As time gets tight for holiday gift-buying, you might have an urge to grab whatever’s still on the shelf. But when it comes to toys, keep safety in mind, health experts say. The first step is to check the age recommendation on the toy’s label. “Parents often think their child will ‘grow into’ a toy,… read on >
All Mommy:
Can the Fill-In Babysitter Handle an Emergency?
Faced with hectic holiday schedules, parents often ask family and friends to pitch in and babysit their children. But many parents fail to provide critical information about what to do in an emergency, a new survey finds. Less than half of parents with children aged 5 and under posted emergency contact information, such as parents’… read on >
Childhood Trauma May Harm the Heart Decades Later
Experiencing trauma as a child or teen apparently makes you more susceptible to heart disease. A new scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA) says that people who were abused, bullied, witnessed violence or had other traumatic experiences when they were children or teens are at increased risk for heart disease. The AHA based… read on >
Don’t Play Around When It Comes to Toy Safety
There’s nothing like a child’s expression when getting a new toy. But toy safety belongs at the top of your holiday shopping list. A landmark study from Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, found that more than 3 million kids went to U.S. emergency rooms from 1990 through 2011 for toy-related injuries. Falls and collisions… read on >
Keep Kids Safe During Holiday Travels
When families travel during the holidays, they must contend with crowds, traffic and unfamiliar surroundings. But children’s safety should always come first, a leading pediatricians’ group says. When taking a train or airplane, it may seem inconvenient to have to worry about car safety seats. But the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that parents… read on >
Mom-to-Be’s High Blood Sugar May Raise Baby’s Odds for Heart Defects
It’s long been known that diabetes in pregnancy raises the odds for congenital heart defects. But new research shows that the threat may also extend to women who simply have high blood sugar levels — not just full-blown diabetes. “This finding may have a profound effect on how pregnant women are screened and treated —… read on >
Too Much Takeout Food Threatens Kids’ Health
You can’t beat the convenience of ordering out, but a steady diet of takeout food could raise your child’s risk of heart disease and diabetes later in life. That’s the word from British researchers who looked at the eating habits and health of more than 1,900 ethnically diverse children in England, ages 9 and 10.… read on >
Could a Hot Cup of Tea Preserve Your Vision?
A spot of hot tea in the afternoon might help you save your sight, new research suggests. The study of U.S. adults found that people who drank hot tea on a daily basis were 74 percent less likely to have glaucoma, compared to those who were not tea fans. Experts were quick to stress that… read on >
Family Meals Serve Up Better Behaved Kids
Children whose families regularly eat meals together tend to have better social skills and fitness levels, researchers report. Family meals yield multiple physical and mental health benefits, according to the long-term Canadian study. “The presence of parents during mealtimes likely provides young children with firsthand social interaction, discussions of social issues and day-to-day concerns,” explained… read on >
New Hope for Kids With Multiple Food Allergies
A treatment for kids with more than one dangerous food allergy shows promise in early trials, researchers say. Almost one-third of people with a food allergy have reactions to more than one type of food. This can increase the risk of accidental exposure and life-threatening anaphylaxis, according to researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine.… read on >