Recent brain research has found that teenagers’ brains undergo an “extensive renovation” from a burst of growth in brain synapses, a process that may last until the mid-20s. Scientists involved in the research say this may help explain emotional swings and why teens are more likely than those of other ages to crash a car, […]
A new study claims genetic tests available in the U. S. for detecting high risk of breast cancer may miss some mutations that indicate the disease. An additional test, available in Europe, but not the U. S., can detect gene changes the U. S. test can’t. The researchers say there are a lack of clinical
Here’s a trick my partner and I use when our son has a cold: We put a pad and pen in the bathroom, near the medicine drawer, and every time one of us gives him any medicine, we write down the dosage and time. This minimizes the risk of double doses. It’s especially useful when
A new study by the National Sexuality Research Center at San Francisco State University claims that not being able to marry causes “the mental distress of second-class citizenship” among same-sex couples. And I thought I was just feeling PMS-y.
The Christian Science Monitor wrote this week about healthy snacks for kids. It’s pretty common-sense stuff, but has a few recipe suggestions if you’re at a loss for ideas. One thing the article doesn’t mention, however, is what I consider the most important factor in establishing kids’ eating habits: a good example. Kids who see
A new IVF method that lets fertilization and embryo development occur inside a woman’s body, rather than in the lab, could mean more options and cheaper IVF treatments. (Thanks to Blogging Baby for the sighting.) Egg and sperm are placed in a special vial and inserted into a woman’s vagina to develop into embryos, when
I happened to catch NPR’s Morning Edition today, something that happens only rarely when my son is preoccupied and doesn’t notice that I haven’t put on one of his Sesame Street or Music Together CDs. There was a piece about research on fetal cells. Scientists now believe that these cells linger in a bio-mom’s body
The American Academy of Pediatrics yesterday released updated guidelines on calcium intake for children. The AAP reemphasizes that calcium during childhood and adolescence determines peak bone mass development, which may help reduce the risk of fractures and osteoporosis later. They recommend three age-appropriate servings of dairy products per day (four for adolescents), preferably low-fat dairy
What do these two things have in common? Risk to children. A new study in the journal Pediatrics determined that increased time watching television means decreased time interacting with parents and siblings and playing creatively. For older children, it also means less time spent on homework. The researchers claim this is the first evidence to
