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Results for search "Child Development".

28 Oct

More Evidence Marijuana Use During Pregnancy Can Harm Kids’ Thinking Skills

A new study finds children exposed to cannabis in the womb have more problems with thinking, paying attention and impulse control.

Health News Results - 313

Childhood Attention Issues Show Links to Later Risk for Psychosis, Schizophrenia

Most kids with attention issues won't go on to develop serious psychiatric conditions like psychosis or schizophrenia.

However, a new study finds poor attention spans in childhood, plus certain genes, could play a role in raising the risk for these conditions.

Of course, much more research is needed to pinpoint precursors to psychotic symptoms in a person's teens or 20s, said a t...

Weed Use During Pregnancy May Harm Kids' Behavior, Thinking Skills

Smoking marijuana during pregnancy may quell your morning sickness, but it could also harm your child’s development, a new study warns.

Cannabis exposure in the womb is associated in early childhood with poorer thinking skills, researchers reported Oct. 28 in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.

These kids also have behavioral problems like impulse control, poor attention an...

EPA Finalizes Tough New Standards on Lead Paint Dust

In a move that further toughens safety standards for lead paint dust, the Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday announced the finalization of a rule that declares any detectable amount of the toxin in a home or child care center to be hazardous.

“Too often our children, the most vulnerable residents of already overburdened communities, are the most profoundly impacted by the t...

Why Friendships in Your Teen Years Are So Important

Friendships forged during a person’s turbulent teenage years lay the essential foundation for their happiness later in life, a new study suggests.

Being broadly accepted by peers in early adolescence and forming close connections as an older teen both predict how ...

3% of U.S. High School Students Identify as Transgender, First National Survey Finds

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 9, 2024 (HealthDay news) -- About 3% of U.S. high school students identify as transgender, according to the first federal attempt to gather national data on trans teens.

Another 2% question their gender identity, results from the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey showed.

The survey also found that trans and gender-questioning teens face much higher rates of bullying, p...

EPA Finalizes Rule to Require Removal of Lead Pipes in U.S. Water System

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday finalized a rule that will require the removal of all lead pipes from the country's water systems.

“We’ve known for decades that lead exposure has serious long-term impacts for children’s health. And yet, millions of lead service lines are still delivering drinking water to homes,” EPA Administrator

  • Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
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  • October 8, 2024
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  • Reading to Your 1- and 2-Year Old Boosts Their Vocabulary, Study Finds

    Sharing a book with your baby will build her vocabulary fast, but time with screens likely won't, Norwegian researchers report. 

    Their new study on shared reading and vocabulary size dovetails with a new policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics

    Air Pollution Could Be Changing Children's Brains

    Even air pollution levels considered safe by U.S. standards appear to cause differences in the brains of growing children, a new review suggests.

    "We're seeing differences in brain outcomes between children with higher levels of pollution exposure versus lower levels of pollution exposure," said corresponding author Camelia ...

    America's Pediatricians Want You to Read a Book With Your Child

    Read to your little ones.

    That's the American Academy of Pediatrics' (AAP) prescription for fostering loving, nurturing relationships during early infancy and early childhood -- a time of critical brain development.

    "Reading together with you...

    Moms, Don't Meddle With Your Kids' Friends: It'll Only Make Things Worse

    Meddling moms who try to prohibit their kids’ friendships with troublemakers will only make things worse, a new study says.

    Limiting contact with a friend who appears to be a bad influence tends to exacerbate the behavior problems parents were hoping to head off, researchers reported recently in the Jour...

    Evidence Supports Classroom Cellphone Bans, Expert Says

    Classroom cellphone bans should help improve learning environments in schools, a child development expert says.

    Keeping the devices out of classrooms would help focus attention, improve problem-solving and -- by allowing kids to occasionally lapse into boredom -- spur creativity, says Jon Piacentini, a child and adolescent...

    Why 'Socializing' Your Young Child Is So Important

    When you have a young child, you can wind up spending most of your time changing diapers and feeding them, but one expert suggests that socialization is also important for your child's future well-being.

    From an early age, socialization can help hone their communication skills and foster companionship and empathy. Relationships teach young children about perspective, taking turns and mean...

    Government Report Links Excessive Fluoride in Water to Lowered IQs in Kids

    High levels of fluoride in drinking water may dim the intelligence of children, a new U.S. government report shows.

    Based on an analysis of published research, the potentially controversial report marks the first time a federal agency has determined there is a link between drinking twice the reco...

    Parents' Excessive Smartphone Use Could Harm Children's Mental Health

    A child at the dinner table talks about trouble at school or an argument with a friend, but parents aren't listening: They're checking their smartphones instead.

    It's a scenario that plays out millions of times per day across America, and it could be harming the mental health of children, a new study suggests.

    Kids ages 9 to 11 who said their parents spent way too much on their smar...

    Parents Think Social Media, Tech Is School Kids' Greatest Foe: Poll

    Parents are worried that social media and technology will get in the way of schoolkids building meaningful connections with classmates and teachers during the upcoming school year, a new poll finds.

    Half of parents (50%) say too much time spent with technology will be their kids’ top challenge in forming positive connections with those around them, say national poll results from the...

    Not Born Equal: Preemie Babies Fall Into 3 Risk Categories

    Not all babies born prematurely will suffer long-term developmental problems, a new study finds.

    Preemies tend to fall into three risk categories, with about one in five (20%) scoring above average on standard cognitive tests, researchers reported Aug. 13 in the journal Child Development...

    Some Genes Might Send Girls Into Puberty Earlier

    A girl's genetics can indirectly influence the age when she has her first period, by accelerating her weight gain in childhood, a new study finds.

    A number of other genes also can directly affect the age of puberty, some with profound effects, researchers added.

    More than 1,000 genetic variants are tied to the age of a girl's first menstrual period, researchers discovered by analyzi...

    How Handing a Child a Screen During a Tantrum Could Backfire Long-Term

    When your preschooler pitches a fit, handing them a smartphone or tablet is probably the fastest -- and the worst -- way to stop it, a new study suggests.

    "If parents regularly offer a digital device to their child to calm them or to stop a tantrum, the child won't learn to regulate their emotions," said first author Veronika Konok...

    Could Mom's Smartphone Use Affect Baby's Language Development?

    Mothers tend to speak less to infants when they're on their smartphones, a new study finds.

    Moms talked 16% less to their babies when they were fiddling with their phone, researchers found.

    Shorter 1- to 2-minute intervals of phone use interfered with mom-baby interaction even more, decreasing a mother's baby talk by 26%.

    "Our advice to new parents is to be cognizant of the im...

    Younger Kids in Class Might Be Misdiagnosed With ADHD, Autism

    If your child is among the youngest in their school grade, it's more likely they'll be mistakenly identified by teachers as having ADHD or autism, a new study confirms.

    "Adults involved in identifying or raising concerns over a child's behavior -- such as parents and teachers -- may be inadverte...

    Could Brain 'Overgrowth' Contribute to Autism?

    Severe forms of autism could be linked to overgrowth of the brain's outer layer that starts while a baby is in the womb, a new study finds.

    Toddlers with autism have cerebral cortexes -- often referred to as "gray matter"-- that are roughly 40% larger than those of children without the developmental disorder, researchers reported recently in the journal

  • Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
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  • June 7, 2024
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  • Will Epilepsy Meds Taken in Pregnancy Affect a Child's Creativity?

    Newer epilepsy drugs taken while pregnant won't affect the creative thinking of children, an effect that had been observed in older medications, a new study reports.

    Researchers found no difference in creativity scores at age 4 between kids of mothers with epilepsy and those of...

    1 in 9 U.S. Children Have Been Diagnosed With ADHD

    About 1 in 9 American children have ever received an ADHD diagnosis, slightly more than the number of kids currently being treated for the disorder, a new study shows.

    About 7.1 million kids (11.4%) have ever been diagnosed with ADHD, according to findings published May 23 in the Journal of Clinical C...

    Drive to Be 'Perfect' Parent Isn't Healthy, Survey Finds

    Parents striving to be "perfect"will never attain that goal, and the aim isn't even healthy for their families, a new study says.

    The risks of striving for perfection are such that researchers have now created a scale to help parents track their burnout and, if necessary, counter it.

    The first-of-its-kind

  • Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
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  • May 8, 2024
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  • How Bad Was Beethoven's Lead Poisoning?

    No one knows what caused the liver and kidney disease that led to Ludwig van Beethoven's untimely death.

    But one popular theory"that high lead levels killed the great composer"should be ruled out, researchers argue in the journal Clinical Chemistry.

    Analysis of samples taken from preserved locks of Beethoven's hair reve...

    Helping Your Child Make Friends With a Child With Autism

    Kids are very likely to make the acquaintance of a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at some point, whether they know it or not.

    An estimated 95% of children with disabilities enroll in regular schools, experts say.

    "Given the rates of autism diagnosis and our ability to identify it, most kids will meet an autistic child at some point during their school-aged years,...

    Parental Deaths to Guns, Drugs Harmed Nearly 100,000 U.S. Kids in 2020

    Nearly 100,000 U.S. children lost a parent in 2020 to gun violence or drug overdose, a three-fold rise since 1999, according to a new study.

    Overall, these two causes made up nearly a quarter (23%) of parental losses in 2020, almost double the level cited in 1999, according to a team who reported its findings May 4 in the

  • Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
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  • May 6, 2024
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  • Opioids During Pregnancy May Not Raise Psychiatric Risks for Offspring

    Prescription opioids taken during pregnancy are not associated with a substantial increase in risk of developmental disorders like ADHD in children, a new study has found.

    "A slightly increased risk of neuropsychiatric disorders was found, but this should not be considered clinically meaningful"because it ...

    Pandemic Had Only Minor Effect on Young Kids' Development

    The pandemic caused only "modest"delays in developmental milestones for infants and toddlers, a new study has found.

    Previous research has reported that pandemic-related lockdowns disrupted the lives of many people, including families with young children.

    Day-to-day life was upended as schools and child care centers closed, many people worked from home and the number of play dates a...

    Almost 70% of Young Kids in Chicago Are Exposed to Lead in Tap Water

    More than two-thirds of Chicago kids younger than 6 live in homes with tap water tainted by lead, a new analysis says.

    There are detectable levels of lead in the drinking water supplied to 68% of young children in the Windy City, say researchers with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Pub...

    MS Drugs Can Be Safely Taken While Breastfeeding

    Certain drugs used to treat multiple sclerosis appear to be safe for babies if taken by breastfeeding moms, a new study finds.

    Breastfed babies whose moms received monoclonal antibody treatments for MS did not develop any more developmental delays than babies not exposed to the drugs through breast milk. The findings will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's upcoming annual...

    Toddlers Fixated on Screens Talk Less With Parents

    Using TVs and tablets as "e-babysitters" really cuts down on the time toddlers spend interacting with parents or other caregivers, new research shows.

    The Australian team of investigators are calling the phenomenon "technoference" -- a scenario where "young children's exposure to screen time is interfering with opportunities to talk and interact in their home environment."

    The resea...

    Could General Anesthesia in Pregnancy Raise Behavioral Issues in Kids?

    Children exposed to anesthesia in the womb when their pregnant mom has surgery are more likely to suffer from behavioral issues later, a new study finds.

    Exposure to general anesthesia before birth was associated with a 31% increased risk of diagnosis with a behavioral disorder as a child, researchers reported Feb. 29 in the

  • Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
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  • March 4, 2024
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  • Simple Eye Test Might Spot Autism in Kids

    The eyes may have it when it comes to the early diagnosis of autism in children, a new study finds.

    Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), have pinpointed a gene that affects how kids' eyes react when they turn their heads.

    Typically, people use what's called the vestibulo-ocular reflex to help their sight coordinate with their head movement.

    Howeve...

    How Is Autism Diagnosed?

    According to the advocacy group Autism Speaks, one in every 36 U.S. children has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

    Early diagnosis is crucial to helping to treat the condition, but how is a diagnosis done?

    The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

    Food-Focused Toddlers at Higher Risk for Eating Disorders as Teens

    Toddlers who are really into their food might have a higher risk of developing an eating disorder once they enter adolescence, a new study shows.

    Kids ages 4 and 5 with a strong urge to eat when teased with tasty food appear more likely to report a range of eating disorder symptoms by ages 12 to 14, researchers report Feb. 20 in

  • Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
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  • February 23, 2024
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  • Want to Boost Your Preschoolers' Language Skills? Reminisce With Them

    Talking about the "good old days"might elicit eye rolls from teenagers, but it could be the key to boosting a preschooler's language skills, a new study finds.

    Reminiscing about past events with preschoolers presents young kids with high-quality speech as good as or better than sharing a book or playing with toys, researchers discovered.

    "Talk in reminiscing is characterized by long...

    Long Hours Watching Videos May Stunt Toddlers' Language Development

    Television has been wryly referred to as the "electronic babysitter,"but a new study argues TV or other media could stunt a child's language development.

    Children plopped in front of videos for hours on end tend to use phrases and sentences with fewer words, researchers reported recently in the journal Acta Paediatrica.

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    School Uniforms Might Get in the Way of Kids Exercising

    THURSDAY, Feb. 15, 2024 (Health Day News) -- Schools that want little girls to get plenty of exercise might want to rethink their dress code.

    A University of Cambridge study of more than 1 million kids in 135 countries found that in countries where most students wear school uniforms, fewer kids get the 60 minutes a day of physical activity recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO...

    Schools May Be Underestimating How Many Kids Are Homeless

    School districts could be severely underestimating how many kids are homeless in their communities, allowing those children to fall through the cracks, a new study warns.

    Schools around the United States report that more than 1.2 million students are homeless every year.

    But the information gathered by the districts isn't enough to accurately track homelessness, researchers argue.

    Being Born Even a Bit Early Could Harm a Child's Development

    Babies born even slightly early have a higher long-term risk of developmental difficulties that could affect their behavior and learning ability, a new study finds.

    Infants born moderately (32-33 weeks) or late preterm (34-36 weeks) are more likely to have epilepsy or problems with brain function, motor skills, vision or hearing, according to analysis of data from more than 1 million Swed...

    'Big Little Leap' to Kindergarten an Important Milestone for Kids

    Kindergarten might seem like child's play, but embracing the adventure can play a key role in a kid's future educational success, a new study finds.

    A successful early transition to kindergarten -- what the researchers called the "big little leap"-- can put a child firmly on the right path, researchers found.

    Kids who made a more successful transition in the first 10 to 14 weeks -- ...

    Study Links Use of Acetaminophen in Pregnancy With Child Behavioral Issues

    Expecting moms who often turn to acetaminophen for their aches and pains are more likely to wind up with kids who have behavioral issues, a new study warns.

    Children between the ages of 2 and 4 were more likely to have attention and behavioral problems if their mothers frequently used acetaminophen during pregnancy, researchers found.

    "The kinds of behaviors the caregivers reported ...

    Too Much Screen Time Might Harm Kids' 'Sensory Processing'

    Exposing babies and toddlers to TV and other digital media could be linked to a heightened risk for dysfunction in what's known as "sensory processing," a new study warns.

    Kids with "atypical sensory processing" are often hypersensitive to the touch, sound, taste or look of stimuli in their environment.

    For example, kids might try to avoid the feel of certain clothing, the taste of ...

    Ear Infections Could Delay a Child's Speech

    Ear infections are common for kids, but they can lead to long-term developmental problems, a new study finds.

    Temporary hearing loss caused by recurring ear infections can lead to delays in language development and sound processing years later, researchers reported recently in the Internationa...

    Paxlovid Won't Cut Odds for Long COVID: Study

    Paxlovid might help shorten and diminish a COVID infection, but the antiviral doesn't reduce the risk of developing long COVID, a new study shows.

    About 16% of COVID patients treated with Paxlovid wound up with long COVID symptoms, compared to 14% of those not given the oral medication, researchers found.

    "Our finding that Paxlovid treatment during acute infection is not associated ...

    Could Mom's Acetaminophen Use in Pregnancy Lead to Language Delays in Kids?

    Acetaminophen, best known as Tylenol in the United States, is a go-to pain med for millions.

    However, a new study is raising doubts about its safe use by women who are pregnant.

    The researchers found kids born to women who used acetaminophen while pregnant had delays in language development, compared to children born to women who didn't use the drug.

    This isn't the first time ...

    Brain's 'Spaces' Hold Clues to Origins of Autism

    The fluid-filled spaces around the brain's blood vessels need proper waste "clearance" every few hours. When that fails to happen, a baby's risk for autism appears to rise, new research shows.

    It's too early to say that trouble within these "perivascular" spaces causes autism, but it seems to be an early marker for the condition, a team from the University of North Carolina (UNC) reports....

    New Syndrome May Be Affecting Babies Exposed to Fentanyl

    Doctors report they are seeing what they think is a new syndrome in babies who are exposed to fentanyl while in the womb.

    All of the infants have cleft palates and unusually small heads, and all were born to mothers who said they'd used fentanyl and other drugs while pregnant.

    Six babies were first` identified at Nemours Children's Health in Wilmington, Del., two in California and o...

    EPA to Require Removal of All Lead Pipes From U.S. Water System

    THURSDAY, Nov. 30, 2023 (Healthday News) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday that it plans to require the removal of all lead pipes from the country's water systems.

    The proposed rule, an ambitious effort that will cost up to $30 billion over the next decade, would affect about 9 million pipes that send water to homes in countless communities across the United S...

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