new study contends. “Parents and caregivers, as well as policy makers, should not be wary of policies or legislation related to HPV education or [vaccine] access, as our study…  read on >

Weak grip strength in children may point to a higher risk of such health problems as diabetes and heart disease, new research suggests. In a new study that followed children from 4th grade through 5th grade, a grip-strength test was given to the students at the start of the study. The researchers said that nearly…  read on >

Women who experience rudeness and other incivilities at work are likely to be stricter with their own kids, a new study claims. Canadian researchers conducted an online survey of 146 working mothers and their spouses. The mothers were asked about incivility at work and how effective they felt as parents, and their spouses were asked…  read on >

Planning ahead is the key to staying healthy and safe when you go hiking or camping, experts say. “‘Be prepared’ is the Boy Scout motto, and it is one of the best ways to avoid pitfalls and make the most of any hiking or camping trip,” said Dr. Jonathan Adams, a family medicine physician with…  read on >