When parents meet U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, one concern comes up time after time. “The most common question parents ask me is: ‘Is social media safe for my kids,’ ” Murthy said. “The answer is that we don’t have enough evidence to say it’s safe, and in fact, there is growing evidence that… read on > read on >
Summer jobs can give teens valuable life experience that help them transition to adulthood — not just a paycheck, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Benefits of summer jobs include: Career exploration: Summer jobs and internships help high school students explore different careers that might interest them. They also provide opportunities to network and… read on > read on >
Scientists have developed a wearable ultrasound patch that might eventually allow women to monitor themselves for early signs of breast cancer in the comfort of their home. The achievement, reported July 28 in the journal Science Advances, is the latest in a broader research effort to make wearable ultrasound a reality. The hope is to… read on > read on >
Too little fiber in Mom’s diet during pregnancy may slow a baby’s mental development, Japanese research suggests. Animal studies have found that a low-fiber diet during pregnancy slows brain nerve function in offspring. The new study, published July 27 in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, shows the same effect in humans. “Most pregnant women in… read on > read on >
As kids prepare to return to school, a new poll warns that the many children who found the last school year challenging are likely to be apprehensive this time around. The online survey, conducted by the Harris Poll on behalf of the nonprofit On Our Sleeves Movement for Children’s Mental Health, found that 71% of… read on > read on >
It’s well known that some viruses make the leap from animals to humans, but a new study shows the influenza strain responsible for the 2009 H1N1 pandemic has been particularly prolific in hopping between species. That strain, called pdm09, has passed from humans to swine about 370 times since the pandemic, researchers report. Further, subsequent… read on > read on >
In recent years, the legalization of both medical and recreational marijuana has become the new normal across much of North America. The problem: New research finds that as legalization has spread, so have cases of cannabis poisoning. “We did a systematic review of published studies reporting on what happened to the rates of poisoning after… read on > read on >
Many parents in the United States aren’t installing child car seats correctly, a new study finds. Errors in car seat installation are common, even for seats that have a 5-star rating for features like ease of use, researchers found. The study found that fewer errors were detected when parents installed seats that had higher ratings,… read on > read on >
Testing children with a suspected sinus infection for three common bacteria might cut unnecessary antibiotic prescribing, a new study suggests. Only half of kids with sinusitis — inflammation or swelling of the sinuses — show any improvement with antibiotics, which target bacterial infections, not viral infections, the researchers note. “When a child comes in with… read on > read on >
Many women are not being counseled about heart disease after giving birth, a new study finds. Only 60% of at-risk women said they were advised about heart health at their postpartum checkup, researchers say. About 90% of U.S. women have a doctor visit during what is referred to as the “fourth trimester.” “We need to… read on > read on >
