Parenting Guidance and Tips

American parents are waiting frustratingly long for childcare and paying harmful prices.

It is common for parents to be waitlisted for six months to get childcare and pay nearly $17,000 a year in 2024, according to a survey of 2,217 mothers in July by BabyCenter.

Some 40% of parents seeking childcare have been put on a waitlist averaging six months, but 13% of those families waited a year or longer, the survey said.

Families with full-time childcare for one child paid an average of $320 a week, or $16,686 a year in 2024.

The high prices have 84% of parents saying that childcare has affected their financial goals, and 54% of those say they couldn't save enough money and 25% say they couldn't pay off debt.

The findings comes as government for assistance for childcare has dwindled after pandemic funding evaporated, putting tens of thousands of childcare programs at risk of closing and leaving millions without care.

Approximately 70,000 childcare programs are in danger of closing and leaving 3 million children without care, according to nonprofit Century Foundation.

The presidential campaigns of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are both promising to provide new childcare support in the form of tax credits.

How to save money on childcare

Parenting website What To Expect has recommendations for saving money on childcare:

• Friends and family: Ask people close to you for help with watching your children.
• Babysitting co-op: Join or create a babysitting co-op, which is a group of parents coming together to rotate caregiving responsibilities.
• Split babysitter: Find another family to share babysitting services with.
• Ask HR for childcare benefits: Some companies offer reimbursements, on-site babysitting and flexible spending accounts that lets you save pre-tax dollars for from your paycheck for childcare.
• Tax breaks: Look into state and federal government tax writeoffs for childcare.
• Reach out to local college: Higher education may be able to connect you with students charging affordable prices for babysitting.
• Work from home: Ask your employer if they can let you work from home more because of childcare.

We all want our children to grow up to be big, strong and healthy. Well, strong and healthy anyway. Many them are already too big ... and getting bigger, researchers say.

The United States leads the world in producing obese and overweight children but other countries are close behind. In fact, since 1990, the rise in childhood overweight and obesity has surged across every continent, almost doubling in prevalence.

Globally, Asia has nearly half of all overweight children under the age of 5, and Africa has one-quarter of such children. In Latin America, about 20% of children under 20 are overweight. Many developing countries face the dual challenge of both overweight/obesity and malnutrition in their children.

The consequences are already evident: childhood hypertension and type 2 diabetes, among others. Researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Schmidt College of Medicine and colleagues sound the alarm and discuss both challenges and potential solutions in a commentary published in The Maternal and Child Health Journal.

“Pediatric overweight and obesity have reached epidemic levels in the U.S. and are becoming a pandemic globally," said Charles H. Hennekens, M.D., first author of the study and a professor of medicine at FAU. 

"These conditions lead to high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and lipid disorders, which contribute to metabolic syndrome. In adults, these issues significantly increase the risks of heart attacks, stroke, liver disease, obstructive sleep apnea, arthritis and certain cancers – many of which are now occurring at younger ages,” Hennekens said. 

Leading causes

In the commentary, the authors report on the leading causes of this epidemic including high body mass index (BMI), which increases the risks of many serious health issues. In the U.S., a preschooler is considered overweight if their BMI exceeds the 85th percentile.

Research shows that these children are at a significantly higher risk of being overweight during adolescence compared to those with a BMI at the 50th percentile. This underscores the misconception that children simply “outgrow” overweight issues.

Boosting children's daily physical activity is crucial for increasing metabolic rates, lowering BMI, and reducing future risks of coronary heart disease, researchers say.

“With declining physical education in schools and excessive time spent on electronic devices, many children fail to meet recommended activity guidelines. This sedentary behavior contributes to overweight and obesity through poor diet, reduced sleep, and decreased physical activity,” said Panagiota “Yiota” Kitsantas, Ph.D., co-author of the study and FAU professor. “Encouraging organized, enjoyable activities rather than competitive ones can help children achieve necessary physical activity levels.”

Physical activity not enough

The authors also caution that while increasing levels of daily physical activity is necessary, it isn’t sufficient to make a major impact on the rates of childhood overweight and obesity. The rise of high sugar containing foods, along with consumption of ultra-processed foods also are major contributors.

“Nearly 70% of the average U.S.-based child’s diet is made up of ultra-processed foods,” said Hennekens. “Moreover, consumption of ultra-processed foods among children under 24 months is rising worldwide, triggering not only the potential of developing obesity but also decreased immunological protection.”

The authors say that more research is needed to pinpoint which components of ultra-processed foods contribute to weight gain in children. However, they warn that a diet high in ultra-processed foods is linked to rising rates of overweight and obesity, with schools being a major source of these foods.

“Evidence suggests that enhancing school lunch nutritional standards could help reduce obesity, particularly among low-income children,” said Kitsantas. “We recommend adopting school food policies that remove ultra-processed foods from menus and promote healthier alternatives, alongside educational programs on healthy eating, despite the challenges posed by external influences on children.”

Among the challenges highlighted in the commentary is the use of social media and advertising, which significantly affect children’s food choices and behaviors that include sharing unhealthy food posts and recognizing many unhealthy food brands upon exposure. 

While there has been no shortage of announcements and research done on children’s mental health struggles, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy is now calling attention to parents’ mental health. 

In a recently released advisory, Murthy is emphasizing the importance of mental health support for parents and caregivers across the country. 

“Parents have a profound impact on the health of our children and the health of society,” Murthy said. “Yet parents and caregivers today face tremendous pressures, from familiar stressors such as worrying about their kids’ health and safety and financial concerns, to new challenges like navigating technology and social media, a youth mental health crisis, an epidemic of loneliness that has hit young people the hardest. 

“As a father of two kids, I feel these pressures too. With this advisory, I am calling for a fundamental shift in how we value and prioritize the mental health and well-being of parents. I am also outlining policies, programs, and individual actions we can all take to support caregivers.” 

Parental stress is increasing

As part of the advisory, Murthy addressed the findings from a recent study by the American Psychological Association that explored adults’ stress levels across the country. 

The biggest takeaway from the study: parents and caregivers are more stressed than adults without children – both overall and in specific areas. 

Some of the findings include: 

• 66% of parents were consumed by money worries; 39% of childless adults reported the same 

• 57% of parents were embarrassed talking about finances with others; 39% of childless adults reported the same

• 62% of parents feel that no one understands how stressed they are; 42% of childless adults reported the same

• 60% of parents say that stress makes it hard for them to focus; 37% of childless adults reported the same

• 50% of parents say they can’t bring themselves to do anything when they’re stressed; 28% of childless adults reported the same 

What’s the solution?

To address this growing issue, Murthy has several recommendations to strengthen the available support networks for parents across the country. 

Some of these solutions include: 

• Increased financial support for families, including tax credits

• Paid time off for both parents during the birth of a child or when a child is sick 

• Safe, affordable child care

• Access to mental health care 

• Safe and affordable programs for before and after school 

• Predictable work schedules for parents 

• Safe playgrounds, libraries, and communities for children to play and learn – and for parents to build community 

“Given the responsibility it entails, raising children is never going to be without worry,” Murthy wrote in a New York Times editorial. “But reorienting our priorities in order to give parents and caregivers the support they need would do a lot to ensure the balance skews toward joy.”

Hear more from the surgeon general here: 

Budgeting for back to school costs involves more than shopping for a backpack and notebooks. Don’t forget the cost of school lunches, which rose sharply over the last two years of inflation.

Fortunately, many of these food costs have declined since last year. Datasembly, which monitors thousands of grocery prices in real-time, reports the overall cost of 12 popular items rose just 61 cents since last year, or 1.16%.

But five of the food items have gone down in price. The biggest decline is in the price of mozzarella string cheese, which is down 4.2% from 2023.

Most items rose or fell by only a few cents. However, applesauce cups and mixed fruit snacks posted the largest price increases. The price of a six-pack of 4 oz. applesauce cuts rose 7.2% and the price of a mixed fruit snack 10-pack is up 7.3%.

If you are the parent of young children you know how expensive childcare is. But here’s a shocker: you could be spending enough to send your child to college.

A new report from Care.com shows nearly half of families participating in a survey spend $18,000 a year on child care, but 20% of parents spend more than $36,000 a year – more than the average cost of a year of college.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, the average cost of attending a public four-year state university – including room and board – is $24,030 during the current school year.

More than one-third of respondents to a survey said they have been forced to tap into their savings, on average exhausting a staggering 42% of their savings in 2023, leaving them with little financial flexibility.

'Forced into a financial hole'

“Within the first five years of their child’s life, parents are being forced into a financial hole that is nearly impossible to climb out of,” said Brad Wilson, CEO of Care.com. “A healthy economy depends upon the ability for people to save and spend, but given the crushing weight of childcare costs, those pillars are crumbling. The childcare crisis should be a major red flag for everyone, not just parents. It is a systemic failure that will impact our nation’s economic growth, and that affects us all.”

Derek Thompson, a writer for The Atlantic, recently tweeted that the costs are much higher in New York City, concluding that something’s not right in Gotham City. He cites U.S. Labor Department data showing that the average family with children would need an income of $300,000 to meet the federal guideline of spending no more than 7% of income on childcare. 

Could this become a political issue? It might. The Care.com report found that 88% of respondents said a political candidate’s position on childcare access and affordability would influence their vote.

Getting to and from school is supposed to be a safe activity – supposed to be. But, if your child rides the school bus, there may be more nonsense going on than them getting a noogie or getting their pigtails pulled.

Security company Tenable says it found security flaws in Edulog's Parent Portal, which thousands of K-12 districts use to enable parents to follow their students' bus routes. 

If you’re thinking it’s no big deal, think about this: If someone cunning enough wanted to pinpoint the names of students, what bus they’re riding on, how to contact their parents, the bus’s current location, pick-up and drop-off times, and notifications about delays or route changes, wouldn’t you be a little worried?

It's undetermined just how many kids and parents were at risk. Edulog doesn’t disclose an exact number of app users on its website and did not respond to a ConsumerAffairs request for such data, but those 7,500 school districts it works with are in 49 US states. 

Those include Henrico County Va., (Richmond) where school buses transport 28,000 students daily, Durham N.C., where 18,000 students ride the bus, and Jefferson Co. Public Schools (Louisville) where some 10,000 parents reportedly have downloaded the app after a massive bus issue that caused the school district to close school for a week. 

Edulog takes action – but was it enough?

Fortunately, this story’s ending is half good and half, hmm. When Tenable made Edulog aware of these gaffes, Edulog sat up, listened, and patched  the flaws, so they aren't exposed to cybercriminals anymore. 

The flip side of this is that ConsumerAffairs understands that Edulog has decided not to tell customers that there ever was a security issue, so it’s possible that parents will remain in the dark that their kids could have been tracked by bad actors unless school districts opt to go public with that information.

“Even without the vulnerabilities discovered in the Parent Portal services, there isn’t necessarily anything stopping a malicious actor from signing up for an account and obtaining a registration code for a given school through other means," Jimi Sebree, senior staff research engineer at Tenable said.

"The actor could ask another parent, call the school and pretend to be a parent or simply search for one on the internet."

ConsumerAffairs asked both Edulog and several school districts what was being done in light of the report. Only Peoria Unified (AZ) responded, saying it is working with Edulog on the issue and to its knowledge, there has not been any data breach of its students' data.

Parents, school districts need to take action

Getting to and from school is supposed to be a safe activity, and this is just one of the hundreds of apps and software schools use every day. However, app companies can play it loose with apps that school districts suggest their students use. One report found that 96% of educational apps share children’s personal information with third parties.

“This is a situation where all those involved – Edulog employees, agents for the school districts, and parents using the services – are responsible for making sure the data relating to these services is handled properly,” Tenable said.

Tenable says that any parent concerned about their child’s privacy should examine what data the app developer says it’s using.

The App Store and GooglePlay stores both require apps to list permissions used by the apps. They don't necessarily require any transparency regarding the types of data collected, but if you’re a parent and want something more definitive as to what kinds of information schools are able to share with private parties, FERPA is probably the best reference.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has released its 2022 Toy-Related Deaths and Injuries report for children aged 14 and younger in the United States. 

The data from the last calendar year highlight some of the toys that pose the biggest risk to children’s health and well-being. 

“For toy-related deaths and injuries, it is important to note that although a toy was associated with many of the incidents, the toy was not necessarily the cause of the death or injury,” the CPSC wrote. “Additionally, due to delays in death certificate reporting, fatality information is not yet complete, especially for 2021 and 2022.” 

Toy-related injuries 

Over the course of 2022, the CPSC received information of roughly 209,500 toy-related injuries that required emergency department attention. The report found that the head and face were the most commonly injured parts of the body and lacerations were the most frequent type of injury. 

As for what toys were the source of these injuries: non-motorized scooters. Among all age groups – four years and younger, 12 years and younger, and 14 years and younger – non-motorized scooters accounted for the largest percentage of injuries. 

The CPSC learned that older kids were more likely to experience serious toy-related injuries. Children aged 14 and younger experienced over 75% of such injuries. Comparatively, children aged 12 and younger experienced 69% of these injuries, while children aged four and younger experienced 38%. 

Toy-related deaths

Over the course of 2022, the CPSC learned of 11 toy-related fatalities, all of which were among children under the age of 12. In 2020, there were 12 toy-related fatalities, and in 2021, there were six. 

Balls and bouncy balls were found to be the riskiest toys when it came to children’s mortality in 2022, including both choking and blunt force trauma to the head. Choking was the culprit of the most toy-related fatalities, which was consistent over the last few years. 

There were also a few instances reported of children getting hit by cars while riding their bikes or tricycles, as well as asphyxia from mylar balloons and stuffed animals. 

For parents, it’s important to know what items in their homes might be the biggest risk to their kids’ lives. 

Toy-related injuries are declining

The CPSC report also found that toy-related injuries among all ages have been steadily declining since 2015. That year, the national estimate of toy-related injuries was at 244,400, compared to 209,500 in 2022. 

In the last several years, 2017 had the highest number of toy-related injuries (251,700), and 2020 had the lowest number of toy-related injuries (198,700). 

Summer should be a carefree time for families enjoying the warmer weather and outdoor activities.

But that's not always the case.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) annual drowning and submersion report, fatal child drownings and nonfatal drowning injuries for children under age 15 remain high.

Among the findings

• There was an average of 371 pool- or spa-related fatal drownings reported per year between 2018 and 2020. The good news is the number of fatal drownings in 2020 was 340 -- down approximately 7% from previous year, when 367 children died.
• The number of estimated non-fatal drowning injuries in 2022 was 6,400 -- statistically the same as in 2021.
• Among children under 15, there were -- on average -- an estimated 6,300 pool- or spa-related, hospital emergency department (ED)-treated, nonfatal drowning injuries each year from 2020 through 2022. Seventy-six percent of these nonfatal drowning injuries involved children younger than five years of age.
• Pool- or spa-related fatal child drownings involving children younger than five increased by 10% in 2020 with 279 fatalities reported, compared with 2019 when 254 fatalities were reported. Of the reported pool- or spa-related fatal child drownings, 75% involved children younger than five years of age.
• Where location was known, 80% of reported fatal child drownings occurred in residential settings such as the victim’s home, or that of a family member, friend, or neighbor, with 91% of those drownings occurring in those younger than five years of age.
• Child drownings continue to be the leading cause of death among children ages one to four years old. CPSC urges families with young children and those in historically excluded communities to make water safety a priority, particularly as they spend more time in and around pools during the summer.

Racial disparities in drowning fatalities

Out of the 63% of all drowning fatalities involving children whose race is identified, African American children made up 21% of all drownings.

For older children -- aged five to 14 with race identified -- 45% of drowning deaths involved African Americans. These data highlight the need to reach historically excluded communities with water safety information and support, said CPSC.

What you can do

“The fatalities from drowning and non-fatal drowning injuries are still high, so water safety vigilance remains crucially important this summer and all year,” said CPSC Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric. “CPSC urges parents and caregivers to follow Pool Safely safety steps.

Specifically:

• Never leave a child unattended in or near water, and always designate an adult Water Watcher. This person should not be reading, texting, using a phone or being otherwise distracted. In addition to pools and spas, this warning includes bathtubs, buckets, decorative ponds, and fountains.
• If you own a pool or spa, install layers of protection, including barriers to prevent an unsupervised child from accessing the water. Homes can use door alarms, pool covers, and self-closing, self-latching devices on fence gates and doors that access pools.
• Learn how to perform CPR on children and adults. Many communities offer online CPR training.
• Learn how to swim and teach your child how to swim.
• Keep children away from pool drains, pipes, and other openings to avoid entrapments.
• Ensure any pool and spa you use has drain covers that comply with federal safety standards. If you do not know, ask your pool service provider about safer drain covers.

A list of CPSC pool safety tips may be found here.

Sleep is important for any child, but safe sleep is of the utmost importance for newborns and infants. 

While it’s not uncommon for parents to put infants in a sleeper or lounger, safety in these chairs continues to be the top priority. Now, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers about the safety risks of a specific infant lounger: the Momaid lounger. 

“The loungers fail to meet the safety requirements of the CPSC’s Infant Sleep Products Rule because they do not have a stand,” the agency wrote. “In addition, the lounger fails to meet the side height, markings and labeling, and instructional literature requirements. These failures create an unsafe sleeping environment for infants.” 

As part of the CPSC’s Infant Sleep Products Rule, manufacturers are also required to print the manufacturing date, as this helps identify products that were sold before and after these safety rules were put into place. The Momaid loungers don’t have this information, or any kind of tracking label, making it difficult to know if the products were manufactured under previously unsafe regulations. 

According to the agency, failure to meet these standards increases infants’ risk of falling or suffocation. 

What to avoid

For consumers who may have one of these loungers at home or want to know what to avoid, Momaid is selling the loungers as follows: Baby Lounger Portable Infant Co Sleeping Bassinet Newborn Cocoon Snuggle Reversible Bed Nest Travel Crib. 

They typically list for $55 on Amazon and other popular websites, and they come in four different colors – Blue Palm Leaf, Pink Lychee Leaf, Blue Lychee Leaf, and Banana Gray Leaf – and they also come with a pillow. 

According to the CPSC, the product comes from Zhejiang Juster Trading LLC. At the time this warning was issued, the company had opposed formally recalling the product, disagreeing with the agency's conclusions. 

Should any parents have these loungers at home, the CPSC encourages you to stop using them immediately and dispose of them. The CPSC is working now to stop the sale of these infant sleepers. 

Promoting safe infant sleep habits

The CSPC released its Infant Sleep Products Rule in June of 2022 at the same time that the American Academy of Pediatrics released new guidelines to promote safe sleep among this vulnerable population. 

Below are some of the tips for parents to consider when preparing for naps or bedtime with infants: 

• Keep infants flat on their backs and on level surfaces when sleeping 

• Never have infants sleeping with stuffed animals, toys, blankets, or pillows 

• Infants – especially those under four months old – shouldn’t be sleeping in their car seats or on any inclined surfaces 

• Infants don’t need to be swaddled beyond three or four months old (this can be dangerous once babies become more mobile)

• Be vigilant about any products marketed toward reducing the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), as no official evidence has come out regarding specific products protecting infants’ health. 

With summer vacation right around the corner, it’s time for parents to start thinking about summer plans for their kids. While trips to amusement parks or days at the beach might be on your calendar, what happens when it rains? 

To help parents fill the summer days in ways that don’t involve TVs, tablets, or other avenues for screen time, the Toy Association has released its top 30 Summer Learning STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) Toys. 

To make it on the list, toys were required to pass the Toy Association’s STEAM Assessment Framework, which has three key factors: 

• ‘Good Toy’ characteristics: fun and engaging, easy to use, supports skill development, and inclusive

• Prime STEAM Attributes: real-world relevance, active involvement, arts, logical thinking, free exploration, and supports step-by-step learning

• Specific STEM Categories: science, technology, engineering, and math 

“The new framework provides detailed, age-by-age criteria (2-3 years, 4-6 years, 7-9 years, 10-12 years, and 12+ years) for each STEM-specific category,” the Assessment Framework states. “It draws on child development milestones, a collection of U.S. learning standards, and an independent review of existing STEAM toys. 

“Working within the framework to be considered a STEAM toy, the toy must have: 

• All four characteristics of a ‘Good Toy’ 

• All six prime STEAM attributes

• Potential to support at least two of the specific STEM categories

Which toys made the list?

The Toy Associations’ official Summer Learning STEAM Toy List is as follows: 

• 92 Piece Ball Run Pack (Connetix)

• Ant Mountain (Insect Lore)

• Build-A-Bubble (South Beach Bubbles)

• Builder Motor Set (Brio)

• Carnival Plus Set (Magformers)

• Cookie Festival (Weplay)

• Cubendi (Fun in Motion Toys)

• Curious Kingdom (Playper)

• Deluxe Jumbo Cardboard Blocks (Melissa & Doug)

• Discovery #MINDBLOWN Action Circuitry Electronic Experiment Set (Discovery)

• Discovery #MINDBLOWN Dinosaur Construction Set (Discovery)

• DUPLO My First Puppy & Kitten with Sounds (LEGO)

• Freefall (ThinkFun)

• Geomag 75pcs (Geomagworld)

• Get Well Doctor’s Kit Play Set (Melissa & Doug)

• Giant Tumbling Timber (Giantville Games)

• Gravitrax Starter Set (Ravensburger)

• Jumbo Circus (Weplay)

• Marble Rush Tip and Swirl Set (VTech)

• Mini Diamond 120pc + Figures + Car Set (Picasso Tiles)

• National Geographic Dinosaur Terrarium (Blue Marble)

• National Geographic Mega Craft Kit (Blue Marble)

• National Geographic Mega Science Magic Kit (Blue Marble)

• Snap Circuits Green Energy (Elenco)

• Snap Circuits Junior (Elenco)

• Stanley Jr. DIY Pull Back Airplane Kit (Red Toolbox)

• STEM Master Builder 24pc Set (Magformers)

• STEM Master Builder 14pc Set (Magformers)

• Supercolor Panels 78pcs (Geomagworld)

• Trestle Tracks Deluxe Set (Fat Brain Toy Co.)

“Each of the carefully curated STEAM toys on the list can offer children hours of educational fun,” said Anna Yudina, senior director of marketing at The Toy Association. “Parents can feel confident in knowing these are quality toys that will invite kids to be actively and independently involved in their learning, while teaching them fundamental STEAM skills in creative and exciting ways.” 

If you blew it on Mother’s Day and didn’t get mom a gift, not to worry – the U.S. government has a few they’d like to give her, and all the stepmoms, grandmothers, and mother figures as thanks for all they do.

Nope, it’s not candy or flowers or a rebate check for being a good mom, but rather four little-known programs that financially support women and mothers who take care of themselves and their flock.

Child Care help

Anyone who has an infant knows that the cost of childcare is a runaway train. The median yearly childcare price for one child in center-based infant care now runs more than $8,000 in small counties to more than $17,000 in very large counties. Even the parents who opt for home-based infant care could be looking at anywhere from $6,000-$11,000 out of pocket. 

Luckily, the Child Care and Development Fund helps low-income families with children under 13 afford childcare. The program helps make sure that children are safe, healthy, and growing while their parents are working or attending school.

Additionally, the Child Care Resource and Referral Services program helps find childcare programs that meet a family’s needs. In order to qualify for this benefit program, you must be a parent or primary caregiver responsible for children under the age of 19 years or responsible for a child(ren) with a disability.

Nutrition help

The WIC program (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) provides supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education to women who are pregnant, nursing, postpartum, or with children feve years old or younger – if they are considered low income. Services are also available to infants and children up to age five who are nutritionally vulnerable. 

An added benefit of WIC is that it can be combined with other programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Medicaid, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. 

The WIC’s How to Apply page has further information.

Women's Health Care Benefits for Veterans

Moms who have served in the military have the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to thank for six comprehensive medical services for women. These services include:

• Health promotion and disease prevention

• Primary care

• Mental health services

• Women's gender-specific health care (e.g., hormone replacement therapy, breast and gynecological care, maternity, and limited infertility

• Acute medical/surgical, telephone, emergency, and substance abuse treatment

• In-home, rehabilitation, and long-term care

This program is available at all VA Medical Centers and the only qualification is that an applicant has to be enrolled in the VA health care system or qualify based on one of the exceptions in the law. Anyone interested should check out the Basic Medical Benefits Package for Veterans to see the complete program requirements.

Family Planning Services

Several local clinics are operated by Family Planning Services to provide family planning and preventive health services to women and their families. To help you decide how many and how far apart to have children, these services include educational resources, medical screenings, and social services. The Clinic Finder will help you locate a clinic near you and how to apply.

And there are federal benefits for more than just parents, too

If you think that the only people who receive federal benefits are low-income Americans, you’d be wrong. Yes, a lot of public benefits go to senior citizens who’ve paid for those services over a lifetime of work, but many middle-class families are eligible for these programs. 

To find out what benefits and resources you might qualify for, check out the U.S. government's Benefit Finder. The form can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes to finish, but once you have completed the questionnaire, you will receive a list of government benefits you may be eligible for and where you can apply. By the way, all answers are kept confidential. 

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Baby Trend are warning parents about a risk of head or neck entrapment between the pivoting front canopy and the armrest or seat back of Baby Trend’s Sit N’ Stand Double and Ultra strollers.

Affected strollers have model numbers beginning with “SS76” or “SS66." The company has not issued a recall.

A child’s head or neck can become trapped by the canopy if another child climbs on the exterior of the stroller or when a child in the front seat of the stroller is not securely restrained in the seat using all five points of the harness. Entrapment could lead to a loss of consciousness, serious injury, or death.

Baby Trend has received one report of neck entrapment in the space between the front of the canopy tube and armrest of a Baby Trend Sit N’ Stand double stroller, resulting in the asphyxiation death of a non-occupant 14-month-old whose father was nearby but was unable to see the child. 

Baby Trend has also received one report of entrapment in the space between the back of the canopy tube and the seat back of the front seat, resulting in neck bruises to a 17-month-old child, who was partially secured. 

Remove the canopy

Consumers can mitigate the hazard by removing and separately storing the canopy when not in use, not allowing children to play on the strollers, and always fully securing children in the strollers with the built-in five-point harness. 

The Sit N’ Stand Double and Ultra strollers, model numbers beginning SS76 or SS66, have a black or silver frame and a black tray at the front with oval cutouts on the sides. “Sit N’ Stand” is printed in white on the sides of the frame. “Baby Trend” is printed on the side of the mesh basket under the seat. The model number is printed on a sticker located on the left inside rear of the frame, near the left rear axle. The Sit N’ Stand strollers have been sold nationwide since 2009.

The popular strollers have been and are sold online at www.babytrend.com, Amazon.com, bedbathandbeyond.com and other online retailers. They have also been sold in stores such as  Walmart, Target, Kohl’s, and buybuy BABY.

What to do

Instructions on how to remove the detachable canopy for Sit N’ Stand Double or Ultra strollers with model numbers beginning SS76 or SS66 are provided in the product manual.  Consumers are encouraged to report incidents or injuries associated with the Baby Trend Sit N’ Stand Double or Ultra strollers or with any product to CPSC at www.SaferProducts.gov. 

Consumers may also direct questions regarding Baby Trend products to Baby Trend at 800-328-7363 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Pacific Time Monday through Friday or by email at info@babytrend.com.

Are you looking for the location for your kid’s next birthday party? You may need to look no further than your local Lowe’s store. 

The home improvement store has announced that it will begin hosting kids’ birthday parties. The goal is to expose kids to building from a young age, while also supplying parents with everything they need for a successful birthday party. 

“Home improvement is about the whole family and that’s why we have Weekending at Lowe’s events every Saturday at our stores, including our kids’ workshops that help us feel connected to our littlest DIYers,” said Jen Wilson, senior vice president, enterprise brand and marketing at Lowe’s. “And this launch is a natural extension of that relationship – not only do we want to inspire future builders, but we want DIY – and Lowe’s – to be an integral part of family milestones and memories.” 

Getting creative with kids 

Lowe’s will kick off its Build a Birthday series in 10 markets across the country: 

• Franklin, TN

• North Peoria, AZ

• Orem, UT

• Central Dallas, TX

• Brooklyn, NY

• Naperville, IL

• Eastlake, CA

• North Bergen, NJ 

• Huntersville, NC

• Noblesville, IN

The parties are designed for kids ages five and older and can accommodate as many as 20 kids. The base party packages are for parties of 12 kids, and parents have the option to upgrade to include 20. 

Every child gets some Lowe's swag

Every child in attendance will receive a DIY project kit and a party favor from Lowe’s, which includes backpacks, water bottles, or t-shirts. Parents will have the opportunity to book their children’s birthday parties on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and they can upgrade their party package to include pizza, dessert, and drinks from Domino’s

The DIY projects include race cars, wooden castles, or even custom shelves, and all kids will receive the proper safety equipment to help prevent any potential injuries.

The group will also be assisted by a Lowe’s employee to guide them through the building project and teach them the ins and outs of these activities. 

For more information, click here. 

“Synthetic identity fraud” isn’t a term that’s batted about much in the news, but it may be the biggest problem facing Americans today. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says that nearly 85% of all identity theft cases are actually synthetic – meaning that a fraudster creates a new identity using a combination of real and fake information. 

This might include using a real Social Security number (SSN) along with a fake name and address or using a real name and address with a fake SSN. The goal is to create an identity that appears legitimate to financial institutions and government agencies, which can then be used to open new accounts, apply for loans, get a credit card, buy a car, collect unemployment, or commit other forms of fraud.

“Think of it as Frankenstein fraud since thieves piece together information from different people to create one new identity,” the Security.org team said in a new report covering the issue.

The biggest targets are children

Children are excellent targets for synthetic ID fraud because they are basically unmonitored in the world of consumerism, with no real credit history for a creditor to take a look at. 

“[Fraudsters] prefer numbers issued in the past 18 years since they’re likely to belong to minors. Children typically don’t apply for loans or credit until age 18, giving criminals ten or even 15 years to wreak havoc before anyone notices,” the researchers said.

The sad thing is that if a child’s SSN has been purloined by a fraudster, by the time they go out in the real world, their creditworthiness could be laid to waste. Student loan? Forget it. New home? Forget it. 

According to Security.org’s report, two out of every three parents are clueless about synthetic identity fraud. Most never check their children’s credit reports or use credit monitoring services to track their children’s credit activity. 

How the game is played

The moment an identity thief gains access to a Social Security number, they’re off to the races. Step number one is applying for credit online. And if they’re turned down? No biggie. And if they apply for $1,000 credit line and only get $500, no great loss there because they’re $500 richer, and if they’re smart, they pay the $500 off on time so they can start a credit history – one which will eventually bring in larger credit limits.

At a point where an ID thief amasses $10,000 to $15,000 worth of credit, a “bust out” occurs, and the perpetrators go on a shopping spree, then – poof! – evaporate from the credit scene, no longer worrying about debt. After all, those things they bought on their way out aren’t really attached to their credit history, but some 10-year-old kid in Paducah, Ky. whose SSN they stole.

And parents will know their child is a victim quickly, too. They’ll start to get documents relating to unemployment benefits you never applied for, credit card offers in the mail, and maybe even a letter from the IRS about delinquent taxes or notices that your government benefits application or student loan application has been denied.

How parents can protect their kids’ SSNs

The Security.org team said the first box parents should check is limiting the number of places where their child’s SSN appears. For example, you might keep the physical card with the number in a locked file drawer and perhaps keep a password-protected computer file with the number.

Other tips to protect your child’s data include:

• Don’t give out SSNs whenever requested. Camps, caregivers, and schools must have a good reason to ask for kids' SSNs. Often, they do not, so leaving SSN fields blank is a parent’s right.

• Be very selective about who can access personal data. The researchers said that more often than not, victims of synthetic identity theft know the perpetrator. It could be the parent of a friend or a weird uncle, but locking up a kid’s Social Security card and number can help protect their identity.

• Check with your child’s school about their cybersecurity policies and encourage them to strengthen their standards. Also, find out how they protect your child’s data during online educational activities.

• Teach your kids what’s appropriate to share when chatting with people online: Explain to your kids that they should not share home addresses, phone numbers, SSNs, and other data online, and monitor their online activities.

• Check your child’s credit score – maybe even set up monitoring their credit. Better safe than sorry. And, remember, credit scores are free.

And if your child’s SSN is stolen and winds up in the hands of a synthetic identity thief? The first thing to do is to go to identitytheft.gov to get started on a recovery plan. There, you can pick and choose the situation that fits you best. For example, if someone files a federal tax return using your information or used your (or your child’s) details to file for unemployment insurance. 

Also, contact all the companies where you know fraud happened. “When contacting the company or firm where the fraud occurred, explain that someone stole your child's identity and opened fraudulent accounts,” the researchers suggested.

“Say your child is a minor and cannot enter legal contracts. Have the company close the account and send a letter confirming your child is not liable for the account, and always note who you talked to and the times of your conversations.”

Parents with sick children this season have sometimes struggled to find pain relief medicine. Now both CVS and Walgreens have begun to limit purchases of the medications amid short supplies.

CVS shoppers can only buy two children’s pain relief products in one transaction. Walgreens is more lenient, allowing online shoppers to purchase as many as six products in one transaction. It has no limit on in-store purchases.

Walmart said it has seen a significant increase in demand for children’s health products but has been able to keep enough of the products on store shelves to meet the demand.

The shortage has little to do with supply chains. Both chains say the shortages are being driven by an outbreak of upper respiratory infections in children over the last few months.

The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) says it has remained in contact with its member companies that manufacture pediatric analgesics, including liquid formulations. It says the companies are operating facilities 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and are not currently experiencing widespread shortages.  

‘Recent and rapid increase in demand’

“The reason for the scarcity of OTC children’s pain relievers at certain retail locations is a direct result of the recent and rapid increase in demand driven by a rise in pediatric cases of respiratory illnesses including the flu, COVID, and RSV,” CHPA said in a statement. “Manufacturers are producing at full capacity and directing product inventory to where it is needed most. However, we understand it might be frustrating for parents to quickly locate these products from their usual pharmacy or retailer due to intermittent out-of-stocks.”

RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, has been widespread across the U.S. since early fall. It is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. 

Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious, especially for infants and older adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in children younger than one year of age in the United States.

While RSV is surging, there has also been an uptick in COVID-19 cases, especially in California. This year’s flu season is also the worst since before the pandemic. Healthcare providers have dubbed it a “tripledemic.”

There is no shortage of studies that have looked at the ways that too much time in front of screens can be detrimental to kids. Researchers have found that excessive screen time can affect everything from kids’ vision, to physical health, and overall mental well-being. 

With the holidays right dead ahead, kids are gearing up for holiday break. With electronics an ever-present part of our day-to-day lives, how can parents ensure they’re actually connecting and spending time with their kids when they’re not in school? 

Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development is a nonprofit organization that works to understand the media’s impact on child development. This holiday season, it's offering parents 13 tips on how to encourage ditching screens and creating more personal connections with kids. 

“The holidays can be a period of increased screen time for kids, whether it’s more time playing video games, scrolling through Instagram, or binging the latest series,” the organization wrote. “But it can also be a great opportunity to establish new habits, spend more quality time with family, and set intentions for the new year.” 

Going screen-free for the holidays

The goal of these tips is to help families spend more time together – and less time looking at tablets, smartphones, laptop screens, and TVs. Here is what experts from Children and Screens recommend for having a screen-free holiday season: 

• Set Goals: Holidays mean a holiday break. With no school, kids have more free time, and rather than assume they’ll spend that time in front of screens, plan ahead with your little ones. Think about other activities they can engage in, friends or family they can see, or games they can play that don’t involve screens. 

• Go Screen Free: Create designated times when all devices are put away. Make sure that everyone in the family abides by these rules. With no one in front of screens, it’s the perfect time to connect with each other. 

• Have Fun with Dinner Time Conversations: Without phones, dinnertime can still be fun and exciting for families. Children and Screens experts encourage families to play games at the dinner table, ask each other interesting questions, or take the time to learn more about each other. 

• Embrace Boredom: While it may feel difficult for many kids – and parents! – being bored is okay. Not having a phone or computer at the ready gives kids more time to tap into their imaginations and let their minds wander to creative places. 

• Create and Explore Together: The holidays are a great time to do things as a family. This can mean doing simple activities together, like playing board games or looking through old family photo albums. 

• Find Balance: Instead of spending all of the holiday break in front of different screens, this is a great opportunity for kids to try an assortment of different things. There’s time to read books, visit with friends or family, participate in holiday traditions, and even have screen time – when it’s balanced with other activities.

• Get Engaged: The holidays are a great time for parents to join in this screen-free challenge with their kids. Brainstorm ideas of things to do, places to visit, or activities to do together. 

• Take Screen Time Breaks: Experts recommend that for every hour of screen time, kids take a 10-15 minute break. Any activity that doesn’t involve screens counts as a break. 

• Take Time for Others: Giving back to those in need – especially during the holidays – can be incredibly fulfilling for families to do together – whether that’s donating clothes or volunteering at local organizations. 

• Share the Love: Use the holiday break to share love with a family member or friend every day. Children and Screens encourages families to pick a new family member – either who lives in the house, or who’s part of the extended family – or friend every day of the holiday season to shower with love. 

• Stick to Routine: While the usual day-to-day routine is likely to change without school, it’s still important for kids to have a schedule. Any rules that are typically in effect regarding screen time should be maintained during breaks from school. 

• Stay Connected: It’s important for kids to feel and stay connected to their friends. Though this is likely to entail a lot of virtual communication with school out of session, balance between screen time and screen-free time is key. 

• Motivational Interview Activity: Parents can help kids better understand their screen time habits by asking them thoughtful questions. These kinds of conversations can also be more likely to set future change in motion in regard to kids’ screen time habits. 

For more insights on child development and screen time – for the holidays and beyond – visit Children and Screens.

What parent doesn’t want their child to have an opportunity to grow cognitively? Ever since Teddy Ruxpin started talking to kids in 1985, toy manufacturers have continued to up the ante on building toys that could elevate a child’s learning.

Now, however, some manufacturers may have gone too far – collecting and using data about the children who interact with their toys, according to a new report from the U.S. PIRG Education Fund. Smart Decisions about Smart Toys: High-tech toys can put children at risk builds on the group’s recent investigation of dangerous toys undertaken for the recent 37th annual Trouble in Toyland report. 

How far is too far? As an example, the manufacturer of the software that brings the Fuzzible Friends Alexa-connected toy to life states in its privacy policy that it may receive the geolocation and transcripts of a child’s interactions with the toy, contingent on parental consent.

And, get this – if a child happens to say their age while playing with the toy, that information would be included in the transcript the company receives. 

“Toys are toys. They shouldn’t be devices companies use to harvest our children's personal information, picture or voice,” said R.J. Cross, director of PIRG Education Fund's Don’t Sell My Data campaign.

“Unnecessary data collection puts our children at risk. Toy manufacturers must take the safety and security of children seriously.”

'We have your data and we’ll have it forever'

Think about this. In the wrong hands, the possibility exists that a 3-year-old toddler’s data could be repurposed over and over again, year after year.

Cross said that toy manufacturers may partner with other tech companies to process and store data, and if they feel they’ve reserved the right to share a child’s data with other parties, they could possibly sell or share that data further, including to third-party marketers. 

And with cyber thieves as cunning as they are in breaching a company’s user data pool, the chances a child’s data will be exposed in a breach or a hack grows exponentially. In fact, that’s already happened.

In one instance, when smart toy manufacturer Vtech’s data was breached in 2015, the names, birthdays, genders, and even photos and voice recordings of 6.4 million children were exposed online. 

Other risks include unsecured internet connections which can allow a toy to become an eavesdropping device, a microphone that bad actors could potentially use to talk to kids, and toys with companion apps that may include in-app purchases, where kids may run up big bills by accident. 

Before you buy your child a 'smart toy,' take these precautions

U.S. PIRG offers a complete guide as to what parents should consider before buying their child a smart toy, but the basics are simple. If a toy has any of the following features, a parent would be wise to reconsider purchasing it unless they also have the ability to set time limits, control privacy, etc.:

• Cameras, microphones or sensors

• Chat functions

• Location sharing

• In-app purchases

• Programming to accomplish a high level of individual personalization

“Read the fine print,” Cross urges. “Look at the terms & conditions and privacy policies for answers to key questions like what data does the toy gather about my child, what does the manufacturer use it for, and does the manufacturer share my child’s data with other companies?”

Parents and caregivers are being warned not to use the LUMI and MINI infant flotation rings sold by Otteroo Corporation.

An evaluation of the devices by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) found they can deflate during use or storage. As a result, the child occupant may slide out of the product into the water, leading to serious injury or death.

A a six-month old infant died by drowning in 2020 in Maine after slipping through an Otteroo infant flotation ring.

In a separate incident in New York in 2020, a three-month old infant was seriously injured.

Several devices pose concern

At issue are the LUMI and MINI infant flotation rings sold nationwide since January 2014, and discontinued models of infant flotation rings: the Version 1, sold from 2014 to 2015, and the Version 2, sold from 2015 to 2018.

According to CPSC, there have been 68 incidents where infants slipped through the head opening of the flotation ring and required immediate rescue.

CPSC is urging consumers not to buy the Otteroo infant flotation rings, and advises those who own one to stop using it and dispose of it immediately.

Additionally, consumers should NOT resell or donate the Otteroo infant flotation rings to avoid putting other infants in danger by the hazard.

Pushback from Otteroo

Otteroo has taken issue with the CPSC warning.

It claims the neck floats come with thorough safety instructions and warnings which -- if followed -- will ensure safe use.

Otteroo also says the warnings make it clear that neck floats are meant to be used under close and constant adult supervision.

And it contends there are inconsistencies and limited evidence concerning whether the neck floats were directly responsible.

The firm has refused to agree to CPSC’s request for an acceptable recall.

If AT&T is your carrier and you’ve got kiddos in the family, that combination is being fused by the carrier with the launch of its first kids-focused tablet.

The tablet is a version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite where the hardware and software are designed specifically with parents of young kids in mind – easy to set up and restricted access to apps, the internet, and other safety points of concern.

In an email to ConsumerAffairs, an AT&T spokesperson said that the table is perfect for little hands, too, with an 8.7-inch display with a rugged, durable case to handle the toughest of tough love and a battery life estimated at up to 11 hours. 

The price and the bonus content

Consumers actually have two price options: They can either purchase the device online or in stores for $250 upfront or spread that $250 over 36 months (a little less than $7/mo.).* 

AT&T customers also get access to Samsung’s Kids platform for free. That way, parents have the ability to quickly toggle out of “kids mode” and use the tablet like any other tablet when they need it.

*(0% APR, 36-mo. installment agreement with. $0 down for well-qualified customers. Tax on full price due at sale. Credit card may be req'd [except MA, PA, ND]. $35 activation fee and other fees may apply). 

And the all-important parental controls

Parental controls are nothing to be messed with and both Apple and Google (for Android) have made sure that those controls remain well-guarded.

AT&T/Samsung are following suit with the new tablet, allowing parents to set limits on playtime as well as give access to specific contacts and apps. Parents can also check the usage report to see what their child is doing or make sure they’re only seeing what’s appropriate when using this tablet.

How do you know if this tablet is the “right” device for your child? When that question was posed to AT&T, they said this:

“AT&T has teamed up with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to create free digital resources found on AT&T ScreenReady to help families use technology safely and responsibly. Parents can use the AAP’s interactive Family Media Plan tool to help create healthy digital habits for their family.”

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania explored some of the risks associated with adolescents’ behavior patterns. According to their findings, being impulsive during the early adolescent years can lead to poorer behaviors down the road.

“Kids with impulse control problems are at risk for a variety of adverse outcomes, such as drug use, acting-out behavior, and antisocial behavior,” said researcher Dan Romer.

“What we’ve found is that you’ve got to start mitigating impulsivity before it starts influencing behaviors that lead to substance use and antisocial behavior disorders. Once adolescents are on a trajectory of engaging in those behaviors, it may become more difficult to prevent disorders later in adolescence than it is to treat impulsivity itself.”

Targeting impulsivity

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from nearly 365 kids enrolled in the Philadelphia Trajectory Study. Participants were between the ages of 10 and 12 when the study began. They were interviewed once per year for six years and then completed one final interview two years later. During the interviews, they answered questions primarily about their behaviors and their choices at each stage of adolescence. 

The study highlighted impulsivity in early adolescence as a marker of future behavior. When the study began, children who were the most impulsive were the most likely to experience changes to their personality in later adolescence, including antisocial behavior and alcohol use disorder.  

However, for participants who developed more impulsive traits later in adolescence, this behavioral shift wasn’t as likely. The researchers found that antisocial behavior became an important predictor of future behavioral outcomes. 

“It is also important to target antisocial behavior to interrupt the cascade that predicts both alcohol use disorder and antisocial personality disorder,” said researcher Ivy Defoe. “In fact, the study showed that increases in antisocial behavior in mid- to late-adolescence further predicted increases in impulsivity as well. This is consistent with labeling theory that suggests that individuals who show antisocial behavior are subsequently labeled as ‘antisocial’ or ‘rule-breakers,’ which causes them to further exhibit attributes that are associated with such behavior.” 

The researchers hope more work is done to better identify young people who may be struggling with their mental health to help prevent potentially harmful behaviors as they grow into adulthood. They recommend an increase in screenings for these conditions, as well as mindfulness interventions geared towards adolescents. 

Mothers affect their kids both physically and mentally by how they interact with them. Now, researchers from the University of Houston are exploring how moms’ personal lives can affect their kids’ attachment styles. 

According to their findings, mothers who struggle with their own interpersonal relationships are more likely to have kids who develop an insecure attachment style, which can ultimately affect kids well into adulthood. 

“When mothers struggle in their own interpersonal relationships, the passing on of secure attachment and healthy relationship functioning to adolescent offspring seem to be impeded,” said researcher Carla Sharp. “Maternal interpersonal problems were associated with higher levels of insecure attachment in adolescent offspring such that adolescents would either dismiss the need for attachment with their moms or show angry preoccupation with the relationships with their moms.” 

Developing attachment issues

The researchers interviewed 351 pairs of mothers and children who were receiving inpatient psychiatric care. Children were asked specifically about their attachment to the people in their lives and the effect it has had on them. Mothers were asked to report on what they remembered about bonding with their own mothers. Both groups also answered questions about how close they felt to other people, if they struggled to feel close with other people, or if they tried too hard to please others. 

The study showed that when mothers struggled to maintain healthy interpersonal relationships – platonic, familial, or romantic – their children were more likely to have attachment issues. The researchers also found that this could be generational; mothers involved in the study who had poor experiences with their mothers were more likely to struggle in their relationships with their own kids. 

The researchers explained that all parents are hoping their children develop a secure attachment; this is when kids feel emotionally supported and connected to their parents and view them as comforting figures. However, this study highlighted the other attachment styles – insecure, dismissing, and preoccupied -- often create insecure attachments in kids.

Kids with insecure attachments will either completely reject a connection with their parents or have an unhealthy preoccupation with their relationship. Over time, this can affect mental health by increasing the risk of anxiety and depression. It can also be detrimental to social relationships and increase the risk of substance abuse. 

While many parents want to prepare their kids academically to start kindergarten, a new study conducted by researchers from Penn State suggests that sleep is an equally important factor for kindergarten readiness. 

According to the team's findings, the transition to kindergarten is likely to be easier when kids get comfortable with a consistent bedtime routine before starting school full-time. 

“We found that children who had 10 or more hours of sleep per night on a regular basis, particularly before the kindergarten year began, tended to maintain that more optimal sleep pattern across their full kindergarten year,” said researcher Doug Teti.

“This has significant implications for anyone interested in promoting healthier sleep patterns in children making the transition to first-time schooling; parents should do what they can to help their children regularly get most – if not all – of their sleep during night hours before the school year even begins.” 

The benefits of a sleep schedule

For the study, the researchers had 220 kids wear activity trackers to measure their sleep habits. They picked four one-week sessions starting in the summer months before kindergarten and then assessed sleep again in September, November, and April. The kids’ kindergarten teachers also answered questions about the children’s kindergarten preparedness and how well they transitioned into the new school year. 

The researchers found that children who got at least 10 hours of sleep each night had the most successful transition into kindergarten. The findings also showed that consistently getting this level of sleep was tied to better academic success, emotional development, and learning engagement.

The researchers noted that these benefits were only identified when kids were regularly sleeping for 10 or more hours each night. One night of not getting enough sleep, or trying to make up for lost nighttime sleep with a daytime nap, wasn’t effective.

“Good sleep hygiene appears to be just as beneficial for young children as it is for adults,” said Teti. “Establishing habits that lead to a good night’s sleep before the kindergarten year begins seems to give kids a leg up when making that transition to formal schooling."

A new study conducted by researchers from Michigan Medicine explored the harm that too much screen time can have on kids’ vision.

Their findings showed that excessive time in front of screens can increase the likelihood that children become nearsighted. However, the team says many parents aren’t aware of these risks.

“Many parents may not be aware of both the short and long-term health issues linked to excessive screen time, including its effect on children’s eyes,” said researcher Sarah Clark. “Our findings suggest that some parents may have inaccurate perceptions of activities that affect their child’s eye health and vision to minimize risks.” 

Knowledge gap surrounding screen time

The researchers surveyed over 2,000 parents who had children between the ages of three and 18. Parents answered questions about their kids’ screen time habits, their experience at the eye doctor, how much time they spend outdoors, and other lifestyle habits. 

The survey showed that just half of the parents knew about the effect that screen time can have on their kids’ vision. The researchers explained that a lot of time on devices combined with little time outdoors can increase the likelihood that kids become nearsighted. These vision problems can worsen over time and increase their risk of other complications. 

The researchers also found that less than 30% of parents reported that their kids wore blue light glasses. The team explained that blue light may not affect vision, but it can affect kids’ sleep quality. They recommend that kids stay off screens and avoid blue light within one hour before bedtime.

Eye exams and sun protection

In addition to screen time, the survey also looked at what other factors parents consider important for protecting their children’s vision. Many parents also weren’t clear on the effect of the sun on eyesight, with just two in five parents reporting that they have their kids wear sunglasses when outdoors. Experts have long suggested that parents take measures to protect their kids’ eyes when they’re out in the sun. 

“While parents often make sure their children’s skin is protected with sunscreen, they may not think about protecting their eyes from the sun as well,” said Clark. 

In this study, one in seven parents reported that their kids hadn’t been to an eye doctor in two years. However, to ensure that kids’ vision remains strong and healthy, the team encourages parents to make yearly eye doctor appointments.

“Children should get vision tests at least every two years to make sure eyes are developing properly,” Clark said. “It’s important to identify and treat vision problems as early as possible, because undiagnosed vision issues can lead to serious eye conditions in the future, including permanent vision loss.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Southampton explored how vitamin D may benefit infants. According to their findings, women who take vitamin D throughout pregnancy may help lower their babies’ risk of developing eczema. 

“We know that vitamin D can affect the immune system and the proteins that make up our skin,” said researcher Keith Godfrey. “We were interested to know if vitamin D supplements taken by pregnant women would have an impact on their child’s risk of atopic eczema. 

“Our findings showed a positive effect, which was more evident in infants that breastfed. This may reflect supplementation during pregnancy increasing the amount of vitamin D in breast milk.”  

Benefits of vitamin D

The researchers had 700 pregnant women involved in the study. Half of the women took 1,000 IU of vitamin D from the time they were 14 weeks pregnant through delivery; the other half took a placebo throughout their pregnancies. The team followed the women and their infants through pregnancy and the first four years of the infants’ lives. 

The study showed that taking vitamin D supplements helped lower the risk of atopic eczema through infants’ first 12 months of life. Ultimately, there was no link between vitamin D and eczema beyond the first year of infants’ lives. 

“We found no effect at 24 and 48 months suggesting that other postnatal influences might become more important beyond infancy or that the babies themselves might also need to be supplemented during the postnatal period for a sustained effect,” said researcher Dr. Sarah El-Heis. 

The team found that vitamin D was even more protective for infants who were breastfed than infants who were formula-fed. Breastfeeding for at least one month and taking vitamin D during pregnancy provided the lowest risk of eczema for infants involved in the study. Based on these findings, the researchers hope more women consider incorporating vitamin D supplements into their pregnancy regimens. 

“Our results showed that babies of mothers who received supplements had a lower chance of having atopic eczema at 12 months, which supports recommendations for vitamin D supplements to be routine during pregnancy,” Dr. El-Heis said. 

A new study conducted by researchers from the Boston University School of Public Health explored how different times of year may affect women’s reproductive health. According to their findings, women may be at a higher risk of miscarriage during the summer months as opposed to the winter months. 

“Any time you see seasonal variation in an outcome, it can give you hints about causes of that outcome,” said researcher Amelia Wesselink. “We found that miscarriage risk, particularly risk of ‘early’ miscarriage before eight weeks of gestation, was highest in the summer. Now we need to dig into that more to understand what kinds of exposures are more prevalent in the summer, and which of these exposures could explain the increased risk of miscarriage.” 

Summertime health risks

For the study, the researchers analyzed data on more than 6,100 women enrolled in the Pregnancy Study Online (PRESTO). The study follows women from the time of conception through six months after delivery, and the women shared information on pregnancy loss, lifestyle, medical history, and sociodemographics. 

The researchers identified a link between miscarriage risk and time of year. Women involved in the study were at a 31% higher risk of a miscarriage at any point in their pregnancy in August compared with February. The study also showed that where women lived played a role in their miscarriage risk, as women in the Midwest had a higher miscarriage risk in early September, while women in the South were at a higher risk in late August. 

This link was particularly strong for early miscarriages. In North America, the risk of a miscarriage in the first eight weeks of pregnancy was nearly 45% higher in late August than in early February. 

Though the research team plans to do more work to better understand what role the time of year plays in miscarriage risk, they believe that exposure to high temperatures may be dangerous to women’s health. 

“We know that heat is associated with higher risk of other pregnancy outcomes, such as preterm delivery, low birth weight, and stillbirth, in particular,” said Wesselink. “Medical guidance and public health messaging – including heat action plans and climate adaptation policies – need to consider the potential effects of heat on the health of pregnant people and their babies.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia explored how teens’ experiences with cyberbullying may have detrimental effects on their mental health. Their findings showed that young people are more likely to attempt suicide and have suicidal thoughts when they’re bullied online. 

“At a time when young adolescents are spending more time online than ever before, this study underscores the negative impact that bullying in the virtual space can have on its targets,” said researcher Dr. Ran Barzilay. “Given these results, it may be prudent for primary care providers to screen for cyberbullying routinely in the same way that they might screen for other suicide risk factors like depression. Educators and parents should also be aware of the substantial stress bullying in the cyberworld places on young adolescents.” 

Mental health risks

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from over 10,000 U.S. children between the ages of 10 and 13 who were enrolled in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. The kids answered questions about their experiences with cyberbullying and any history of suicidal thoughts or attempts. They also answered another survey about any traditional, offline bullying that they’d experienced or engaged in. 

The study showed that children who experienced cyberbullying were at a higher risk of having suicidal thoughts and attempting suicide. Nearly 9% of the group reported a history of cyberbullying, while 7.6% of the kids reported dealing with suicidality in some way. 

One interesting note from the study is that kids who were bullied online weren’t necessarily being bullied in person. The study showed that traditional bullying also differed from cyberbullying in how it affected the bullies. While those who cyberbullied others weren’t affected from a mental health perspective, offline bullies and targets of offline bullying were likely to struggle with suicidal thoughts and attempts. 

The researchers also found that children who were victims of cyberbullying were likely to struggle with mental health regardless of outside factors, such as school environment, family conflict, racial discrimination, parental relationships, and negative life events. 

Moving forward, the researchers hope that experts utilize these findings to improve suicide prevention strategies for young people. 

“Our findings suggest being a target of cyberbullying is an independent risk factor for youth suicidality,” said Barzilay. “For policymakers wishing to optimize youth suicide prevention efforts, this study should further encourage interventions for those who are being bullied online.” 

A new study conducted by the researchers from the University of Virginia Health System explored the new safe-sleep guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics. The goal of the new recommendations – which encourage parents to keep infants on their backs on flat, level surfaces to sleep – is to protect infants from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). 

“The best way to protect your baby while they are asleep is to follow these guidelines,” said researcher Dr. Rachel Moon. “When you place your baby for sleep, they should be on their back in a crib, portable crib, or bassinet that meets Consumer Product Safety Commission standards, and there should be nothing but the baby in the crib.” 

Promoting safe sleep habits

Experts say parents need to do everything possible to make their babies’ sleeping environment as safe as possible and that their recommendations will help guide those efforts. 

Keeping infants on their backs to sleep isn’t a new recommendation, but the researchers are reinforcing the importance of this sleeping position. They also say parents should avoid putting any stuffed animals, pillows, or blankets in the crib or bassinet with their babies.

While many infants are likely to fall asleep in their car seats or strollers, the team says this shouldn’t be a habit. Infants – especially those under four months old – shouldn’t be regularly sleeping on anything inclined. 

They also explained that breastfeeding and using pacifiers were linked with lower levels of SIDS. 

What to avoid

The recommendations highlight a few other things that parents should avoid when creating sleeping habits for their infants. For starters, any items that are marketed toward reducing the risk of SIDS are likely to be ineffective. They noted that there is no official evidence that any such products can be protective of infants’ health. 

Additionally, they recommend that parents stop swaddling when their babies are around three or four months old. Once they start becoming more mobile, swaddling can be dangerous and increase the risk of suffocation. 

The researchers hope these guidelines help parents keep their infants safe and reduce some of the worries around proper sleeping habits. 

“These recommendations are consistent with prior guidelines, with some updates based on new information,” said researcher Dr. Fern Hauck. “We want to reach new parents, grandparents, and other infant caregivers so that everyone is aware about how best to keep their baby safe. We also want parents to know that it is important to speak to your baby’s doctor about the guidelines and have an open discussion so that you can share your thoughts and make the best choices in caring for your baby.”

A new study conducted by researchers from Johns Hopkins Medicine explored some of the pregnancy risks for women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). According to their findings, pregnant women with the hormone condition may be at a higher risk for cardiovascular issues during delivery. 

“Oftentimes, women with PCOS are understandably concerned about the immediate effects of, like an irregular menstrual cycle, excess body hair, weight gain, and acne,” said researcher Dr. Erin Michos. “However, the long-term cardiovascular complications are also a serious problem.” 

The risk of pregnancy complications

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from over 17 million births between 2002 and 2019. The team broke down how many women had PCOS while pregnant. 

Among the more than 195,000 women who had PCOS at the time of delivery, it was clear that there was a link between PCOS and cardiovascular complications during pregnancy. Blood clots proved to be the biggest risk: Women with PCOS were more than 80% more likely to develop a blood clot during delivery. There was a nearly 80% higher risk for a weakened heart, a 76% higher risk of heart failure, and a 56% higher risk of preeclampsia. Women with PCOS were also twice as likely to have abnormal heartbeats at the time of delivery. 

It’s also important to note that there were other health and demographic factors that came into play for pregnant women with PCOS. The researchers learned that Black women with PCOS were at a higher risk of heart complications during delivery, while all women with PCOS were more likely to be obese, have high cholesterol, and struggle with diabetes. 

Moving forward, the researchers hope that these findings highlight the associated long-term heart health risks that are prevalent among women with PCOS. 

“Our study shows that PCOS is indeed a risk factor for acute cardiac complications at the time of delivery and should be taken seriously,” said researcher Salman Zahid. “We want to stress the importance of optimizing the cardiovascular health of women with PCOS with prevention efforts, especially Black women and lower socioeconomic groups because we believe that those are the most vulnerable populations and will benefit most from intervention.” 

Government safety regulators are warning parents not to use a popular infant-to-toddler rocker because at least 13 infants have died in one between 2009 and 2021.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Fisher-Price jointly issued an alert to consumers saying the products should never be used for sleep and children should never be left in one without supervision.

The products in question are the Fisher-Price Infant-to-Toddler Rockers and Newborn-to-Toddler Rockers.

Fisher-Price says it has sold more than 17 million of the rockers worldwide since the 1990s and reviews and evaluates reported incidents that occurred while infants were in the products. The company said parents and other caregivers should visit Fisher-Price’s Safe Start webpage for safety videos, tips, and additional safety information, as well as the latest safety warnings for rockers and other infant products. 

Consumers are also encouraged to report incidents to Fisher-Price at 800-432-5437.

Suffocation risk

Products designed to hold infants have long been a concern because of the risk of suffocation. Babies who are unable to move when placed in a rocker, swing, or glider can suffocate if they end up face down.

In 2018 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that parents were still engaging in risky infant sleep practices that were resulting in deaths. At the time, the CDC reported deaths due to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) had reached an annual average of about 3,500 a year.

Pediatricians say the best place for an infant to sleep is on a firm, flat surface in a crib, bassinet, or play yard. Parents and caregivers should use a fitted sheet only and never add blankets, pillows, padded crib bumpers, or other items to an infant’s sleeping environment.

Infants should always be placed to sleep on their back. Infants who fall asleep in an inclined or upright position should be moved to a safe sleep environment with a firm, flat surface such as a crib, bassinet, or play yard.

CPSC recently finalized a rule requiring that infant sleep products have a sleep surface angle of 10 degrees or less. The rule goes into effect next week.

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Michigan explored the long-term risks associated with parents spanking their children. According to their findings, children who are spanked may be more likely to become victims of physical abuse. 

“Nearly one-third of children under five in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) experience spanking,” the researchers wrote. “Studies from North America suggest that spanking is associated with heightened risk of physical abuse.” 

Understanding the risks of spanking

For the study, the researchers analyzed over 156,000 responses to the UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. All of the children involved in the study were between the ages of 1 and 4, and they came from 56 LMICs around the world. 

The biggest takeaway from the study was that spanking children was linked with a higher risk of physical abuse. The risk of physical abuse for children who weren’t spanked was under 10%, whereas the risk of physical abuse was 22% for children who were spanked. 

The team created a hypothetical model of 100 children to better understand the impact that spanking can have on their physical well-being. Based on their findings, approximately 32 of the 100 hypothetical children were spanked; physical abuse would then be prevalent in seven of those 32 children. 

The team noted that physical abuse would affect four fewer children in the hypothetical model if spanking was eliminated. In the national population, eliminating spanking would lower the risk of physical abuse by over 30%. 

“Child welfare advocates should discourage caregivers from using spanking, in order to prevent physical abuse,” the researchers wrote. 

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of California Los Angeles explored some of the risks that pregnant women face when exposed to air pollution.

According to their study conducted on mice, women who are exposed to air pollutants during pregnancy may have a higher risk of complications that affect their health and their babies’ health. 

“The cellular changes we have observed could provide the missing link between exposure to air pollutants and adverse pregnancy outcomes, thereby helping to focus development of preventive strategies for at-risk pregnancies,” said researcher Dr. Sherin Devaskar. 

Pollution may affect the placenta

The researchers divided female mice into two groups for the study: one group was nasally exposed to pollutants two months before conception and then throughout pregnancy; the second group was exposed to saline. The team analyzed tissue samples from both groups to understand what effect pollution could have on pregnant women and their babies. 

The study showed that the mice exposed to the pollution were affected on a cellular level and that the impact can affect health outcomes for mothers and infants.

As pollution enters the lungs, the immune system is activated in an unhealthy way that can ultimately affect the placenta. The researchers explained that this immune response can lead to a loss of vascular cells in the placenta, which could affect the food and nutrient supply going to the baby. It can also increase the risk for serious pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia and preterm birth. 

The researchers also observed that exposure to pollution during pregnancy was associated with inflammation in the lining of the uterus. 

While the researchers plan to do more work in this area to better understand the precise dynamics behind air pollution exposure and pregnancy risks, they say these findings highlight some specific ways that pollutants can affect pregnant women and their babies. 

Recent studies have highlighted the effects that maternal stress during pregnancy can have on infants’ development. Now, researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology have found that having older siblings can lead to better behavior and stronger development in young children. The findings remained true even when children were exposed to their mothers’ stress in utero. 

“In the first years of their lives, children develop the cognitive, social, and emotional skills that will provide the foundations for their lifelong health and achievements,” the researchers explained. “To increase their life prospects and reduce the long-term effects of early aversive conditions, it is therefore crucial to understand the risk factors that negatively affect child development and the factors that are instead beneficial. 

“Overall, our results confirm the negative effects that maternal stress during pregnancy may have on the offspring, and suggest an important main effect of older siblings in promoting a positive child development.” 

Benefits of siblings

The researchers had nearly 400 mother-child pairs answer questions about behavior, development, and stress. The team followed the women and their children from pregnancy until their children were 10 years old. They also took into account social and environmental factors that could affect stress levels and the role that siblings played on children’s developmental and behavioral outcomes. 

The study showed that women who reported higher levels of stress during pregnancy were more likely to report that their children struggled with behavior once they reached seven years old. They found that many of the mothers reported feeling tense, worried, and experienced a loss of joy during pregnancy. Over time, this translated to poorer behavioral outcomes for their children. 

“These results confirm previous findings about the negative impact that even mild forms of prenatal stress might have on child behavior, even after several years, and highlight the importance of early intervention policies that increase maternal well-being and reduce the risks of maternal stress already during pregnancy,” said researcher Federica Amici. 

However, a positive takeaway from this study was that children who had older siblings were more likely to have better behavioral and developmental outcomes regardless of their mothers’ stress levels. The team explained that interactions with older siblings can give kids important social tools. These sibling social dynamics may also help improve kids’ emotional development and problem-solving skills. 

“We were especially impressed by the important role that siblings appear to play for a healthy child development,” said researcher Anja Widdig. “We hope that our findings will draw attention to the importance of public health policies that directly target children and their siblings, and promote a healthy environment for their well-being and the development of high-quality sibling relationships.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from NYU Langone Health explored the efficacy of different fertility treatments. According to their findings, women who freeze their eggs when they’re younger may have more success having a baby later in life than women who opt for IVF. 

“Our findings shed light on the factors that track with successful births from egg freezing, which include careful screenings of embryos to be thawed and implanted,” said researcher Dr. Sarah Druckenmiller Cascante. “A better understanding of the live birth rate from egg freezing for age-related fertility decline is necessary to inform patient decision-making. 

“Importantly, our study is based on actual clinical experience, rather than mathematical modeling with limited data, which is most of what has been published on the chances of birth from egg freezing thus far.” 

Success of egg freezing

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from over 540 women who froze their eggs at an average age of 38. Between 2005 and 2020, the group went through 800 rounds of egg freezing, 605 egg thaws, and 436 embryo transfers. 

Ultimately, the study showed that nearly 40% of the women who froze their eggs between the ages of 27 and 44 years old were successful at having at least one child. While this figure is comparable to women who undergo IVF treatment, the researchers noted that egg freezing becomes a more successful option as women get older. 

The researchers cited data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that shows less than 20% of 40-year-old women delivered babies through IVF. However, this study showed that women who froze their eggs – even later in life – had better pregnancy outcomes.

Regardless of age, women who thawed over 20 eggs were nearly 60% likely to have a successful pregnancy and birth; women who thawed over 20 eggs under the age of 38 had a 70% success rate for pregnancy and birth. The study also included data on 14 women who froze their eggs between the ages of 41 and 43, and these women had healthy pregnancies and deliveries. 

“Our results provide realistic expectations for those considering oocyte preservation, and demonstrate that egg freezing technology empowers women with improved reproductive autonomy,” said researcher Dr. James A. Grifo. “Freezing eggs at a young age becomes an option to be one’s own egg donor at advanced age. As young patients freeze eggs and do more than one cycle, the success rates will be even higher than reported in this study.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology explored the link between breastfeeding and asthma. According to their findings, babies have a lower chance of developing asthma when their mothers breastfeed them for longer. 

“The results of the study indicated that the longer a mother exclusively breastfed, the lower the relative odds of her child having asthma, or asthma-related outcomes,” said researcher Dr. Keandra Wilson. 

Long-term respiratory benefits

The researchers analyzed data from over 2,000 mother-child pairs who were enrolled in the ECHO PATHWAYS studies. The mothers reported how they fed their children -- including breastfeeding, formula, and juice -- and how long they gave their children each option. The team followed up with the mothers when the children were between the ages of 4 and 6 and asked them about their children’s asthma outcomes. 

The team discovered a link between the duration that the women breastfed their babies and a lower risk of asthma. 

“There was a ‘dose-response’ effect depending on how long the mother breastfed: Babies that were breastfed 2-4 months had only 64% likelihood of having as many asthma outcomes as those who were breastfed less than 2 months; those breastfed for 5-6 months had 61% likelihood, and those who breastfed for more than 6 months had a 52% likelihood,” Dr. Wilson said. 

While breastfeeding proved to have some protective respiratory benefits, the researchers learned that not all feeding options yielded the same outcomes. There was no lower risk of asthma outcomes observed when women either supplemented breastfeeding with formula or added in juice or other foods. 

“Asthma runs in families, and according to the CDC, if a child has a parent with asthma, they are three to six times more likely to develop this condition than someone who does not have a parent with asthma,” said researcher Dr. Angela Hogan. “Anything a parent can do to lower the odds of their child getting asthma is worth considering.” 

The baby formula shortage is getting some much-needed relief thanks to the White House and FedEx. The assistance is part of the “Operation Fly Formula” effort, a Biden administration initiative that is designed to get as much baby formula on store shelves as soon as possible.

It’s been a busy week for FedEx’s network of long-haul pilots and express truck drivers. On Sunday, the company delivered its first airlift of formula – 114 pallets of Gerber Good Start Extensive HA that was flown in from Ramstein Air Base in Germany. On Wednesday, another FedEx plane flew from Germany with an additional 100,000 pounds – or about 1 million 8-ounce bottles – of Gerber formula. The shipment was offloaded and moved onto FedEx Express trucks for transport to a Nestle distribution center in Pennsylvania.

FedEx stated that it remains engaged with the Biden administration to provide logistics and transportation support as needed for Operation Fly Formula.

Transporting formula quickly

FedEx is involved with the effort because the USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have the authority to use Department of Defense-contracted commercial aircraft to pick up formula overseas and bring it to the U.S. 

“Our network was designed for missions like this – to move time-sensitive shipments safely and quickly,” said Gina Adams, Senior Vice President for Government and Regulatory Affairs, at FedEx. “The FedEx Express integrated air and ground network expedited the movement of baby formula from manufacturers overseas to the United States for distribution to retail locations and hospitals throughout the country. We’re proud to be working with the U.S. government and our healthcare customers to help alleviate this crisis.”

"Typically, the process to transport this product from Europe to the U.S. would take two weeks,” explained White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. “Thanks to Operation Fly Formula, we cut that down to approximately three days. This is a testament of the president's commitment to pulling every lever to get more infant formula onto the market."

The White House is prepared to do more

President Biden has said he will direct his administration to take whatever actions are deemed necessary to ensure there is enough safe infant formula for U.S. families.

His options include invoking the Defense Production Act, entering into a consent agreement with the FDA to reopen Abbott Nutrition’s Sturgis facility, and issuing guidance to permit major formula manufacturers to import formula that is not currently being produced for the U.S. market.

Same-sex couples face a lot of social and legislative stress, and a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Cologne explored how this can affect their kids. The findings show that kids are likely to develop well socially, regardless of their parents’ stress. 

“The new findings clearly show that same-sex families have strong resilience strategies to protect their children from prevailing legal hurdles and societal rejection,” said researcher Dr. Mirjam Fischer.

“For example, parents create an environment in which their children receive appreciation and recognition from others and where other same-sex families provide positive role models. However, it should not be necessary in the first place that parents have to develop these strategies.” 

Kids’ behavior is likely to remain solid

For the study, the researchers compared data from the Dutch national register on 62 kids from same-sex parents and 72 kids from different-sex parents. Parents were between the ages of 30 and 65, and children were between the ages of 6 and 16 years old. The parents completed surveys about their children’s behavior, relationships with other kids, emotional adjustment, hyperactivity, social behavior, and more. 

Ultimately, the researchers learned that there were no developmental differences between children from same-sex and different-sex parents. Both groups of kids were ranked similarly by their parents when it came to important social and emotional areas. 

Though many same-sex couples may deal with struggles socially and emotionally, this study showed that those same concerns aren’t passed down to their children. The researchers explained that these results are positive, as the type of stress felt by many same-sex couples may lead to both physical and mental health struggles. Based on these findings, parents may not need to worry about how their stress is affecting their kids. 

The team hopes that more work is done to show the similarities between children of same-sex and different-sex parents. They believe that the goal moving forward should be to have resources in place for same-sex parents who may be struggling with various stressors. 

Parents who are looking for ways to get their children outside and active this summer may have a new reason to redouble those efforts. Findings from a recent study suggest that engaging in "adventurous" playtime can help children develop better mental health. 

Helen Dodd, the lead researcher of the study and a professor of child psychology at the University of Exeter, says investing in ways to promote adventurous play can only benefit children in the long run. 

"We're more concerned than ever about children's mental health, and our findings highlight that we might be able to help protect children's mental health by ensuring they have plentiful opportunities for adventurous play," she said. 

"This is really positive because play is free, instinctive and rewarding for children, available to everyone, and doesn't require special skills."

Countering effects of COVID-19 lockdowns

The researchers came to their conclusions after surveying 2,500 parents about their young children's play activities, mental health before the COVID-19 pandemic, and mood during the first COVID-19 lockdown.

The team found that children who were able to spend more time playing adventurously outside had fewer problems linked to anxiety and depression and a more positive outlook during the first lockdown. The team said these results were consistent across a range of factors like age, sex, and family finances.

"This important research shows that this is even more vital to help children thrive after all they have missed out on during the Covid-19 restrictions. More play means more happiness and less anxiety and depression," said Dan Paskins, the director of the UK Impact at Save the Children.

What is adventurous play?

The researchers point out that there are several activities that children can engage in that qualify as "adventurous play." Some of them include:

• Camping out overnight;
• Swimming or paddling in a river or lake;
• Jumping from a swing;
• Creating obstacle courses inside or outside; and 
• Exploring woods alone or with a friend.

"This research emphasises the importance of adventurous play. Children and young people need freedom and opportunities to encounter challenge and risk in their everyday playful adventures," said Jacqueline O'Loughlin, CEO or PlayBoard NI. 

"It is clear from the research findings that playing, taking risks and experiencing excitement outdoors makes a positive contribution to children's mental health and emotional well-being. The rewards of allowing children to self-regulate and manage challenge in their play are widespread and far-reaching. Adventurous play helps children to build the resilience needed to cope with, and manage stress in challenging circumstances."

The full study has been published in the journal Child Psychiatry & Human Development.

A new study conducted by researchers from the Endocrine Society explored the effect that stress can have on women’s fertility. The researchers learned that higher exposure to stress made it harder for female mice to get pregnant. 

“We examined the effect of stress on ovarian reserve using a scream sound model in rats,” said researcher Wenyan Xi, Ph.D. “We found that female rats exposed to the scream sound had diminished ovarian reserve and decreased fertility.” 

How stress affects fertility

For the study, the researchers divided up female mice into three groups for three weeks – one group was exposed to white noise, one group was exposed to background noise, and a third group was exposed to a screaming sound. The team analyzed the effect that the different sounds and the stress had on the number and quality of the mice’s eggs, their ability to get pregnant, and their sex hormones. 

The researchers learned that exposure to the screaming sound, which caused a spike in stress levels, had a negative effect on the mice’s fertility. They had higher cortisol levels, which in turn created lower levels of two important reproductive hormones – Anti-Mullerian hormones and estrogen. The former is responsible for the production of reproductive organs, while the latter aids in reproductive development. 

The team hopes these findings emphasize the fertility risks associated with higher stress levels. 

“Based on these findings, we suggest stress may be associated with diminished ovarian reserve,” said Dr. Xi. “It is important to determine an association between chronic stress and ovarian reserve because doing so may expand our appreciation of the limitations of current clinical interventions and provide valuable insight into the cause of diminished ovarian reserve.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from Rutgers University explored how parents’ financial concerns may impact their infants’ sleep. According to their findings, babies may be more likely to have poor sleep when their parents struggle to afford diapers. 

“Sleep promotes brain development and solidifies learning and memory,” said researcher Sallie Porter. “Children with compromised sleep are more at risk for childhood obesity and emotional and behavioral problems.” 

Poor sleep can yield long-term effects

For the study, the researchers surveyed nearly 130 parents of children under the age of three. They answered questions about their financial hardship, diaper needs, and their infants’ sleeping habits. This included information on their perception of their children’s sleeping habits, general sleeping problems, how long it typically takes their babies to fall asleep, how often their babies wake up in the middle of the night, and any struggles they experience with sleep and their bedtime routine. 

Ultimately, one-third of the participants were short on diapers each month, while more than 75% said they were short on diapers at least once per year. Nearly 90% of the parents also said they were food insecure. 

This lack of diapers was found to be linked with poorer overall sleep outcomes. When parents struggled to provide diapers, they reported that their infants slept less, woke up more throughout the night, and had generally poorer sleep on a regular basis. 

This financial burden also affected how parents viewed their infants’ sleep. The more that parents struggled to provide diapers, the poorer their perception was of their kids’ sleeping habits. 

The researchers explained that a lack of sleep affects infants’ health and development long-term, and struggling to afford diapers can negatively affect parents’ mental health. The team hopes pediatricians work with families in need of diapers and help direct them toward resources that can help them. 

“Approximately one-third of U.S. mothers report difficulty affording diapers, and prevalence during the COVID-19 pandemic is likely much higher,” said Porter. “Diaper need is associated with an increased incidence of irritated skin and urinary tract infections. It is also related to increased maternal mental health symptoms.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from St. John’s College and the University of Cambridge explored the health benefits of parents finding out the sex of their baby. 

According to the findings, knowing the sex of a baby before giving birth may reveal important health information, as carrying male babies has been linked with complications. Having a treatment plan before delivery can ensure that women are making lifestyle choices that are best suited to their health. 

“Often parents don’t want to know the baby’s sex because they want it to be a surprise,” said researcher Dr. Amanda Sferruzzi-Perri. “But actually knowing the sex would help to identify whether a pregnancy may be at greater risk of than another because we know that some conditions of pregnancy, such as pre-eclampsia and fetal growth restriction can be more prevalent in women that carry male babies than females.

“We don’t quite know 100 percent why that is but it might be related to the fact that male babies grow faster in the womb. So it might be that their demands for nutrients and oxygen supplied from the mother through the placenta can easily become limited, so the male baby may not be receiving all that it really wants and needs to grow to its full capacity. It may be that its resilience against stresses or poor conditions in pregnancy may be lower than say, for females, who have got less requirements.”  

How babies’ gender affects pregnancy health

The researchers conducted their study on pregnant mice to better understand how knowing the sex of infants can inform health care during pregnancy. The team was primarily focused on mitochondria, which is where the placenta gets its energy from. They looked at how changes to mitochondria affected the mice’s health during pregnancy. 

Ultimately, the researchers learned that the mice exhibited differences in their placenta function when they were carrying male babies versus female babies. The placenta had better function when the mice were carrying lighter female babies, as opposed to heavier male babies. 

“The placenta has an amazing skill in changing how it forms and how it functions,” said Dr. Sferruzzi-Perri. “This can be seen at multiple levels from the way in which the cells form in the placenta, its genes and proteins, even its mitochondria. These can all change in response to different types of cues, whether it’s in a mother that has been eating sugary, fatty diet, or in a pregnancy where there is rivalry between the siblings when there’s more than one baby, but what I think is probably the most novel aspect is that the way the placenta does adapt seems to depend on whether the baby’s female or male.” 

Staying healthy during pregnancy

Based on these findings, the researchers hope more pregnant women find out the sex of their babies before delivery in order to create treatment plans that are specifically designed for them and their health. The goal is to have more therapies in place that would directly target the placenta and improve the health of women and their babies. 

“These therapies would increase the way in which the placenta functions, how it develops, even how at the level of its mitochondria it produces energy to support fetal growth,” Dr. Sferruzzi-Perri said. “A lot of this groundwork is reinforcing to us that the placenta is fundamental for healthy pregnancy outcomes, and that fetal sex is important. But by looking at the different sorts of genes, proteins, and cellular mechanisms, we might identify targets that could be like biomarkers and specifically targeted in the placenta to improve outcomes for mothers and their babies.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Bath explored how consumers divide household chores between mothers and fathers. Their findings showed that married mothers who have higher salaries than their husbands are also more likely to take on more of the household responsibilities. 

“Of course, we understand why specialized division of labor exists, but there is no reason for this specialization to be gender-specific,” said researcher Dr. Joanna Syrda. “Traditional division has been conventionally explained by men earning more and working longer hours and has a certain logical appeal. 

“However, I found that the gender housework gap actually gets bigger for mothers who earned more than their spouses – the more they earned over their partner, the more housework they did."

Income impacts household duties

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics from 1999 through 2017. This included long-term information on more than 6,600 couples across the U.S. 

While society has moved past some traditional gender norms, the researchers identified an interesting trend among heterosexual couples when it comes to income and household chores. Married mothers who made more money than their husbands were also more likely to take on the bulk of household responsibilities. 

“Married couples that fail to replicate the traditional division of income may be perceived – both by themselves and others – to be deviating from the norm,” Dr. Syrda. “What may be happening is that, when men earn less than women, couples neutralize this by increasing traditionality through housework – in other words, wives do more and husbands do less as they try to offset this ‘abnormal’ situation by leaning into other conventional gender norms.” 

The researchers learned that this trend wasn’t as strong among unmarried partners who lived in the same house compared to those who were married. Moving forward, the team hopes these findings can help couples understand their dynamics and hopefully prevent future conflicts. 

“This is important, because how couples divide the increased domestic workload after becoming parents will be an important determinant of earnings inequalities between women and men over the course of their lives – a pattern once settled upon is often difficult to renegotiate,” Dr. Syrda said. “And these norms may be passed to their children.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from University College London explored the mental health benefits associated with teens participating in artistic activities. 

Their work showed that engaging in activities like dance, orchestras, and acting, among several others, was linked with less antisocial and criminalized behaviors. Teens were also more likely to report better well-being and mental health when participating in these groups. 

“Past research has shown that getting involved in the arts can have a big impact on teenagers’ mental health and well-being,” said researcher Dr. Daisy Fancourt. “Our study adds to evidence about the wide-ranging benefits that arts and culture can have for young people, demonstrating a positive link between the arts and a lower prevalence of antisocial behavior.

“Notably, these findings remained, even when taking into account factors such as children’s age, gender, ethnicity, socio-economic background, their parents’ educational background, where they lived, and their previous patterns of antisocial behavior.” 

Mental health benefits of artistic activities

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from more than 25,000 teens enrolled in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health and the National Educational Longitudinal Study. Participants and their parents reported on their involvement in arts and culture activities, and the team assessed their mental health and well-being at several points over the course of the study. 

“Our definition of arts and cultural engagement was very broad,” said researcher Dr. Jess Bone. “It included dancing and acting in school clubs, reading, going to cinemas, museums, concerts, and music classes, as well as other hobbies that teenagers took part in regularly.” 

Ultimately, the researchers learned that there was a positive correlation between participating in artistic activities and reduced antisocial and criminal behaviors. Teens were less likely to sell drugs, misbehave in school, or get into fights. They also reported viewing these behaviors in a negative light and reported stronger self-control. 

Overall, teens had better overall mental health and well-being when they spent more time involved with the arts. This was true even one and two years removed from participating in such activities. 

“Finding ways to reduce antisocial behavior among teenagers is important because these behaviors may become established and continue into adulthood, affecting someone’s whole life,” said Dr. Bone. “Our findings demonstrate the importance of making arts and cultural activities available for all young people, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has limited access to and funding for these resources.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Otago explored how kids can benefit from their parents sharing memories with them.

The team explained that when parents are coached on how to discuss memories with their children, it helps them develop a better sense of identity and overall well-being as they grow and develop. 

“Our findings suggest that brief coaching sessions with parents early in children’s lives can have long-lasting benefits, both for the way adolescents process and talk about difficult life events and for their well-being,” said researcher Elaine Reese. 

“We believe parents’ elaborative reminiscing helps children develop more complete, specific, and accurate memories of their experiences, providing a richer store of memories to use when forming their identities in adolescence. Elaborative reminiscing also teaches children how to have open discussions about past feelings when they’re no longer in the heat of the moment.” 

Genuine conversations can benefit kids

For the study, the researchers evaluated the results from an ongoing trial that followed 115 mothers and their children. When the study began, the mothers were chosen to either participate in a training that taught them how to engage in elaborative reminiscing with their kids or to be in a control group with no training. The mothers underwent this training when their babies were one, and the team then tracked how this impacted their well-being 14 years later. 

The researchers learned that children of mothers who participated in the elaborative reminiscing training had marked improvements in well-being. By talking through some of the more simple memories of childhood, kids were better able to discuss some of the more difficult events they’d experienced by the time they were teenagers. 

“As a parent of a toddler myself, I can confirm that these elaborate reminiscing techniques are enjoyable and easy to learn,” said researcher Dr. Claire Mitchell. “Our study helps pave the way for future work with parents of young children to promote healthy interactions from the beginning that could have enduring benefits.” 

Talking through memories is helpful

The study found that talking through memories during childhood helped give kids a better sense of themselves during their teenage years. The researchers also found that these kids had fewer emotional difficulties and better overall well-being. 

Moving forward, the team hopes these findings spark more conversations between parents and their children and also work to improve mental health and wellness for adolescents. 

“The ultimate goal is to encourage parents to have more sensitive and responsive conversations about events in their lives,” said Dr. Mitchell. “For some young people, this dip is the beginning of more severe mental health issues that can be difficult to treat. Thus, it is important to find ways to prevent mental health difficulties earlier in life if possible.” 

Several studies have highlighted the ways that screens can negatively impact kids’ sleeping habits. Now, researchers from the University of Colorado at Boulder explored how even minimal light exposure may be detrimental to kids’ sleep. 

According to their findings, dim lighting before bedtime may affect preschoolers’ production of melatonin and disrupt their regular sleeping patterns. 

“Our previous work showed that one, fairly high intensity of bright light before bedtime dampens melatonin levels by about 90% in young children,” said researcher Lauren Hartstein. “With this study, we were very surprised to find high melatonin suppression across all intensities of light, even dim ones.” 

Keeping lights off near bedtime

For the study, the researchers had 36 children between the ages of three and five participate in a nine-day experiment. The children stayed on a strict sleeping schedule for the first seven nights; this allowed them to develop stable melatonin levels. On the eighth night, the kids’ rooms were transformed to be completely dark, and they had their saliva sampled every half hour from noon through bedtime. On the last night, the kids played on a light table an hour before bedtime. Each night of the study, the kids wore a watch that tracked their light exposure and sleep. 

The researchers learned that exposure to the light from the table significantly affected the children’s ability to produce melatonin. Compared to the second to last night of the experiment when the children’s rooms were darkened, the light from the table suppressed melatonin production anywhere from 70% to 99%. 

The researchers tested out different brightness levels on the last night of the study when the children were playing on the table. Even for children who had the tablets set to the dimmest levels, their melatonin production dropped by nearly 80%. For half of these kids, this light exposure before bed halted their melatonin production for the next hour. 

“Together, our findings indicate that in preschool-aged children, exposure to light before bedtime, even at low intensities, results in robust and sustained melatonin suppression,” said Hartstein.  

Adopting healthy bedtime habits

From a biological perspective, the researchers explained that children’s eyes are more susceptible to light because their pupils are larger than adults’ pupils. This can certainly play a role when it comes to light exposure before bedtime. 

While it’s nearly impossible for parents to eliminate all forms of light for their kids before going to sleep, the researchers hope this study helps inform families about the things they can adjust to help encourage healthy sleep.

“Kids are not just little adults,” said researcher Monique LeBourgeois. “This heightened sensitivity to light may make them even more susceptible to dysregulation of sleep and the circadian system.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from Rutgers University explored how a commonly-used chemical – phthalates – may impact women’s and infants’ health during pregnancy. 

According to their findings, exposure to phthalates, which are found in everything from personal care products to electronics, may affect women’s hormone levels during pregnancy. The team warns that this may have an effect on both women’s health and infants’ development. 

“We are all exposed to phthalates in our environment through the products we use and the foods we eat,” said researcher Emily S. Barrett. “Our findings show that these chemicals may alter the production of essential placental hormones, which has important implications for the course of pregnancy as well as subsequent child health and development.” 

Identifying risks to healthy hormone levels

To better understand the potential pregnancy risks related to phthalate exposure, the researchers analyzed data from over 1,100 women enrolled in the Conditions Affecting Neurocognitive Development and Learning in Early Childhood (CANDLE) study. They closely monitored the women’s exposure to phthalates throughout their pregnancies and evaluated their placental corticotropin-releasing hormone (pCRH) levels. This hormone affects maternal and infant health throughout pregnancy, and higher levels may indicate certain pregnancy complications. 

The researchers identified a connection between the women’s exposure to phthalates and changes to their pCRH levels, with higher levels of exposure being linked to higher pCRH levels. The chemical posed the biggest risk to women with other pregnancy complications, such as high blood pressure or gestational diabetes. 

The researchers explained that pCRH is responsible for several important processes throughout pregnancy, including starting the process of labor and delivery. However, when levels spike, it puts women and their infants at an increased risk for complications. Women may be more susceptible to postpartum depression and high blood pressure, while infants may struggle with healthy growth and development. 

Now, the goal is to continue doing research in this area to better understand how women can best protect themselves during pregnancy. 

“Associations between phthalates and pCRH among women with pregnancy complications grew stronger across the course of pregnancy,” said Barrett. “We know very little about how women with pregnancy complications are affected by environmental exposures. This study sets the stage for future research in that area.” 

Recent studies have found that breastfeeding may come with health benefits for women, including a lower risk of postpartum depression or cognitive decline. Now, researchers from the American Heart Association have found that breastfeeding may also lower the risk of heart disease and related deaths. 

“Previous studies have investigated the association between breastfeeding and the risk of cardiovascular disease in the mother; however, the findings were inconsistent on the strength of the association and, specifically, the relationship between different durations of breastfeeding and cardiovascular disease risk,” said researcher Dr. Peter Willeit. “Therefore, it was important to systematically review the available literature and mathematically combine all of the evidence on this topic.” 

Heart health benefits of breastfeeding

The researchers analyzed eight studies conducted in countries around the world, which included data on over 1.2 million women. They tracked the women’s breastfeeding history and their heart health.

The researchers learned that a history of breastfeeding was linked with several protective health benefits. Women who breastfed were 11% less likely to develop cardiovascular disease and 17% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease. Similarly, breastfeeding was linked with a 12% lower risk of stroke and a 14% lower risk of coronary heart disease. 

“It’s important for women to be aware of the benefits of breastfeeding for their babies’ health and also their own personal health,” Dr. Willeit said. “Moreover, these findings from high-quality studies conducted around the world highlight the need to encourage and support breastfeeding, such as breastfeeding-friendly work environments, and breastfeeding education and programs for families before and after giving birth.” 

The number of times women gave birth or their age when they gave birth had no correlation on the relationship between breastfeeding and heart health. However, breastfeeding for at least one year was associated with the best heart health outcomes. 

While many women know the infant health benefits of breastfeeding, the researchers hope these findings emphasize the health benefits that come from breastfeeding for mothers. 

“Raising awareness regarding the multifaceted benefits of breastfeeding could be particularly helpful to those mothers who are debating breast versus bottle feeding,” said researcher Dr. Shelley Miyamoto. “It should be particularly empowering for a mother to know that by breastfeeding she is providing the optimal nutrition for her baby while simultaneously lowering her personal risk of heart disease.” 

The holiday season isn’t always the most joyful time of year for consumers because it can come with a lot of additional stress. Researchers from Michigan Medicine at the University of Michigan recently explored how parents’ stress may impact their children.

According to their findings, about 20% of parents reported that their stress during the holiday season makes it hard for their children to fully enjoy this time of year. 

“People are surrounded by images depicting the holidays as a time of peace, love, and joy,” said researcher Sarah Clark. “Many parents want to give their children those perfect magical memories to treasure for years to come. 

“But all of the behind the scenes work to make that vision come true could have the opposite effect for some families. Excessive parental stress can add tension and diminish the joy children associate with the season.” 

Managing holiday stress

For the study, the researchers surveyed parents around the country to better understand what the holidays are like for them and how they think their experiences and attitudes impact their children. 

The survey showed that one in six parents reported high levels of stress during the holidays, with mothers reporting higher stress levels than fathers. The top three reasons for holiday stress included having to do extra tasks, concerns over family members’ health, and finances. 

Ultimately, about 20% of the parents reported that their children were negatively affected by this holiday stress. The results showed that most of this negativity comes from both children’s and parents’ high expectations for the holidays. 

Beating holiday stress

The researchers also asked parents how they manage stress levels during the holidays. More than 70% of respondents said alone time helps them lower their stress levels. Listening to music, exercise, and religious services were also helpful for some people. 

The researchers recommend that families talk about what's most important to them during the holiday season and what aspects of the holidays bring up too much stress. 

“One strategy is to talk as a family about holiday plans and priorities,” said Clark. “Parents may have misconceptions about what their child’s favorite holiday memories and traditions are – they could actually be much simpler than you think.” 

The researchers hope these findings lead to meaningful conversations among family members about stress and mental health during the holidays. 

“The holiday season may be a time for parents to model good mental health hygiene, by verbalizing how they recognize and try to relieve stress,” said Clark. “This approach is an invitation for children to share their own feelings of stress and a reminder to take action when their stress is elevated.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from Curtin University explored how preeclampsia may act as a risk factor for preterm birth. Their findings show that preeclampsia increases the risk for preterm birth, and one early delivery is likely to increase the risk of future preterm deliveries if preeclampsia persists. 

“Until recently, a first birth at full term was considered a reduced risk for a preterm delivery in the next pregnancy,” said researcher Jennifer Dunne. “However, there is emerging evidence that a complicated first pregnancy, regardless of whether the baby was delivered early or at full-term, increases the subsequent risk of a baby being born prematurely.” 

Preeclampsia increases risk of preterm birth

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from more than 125,000 women who had multiple births in Australia between 1998 and 2015. They paid close attention to four major pregnancy complications that could increase the risk of preterm birth: preeclampsia, stillbirth, low birth weight, and placental abruption. 

The study showed that preeclampsia played the biggest role in increasing the risk for preterm birth. For women who delivered preterm as a result of preeclampsia, there was a higher risk for delivering early a second time if preeclampsia returned. 

“When both pregnancies were complicated by preeclampsia, the risk of a subsequent preterm birth increased 10-fold after an initial term birth and 17-fold when the first birth was preterm, compared to women who had an uncomplicated first pregnancy,” Dunne said. “This study also found that there was a three-fold higher risk of women experiencing a subsequent case of pre-eclampsia after a preterm birth in the first pregnancy that was not complicated by preeclampsia.” 

Preeclampsia not the only pregnancy risk

While preeclampsia was linked with the strongest risk of preterm birth, the researchers also learned that any of the four major pregnancy complications may contribute to early deliveries. 

“Having any of the four complications in their first pregnancy puts women at an increased risk of a preterm birth in their next pregnancy, regardless of whether that first birth ended at full term or preterm,” said Dunne. “Likewise, women whose first pregnancy ended in preterm delivery were at an increased risk for each pregnancy complication in the second pregnancy.” 

Moving forward, the researchers hope more work is done in this area to better understand women’s health risks during pregnancy and delivery. 

“The findings of this study will help clinicians to better identify women who are at an increased risk of either a preterm birth or complications in their subsequent pregnancies,” Dunne said. “Further research is now needed to reveal the specific pathways that explain these strong links between pregnancy complications and preterm births, whether they be genetic, pathological, and behavioral or recurrent issues.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from Ruhr-University Bochum explored some of the most effective ways for parents to get toddlers to better handle having to wait. According to their findings, toddlers’ temperaments are an important consideration when it comes to picking the right distraction.  

“In the present study, toddlers chose a distraction strategy (active vs. calm) matching their temperamental activity level,” the researchers wrote. “This finding suggests that it could be helpful to give toddlers a choice of toys with different activity levels to help them regulate themselves when they are expected to handle a mildly distressing situation on their own.” 

Teaching toddlers emotional regulation

For the study, the researchers had nearly 100 two-year-old toddlers and their parents participate in a series of experiments that tested the children’s ability to wait.

In the first trial, the toddlers were told to wait three minutes for a small piece of candy. They were given two different toys to help them pass the time before they received their prize. One of the options was a lawnmower toy, which was considered more active; the other was a set of cups, which the researchers said was more calming. 

Ultimately, the team saw a direct correlation between the children’s temperament and how they chose to use their waiting time. 

“We observed that children who were described by their parents as rather calm tended to occupy themselves by playing calmly, such as stacking the cups, and the toddlers who were characterized by their parents as rather active tended to play in an active manner, such as running around with the lawn mower and thus managed to regulate their negative feelings well,” said researcher Joanna Schoppmann. 

How parents can be role models

In the second trial, the researchers were interested in understanding how parents can support their toddlers when it comes time to wait for things. Again, the children were waiting for three minutes for a small piece of candy. But this time, one group had the researchers demonstrate different ways that they could entertain themselves while they waited. A second group played for the entirety of the three minutes with no mention of waiting. 

While this trial showed no relationship between the toddlers’ temperaments and how they distracted themselves, the researchers learned that parents can serve as models for easing their toddlers into waiting. When the children in the experiment saw other adults playing or distracting themselves, they were more likely to do the same -- in any capacity -- during the three minutes. 

Moving forward, the researchers hope this work can help parents better manage their toddlers so they can learn how to control themselves when having to wait for something. 

A new study conducted by City University London explored the possible risks of kids frequently playing violent video games. According to their findings, these games may not be linked to an increase in violence among kids. 

“Popular media often links violent video games to real-life violence, although there is limited evidence to support this link,” said researcher Dr. Agne Suziedelyte. “I find no evidence that child-reported violence against other people increases after a new violent video game is released. Thus, policies that place restrictions on video game sales to minors are unlikely to reduce violence.” 

Understanding the impact of video games

The researchers had boys between the ages of eight and 18 involved in the study. They tracked the release of some of the most popular violent video games and interviewed parents to understand how the boys acted. The team was primarily concerned with two types of violence among the participants: the destruction of things and aggression against other people. 

Ultimately, the researchers learned that children weren’t likely to be violent or aggressive towards others following the release of violent video games. However, kids may be more likely to be destructive with the things in and around their homes after playing these types of games. 

While many parents may be hesitant to allow their kids to play these types of games, the researchers believe these findings explain how exposure to violence in this way can affect kids in their day-to-day lives. 

“Taken together, these results suggest that violent video games may agitate children, but this agitation does not translate into violence against other people -- which is the type of violence which we care about most,” said Dr. Suziedelyte. “A likely explanation for my results is that video game playing usually takes place at home, where opportunities to engage in violence are lower. This ‘incapacitation’ effect is especially important for violence-prone boys who may be especially attracted to violent video games.” 

Several studies have highlighted the risks for consumers associated with exposure to smoke and pollution from wildfires. Now, a new study published in eLife suggests that these pollutants could be especially harmful to pregnant women and their unborn children.

According to their findings, when women are exposed to wildfire smoke during pregnancy, it may increase the risk of low birth weight for their infants. 

“Babies with low birth weight are at higher risk of a range of diseases in later life compared to normal weight newborns,” said researcher Jiajianghui Li. “Several studies have shown the effects of landscape smoke on acute lung and heart conditions, but the health impacts of these pollutants on susceptible pregnant women are not well known. We wanted to explore the association between birth weight and exposure to fire source pollution across several countries and over a long time period.” 

Newborn health risk

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from nearly 110,000 siblings from more than 50 low- or middle-income countries. They also looked at information collected by the Global Fire Emission Database to determine how the participants were directly impacted by forest fires and evaluated survey responses from women involved in the U.S. Agency for International Development. 

Ultimately, the researchers identified a direct relationship between exposure to wildfire smoke pollutants and low infant birth weight. 

“The effect was even more pronounced when we looked at whether exposure to fire smoke was linked to low or very low birth weight; for every microgram per cubic meter increase in particulate matter, the risks of low and very low birth weight increased by around three and 12 percent, respectively,” said researcher Tianjia Guan. 

The team took the findings a step further by looking at individual families to see if any factors impacted the infants’ low birth weight. They learned that those with a family history of low birth weight were at the greatest risk and were more likely to have newborns with very low birth weight when exposed to wildfire smoke. 

Moving forward, the researchers hope more work can be done to protect consumers from these harmful pollutants. 

“Our global, sibling-matched study has identified a link between exposure in pregnancy to landscape fire pollution and reduced birth weight in low- and middle-income countries,” said researcher Tao Xue. “Newborns from families where lower birth weights were more common were the most susceptible. It is essential to develop steps that reduce the frequency of landscape fires, for example through climate change mitigations, to protect maternal and infant health in these vulnerable populations.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Kansas explored the stressors that parents who are nurses may experience in their day-to-day schedules. Their findings showed a significant link between stress and sleep issues for parents who are also nurses. 

“We were really interested in looking at how the sleep-stressor relationship is different for nurses who are parents and nurses who are not parents,” said researcher Taylor Harris. “We also wanted to look at how many children parents have further influences the relationship between sleep and stress in those working parents, because caregiving at work and at home can be particularly difficult -- sometimes we don’t always look at that intersection specifically in the most prominent health care profession, which is nursing.” 

How does parenting impact stress and sleep?

For the study, the researchers had 60 nurses complete surveys for two weeks; some of the nurses involved in the study were parents, and others were not. The questions were about the participants’ sleeping patterns and stress levels, with each participant being prompted to complete the surveys four times throughout the day. 

The study showed that nurses with children at home weren’t getting as much sleep as those without children; parents also experienced more stress than non-parents. The surveys also indicated that having more children led to more stress and worse sleeping habits.

“The most striking findings were when looking at nightly sleep quality and stressor frequency and then nightly sleep quality and stressor severity,” Harris said. “We see how the participants who were parents had this stronger linkage between poor sleep and frequency and severity of stress, showing how for this population of nurses -- all either day shift or night shift workers -- being a parent really exacerbates that link.” 

These findings are concerning because struggling with sleep and having to manage a lot of stress at work and at home can negatively impact nurses. The researchers worry about nurses with children finding balance so they can do their best both at home and at work. 

“Sometimes we don’t think about the sleep-stressor link, and that can be really important in terms of intervention purposes for nurses who are parents, so that they can in turn be both better workers and better parents,” said Harris. 

“Caregiving both at home and work is really difficult and being able to provide whatever type of intervention that would help nurses sleep better would then help lower those stressor frequencies and severity of stressors and, in turn, promote better cognitive performance at work and just better quality of life overall.” 

While several studies have highlighted the health benefits of breastfeeding for newborns, a new study conducted by researchers from UCLA explored the benefits for mothers. Their findings revealed that breastfeeding may reduce the risk of cognitive decline for women in later life. 

“While many studies have found that breastfeeding improves a child’s long-term health and well-being, our study is one of the very few that has looked at the long-term health effects for women who had breastfed their babies,” said researcher Molly Fox, Ph.D. “Our findings, which show superior cognitive performance among women over 50 who had breastfed, suggest that breastfeeding may be ‘neuroprotective’ later in life.” 

Cognitive benefits of breastfeeding

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from 115 women over the age of 50 who were involved in one of two long-term studies run at UCLA. The women answered questions about their pregnancy and reproductive histories and completed cognitive assessments that measured four important factors: executive functioning, learning, delayed recall, and processing. 

The study showed that breastfeeding was associated with better cognitive outcomes for the women involved in the study. However, how long the women breastfed also played a role in their cognitive outcomes. 

The researchers learned that women who breastfed for more than a year outperformed women who either didn’t breastfeed at all or stopped breastfeeding after less than a year in all four cognitive categories. Similarly, women who breastfed anywhere from one to 12 months performed better on three out of four categories compared with women who never breastfed. 

“Future studies will be needed to explore the relationship between women’s history of breastfeeding and cognitive performance in larger, more geographically diverse groups of women,” said Dr. Fox. “It is important to better understand the health implications of breastfeeding for women, given that women today breastfeed less frequently and for shorter time periods than was practiced historically.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from Bar-Ilan University explored how exposure to extreme temperatures may impact women during pregnancy. Their findings showed that experiencing severe hot or cold temperatures during pregnancy may increase infants’ risk of having a low birth weight. 

“Our study demonstrated the significant associations between exposure to high and low outdoor temperature and birthweight in all term births born in Israel during five years,” said researcher Dr. Keren Agay-Shay. “Lower birth weight may indicate abnormalities in intrauterine growth and is a risk factor for morbidity during early childhood and over the entire course of life.” 

Understanding pregnancy health risks

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from more than 624,000 births in Israel between 2010 and 2014. They also evaluated the residential areas where the women gave birth and tracked the temperatures throughout the women’s pregnancies. 

The researchers learned that exposure to extreme temperatures during pregnancy -- whether hot or cold -- increased the risk of infants being born with a low weight. Extreme cold temperatures were linked with a lower birth weight of 56g, while extreme hot temperatures were associated with a lower birth weight of 65g. 

The study found that these risks were the highest in the later months of pregnancy. Exposure to extreme weather in the second -- and even more so in the third -- trimester was associated with the biggest drop in birth weight. 

“The patterns of associations were consistent when stratified by urbanicity and geocoding hierarchy, when estimated for daily minimum and maximum temperatures, when exposures were classified based on temperature distributions in 49 natural regions, and when estimated for all live births (including preterm births and those with birth defects),” said Dr. Agay-Shay. 

Because global temperatures are predicted to continue going up, the researchers hope these findings lead to changes in public health strategies that address climate change. 

While many parents opt to put their infants in a carrying sling for long walks or to run errands, a new study may have consumers rethinking their purchasing options. 

According to researchers from the American Academy of Pediatrics, baby-wearing products may increase the risk of serious injuries for infants under the age of one. 

“The most precious thing a parent will ever wear is their child,” said researcher Dr. Samantha Rowe. “But like when buying a new pair of shoes, parents must be educated on the proper sizing, selection, and wear of baby carriers to prevent injury to themselves and their child.” 

Keeping infants safe

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System from 2011 through 2020. In that time, there were more than 14,000 infant injuries related to baby carriers. 

The majority of the injuries were incurred by infants younger than six months old, and nearly 84% of these accidents resulted in head injuries; approximately 20% of infants were taken to the hospital following the injury. 

The researchers learned that 30% of the injuries occurred when a parent was wearing a sling-type baby carrier. Around 20% of these types of injuries occurred when a caregiver fell while wearing a baby carrier.

Ultimately, the biggest risk of wearing a baby carrier is for very young infants. The study showed that infants aged 0-5 months were involved in the most accidents, though all babies under the age of 1 had a higher risk of experiencing these types of injuries. 

Baby carriers make it easier for caregivers to multitask and form attachment bonds with their infants. However, safety is the most important thing for both newborns and caregivers. To avoid significant injury and hospitalization, the researchers recommend that parents and caregivers take the time to do their research on these products -- especially when it comes to selecting the right product size. 

A new study conducted by researchers from the American Academy of Pediatrics explored the health risks associated with infants’ exposure to marijuana through their mothers’ breast milk. According to their findings, premature infants showed no short-term health risks when their mothers breastfed and tested positive for THC. 

“Providing breast milk from THC-positive women to preterm infants remains controversial since long-term effects of this exposure are unknown,” said researcher Dr. Natalie L. Davis. 

“For this reason, we continue to strongly recommend that women avoid marijuana use while pregnant and while nursing their babies. Our study, however, did provide some reassuring news in terms of short-term health effects. It definitely indicates that more research is needed in this area to help provide women and doctors with further guidance.” 

What are the risks?

For the study, the researchers analyzed medical records of more than 760 preterm infants born between 2014 and 2020. The team tested all of the mothers for THC and monitored the infants’ health outcomes. They compared results from infants given THC-positive breast milk with those who were given either formula or breast milk from THC-negative mothers. 

Ultimately, the researchers learned that all of the infants involved in the study experienced similar health outcomes, regardless of their mothers’ THC status. The researchers tracked the infants from the time they were born until they were allowed to be taken home, and all of the key health markers -- feeding habits, breathing difficulties, and lung development -- were comparable.

While nearly 20% of the mothers tested positive for THC at the time of delivery, there were no significant short-term health challenges identified. The researchers hope more work is done in this area to better understand the potential long-term effects of marijuana exposure in women’s breast milk. 

“Teasing out the effects of THC can be very difficult to study,” said Dr. Davis. “We found that women who screened positive for THC were frequently late to obtain prenatal care, which can have a detrimental effect on their baby separate from marijuana use. This is important to note for future public health interventions.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from Children’s National Hospital explored what it’s like for kids to deal with food allergies. Their findings suggest that many kids who have food allergies face threats to their mental health because they tend to get teased or bullied.

“Food allergy-related bullying can have a negative impact on a child’s quality of life,” said researcher Linda Herbert, Ph.D. “By using a more comprehensive assessment, we found that children with food allergies were bullied more than originally reported and parents may be in the dark about it. 

“The results of this study demonstrate a need for greater food allergy education and awareness of food allergy-related bullying among communities and schools where food allergy-related bullying is most likely to occur.”

Bullies taunt and intimidate children with food allergies

The researchers came to their conclusions after analyzing questionnaire responses from over 120 parents and 120 children between the ages of 9 and 15 with a significant food allergy. The kids answered questions about their social-emotional experiences with food allergies, and their caregivers did the same. 

Ultimately, nearly 20% of the children reported that they had been bullied because of a food allergy. However, only 12% of parents knew this was an issue. 

Of the children who were bullied, verbal teasing was the most common way that the kids were affected. In these cases, bullies weren’t physical; instead, they tended to mock kids for their allergies and tried to intimidate them. In 55% of bullying cases, children were taunted with food items that they were allergic to. Bullies would throw the food at them, wave it in their faces, or bring it in or near their food. 

The researchers hope these findings highlight the ways that kids are impacted by their food allergies when they’re at school. Being aware of the issue is important for caregivers so they can try to provide the right support.

“It’s important to find ways for children to open up about food allergy-related bullying,” Dr. Herbert said. “Asking additional specific questions about peer experiences during clinic appointments will hopefully get children and caregivers the help and support they need.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of California San Francisco explored the risks pregnant women face when they’re exposed to air pollution. Their findings showed that exposure to both indoor and outdoor air pollution during pregnancy can have significant impacts on newborns, including low birth weight and premature birth. 

“The air pollution-attributable burden is enormous, yet with sufficient effort, it could be largely mitigated,” said researcher Rakesh Ghosh, Ph.D. 

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from previous studies that tracked both indoor and outdoor air pollution. They compared the results with 2019 data on pregnancies and related complications to determine how air pollution can negatively impact newborns. 

On a global scale, the study showed that all forms of air pollution were linked to nearly 3 million underweight newborns and 6 million premature newborns in 2019. In the U.S., air pollution was responsible for nearly 12,000 premature births.  

Two regions were associated with the highest levels of air pollution -- sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. The researchers found that if pollution levels are stabilized in these two hotspots, it would significantly benefit pregnancy outcomes. 

All types of air pollution are problematic

While outdoor air pollution has been well-documented, the researchers explained that everything from stoves and fireplaces to cleaning products can contribute to higher indoor pollution levels. They note that all sources of air pollution can increase the risk for pregnancy complications. 

The researchers hope these findings highlight the importance of fighting against climate change and rising air pollution levels. 

“With this new, global and more rigorously generated evidence, air pollution should now be considered a major driver of infant morbidity and mortality, not just of chronic adult disease,” said Dr. Ghosh. “Our study suggests that taking measures to mitigate climate change and reduce air pollution levels will have significant health co-benefit for newborns.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from University College London explored the potential long-term effects associated with traumatic childhood experiences. 

According to their findings, experiencing neglect and abuse during childhood may be associated with an increased risk of premature death. 

“Our work shows the long-lasting consequences that specific types of child abuse and neglect can have,” said researcher Dr. Nina Rogers. “The findings are especially important because these early-life adversities are not uncommon, affecting millions of people in the U.K.” 

Risks of childhood trauma

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from more than 9,300 people enrolled in the 1958 National Child Development Study. During the participants’ childhoods, their parents and teachers completed questionnaires about their home lives. Then, when the participants were in their mid-40s, they answered questions about childhood abuse. The researchers tracked the participants’ health outcomes over the next 13 years and monitored their mortality in that time. 

Ultimately, the researchers identified a link between trauma during childhood and an increased risk of early death. 

Overall, 11% of the participants experience psychological abuse by the age of 16 and 1.6% experienced sexual abuse; the risk of premature death was 1.4 times higher when children were neglected and 1.7 times higher when children were sexually abused. 

However, the researchers also found that other life circumstances were also associated with an early death. In this study, children from lower-income families were 1.9 times more likely to experience premature death. 

The researchers accounted for several factors in adult life that could contribute to an increased risk of early death, including obesity, mental health, and substance abuse. They learned that there was a link between childhood neglect and smoking as an adult, but no other associations were made. 

“This study is the first to disentangle the independent association between different kinds of childhood maltreatment and mortality in adulthood,” said researcher Dr. Snehal Pinto Pereira. “Importantly, very few studies have considered the long-term implications of experiencing neglect in childhood. I therefore think our finding that children who are neglected have a 43% higher risk of dying early in adulthood, highlights a critical component of child maltreatment where knowledge of long-term outcomes is particularly sparse.” 

While recent studies have found that too much screen time can impact kids’ performance in school, it may not be a detriment to their overall behavior or socializing skills. 

In a new study, researchers from the University of Colorado at Boulder found that a lot of time in front of screens doesn’t have a negative impact on kids’ mental health and may actually be a benefit to their friendships. They also learned that academic performance, behavior, and sleep are only slightly impacted by electronics. 

“A number of papers in recent years have suggested that screen time might be harmful for children, but there have also been some reviews that suggest those negative effects have been overestimated,” said researcher John Hewitt. “Using this extensive dataset, we found that yes, there are relationships between screen time and negative outcomes, but they are not large and not dire.” 

What are the effects of screen time?

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from nearly 12,000 children enrolled in the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development study. The kids completed mental health assessments and answered questions about their screen time, and their parents provided information on their grades and overall behavior. 

The study showed that there were links between screen time and behavioral issues, but the researchers explained that there is more to the data than meets the eye.

Sleep and behavior were both negatively affected by too much screen time; however, many kids may try to distract themselves with their phones when they’re awake in the middle of the night, and parents may try to use screens as a way to help kids calm down. This means that screen time may not be the culprit when it comes to poor sleep or behavioral issues, but they are connected.

The researchers explained that although screen time can impact many parts of kids’ lives, the effects of spending a lot of time with devices aren’t necessarily detrimental long term. It’s also important to note that things like behavior and sleep can be impacted by other life stressors — not just screen time. 

“These findings suggest that we should be mindful of screens, but that screen time is likely not inherently harmful to our youth,” said researcher Katie Paulich.

Additionally, the study showed that some online activities actually help kids form closer bonds. Things like playing games together or connecting on social media can foster closer relationships among friends. 

Though many parents struggle with screen time limits, the researchers encourage consumers to think about kids holistically rather than sticking to specific guidelines. 

“The picture is unclear and depends on what devices, which activities, what is being displaced, and, I strongly suspect, the characteristics of the child,” Hewitt said. “I would advise parents not to be overly concerned about their kids spending a few hours a day on their devices.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from the American Society of Hematology explored the risks associated with pregnant women missing out on important rounds of vitamin testing. 

Their work showed that a large percentage of pregnant women aren’t being tested for an iron deficiency, even though one in two pregnant women are iron deficient. 

“Despite the very high prevalence of iron deficiency in pregnancy, and how easy it is to treat, we are not doing a very good job of checking for it,” said researcher Dr. Jennifer Teichman. “It’s not top of mind, in part, because of inconsistent recommendations for ferritin testing across clinical guidelines.” 

The push for more iron testing

The researchers analyzed data from more than 44,000 pregnant women between 2013 and 2018. The women were seeking prenatal care at community laboratories in Canada, and they reported on how often ferritin testing, the blood test that is given to pregnant women to determine iron deficiency, was offered during pregnancy. 

The study showed that 60% of the women received ferritin testing during pregnancy, and more than 70% of those tests occurred at the initial pregnancy check-up. However, the researchers explained that taking only one test isn’t enough. Women can develop an iron deficiency at any point during pregnancy, and regular testing throughout the trimesters gives health care providers the best chance to start treatment. 

As women progress through their pregnancies, their need for higher iron levels continues to increase. A lack of iron may increase the risk of postpartum depression, low birth weight, and premature birth. This is why regular testing for iron levels over the course of pregnancy can help protect women and their babies. 

“Iron deficiency is very common, and there can be poor outcomes for both mom and baby if it isn’t identified and treated,” said Dr. Teichman. “The good news is that it’s easily found with a simple blood test and completely correctable with iron supplements.” 

The researchers hope guidelines change in the future to ensure that all pregnant women receive regular tests for iron deficiency throughout their entire pregnancies. Currently, the United States Preventive Services Task Force doesn’t recommend women receive ferritin testing during pregnancy; however, these findings make it clear that all women should be tested often throughout pregnancy to ensure the best health outcomes for themselves and their newborns. 

“Prenatal vitamins contain only a sprinkling of iron and many combine iron with calcium, which can inhibit the absorption of iron,” said Dr. Teichman. “The way to address the problem is by identifying iron deficiency early on and then supplementing women with therapeutic doses of iron, which has 10 times the amount found in most prenatal vitamins.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of California at Los Angeles explored the effects that sleep deprivation can have on new mothers. 

According to their findings, women are likely to age faster as a result of consistently losing sleep after giving birth. The researchers found that women's bodies can age up to seven years after just six months of an infants’ inconsistent sleep schedule. 

“The early months of postpartum sleep deprivation could have a lasting effect on physical health,” said researcher Judith Carroll. “We know from a large body of research that sleeping less than seven hours a night is detrimental to health and increases the risk of age-related diseases.” 

Speeding up aging

The researchers had 33 women who had recently given birth participate in the study. They analyzed the women’s blood samples and studied their DNA during their pregnancies and through their first year as mothers to understand how their sleeping patterns impacted their biological age. 

The researchers learned that getting seven hours of sleep was the benchmark for poorer health outcomes; women who consistently got fewer than seven hours of sleep aged faster than the women who were sleeping seven or more hours each night. By the six-month check-in, consistently getting fewer than seven hours of sleep per night was linked with speeding up the aging process by as much as seven years. 

“We found that with every hour of additional sleep, the mother’s biological age was younger,” said Carroll. “I, and many other sleep scientists, consider sleep health to be just as vital to overall health as diet and exercise.” 

Risk of disease also increases

The researchers also learned that these consistent sleep disruptions were associated with a higher risk of disease. Based on an analysis of the participants' white blood cells, getting less sleep after giving birth can make women more vulnerable to cardiovascular disease, cancer, and several other serious conditions. 

While the researchers are still unsure whether or not these risks pose a long-term threat to women's health and wellness, they hope these findings emphasize the importance of getting enough sleep after giving birth. 

The study results “and other findings on maternal postpartum mental health provide impetus for better supporting mothers of young infants so that they can get sufficient sleep -- possible through parental leave so that both parents can bear some of the burden of the care, and through programs for families and fathers,” said researcher Christine Dunkel Schetter. 

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Otago explored the benefits associated with getting infants crawling and moving. 

The team explained that crawling is an integral part of infants’ development, and the more that they’re able to crawl, the better they are at being able to identify and avoid potential hazards. 

“Caregivers should be aware of the important role crawling plays in infant development and the benefits of promoting crawling opportunities for their infants,” said researcher Dr. Carolina Burnay.

“By touching the floor and looking closely to it, infants learn to distinguish safe from unsafe surfaces to locomote and start avoiding falls… Over-protecting babies by limiting their opportunities to self-locomote does not keep them safe, instead, it delays their development of the perception of risky situations.”

Keeping infants moving

The researchers conducted two studies to determine how infants’ crawling skills impacted their ability to identify and avoid risks. Both studies were focused on how well the infants were able to avoid water, which is one area -- especially in the summer -- where parents are worried about their babies’ safety. In both cases, the researchers learned that infants with more experience crawling were less likely to fall when next to water.

“The main difference between the babies that fell and those who avoided falling in the water was the amount of crawling experience they had,” Dr.  Burnay said. “A very interesting result was that the amount of prior crawling experience they had informed their perception of the risk and behavior even when they were already walking -- hence it seems very helpful for babies to crawl and explore their environment.” 

While safety around water is certainly important for infants, these findings are also applicable to general safety. The more time that infants spend crawling, the better they’ll be at identifying potential hazards or risks to their safety. It’s important that parents and caregivers allow their babies the freedom to move around, as this developmental leap will likely help protect them. 

A new study conducted by researchers from Curtin University explored just how long women should wait to conceive again after pregnancy. 

Though many experts recommend that women wait between 18 months and two years to get pregnant again, their findings showed that the risk of complications was nearly identical when women were pregnant again within six months versus two years. 

“We compared approximately 3 million births from 1.2 million women with at least three children and discovered the risk of adverse birth outcomes after an interpregnancy interval of less than six months was no greater than for those born after an 18-23 month interval,” said researcher Dr. Gizachew Tessama. “Given that current recommendations on birth spacing is for a waiting time of at least 18 months to two years after live births, our findings are reassuring for families who conceive sooner than this.” 

Having safe and healthy pregnancies

For the study, the researchers tracked pregnancies and birth outcomes from women from the U.S., Australia, Finland, and Norway. More than 5.5 million women were involved in the study, and they collectively birthed more than 3.8 million babies. The researchers kept a record of the time in between their pregnancies and the safety of their pregnancies and deliveries. 

Ultimately, the team observed no significant differences between women who waited the recommended 18-24 months versus those who got pregnant much sooner. In terms of infants’ birth weight and preterm delivery, women who got pregnant again within six months had similar outcomes to women who waited more than a year. 

However, when women waited fewer than six months between pregnancies, there was an increased risk of spontaneous preterm birth. However, there was a higher risk for complications at birth when women waited longer than five years between pregnancies. 

Moving forward, the researchers plan to see if women’s ages play a role in the interval between pregnancies and any related complications. In the meantime, they hope these findings offer some comfort for consumers that have had successive pregnancies over shorter periods of time. 

Child car seats are designed to keep young children safe when traveling in a vehicle, but 17 state attorneys general say those seats are not safe enough. They’ve filed a petition with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to modify current standards.

In a letter sent to the NHTSA and the Department of Transportation, the coalition of state officials asked the former agency to immediately begin developing standards for side-impact. The letter said these standards should have been developed 20 years ago.

The attorneys general also urged the NHTSA to require labels on all car seats that say children should continue to use them until they exceed the height or weight limits.

“I’ve buckled my kids into their car seats more times than I can count, and each time I did so trusting that they were in the safest place they could be,” said Connecticut Attorney General William Tong. “NHTSA has an obligation to every parent nationwide to adopt clear, strong standards that keep our children safe on the roads. Families cannot wait another 20 years for NHTSA to finally act.”

Tong points out that Congress first instructed the NHTSA to adopt side-impact standards for child car seats in 2000. He notes that manufacturers voluntarily conduct their own side-impact tests but without federal standards. As a result, he said parents aren’t sure which seats are the best.

“As families pack their cars for summer road trips, we must ensure that parents have the right information to keep their children safe on the road,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James. 

Leading cause of death

In their letter to federal regulators, the attorneys general said auto accidents are the leading cause of death for children aged one to 13. They say child car seats have significantly reduced deaths and injuries, but there’s still room for improvement.

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said side-impact crashes cause almost as many child injuries and deaths as frontal-impact crashes and are more likely than any other type of crashes to cause serious or fatal injuries.

“Almost 5,000 children under 15 have died in car crashes from 2015 to 2019, which equates to about 19 children each week over that time period,” she said.

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Texas at Austin evaluated the effects of physically punishing kids for bad behavior. 

According to the team, getting physical with children isn’t likely to lead to improved behavior. Instead, corporal punishment may negatively impact children’s overall well-being and ultimately lead to poorer behavior long term.  

“There is no evidence that physical punishment is good for children,” said researcher Elizabeth Gershoff. “All the evidence indicates that physical punishment is harmful to children’s development and well-being.” 

Avoiding physical punishment

To understand the effects of physical punishment, the researchers analyzed nearly 70 earlier studies that dove deeper into the topic. The team learned that there were no benefits associated with parents physically punishing their children. Though the practice remains legal in the U.S., children’s behavior didn’t improve when their parents used physical force as a means of discipline. Instead, the analysis showed that bad behavior remained for longer periods of time, and the children were more likely to experience neglect. 

“Parents hit their kids because they think doing so will improve their behavior,” Gershoff said. “Unfortunately for parents who hit, our research found clear and compelling evidence that physical punishment does not improve children’s behavior and instead makes it worse.” 

The researchers found that the longer the physical punishments lasted, the worse the outcomes were for the children’s overall well-being. Moving forward, the researchers hope these findings help change the laws surrounding physical punishment. 

“This is a public health issue,” said researcher Anja Heilmann. “Given the strength of the evidence that physical punishment has the potential to cause harm to children, policymakers have a responsibility to protect children and legislate to end the use of physical punishment in all settings.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from Rutgers University explored patterns related to preschoolers' learning and general motivation. It suggests that in order for preschoolers to feel motivated to seek out more information, they need to be introduced to a topic without knowing everything about it.

“There is an infinite amount of information in the real world,” said researcher Jenny Wang. “Yet despite having to learn so much in such a short amount of time, young children seem to learn happily and effectively. We wanted to understand what drives their curiosity.” 

What makes kids interested in learning?

For the study, the researchers had 100 preschoolers participate in various experiments. The team designed books on a variety of topics and analyzed how well the kids understood them and how likely they were to seek out more information on any given topic. 

The study showed that the key for preschoolers to want to learn more is to not be bored or overloaded with information on any subject matter. When they begin to learn about something new that interests them, they’re more likely to be motivated to learn more when not all of the information is revealed right away. 

The researchers also explained that curiosity plays a big role in this. Kids’ interests impact what topics they’re most likely to want to know more about, but staying in that middle ground of knowledge is what sparks them to ultimately seek out more information. 

“Intuitively, curiosity seems to belong to those who know the most, like scientists, and those who know the least, like babies,” said Wang. “But what we found here is quite surprising: it was children in the middle who showed the most interest in learning about contagion, compared to children who knew too little or too much.”

Moving forward, the researchers hope these findings can help parents and educators of preschoolers stay engaged with new material. 

“Ultimately, findings like this will help parents and educators better support children when they actively explore and learn about the world,” Wang said. 

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Rochester Medical Center has explored certain factors that can impact parents’ mental health. 

According to the team, parents are more likely to struggle with their mental health when their children are dealing with Complex Medical Conditions (CMCs). These problems can include conditions like congenital heart defects or cerebral palsy. 

“Having a child with this level of needs affects families in so many different ways,” said researcher Dr. Nathaniel Bayer. “With the right support, these families thrive and fulfill their goals. Without enough support, these families often struggle with the emotional and physical demands of constant caregiving, financial stressors, and employment issues. They may also be unable to find assistance from community services and home nurses, which are under-funded and under-reimbursed.” 

Parents’ mental health is taking a hit

To understand trends in parents’ mental health, the researchers analyzed data from the National Survey of Children’s Health. They were primarily interested in understanding the differences between three groups: parents of healthy children, parents of children with CMCs, and parents of children with non-complex health care needs. 

The researchers learned that parents of children with CMCs were five times more likely to struggle with mental health than parents of healthy children. While this finding alone is a cause for concern, the study also showed that more than 35% of parents of children with CMCs also faced difficulties finding mental health services; this was particularly tough for parents from low-income households. 

“Families of lower [socioeconomic status] often do not have the resources to easily access services,” Dr. Bayer said. “They may lack the transportation to travel to the clinic or struggle to find community resources in their area. If your family is also struggling to put food on the table or keep the lights on, it’s harder to manage your child’s medical needs and take care of yourself.” 

The researchers say many parents of children with CMCs rely on support services to help them through difficult times. These groups allow parents to exchange concerns and ideas, which can often help relieve mental health struggles. Of the parents involved in this study, just 15% reported having access to these kinds of resources. To ensure that parents’ mental health remains a priority, the researchers hope these findings lead to long-term changes in the health care field. 

“Mental health is part of health,” said Dr. Bayer. “Parent and caregiver mental health is a major issue that has a significant impact on children’s health. We need to talk more about parent mental health, screen for it more, and proactively support it.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from Ohio State University found that the majority of U.S. consumers are in favor of paid parental leave. 

Though paid leave following the birth of a child isn’t guaranteed in the U.S., the study found that there was little difference in opinion between U.S.-based consumers and those from other countries when it comes to the policy. 

“We find marked differences in how Americans want paid leave administered compared to the rest of the world -- but very similar desires to have leave available,” said researcher Chris Knoester.  

How do consumers feel about paid parental leave?

To understand consumers’ general attitudes toward parental leave, the researchers analyzed responses from over 35,000 participants from more than two dozen countries, all of whom were enrolled in the International Social Survey Programme.

General support for paid parental leave was consistent from all of the study participants; more than 85% of participants from countries outside the U.S. supported paid leave, compared to 82% of U.S. participants who also supported it. The biggest differences between U.S. participants and those from other countries were specific support for paternity leave, how long paid leave should last, and governmental support for leave. 

Across the board, support for paternity leave was lower than that of maternity leave; however, those outside the U.S. garnered more support for giving fathers paid time off after the birth of a child. The researchers found that most opposition to paid paternity leave comes from those with more conservative political views or those with higher socioeconomic backgrounds. 

“These are the people who already largely have access to paid leave through their employers,” said researcher Richard Petts. “They would not directly benefit from it, because they already have it. It is a story of the have and the have-nots.” 

Similarly, participants from outside the U.S. were in support of paid leave that lasted more than one year, whereas those in the U.S. were comfortable with four months of leave. It’s also important to note that U.S.-based participants were generally less in support of governmental support for paid parental leave -- especially for paternity leave. 

“This may be a major reason why we don’t have more widespread and generous leave offered in the United States, even though most people support it,” Knoester said. 

The researchers found that those who believed in traditional gender roles were less likely to support paid time off, while women were generally more supportive of paid leave. 

A new study conducted by researchers from Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health explored how certain minerals during pregnancy may impact children’s health. 

According to their findings, having higher levels of selenium and manganese during pregnancy was associated with better blood pressure outcomes for children. The team found that maintaining healthy levels of these minerals may protect against high blood pressure long term.  

“These results suggest that healthy levels of selenium and manganese in mothers’ diets during pregnancy may protect their children against developing high blood pressure,” said researcher Noel Mueller, Ph.D. “This work highlights the importance of nutrition and environmental exposures in the womb for a child’s cardiovascular health and, as we continue this research further, could eventually lead to updated nutritional guidance and environmental regulations aimed at preventing disease.” 

Setting kids’ up for healthy blood pressure

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from nearly 1,200 mothers and their children enrolled in the Boston Birth Cohort. The team evaluated mothers’ blood samples during pregnancy and paid close attention to levels of certain minerals and toxic metals. The researchers later measured the children’s blood pressure when they were between the ages of three and 15.

The study revealed that higher levels of selenium and manganese during pregnancy were linked with lower childhood blood pressure. Selenium was linked to the lowest blood pressure readings; the study showed that kids’ systolic blood pressure declined by more than six points each time their mothers’ selenium levels doubled. Comparatively, doubling manganese levels during pregnancy was associated with lowering systolic blood pressure by nearly three points. 

Though manganese appeared to have a milder effect on kids’ blood pressure, the researchers found that it was more powerful in protecting against the potentially harmful effects of toxic metals -- specifically cadmium.

The researchers explained that cadmium levels tend to be higher when women smoke or are frequently exposed to smoke. This study found that manganese can be effective at masking the consequences of cadmium; higher levels of manganese were linked to lower childhood blood pressure readings when women smoked or were exposed to the metal during pregnancy. 

For women interested in incorporating more of these minerals into their diets during pregnancy, the team recommends eating traditionally healthy foods like fish, whole grains, leafy vegetables, nuts, and oatmeal. 

A new study conducted by researchers from Michigan State University found that not becoming a parent may not impact consumers’ life satisfaction. 

The team learned that one-quarter of adults in Michigan do not want to have children, and this group experienced similar levels of happiness and satisfaction as those who had children. 

“Most studies haven’t asked the questions necessary to distinguish ‘child-free’ individuals -- those who choose not to have children -- from other types of nonparents,” said researcher Jennifer Watling Neal. “Non-parents can also include the ‘not-yet-parents’ who are planning to have kids, and ‘childless’ people who couldn’t have kids due to infertility or circumstance.” 

How do children impact happiness?

For the study, the researchers wanted to identify the difference between adults that didn’t plan on having children versus those who were considered nonparents. The team then analyzed responses from more than 1,000 adults who participated in the Michigan State University State of the State Survey. The group answered questions about their personalities, general life satisfaction, and political ideology. 

The researchers were surprised to learn that one-quarter of the participants identified as child-free and didn’t have intentions of having children. However, this choice didn’t affect their overall happiness or life satisfaction.

“After controlling for demographic characteristics, we found no difference in life satisfaction and limited differences in personality traits between child-free individuals and parents, not-yet parents, or childless individuals,” said researcher Zachary Neal. 

In terms of personality, the study showed that parents and nonparents weren’t too different; however, the researchers learned that there was a divide between the groups. The study found that parents didn’t have great attitudes about those without kids, whereas nonparents were much kinder to each other. 

Another big difference was in political leanings. The majority of nonparents reported having more liberal preferences than participants with kids. The researchers believe that this particular finding can have important implications in future elections.

A new study conducted by researchers from Michigan Medicine explored the health care costs associated with women giving birth. 

According to their findings, there are several reasons why consumers could be burdened with thousands of dollars in medical bills following the birth of a child -- even when covered by private health insurance. The team found that when infants require extra medical care or women deliver via C-section, it could cost anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000. 

“Many privately insured families believe that if they have health insurance, they’re protected from the costs of childbirth hospitalizations. Unfortunately, this is simply not true for many families, particularly if their baby needs NICU care,” said researcher Dr. Kao-Ping Chua. “Having a healthy baby is expensive enough given the costs of diapers, childcare, and baby equipment. Adding a $10,000 hospital bill on top of this can devastate some families,” Chua added.

The cost of childbirth

The researchers analyzed private insurance claims from across the country and focused their study on nearly 400,000 childbirths. The team looked at how much of the process was covered by insurance and what consumers had to pay out of pocket. 

While health insurance covered a portion of childbirth, the majority of the participants in the study were left with more than $3,000 in medical bills. When women delivered vaginally and their babies were healthy, delivery and hospital costs were nearly $3,100. 

As the cases became more specialized, the out-of-pocket costs increased. Medical bills reached nearly $5,000 -- and in some cases as much as $10,000 -- when infants spent time in the NICU. Similarly, women that delivered via C-section had nearly $4,000 in medical bills. 

The researchers explained that many in-hospital services for infants are necessary for overall health and wellness. Moving forward, the team hopes that insurance companies consider ways to reduce these costs for consumers so that a significant financial burden can be alleviated.

“Maternal and childbirth hospitalizations are essential to families’ health and well-being, with some babies needing longer stays because of complex or unexpected medical conditions,” said researcher Dr. Michelle Moniz. “These services are vital to ensuring the best possible outcomes for moms and newborns. We should be looking at ways to improve childbirth coverage to avoid sending families home from the hospital with thousands of dollars in debt.” 

Recent studies have highlighted the health risks associated with both pregnant women and children’s exposure to air pollution. 

Now, researchers from the University of Colorado at Boulder have found that women who are exposed to air pollution during pregnancy may have an increased risk of bearing children who struggle with obesity. The team explained that air pollution was linked with excess weight gain, which can last through childhood and adulthood. 

“Higher rates of obesity among certain groups in our society are not simply a byproduct of personal choices like exercise and calories in, calories out,” said researcher Tanya Alderete. “It’s more complicated than that. This study and others suggest it can also relate to how much of an environmental burden one carries.” 

Identifying health risks

The researchers compared health records for more than 120 mother-infant pairs with air pollution data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality System. The team was primarily concerned with the infants’ weight gain and where they stored their fat. 

“We found that greater exposure to prenatal ambient air pollution was associated with greater changes in weight and adiposity, or body fatness, in the first six months of life,” said researcher William Patterson.

This was true for all of the infants, though the researchers found that male and female babies distributed weight gain differently. While male infants had more belly fat, female infants tended to gain more fat around their waists. 

The researchers explained that exposure to air pollution can heighten the body’s inflammatory response, which ultimately impacts other bodily functions and processes and leads to excessive weight gain. While the team plans to do more research in this area, they said that exposure to air pollution in utero can impact infants’ DNA make-up and affect the health of future generations. 

“This period, either during pregnancy or shortly after birth, is a critical window of development and adverse exposures can program the infant to have a host of problems in later life,” Patterson said. 

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Reading found that teens are more likely to open up to people who they deem to be attentive listeners. 

The findings suggest that parents should try to learn to communicate better with their teens to make them more comfortable with being open. Being more engaged and making eye contact can help teens do just that. 

“We all know that listening to someone talk about their problems is an effective way of reassuring them and establishing a connection,” said researcher Dr. Netta Weinstein. “However, until now, there has been little thought given to the quality of that listening, and the difference that makes. 

“This study shows that in parent-teenager relationships, quietly listening to a teenager while showing them they are valued and appreciated for their honesty has a powerful effect on their willingness to open up.” 

Paying attention to listening skills 

The researchers had over 1,000 teens between the ages of 13 and 16 participate in the study. The participants were shown a series of videos where a teen was sharing something important with a parent. In half of the videos, parents practiced attentive listening skills; in the other half, they appeared aloof and distracted. 

Across the board, the participants were more drawn to the versions of the videos where the parents were paying attention and engaged in what the child was saying. When the parents in the videos made more eye contact and offered comfort and support to the teenagers who were sharing their feelings, the teens involved in the study felt more comfortable. 

The participants shared that the feelings of validation and empathy that they saw in the videos are two important factors in being willing to open up to their parents -- especially with vulnerable topics.

“With such a large group of participants, it is reassuring to see that active listening was universally beneficial across these years of adolescence,” Dr. Weinstein said. 

“The study has some important implications for teenage well-being as well. The participants said that the good listening model observed in the videos would lead to better well-being. Although we don’t know how often the expectation meets reality, but it’s clear that active listening is more likely to lead to a good outcome for teenagers than the more passive style we tested it against.” 

Several studies have identified the risks associated with women drinking alcohol while pregnant. Now, experts from the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology explored how alcohol can impact women before they conceive. 

According to their findings, drinking alcohol can hinder a woman’s likelihood of getting pregnant if it’s done during an ovulation cycle. Because of this, they recommend that women actively trying to conceive should avoid heavy drinking. 

“We found that heavy drinking during any phase of the menstrual cycle was significantly associated with a reduced possibility of conception compared to non-drinkers,” said researcher Dr. Kira Taylor. “This is important because some women who are trying to conceive might believe it is ‘safe’ to drink during certain parts of the menstrual cycle.”  

How alcohol affects conception

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from over 400 women between the ages of 19 and 41 that were enrolled in the Mount Sinai Study of Women Office Workers. Over the course of 19 menstrual cycles, the women provided monthly urine samples and reported daily on their alcohol intake. 

The researchers learned that women who had more than six drinks per week during their menstrual cycles, which was defined as “heavy drinking,” were less likely to conceive than women who weren’t drinkers. However, the study showed that it wasn’t just heavy drinking that impacted the likelihood of conception; moderate drinkers -- who had between three and six drinks per week -- also had a lower chance of getting pregnant. 

“During the luteal phase, which is the last two weeks of the menstrual cycle before bleeding would start and when the process of implantation occurs, not only heavy drinking, but also moderate drinking was significantly associated with a reduced possibility of conception,” Taylor said. “At the time of ovulation, usually around day 14 of the cycle, consuming a lot of alcohol -- either heavy or binge drinking -- was significantly associated with reduced chances of conception.” 

Binge drinking -- which is having four or more drinks in one day -- during any point in the menstrual cycle also reduced the likelihood of pregnancy; however, binge drinking during ovulation was linked with the lowest chances of conception. 

“If we assume that a typical, healthy, non-drinking woman in the general population who is trying to conceive has approximately a 25% chance of conceiving during one menstrual cycle, then out of 100 women approximately 25 non-drinkers would conceive in a particular cycle, about 20 moderate drinkers would conceive, and only about 11 heavy drinkers would conceive,” said Taylor. “But the effect of moderate drinking during the luteal phase is more pronounced and only about 16 moderate drinkers would conceive.

The researchers noted that their study was limited in scope, but that their findings could be immensely important to women who are looking to have children.“Our study only included a few hundred women and, while we believe the results strongly suggest that heavy and even moderate alcohol intake affects the ability to conceive, the exact percentages and numbers should be viewed as rough estimates,” Taylor said. 

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Gothenburg found that women infected with human papillomavirus (HPV) may be at an increased risk of preterm birth. 

“I would like to point out that the increase in risk for preterm birth is small for the individual woman carrying HPV,” said researcher Johanna Wilk. “But our results support that young people should get into the vaccination program against HPV.” 

Understanding preterm birth risk

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from more than 1 million births recorded in the Swedish Medical Birth Register. They also looked at mothers’ medical histories using the National Quality Registry for Cervical Cancer Prevention and the Swedish Cancer Register. 

The team was interested in both HPV infection and treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), which occurs when there are abnormal changes to cervical cells related to HPV infection. Nearly 12,000 of the participants were infected with HPV, and more than 23,000 women had been treated for CIN. 

The researchers learned that nearly 6% of women with HPV delivered prematurely, compared to 4.6% of women with no history of HPV. Additionally, more than 9% of the women who had received treatment for CIN had preterm births. 

“Our study is register-based and, although we’ve adjusted for various factors in the analyses, we can’t reliably answer the question of whether it’s the virus itself that causes the pregnancy and childbirth complications,” said researcher Verena Sengpiel. “All we can do is show a statistical association. 

The researchers hope that more women are treated and tested when their doctors notice abnormal changes in cervical cells due to HPV infection. Doing so could help increase the chances that women have a healthy pregnancy and successful delivery.

“The earlier these abnormal changes are detected, the better we can follow and treat them,” Wilk said. “And when you’re admitted to maternity care, it’s a good idea to tell your midwife if you’ve had cervical cell changes, and whether you’ve been treated for them. Then the maternity health staff can take that information into account when planning the monitoring of your pregnancy.” 

Several studies have highlighted the mental health struggles many women face during pregnancy and the ways that depression can impact physical health outcomes for women and their infants. 

Now, a new study conducted by researchers from King’s College London explored how depression can affect mothers’ relationships with their newborns. According to the team, women with a history of depression or those who experienced depression during pregnancy struggled to have meaningful connections with their newborns. 

“Our findings suggest that perinatal mental health professionals should offer support not only to women with depression during pregnancy, but also to pregnant women with a history of depression, as they may also be at risk of interaction difficulties,” said researcher Dr. Rebecca Bind. “Future research should try to understand why a history of depression, despite a healthy perinatal period, may impact the developing relationship.” 

How depression impacts mothers and newborns

To better understand the role that depression plays in the mother-infant relationship, the researchers analyzed the outcomes of more than 130 women and their infants over the course of one year. The women fell into one of three groups: history of depression but no current diagnosis, no current diagnosis or history of depression, and current depression diagnosis. 

The researchers checked in with the mothers and their infants eight months and 12 months postpartum. They watched short clips of their interactions and specifically looked at things like tone of voice, facial expressions, and affection to determine the quality of the relationships.  

Ultimately, the study showed that depression, either current or historical, hindered the mother-infant relationship. Women who struggled with depression during pregnancy experienced the brunt of it, as more than 60% of women in this group had poorer relationships with their infants. Comparatively, 56% of women with a history of depression struggled to maintain quality relationships with their infants, and less than 40% of mother-infant relationships were affected when women had no previous or current depression diagnosis. 

Mental health resources are needed

While these findings highlight the importance of having mental health resources more readily available for pregnant women, the study also showed that relationships between mothers and their children improved over time. By one year postpartum, all of the mother-infant pairs experienced positive changes in their interactions. 

Moving forward, the researchers hope these findings are instrumental in changing the way that health care professionals identify and care for pregnant women with depression. Having mental health resources available for all pregnant women is crucial to ensuring positive relationships between mothers and infants. 

“We recommend that health care professionals provide pregnant women at risk of interaction difficulties with examples of positive caregiving behaviors, and with ways to engage their babies and understand their needs, all of which could be incorporated into parenting and birthing classes and health visits,” said researcher Carmine Pariante. 

“We also suggest that interventions that can’t help the mother-infant interaction should be made more widely available, such as video feedback, where a clinician and mother discuss what behaviors work best to engage and comfort the baby, and structured mother-baby activities, such as art and singing groups. This is especially important because we know that the early years are vital for future mental health and well-being.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many consumers’ living situations, including prompting many young adults to return home to live with their parents. 

Now, researchers from North Carolina State University are working to make this transition a more positive situation for consumers. According to findings from their recent survey, adults who move back in with their parents don’t have to feel shame about the decision if they properly frame and plan it out.

“People move back in with their parents for a lot of reasons, and the trend is increasing due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic woes,” said researcher Lynsey Romo. “We launched this study before the pandemic happened because we wanted to learn more about how adults who move back in with their parents manage that process. How do they think about it? How do they talk about it?” 

Coping with moving back home

The researchers surveyed 31 adults between the ages of 23 and 31 to understand how young adults handle moving back home with their parents. Participants discussed their decision to move back home and the things that have helped them view the move as something positive rather than a setback. 

The discussions ultimately boiled down to four main points that can help consumers stay positive about this decision: creating a timeline, detailing expectations, being mature, and contributing to household duties. 

Planning for the future is an important part of adults moving back in with their parents. Making it clear how long the arrangement will last and what adults hope to gain by the move are two good ways to maintain positivity and strong relationships in the home. 

In terms of expectations, the participants shared that it’s crucial for adults to hash out the details with their parents. This includes discussing everything from responsibilities around the house to financial obligations, and even curfews. 

Lastly, the participants said acting like an adult, even when around parents, can help give agency to adults living in their childhood homes. Being able to maintain maturity can help identify new roles in the house; though many adults may see moving in with their parents as a step backwards, it’s important to establish new boundaries in a familiar place. 

“On one hand, study participants were certainly aware of the stigma associated with moving back in with one’s parents as an adult,” said Romo. “However, it was equally clear that framing the decision to move back in with one’s parents as an investment in the future helped people think about the decision in a positive way and communicate about it in a positive way.” 

Moving forward, the researchers hope that these findings are beneficial to adult consumers that have moved back in with their parents or are planning a move back. There are ways to positively frame this situation, and having the right mindset can make all the difference. 

“Moving back home is a reality for a lot of people right now,” Romo said. “Hopefully, this work will make them make the most of that circumstance and avoid any stigma associated with it.” 

Spending time outdoors can have significant mental health benefits, and now a new study shows that kids might at least be somewhat aware of those advantages.

Researchers from Anglia Ruskin University conducted an experiment that asked children between the ages of seven and eight to draw a place where they feel happy. The majority of the children drew pictures of nature scenes, which indicates that the younger generation associates nature with well-being. 

“We wanted this study to explore children’s own perceptions of well-being, as most previous research has focused on adults,” said researcher Dr. Nicola Walshe. “This is despite a consensus that children’s perspectives differ significantly from adults.” 

The link between nature and well-being

The researchers had over 90 children from low socioeconomic backgrounds involved in the study. The goal was to have the children draw pictures of places that made them happy or were associated with positive memories and general well-being. 

More than half of the kids involved in the study drew pictures that were nature-related, with trees being one of the most commonly drawn elements in the pictures. The researchers were surprised by these findings because of how closely they aligned with adults’ views of happiness and well-being. 

However, it’s also important to note that even though nature was a consistent theme among the kids’ drawings, it wasn’t always the dominant part of the images. The researchers found that a lake or garden would often appear in the background of the drawing, but the people important in the children’s lives were featured more prominently. 

“We identified indicators of well-being that were made explicit in children’s drawings, such as the need for safety, happiness, and positive relationships,” said Dr. Walshe. “The drawings depicted nature and outdoor spaces as being interconnected with all aspects of well-being. For example, being able to play outside boosts physical well-being, while being able to stay calm and appreciate the beauty of nature can be linked to emotional or mental health.” 

Moving forward, the researchers hope that more of an effort is made to strengthen the connection that kids have with both nature and art. 

“Previous research has shown that wealth affects access to nature, with children living in deprived areas significantly less likely to have access to green spaces and outdoor places to play,” Dr. Walshe said. “Our research suggests that nature and open spaces underpin these children’s consideration of well-being. 

“As such, making nature explicit, and restoring the interconnectedness between the arts and nature should be a key priority for research to help improve children’s well-being.” 

Several studies have looked at the risks associated with premature birth. Now, a new study is looking at the link between preterm birth and developmental delays. 

According to the findings, infants born before 35 weeks are at an increased risk of struggling with developmental difficulties through childhood. This could translate to motor skill issues, sensory impairment, or cognitive dysfunction, among other concerns. 

“In this large, contemporary cohort of preterm-born children, we report development at age 5.5 in a broad range of areas, the need for educational assistance, complex developmental interventions, and parental concerns about their child’s development,” the researchers wrote. 

Understanding the developmental risks

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from more than 3,000 children enrolled in the France-based EPIPAGE-2 study. All of the children were born preterm, and they were divided into three groups based on the length of their mothers’ pregnancies: 24-26 weeks, 27-31 weeks, and 32-34 weeks. The researchers compared their developmental outcomes with 600 children who were born at full term. 

Ultimately, the researchers identified a clear relationship between preterm birth and developmental difficulties -- the further away women were from carrying their pregnancies to full term when they gave birth, the higher the risk of their child having developmental issues. 

Infants born between 24 and 26 weeks were nearly 40% more likely to develop a mild disability and 28% more likely to have a neurodevelopmental disability. Infants born between 32 and 34 weeks were nearly 35% more likely to have a mild disability and 12% more likely to have a neurodevelopmental disability. 

Children with mild disabilities often require extra assistance at school, including speech or physiotherapists, and parents in the study expressed high levels of concern for their children’s long-term development, well-being, and behavior. 

While this was an observational study, the researchers hope these findings highlight the ways that preterm births can have long-term impacts on children and their families. 

“This global perspective is important when advising parents, health personnel, and teachers, and also when designing follow-up and intervention programs for children born preterm,” the researchers wrote. “Extra educational assistance and complex developmental resources were often used, even for children born moderately preterm with no, or mild, neurodevelopmental disabilities. Difficulties faced by these groups of children and their families should not be underestimated.” 

Recent studies have highlighted how many children struggle with getting enough physical activity and sleep. For busy families, incorporating physical activity or making sure kids are sleeping enough can be difficult to plan into already packed schedules. 

However, a new study conducted by researchers from the University of South Australia found that staying flexible and rescheduling activities to fit into each day can lead to better physical and mental health benefits for kids.

“There are many competing time demands in modern families -- whether it’s after-school soccer, music lessons, or simply walking the family dog,” said researcher Dr. Dot Dumuid. “In this research, we calculated how much sleep, sedentary time, light exercise, and moderate-to-vigorous exercise was associated with the same improvements in mental health, physical health, and academic achievement. Exploring trade-offs between children’s activities is a promising way for families to make healthy choices that suit their regular family schedule.” 

Prioritizing balance

For the study, the researchers analyzed the physical and mental wellness of more than 1,100 children between the ages of 11 and 12. The kids completed the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory and underwent assessments for height, weight, and body mass index (BMI). 

Ultimately, vigorous physical activity was found to be the most effective way for kids to maintain a healthy body and mind. However, there are other ways that parents can maximize their time and ensure their kids are getting the greatest mental and physical health benefits each day. 

“This study confirms that physical activity is the quickest and most effective way to deliver benefits for children’s physical health and mental well-being,” said researcher Trevor Shilton. “But the findings also offer some flexibility for families.” 

The team also found that sleeping for nearly 70 extra minutes can boost mental health, and sleeping for an extra 52 minutes can boost physical health. Similarly, mental health is likely to improve with an additional 35 minutes of exercise, while less than 20 extra minutes of exercise can boost physical health. Kids are likely to see improvements to both mental and physical health when they cut their sedentary time down by roughly 55 minutes. 

“For families with very little available time, small increases in moderate-to-vigorous exercise could be an option to improve children’s health and well-being; alternatively an earlier night could equally deliver the same health benefits -- importantly, it’s the flexibility that these findings offer that make them so valuable.” 

Making the most of the time you have

The researchers explained that their goal with this study was to show parents that there are ways to maximize their time to ensure their kids are getting the most benefits each day. Though there may not be the time to reach sleep or exercise goals every day, there are ways to reallocate activities to make the most of the time that’s available. 

“Helping young people make healthy choices and helping families create an environment that supports them in these choices can improve their quality of life in the future, as well as reducing their risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease,” Shilton said. 

Recent studies have highlighted the benefits associated with breastfeeding newborns. Now, a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Rochester Medical Center is adding to that body of work.

According to the team, infants that are breastfed tend to have better cognitive outcomes as they develop through childhood. The researchers looked at results from neurocognitive assessments of nine- and ten-year-olds and found that those with the highest scores were also the ones who were breastfed. 

“There’s already established research showing the numerous benefits breastfeeding has for both mother and child,” said researcher Hayley Martin, Ph.D. “This study’s findings are important for families particularly before and soon after birth when breastfeeding decisions are made. It may encourage breastfeeding goals of one year or more. It also highlights the critical importance of continued work to provide equity focused access to breastfeeding support, prenatal education, and practices to eliminate structural barriers to breastfeeding.” 

Benefits of breastfeeding

To understand how breastfeeding impacted children’s long-term brain function, the researchers analyzed results from over 9,000 kids enrolled in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. As part of the study, children completed neurocognitive assessments that tested things like memory, executive functioning, and general cognitive ability. The researchers analyzed their results and compared them with data on breastfeeding, which included information on whether the children were breastfed and for how long. 

Ultimately, children who were breastfed as infants had the strongest outcomes on the neurocognitive tests. In fact, the longer the children were breastfed, the better they did on the cognitive evaluations by the time they were nearing the end of elementary school. 

“The strongest association was in children who were breastfed for more than 12 months,” said researcher Daniel Adan Lopez, Ph.D. “The scores of children who were breastfed until they were seven to 12 months were slightly less, and then the one to six-month-old scores dips a little more. But all scores were higher when compared to children who didn’t breastfeed at all.” 

Moving forward, the team hopes that these findings encourage more women to try breastfeeding, as there could be significant long-term brain benefits. 

“Our findings suggest that any amount of breastfeeding has a positive cognitive impact, even after just a few months,” said Dr. Lopez. “That’s what’s exciting about these results. Hopefully from a policy standpoint, this can help improve the motivation to breastfeed.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from Stanford Medicine explored the complications associated with women getting epidurals to ease pain during childbirth. 

According to their findings, epidurals are not linked with an increased risk of a child developing autism. The team explained that these shots can help women with pain relief during labor, and they shouldn’t worry about adverse complications with their infants. 

“The epidural is the gold standard in labor pain management,” said researcher Elizabeth Wall-Wieler, Ph.D. “The vast majority of evidence around epidurals, including that from our new study, shows that they are the most effective means of providing pain relief to women during labor and that serious complications are rare.” 

A safe way to relieve pain

To better understand the relationship between women who received epidurals and later autism diagnoses, the researchers analyzed data from over 123,000 children born in Manitoba, Canada. 

Overall, less than 40% of the women involved in the study received an epidural during childbirth. The researchers learned that just over 2% of the children born to women who had received an epidural were diagnosed with autism; comparatively, just under 2% of children born to women who hadn’t received an epidural during childbirth were diagnosed with autism. 

The researchers were interested in this subject because of an earlier California-based study that identified a link between epidurals and autism diagnoses. However, the researchers said that study lacked an analysis of outside factors that can impact brain development and autism. 

In this study, experts evaluated several factors that may impact autism risk. Some of them included mothers’ smoking, alcohol, and recreational drug use; fetal distress during labor; genetic influences; socioeconomic factors; and pre-pregnancy health status, among many others. After accounting for all of these measures, the findings indicated that epidurals don’t pose a significant risk to autism diagnoses. 

The researchers hope that these findings encourage women to make decisions during labor based on their individual needs without worrying about how their choices may later impact their children’s development. 

“Our study has a stronger finding because we accounted for limitations the first study had,” said researcher Dr. Alexander Butwick. “An epidural remains a well-established and effective means of providing pain relief during labor, with several benefits associated with it.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Southampton explored the risks associated with consecutive miscarriages. 

According to their findings, weight is an important factor when it comes to this reproductive issue. The team found that women who are either underweight or overweight have a higher risk of having consecutive miscarriages. 

“Our findings suggest that having an abnormal BMI exacerbates a woman’s risk of suffering from repeated miscarriages, and so clinicians really need to focus on helping women manage this risk factor,” said researcher Ying Cheong. 

How weight can impact pregnancy

The researchers analyzed over a dozen earlier studies that looked at how women’s lifestyles impacted their reproductive health and the risk of having recurrent miscarriages. The team assessed factors like caffeine intake, alcohol consumption, weight, and body mass index (BMI) scores to determine what was most likely to contribute to multiple miscarriages. 

Their findings revealed that women’s weight played a large role in their reproductive health; women that were either underweight, overweight, or obese were at an increased risk of having consecutive miscarriages. 

“Our study included sixteen studies and showed that being underweight or overweight significantly increases the risk of two consecutive pregnancy losses,” said researcher Dr. Bonnie Ng. “For those with BMI greater than 25 and 30, their risk of suffering a further miscarriage increases by 20% and 70%, respectively.” 

Following a healthy lifestyle

Though caffeine and alcohol are associated with pregnancy complications, the researchers didn’t find any link between these habits and consecutive miscarriages in this study. 

“While our study did not find any associations between recurrent pregnancy loss and lifestyle parameters such as smoking, alcohol, and caffeine intake, further large-scale studies are required to clarify this,” said researcher Dr. George Cherian. 

Moving forward, the researchers hope that more work is done to ensure that women are following healthy habits throughout the entire pregnancy process. 

The White House is stepping up efforts to address the child care crisis caused by COVID-19. 

On Thursday, the Biden-Harris administration announced that it earmarked $39 billion in American Rescue Plan funds to help early childhood educators and family child care providers keep their doors open and the lights on. The new fund is an especially welcome relief for moms who have had to juggle child care while working remotely. 

“Since the start of the pandemic, roughly 2 million women have left the labor force, disproportionately due to caregiving needs and undoing decades of progress improving women’s labor force participation rate,” the White House said in a statement.

In fact, the administration is taking to heart all aspects of raising a family including the disparities in income levels brought on by differences in education levels and gender.

“Even as many fathers have returned to work, mothers, especially those without a four-year college degree, have not done so at similar rates. As a result, the gender earnings gap is predicted to increase by 5 percentage points in this recession, hurting our families and economy,” White House officials stated.

“As women work to regain employment, families with young children, and especially families of color where mothers are more likely to be sole or primary breadwinners, may face financial burdens for years to come. Parents need access to safe, quality child care to get back to work.”

Provisions of the plan

Here’s how the White House laid out all the plan’s provisions:

Help child care centers and family child care providers stay afloat. Included in this provision will be financial assistance for rent payments, mortgage payments, utility and insurance bills, maintaining or improving facilities, and paying off debt incurred during the pandemic.

Support providers with funds to enable safe and healthy learning environments. As COVID-19 winds down and parents look for child care options, a key ingredient is health safety. The Biden-Harris team says the new fund will have a positive impact on more than 5 million children by purchasing masks, improving ventilation, and providing consistent cleaning so centers and family providers can comply with the CDC’s Guidance for Operating Child Care Programs during COVID-19. 

Support the mental health of children and early educators. Providers can also use these funds to support the mental health of children and early childhood educators so they can help anyone who’s been socially or emotionally impacted by the pandemic. 

Payroll support and new hires. The White House said that it was giving special attention to help keep child care workers -- who are disproportionately women of color and immigrants -- on the payroll and give centers the financial ability to rehire anyone who was laid off. Child care providers can also use these funds to recruit new workers and increase the pay and benefits of child care workers and family child care providers.

Provide access to affordable care for families with the greatest need. The fund covers virtually anyone struggling to make ends meet so they can meet the cost of child care. The White House said the fund allows states, tribes, and territories the ability to provide direct subsidies to hard-pressed families earning below 85% of a state’s median income, as well as families performing essential work.

Lay the groundwork for a revamped childcare system. The White House’s intent for a portion of the fund is to rehab the current child care system so families can access the high-quality care they need going forward. One of the suggestions the administration offered was allowing states, tribes, and territories an option to set reimbursement rates at a level where children can not only receive high-quality care but will have increased access to care in the evenings and on weekends when many essential workers need help. 

To ensure healthy pregnancies and healthy babies, studies have cautioned pregnant women to avoid several potential risks, like smoking, drinking alcohol, and consuming caffeine. Now, Hadi Mohammadi, an engineer from the University of British Columbia, is urging pregnant women to be extra cautious when driving over speed bumps. 

He explained that when drivers are reckless about speeding over these obstacles, it can be harmful to both pregnant women and their babies. 

“There is lots of research about the importance of movement for women during pregnancy,” said Mohammadi. “Our latest research looked specifically at the impacts of sudden acceleration on a pregnant woman.” 

Staying safe behind the wheel

The researchers created a model of a third-trimester pregnant uterus for the purposes of the study. They then created an equation to determine how the fetus interacts with the uterus when impacted by the vibrations that occur when going over a speed bump. The team was primarily interested in seeing how the size of the speed bump and the speed that the car affected pregnant women and their babies. 

The study showed that speed bumps can put extra pressure on pregnant women’s amniotic fluid, which is responsible for protecting an unborn baby. The researchers say this can increase the risk of a number of complications, including abdominal pain for mothers and abnormalities to heart rate or brain development for babies. 

To ensure safety for both pregnant women and their babies, the researchers determined that cars should go no faster than 45 km/h, or just about 28 mph, over speed bumps. However, the optimal speed to protect the health and safety of pregnant women is about 15.5 mph. 

The researchers explained that this is true of speed bumps and any bumpy roadways; slowing down in these areas is the best bet. Moving forward, the team hopes that consumers take these findings into consideration when driving with pregnant women. 

“Obviously, there are other variables at play when a driver approaches a speed bump, but we hope our findings provide some evidence-based guidance to keep drivers and their occupants literally and figuratively safe,” Mohammadi said. 

Every parent takes a different approach when it comes to disciplining their children. Now, a new study conducted by researchers from Harvard University found that those who use corporal punishment may impact their child’s brain development.

According to their findings, spanking affected kids’ brain development much in the same way as more intense types of violence. The researchers worry about how this practice could affect long-term decision-making abilities, emotional processing, and general mental health. 

“We know that children whose families use corporal punishment are more likely to develop anxiety, depression, behavior problems, and other mental health problems, but many people don’t think about spanking as a form of violence,” said researcher Katie A. McLaughlin. “In this study, we wanted to examine whether there was an impact of spanking at a neurobiological level, in terms of how the brain is developing.” 

How spanking can affect development

The researchers had nearly 150 kids between the ages of 10 and 11 participate in the study. While laying in an MRI machine, the children were shown pictures of faces that were either showing fearful or neutral expressions. The researchers analyzed what effect the different faces had on the children’s brain responses. 

The study revealed that seeing images of fearful faces activated more areas of the brain in children who were spanked versus those who weren’t. Additionally, more areas in the prefrontal cortex were activated in these children. This is important because the prefrontal cortex is responsible for decision-making, social awareness, and personality expression. 

When comparing these results to those of children who had experienced more severe types of abuse, the researchers found that they were similar. 

“While we might not conceptualize corporal punishment to be a form of violence, in terms of how a child’s brain responds, it’s not all that different than abuse,” said McLaughlin. “It’s more a difference of degree than type.” 

What are the long-term risks?

The researchers explained that every child responds to discipline differently. While some kids who were spanked grow up to overcome this type of punishment, it’s important for parents to know what the potential risks are. 

The researchers hope that parents take these findings and veer away from this type of discipline because it’s clear that spanking children can have neurological consequences. 

“The important message is that corporal punishment is a risk that can increase potential problems for children’s development, and following a precautionary principle, parents and policymakers should work toward trying to reduce its prevalence,” said McLaughlin. “We’re hopeful that this finding may encourage families not to use this strategy, and that it may open people’s eyes to the potential negative consequences of corporal punishment in ways they haven’t thought of before.” 

While many parents are concerned about letting their toddlers spend too much time in front of screens, a new study conducted by researchers from the Association for Psychological Science explored what role TV plays in toddlers’ development. 

Their findings showed that watching TV isn’t likely to be the culprit for toddlers’ attention issues. However, these results are different from several other studies that have looked at toddlers and screen time. 

“The findings from the original study, upon further scrutiny, are not borne out,” said researcher Wallace E. Dixon, Jr. “We found that there is still no evidence that TV, by itself, causes ADHD or any kind of attention problems in young children. Our research also tells us that it’s important to be skeptical of earth-shattering findings that come in the form of ‘something that everybody is doing harms our children.’ Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” 

TV alone isn’t to blame for attention issues

The researchers analyzed data from more than 2,000 participants who were enrolled in the National Longitudinal Study of Youth to determine what effect watching TV had on toddlers’ attention spans. They applied a research technique that explores this association from hundreds of different angles and compared them to results from an earlier study. 

Ultimately, they learned that watching TV didn’t have a direct impact on toddlers’ attention issues. Though many parents are worried about how much time their young kids are spending in front of screens, and several studies have drawn links between screen time and attention, the findings from this study showed that exposure to TV alone during the toddler years isn’t likely to lead to attention issues during childhood and beyond. 

The researchers hope that parents and caregivers find solace in these findings and aren’t so hard on themselves for what activities they permit their kids to participate in moving forward. 

“What excites us about this research is that we can ease up on blaming parents or making them feel guilty for letting their children watch television when they are very young,” Dixon said. 

The use of age-appropriate car seats among parents who take ride-share services with young children is alarmingly low, a new study finds. 

A national survey published in the journal Academic Pediatrics found that only half of U.S. parents reported that children 8 years or younger used the recommended child car seats or booster seats when in ride-share vehicles with them. 

Forty percent of parents who take ride-share vehicles with children aged 8 and younger use a seat belt for their child, and 10 percent allow their child to travel on their lap or unrestrained. The study authors said the results of the survey are “concerning” because of the popularity of ride-share services like Uber and Lyft. 

“Car accidents remain the leading cause of death for children under 10 years old and traveling without the recommended child restraint system increases the risk for serious injury or death in a crash,” said senior study author Dr. Michelle Macy, a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago.

“Importantly, our findings suggest that even parents who usually use child car seats face barriers to doing so in ride-share vehicles. Or, parents may view traveling in ride-share services as different, in terms of risk and legal requirements, than traveling in their family vehicle,” Macy said in a statement. 

Most states require use of car seats

Generally, parents reported lower rates of child car seat use when in ride-share vehicles compared to how they normally ride with their child. The researchers noted that most states do require children younger than 8 to travel in a child car seat or booster seat when in ride-share vehicles. 

"A lack of awareness of laws and policies requiring car seats and booster seats in ride-share vehicles may be a reason for our findings. Solutions include enforcement of policies, reminders from ride-share apps, signs posted in ride-share vehicles, education from pediatricians and public health campaigns," Macy said.

"These interventions could be targeted toward families of school-age children, since this age group had more suboptimal restraint use in ride-share," she noted.

Giving up coffee during pregnancy can be difficult for many women. Now, researchers from the National Institute of Health (NIH) are exploring the risks associated with women can’t kick that caffeine habit during pregnancy. 

According to their findings, even moderate caffeine consumption during pregnancy can affect newborns -- particularly when it comes to birth weight and height. The researchers learned that having as little as half a cup of coffee every day during pregnancy can impact infants’ size at birth. 

Cutting back on caffeine

For the study, the researchers analyzed health outcomes from more than 2,000 women who enrolled in the study during their first trimesters. The women reported on their caffeine intake, including quantity and the type of caffeinated beverages, and gave blood samples for the researchers to analyze for caffeine levels. When the women eventually gave birth, the researchers compared women’s caffeine intake with their infants’ birth weight. 

Ultimately, women’s caffeine consumption during pregnancy had a direct impact on their children’s size at birth. The study showed that even low levels of caffeine during pregnancy led to smaller babies in nearly every category: weight, height, thigh circumference, and head circumference. 

Compared to women who reported drinking the lowest quantities of caffeine, those who drank around half a cup of coffee each day had infants that were more than two ounces smaller at birth. Similarly,  those with the highest levels of caffeine in their blood had infants that were nearly three ounces lighter and nearly 0.2 inches shorter at birth. 

Consult with your doctor

The researchers believe that caffeine directly affects newborns’ stress levels and the blood supply they receive through the placenta, which is most likely why higher levels of caffeine limited their growth. Moving forward, they recommend that women consult with their doctors about the appropriate levels of caffeine to have during pregnancy. 

“Until we learn more, our results suggest it might be prudent to limit or forego caffeine-containing beverages during pregnancy,” said researcher Dr. Katherine L. Grantz. “It’s also a good idea for women to consult their physicians about caffeine consumption during pregnancy.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from the NYU School of Medicine explored the negative health risks associated with pregnant women’s exposure to flame retardants. 

According to their findings, exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) during pregnancy may increase the risk of premature birth. PBDEs are often used in products around the home to prevent the likelihood of a fire; however, the researchers worry about how the chemicals will affect kids’ health long term. 

“Our findings illustrate that flame retardants may have a tremendous impact on childbirth even if exposure occurred early on in the pregnancy,” said researcher Morgan Peltier, Ph.D. “Although PBDE chemicals are used with good intentions, they may pose a serious health concern that may have lasting consequences for children.” 

Protecting kids’ long-term health

To understand the effects of PBDE exposure on pregnancy, the researchers analyzed blood samples from over 3,500 pregnant women. The women were divided into groups based on the levels of PBDEs that were in their blood, and the researchers also assessed other risk factors -- like age and smoking status -- that could contribute to premature delivery. 

The study showed a clear link between women with the highest levels of PBDEs and those that had premature births. Compared to women with the lowest chemical exposure, those with the highest traces of PBDEs in their blood were 75 percent more likely to have a premature delivery. 

The researchers determined that the threshold of exposure to PBDEs was 4 nanograms per milliliter of blood; when pregnant women’s exposure exceeded that figure, premature birth was more likely. Surpassing that benchmark of chemical exposure also complicated women’s otherwise healthy pregnancies and increased the likelihood of procedures like C-sections and induced labor.

Long term, the researchers worry about how this exposure to PBDEs during pregnancy will affect kids’ health. While premature birth comes with risks, chemical exposure in utero may add to those risks beyond the infant years. 

A new study conducted by researchers from Children’s Hospital Colorado has explored the risks associated with marijuana and breastfeeding. According to the researchers, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the compound in marijuana that creates the feeling of being high, can last in women’s breast milk for up to six weeks. 

“With the increasing utilization of marijuana in society as a whole, we are seeing more mothers who use marijuana during pregnancy,” said researcher Dr. Erica Wymore. “However, given the lack of scientific data regarding how long THC persists in breast milk, it was challenging to provide mothers with a definitive answer regarding the safety of using marijuana while breastfeeding and simply ‘pumping and dumping’ until THC was no longer detectable in their milk.”

“With this study, we aimed to better understand this question by determining the amount and duration of THC excretion in breast milk among women with known prenatal marijuana use,” she added.  

Abstaining from marijuana

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from women who had a history of marijuana use before pregnancy and had delivered their babies between November 2016 and June 2019 at two Colorado hospitals. Four hundred women were eligible for the study, but only 25 enrolled and just seven successfully abstained from marijuana during the first six weeks post-delivery. 

Though these women weren’t using marijuana after giving birth, they all had reported using it during pregnancy or had tested positive for the drug at the time of delivery. Ultimately, the researchers learned that all seven women had traces of THC in their breast milk six weeks after giving birth. Though the levels of THC differed in each of the women, it remained detectable nearly two months later. 

Though the study didn’t look at the effects that THC can have on infants when passed through breast milk, the researchers say several earlier studies have identified the risks associated with women smoking marijuana during pregnancy. To reduce any potential negative health effects, they urge women to abstain from marijuana both during pregnancy and during breastfeeding. 

“This study was not about the impact marijuana has on babies, but we are concerned,” said Dr. Wymore. “Especially when we consider that today’s marijuana is five to six times higher in potency than what was available prior to recent marijuana legalization in many states.” 

Several studies have found that strong parent-child relationships can help kids navigate everything from stressful situations to peer relationships.

Now, a new study conducted by researchers from the Taylor and Francis Group has found a strong connection between parents’ empathy and their kids’ behaviors. According to their findings, kids who feel that their parents are empathetic are less likely to deal with teen delinquency than those with less empathetic caregivers. They’re also more likely to become empathetic themselves. 

“The principle implication of this study is that parental support, as perceived by the child, apparently plays a small but significant role in the development of empathy in early adolescent youth,” the researchers wrote. “Empathy, in turn, may serve to reduce the child’s propensity for future delinquent involvement.” 

How empathy affects delinquency

The researchers analyzed nearly 4,000 survey responses from kids enrolled in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. The children were surveyed each year from ages 12 through 17 and answered questions that assessed their own levels of empathy and how empathetic and supportive they believed their parents were. In the final year of the survey, the teens reported on how often they had engaged in acts of delinquency, including things like stealing or destroying property. 

The study showed that kids who felt that their parents were empathetic towards them were less likely to engage in delinquent acts. When kids felt that their homes were solid and supportive, they behaved better as adolescents and teens. The team found that the opposite was also true; kids that didn’t feel that same level of empathy were more likely to engage in delinquent behaviors. 

Having children perceive their parents as empathetic was also beneficial for other reasons. The study showed that kids were more likely to develop the trait themselves -- which also contributed to fewer delinquency behaviors -- when they felt that their parents modeled the trait for them. 

“What this current study adds to the literature on the parental support-delinquency relationship is a mechanism capable of further clarifying this relationship,” said researcher Glenn Walters. “The mechanism, according to the results of the present study, is empathy.”

While the researchers believe that there could be other factors at play here that ultimately affect kids’ behaviors, these findings highlight just how important it is for kids to feel supported and understood by their parents. 

A new study conducted by researchers from Johns Hopkins Medicine found that mothers’ diets could go a long way towards benefiting their premature infants’ immune systems. 

Though there are risks with premature births, the researchers found that adopting a diet high in vegetables can benefit premature infants’ immune function. Their work showed that a healthy diet was effective in reducing infants’ risk of developing necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) -- a common gastrointestinal condition among preemies that attacks the intestinal lining and can be fatal. 

“These findings enable us to imagine the possibility of developing a maternal diet that can not only boost an infant’s overall growth, but also enhance the immune system of a developing fetus, and in turn, reduce the risk of NEC if the baby is born prematurely,” said researcher Dr. David Hackam. 

The importance of fruits and vegetables during pregnancy

The researchers conducted several different studies on mice to better understand how pregnant women’s diets can affect their premature infants’ immune systems. The major part of their work was based on the interaction between a compound commonly found in vegetables and a protein linked with NEC. Previous studies have found that the compound -- indole-3 carbinol (I3C) -- can effectively stop the production of the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) protein, which is responsible for NEC in premature infants. 

The researchers designed the study to see if IC3 could “be fed to pregnant mice, get passed to their unborn children, and then protect them against NEC after birth.” In the study, one group of pregnant mice was fed high-vegetable diets while another group consumed no IC3 during pregnancy. After the mice gave birth, the researchers analyzed the newborns’ health outcomes. 

The researchers’ hypothesis about the way IC3 and TLR4 interact was correct: greater vegetable consumption reduced the production of the TLR4 protein. The mice born to mothers who had consumed more leafy green vegetables during pregnancy were 50 percent less likely to develop NEC within their first week of birth. 

In another trial, the researchers put breastfeeding to the test. They learned that eating healthier while breastfeeding produced similar immune function outcomes. Infant mice were protected from NEC when their mothers consumed healthier foods. 

While the researchers plan to do more work in this area, they hope that these findings show just how important mothers’ diets can be for their newborns’ overall growth, development, and immune system function. 

As more and more studies focus on kids’ mental health struggles, it’s becoming clearer how stressful situations -- like divorced parents or losing a pet -- can have a long-term impact. However, a new study conducted by researchers from the University of South Australia is exploring how kids’ mental health can suffer even when they’re relatively happy and healthy. 

According to the researchers, kids’ mental health outcomes aren’t affected solely by their life experiences; kids who grew up in more stressful circumstances are just as likely to struggle with mental health problems as those whose upbringing was more peaceful. 

“This research shows that mental health conditions are not solely determined by early life events and that a child who is raised in a happy home, could still grow up to have a mental health disorder,” said researcher Bianca Kahl. 

“There’s certainly some missing factors in understanding how our childhood environment and early life experiences might translate into mental health outcomes in adulthood,” she continued. “We suspect that it’s our ability to adapt to scenarios when our expectations are not being met, that may be influencing our experiences of distress.” 

The importance of strong coping skills

To better understand kids’ mental health struggles, the researchers had over 340 participants complete surveys that covered a lot of ground about their personal histories. This included demographic information, childhood experiences, social and familial relationships, and symptoms and experiences related to mental health disorders. 

The researchers learned that all of the participants were susceptible to mental health concerns, regardless of what their childhoods looked like; however, they did find that some symptom-related trends emerged in kids with more chaotic upbringings versus kids from more stable homes. 

For example, kids with less stressful childhoods were more prone to anxiety and psychosomatic symptoms, which is when mental concerns show up in the body as various ailments or pains. On the other hand, kids with harsher childhoods were more likely to experience depression and paranoia. 

While it’s impossible to anticipate everything life will throw at us, the researchers believe that kids who know how to handle uncertainty and can develop healthy coping skills when faced with adversity are likely to have the strongest mental health outcomes -- no matter what kind of environment they grew up in. 

“As the prevalence of mental health conditions expands, it’s imperative that we also extend our knowledge of this very complex and varied condition,” Kahl said. “If, as children, we learn how to adapt to change, and we learn how to cope when things don’t go our way, we may be in a better position to respond to stress and other risk factors for poor mental health.” 

What women do during pregnancy can affect their babies’ growth and development -- and that includes consuming caffeine.

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Rochester Medical Center has found that women’s caffeine intake during pregnancy can impact their babies’ brain development. Their findings suggest that serious effects aren’t likely, but the team says steering clear of caffeine during pregnancy can yield the best health outcomes. 

“These are sort of small effects and it’s not causing horrendous psychiatric conditions, but it is causing minimal but noticeable behavioral issues that should make us consider long-term effects of caffeine intake during pregnancy,” said researcher John Foxe, PhD. “I suppose the outcome of this study will be a recommendation that any caffeine during pregnancy is probably not such a good idea.” 

How does caffeine affect brain development?

The researchers came to their conclusions after analyzing MRI brain scans for over 9,100 children between the ages of nine and 10. Over 4,100 mothers had reported consuming caffeine during pregnancy, and the researchers wanted to see how this caffeine exposure affected development.

Ultimately, the researchers observed some noticeable differences between kids who had been exposed to caffeine in the womb versus those who hadn’t. Kids exposed to caffeine in utero were more likely to struggle with paying attention and had more issues acting out, which the researchers linked with changes to white matter in their brains. White matter serves two important functions: it connects different parts of the brain, and it is also responsible for developing the ability to learn new things. When it becomes compromised due to early caffeine exposure, the researchers say these attention and behavioral issues are more likely.

The researchers also hypothesize that infants are unable to process caffeine in the same way that adults do while in utero. This, in turn, can affect healthy brain development and trigger hyperactivity. 

“What makes this unique is that we have a biological pathway that looks different when you consume caffeine through pregnancy,” said researcher Dr. Zachary Christensen. “Previous studies have shown that children perform differently on IQ tests, or they have different psychopathology, but that could also be related to demographics, so it’s hard to parse that out until you have something like a biomarker. This gives us a place to start future research to try to learn exactly when the change is occurring in the brain. 

Always consult with a doctor

When it comes to drinking coffee or other caffeinated beverages during pregnancy, the researchers recommend that women always consult their doctors. However, they also encourage women to think in terms of moderation so they can get the best health results for themselves and their children. 

“Current clinical guidelines already suggest limiting caffeine intake during pregnancy -- no more than two normal cups of coffee a day,” Dr. Christensen said. “In the long term, we hope to develop better guidance for mothers, but in the meantime, they should ask their doctor as concerns arise.” 

Many parents worry about how screen time will affect their children’s development, and a new study is exploring how time spent on devices can impact toddlers’ attention spans. 

According to researchers from the University of Bath, toddlers who spend a lot of time in front of screens may be more easily distracted than those who have less daily screen time. 

“The use of smartphones and tablets by babies and toddlers has accelerated rapidly in recent years,” said researcher Tim Smith. “The first few years of life are critical for children to learn how to control their attention and ignore distraction, early skills that are known to be important for later academic achievement. There has been growing concern that toddler touchscreen use may negatively impact their developing attention but previously there was no empirical evidence to support this.” 

How does screen time affect attention span? 

To better understand how toddlers’ screen time could affect their developing attention spans, the researchers tracked 56 toddlers over nearly three years and evaluated their attention spans. The researchers measured the toddlers’ ability to ignore distracting images and how quickly they looked at moving images on a computer screen. When at home, the kids were free to use screens however their parents allowed. 

The researchers learned that the toddlers who had the highest amounts of screen time also struggled the most to focus. They had the most difficulties blocking out the distracting images that popped up during the tests, and they were more quickly drawn to any new images that appeared on the screen. The toddlers with the least amount of time spent with touchscreens were better able to maintain focus and ignore the distracting images that were shown. 

Despite this relationship between toddler screen time and attention spans, the researchers can’t say that one necessarily causes the other. They said there are a lot of factors that could influence infants’ behavior and focus skills during tests like this. 

“We are currently unable to conclude that the touchscreen use caused the differences in attention as it could also be that children who are more distractible may be more attracted to the attention-grabbing features of touchscreen devices than those who are not,” said researcher Dr. Ana Maria Portugal. 

In future studies, the researchers hope that they’ll be able to get to the bottom of this trend. While young kids can certainly develop stronger focus skills, more work in this area could better equip parents to instill healthy screen time habits with their kids. 

“What we need to know next is how this pattern of increased looking to distracting objects on screens relates to attention span in the real-world: is it a positive sign that the children have adapted to the multitasking demands of their complex everyday environment or does it relate to difficulties during tasks that require concentration?” 

Several recent studies have explored the struggles that many women face with postpartum depression. However, relatively little research focuses on how men cope with new fatherhood. 

A new study conducted by researchers from Lund University found that depression is rather common for new fathers, and those emotions are often linked to feeling insecure in one’s romantic relationship. 

“Low self-confidence in close relationships seems to trigger parental stress, which in turn triggers the symptoms of depression,” said researcher Elia Psouni. 

Identifying depression-related triggers

For the study, the researchers surveyed over 500 fathers who had infants between the ages of one and 18 months old. They answered questions about their self-confidence, how they feel in their romantic relationships, and their overall mental health. 

The study revealed that 20 percent of the fathers involved in the study were experiencing severe depressive symptoms after the birth of their children. The researchers also learned that men who had partners experiencing postpartum depression were more likely to be struggling with their own mental health. 

“The study shows beyond doubt that parents affect one another and reveals the importance of monitoring how parents in various relationships and family constellations manage and fare over a long period,” Psouni said. 

While proximity to depression played a role in the new fathers’ mental health struggles, the researchers also found another common denominator among the men: low self-confidence. The researchers learned that many of the new fathers experiencing depression were also likely to lack confidence in their abilities to be a good parent and their roles in their romantic relationships. 

“Having a negative view of oneself, one’s own characteristics and abilities, while valuing other people highly often leads to a constant worry about not being good enough, about disappointing others and -- potentially -- losing them,” said Psouni. 

Divorce can be a major source of physical and mental stress for consumers, and a new study has explored how kids of divorced parents are affected by this change in the family dynamic. 

According to researchers from Arizona State University, kids are more likely to struggle with mental health concerns when their divorced or separated parents are frequently arguing. 

“Conflict is a salient stressor for kids, and the link between exposure to interparental conflict and mental health problems in children is well established across all family types -- married, cohabitating, separated, and divorced,” said researcher Karey O’Hara. 

“Conflict between divorced or separated parents predicted children experiencing fear that they would be abandoned by one or both parents. This feeling was associated with future mental health problems, especially for those who had strong relationships with their fathers.”

Kids fear being abandoned

The researchers had families enrolled in the New Beginnings Program -- an initiative that helps families transition following a divorce or separation -- participate in the study. Nearly 560 kids between the ages of nine and 18 were surveyed about their experiences with parental conflict, stress levels, and overall well-being. 

The more that separated or divorced parents fought, the more stressed and anxious the kids felt. The researchers learned that kids who experienced the highest levels of parental conflict feared being abandoned by their parents. This also had long-term consequences, as the study revealed that kids who worried about abandonment were also more likely to struggle with mental health nearly a year down the road. 

“When parents who are married or cohabitating engage in conflict, the child might worry about their parents separating,” said O’Hara. “But children whose parents are divorced or separated have already seen the dissolution of their family. The idea that they might be abandoned might be unlikely, but it is not illogical from their perspective.” 

Parental relationships don’t play a role

The researchers also learned that this correlation between parental conflict and kids’ mental health struggles was consistent regardless of the kind of relationship parents had with their kids. Several recent studies have indicated that parents serve an important role in managing stress for their kids; however, exposure to this kind of persistent arguing was enough to be detrimental to kids’ mental wellness despite any closeness with parents. 

“Having a high-quality parental relationship is protective, but it is possible that quality parenting alone is not enough in the context of high levels of interparental conflict between divorced parents,” O’Hara said. 

Researchers from the University of Warwick believe they have found the best way to predict when pregnancy sickness will start -- and they say it is closely tied to ovulation cycles. The team explained that most doctors use the date of women’s last menstrual cycle to determine the start of the pregnancy; however, this isn't always the most accurate measure because cycles can change from month to month. 

According to their findings, pregnancy sickness starts much earlier in pregnancy when looking at the date of ovulation rather than the date of the last menstrual cycle.

“In the past, women suffering with nausea and vomiting in pregnancy have had their symptoms trivialized and overlooked because it was thought there was a psychological basis for the symptoms,” said researcher Roger Gadsby. “This research further enforces that nothing could be further from the truth, that this is a biological problem related to the development of the early fetus.”   

Knowing when to expect pregnancy sickness

To come to their conclusions, the researchers had 256 pregnant women report on the dates of their last menstrual cycles and ovulation; the participants also kept diaries throughout their pregnancies to record their symptoms. 

The researchers found that nearly 95 percent of the women experienced sickness during their pregnancy, but the dates of their ovulation and menstrual cycles revealed very different experiences. When using the date of the participants’ last menstrual cycles as the start of the pregnancy, nausea and vomiting began nearly a month into pregnancy. However, using the ovulation date as the start of pregnancy pushed those symptoms up to just over a week into pregnancy. 

“The precise course of pregnancy sickness is unknown, but this research shows that it occurs at a specific developmental stage, in a specific time slot,” said Gadsby. “For researchers, it narrows our focus in terms of where we look for the cause. If we know that symptoms occur in a very narrow 8-10 days after ovulation, researchers can concentrate their efforts on that particular stage of development to find the cause of the condition, both anatomically and biochemically.” 

These findings are significant because the date of ovulation provides a much smaller window of when pregnancy sickness symptoms should appear. As Gadsby said, the women reported experiencing nausea and vomiting eight to 10 days post-ovulation; however, when looking at the date of the menstrual cycles, the window of symptoms appearing widened to 20 to 30 days. 

The researchers hope these findings can be beneficial from a research standpoint and help women better understand their bodies and know what to expect during pregnancy. 

A new study conducted by researchers from Case Western Reserve University explored how young people with behavioral and mental health concerns can benefit from a different approach. 

While kids with severe behavioral issues are often placed in state detention programs, the researchers looked at how things changed when kids were instead enrolled in the Ohio Behavioral Health Juvenile Justice Initiative (BHJJ). As an alternative to traditional detention programs, this community-based program gives young people the chance to contribute something positive to their local areas while working through behavioral, mental health, and substance abuse issues. 

“The majority of justice-involved youth have a history of mental health and/or substance-use issues, and have experienced a great deal of trauma,” said researcher Jeff Kretschmar. “However, local jurisdictions are often ill-equipped to accurately assess youth for behavioral health problems and provide appropriate treatment. Ohio’s Behavioral Health Juvenile Justice Initiative was intended to transform and expand the local systems’ options to better serve these youths.” 

Promoting better behavioral and health outcomes

For the study, the researchers analyzed behavioral and health outcomes for kids between the ages of 10 and 17 who were enrolled in the BHJJ. Since 2006, over 5,300 kids have participated in the BHJJ -- and the experts have noticed significant improvements in kids who complete the program in recent years. 

Between 2017 and 2019, more than 80 percent of the kids enrolled in BHJJ completed the program, and those that did also excelled in several other areas. The researchers found that school suspensions and expulsions decreased by 50 percent, and misdemeanor charges dropped by more than 50 percent. Additionally, nearly 80 percent of the kids who completed the program were less likely to have dealings with the police. 

The kids also saw improvements to their mental health and overall functioning after completing the program. The researchers found that there were fewer trauma-related symptoms reported, and the kids were less likely to be using substances like drugs or alcohol. 

The BHJJ, and other community-based diversion programs, are important for several reasons, but not least of which is that they evaluate kids comprehensively. At the start of the program, health care professionals perform intake assessments to ensure that the treatment program is best suited to the child’s needs. 

Moving forward, the researchers hope that more programs like BHJJ become the norm for kids who are struggling with behavioral and mental health issues. The benefits are extensive and could make significant long-term changes in young people’s lives. 

“The breadth of the data provides us with an opportunity to examine outcomes for youth in BHJJ from a variety of angles and provide practitioners with enough information to match programming with behavioral health needs,” said researcher Frederick Butcher. 

Drinking milk has been linked with health benefits for young kids, and now researchers have found that it could also benefit infants. 

According to findings from a new study conducted by researchers from Chalmers Institute of Technology, mothers who drink cow’s milk while breastfeeding could reduce their infants’ risk of developing food allergies. 

“We have found that mothers of healthy one-year olds consumed more cow’s milk during breastfeeding than mothers of allergic one-year olds,” said researcher Mia Stråvik. “Though the association is clear, we do not claim that drinking cow’s milk would be a general cure for food allergies.” 

The benefits of drinking milk

For the study, the researchers compared mothers’ diets with their children’s allergy outcomes. They had over 500 mothers complete detailed surveys about their food and drink intake at three junctures both during pregnancy and after childbirth, and their children were assessed for food allergies, asthma, or eczema when they turned one year old. 

Ultimately, the researchers found a significant correlation between women who consumed the most milk while breastfeeding and the lowest rates of child food allergies. Conversely, mothers with the lowest rates of milk consumption were more likely to have children with food allergies. 

“No matter how we looked at and interpreted the data, we came to the same conclusion,” said researcher Malin Barman. “The mechanisms behind why milk has this preventative effect against allergies, however, are still unclear.” 

Though the researchers can’t pinpoint exactly why this relationship exists between cow’s milk and reduced likelihood of food allergies, they did explain that it could be linked to how the exposure to dairy affects infants’ immune systems. 

“One hypothesis is that cow’s milk contains something that activates the child’s immune system and it helps it to develop tolerance,” Barman said. “This as-yet unknown cause could be found in the fat of the milk or its protein content. But it could also be the case that the milk itself is neutral in relation to a relatively lower intake of polyunsaturated fats. This would help, because we believe high levels of polyunsaturated fat in a mother’s diet can counteract the maturation of a child’s immune system at an early age.” 

The researchers explained that many food allergies are unavoidable; however, there is a genetic component to many reactions that children develop, and taking steps to reduce the risk of those allergies could greatly benefit kids. 

“Diet is a factor where parents themselves can have direct influence,” said Stråvik. “It is quite common nowadays for young women to avoid drinking milk, due in part to prevailing trends and concerns, some of which are linked to myths about dieting.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Southern California found that men’s age doesn’t play a role in the success of pregnancy following a vasectomy reversal. 

The researchers found that men over 50 were just as likely as men under 50 to have success getting a partner pregnant after a vasectomy reversal, which is promising news for those looking to start a family later in life.

“These results are exciting for men looking to start families later in life who have had a vasectomy,” said researcher Dr. Mary Samplaski. “This research is especially timely because anecdotally, fertility doctors are seeing an increase in the number of men interested in vasectomy reversals as couples focus on family planning during the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

Waiting to have kids is a reality

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from 3,000 men over the age of 50 and 350 men under the age of 50 who had vasectomy reversal surgery. The researchers kept in touch with the men to determine how many of the procedures had resulted in successful pregnancies. 

While age was certainly one of the biggest variables the researchers looked at, they also assessed the age of the participants’ female partners, the men’s smoking status, and how much time had passed since the original vasectomy procedure. In taking all of these factors into consideration, the researchers learned that men’s age at the time of a vasectomy reversal doesn’t play a role in the likelihood of their partner getting pregnant. 

“When we did a statistical analysis, and examined all these other factors involved, the data showed that age had no bearing on success,” said Dr. Samplaski. “Male age was not an independent factor.” 

Other factors make a difference

While age wasn’t an issue when it came to pregnancy success, the researchers learned that all of the other factors that they looked into did play a role. Smoking, having a female partner over the age of 35, and having the original vasectomy procedure 10 or more years prior to the reversal procedure all hindered the chances of pregnancy for men over the age of 50.

Ultimately, the researchers hope that men over 50 aren’t discouraged. They explained that with proper family planning, a successful pregnancy following a vasectomy reversal is incredibly likely. 

“The bottom line is, men over 50 can have successful outcomes in achieving pregnancy after a vasectomy reversal, and it should be a considered a very viable option,” Dr. Samplaski said. 

Recent studies have shown how important it is for kids to spend time with their dads, and now researchers from Rutgers University are exploring why this bonding time is just as important through adolescence. 

According to findings from a new study, older children and teens are more likely to have better overall well-being and behavioral outcomes when their dads are present and engaged in their day-to-day lives. This was especially true for low-income families, where economic demands make it difficult for dads to spend a lot of quality time with their kids. 

“On average, children in lower socioeconomic status families tend to have more behavioral problems and their fathers have lower levels of overall involvement than those in higher socioeconomic status families,” said researcher Lenna Nepomynaschy. 

The positive effect of more quality time

To understand the positive effect that more quality time with dads can have on adolescents, the researchers analyzed data from over 5,000 kids born to low-income families between 1998 and 2000. They tracked the kids’ behavioral outcomes and well-being through the time they turned 15 while also paying particular attention to how involved their fathers were in activities like helping with homework, playing, or providing meals. 

The researchers learned that when fathers in low-income families were able to be more present and engaged in their kids’ lives, the kids had much better behavioral outcomes. Having a present father figure cut down on problematic behaviors, like skipping school or throwing tantrums. 

According to Nepomynaschy, there are significant behavioral differences between kids from low-income families versus those from higher-income families, and the economic necessities of the family often make it difficult for fathers to spend time with their kids in a meaningful way. However, these findings highlight the importance of what that time together can mean for kids’ emotional and behavioral development. 

Moving forward, the researchers hope that the results from this study compel policymakers to consider what legislative changes are possible that could benefit families in need. 

Researchers from McGill University are urging parents not to worry about their infants’ sleeping habits in the first six months of life. 

Though many parents are eager to get their infants sleeping straight through the night, their recent study revealed that changes to sleeping patterns -- even nightly -- are common during infancy. The most important thing to keep in mind is that every child is different, and more traditional sleeping habits can take time to form. 

“Although previous research has shown that infants start sleeping through the night at different stages of development, little is known about individual sleep patterns night after night,” said researcher Marie-Helene Pennestri. 

Inconsistencies are common

The researchers followed the sleeping habits of 44 six-month old infants for two weeks. Mothers kept a record of their babies’ sleeping patterns for the duration of the study, and the main goal was to see if the infants could reach six or eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. 

Ultimately, the researchers learned that each baby had their own habits, which were vulnerable to change on a nightly basis. The most common trend among the infants was inconsistency: more than 70 percent experienced drastically different sleeping patterns each night of the study. 

Just one of the infants involved in the study slept for eight hours each of the 13 days, while more than half never hit the eight-hour mark. Similarly, three infants slept for six straight hours every night of the study, while more than 20 percent never achieved six uninterrupted hours. 

“Parents are often exposed to a lot of contradictory information about infant sleep,” said Pennestri. “They shouldn’t worry if their baby doesn’t sleep through the night at a specific age because sleep patterns differ a lot in infancy.” 

Co-sleeping may lead to more inconsistency

While a lot of factors can play into infants’ sleeping habits, the researchers found that mothers who breastfeed or co-sleep were more likely to have infants with inconsistent sleep each night. However, this could also be because mothers are more aware of their infants’ movements and disruptions, so the researchers plan to do more work in this area to better understand parents’ roles during the sleep process. 

For now, the researchers hope that parents find some comfort in these findings, as it’s incredibly clear that changes in infants’ sleeping habits are more common than many people might think. 

“One important piece of the puzzle is understanding parents’ perceptions and expectations of infant sleep,” Pennestri said. “In future research, we hope to explore what ‘sleeping through the night’ really means to them.” 

While many consumers take action to try to slow the aging process, a new study conducted by researchers from Penn State explored how giving birth could actually speed up aging for many women. According to their findings, the number of times a woman gives birth can affect the aging process post-menopause. 

“Our findings suggest that pregnancy and birth may contribute to the changing and dysregulation of several different physiological systems that may affect aging once a person is post-menopause,” said researcher Talia Shirazi. 

“This is consistent with the metabolic, immunological, and endocrinological changes that occur in the body during pregnancy and lactation, as well as the various disease risks that are associated with pregnancy and reproductive investment more generally.” 

The energy associated with childbirth 

To better understand how childbirth affects the biological aging process, the researchers analyzed data from over 4,400 participants involved in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The researchers compared the number of births with nine biological markers of aging, including immune function, kidney function, and red blood cell disorders, among several others. 

“We wanted to look at measures that would help capture the age and functioning of the body’s major organ systems, instead of looking at aging at the cellular level,” said researcher Waylon Hastings. 

The researchers discovered a very interesting trend between the number of times a woman gave birth and the biological aging process. Women who had given birth three or four times appeared to age as expected post-menopause; however, women who had between zero and two births, and those who had more than four births, experienced an accelerated aging process following menopause. 

“We think there’s something going on, some sort of trade-off, between aging and reproduction,” said Shirazi. “This makes sense from an evolutionary biology point of view, because if you’re spending energy in pregnancy and breastfeeding, you probably don’t have as much energy to allocate towards things like physiological maintenance and defense.”

The researchers also hypothesized that the change in hormones during menopause could have an effect on the aging process. They explained that reproductive hormones serve as a protective barrier as women age, but once menopause hits and those hormones are gone, women are more susceptible to the biological effects of aging. 

Moving forward, the researchers plan to do more work in this area to better understand how giving birth and menopause can affect women later in life. 

“This transition into menopause, and female reproductive health in general, is very much under-researched, and not as well understood as it should be at this time,” said Hastings. “So if we can see that there are these changes in aging as a function of reproduction and menopause, and we don’t have a great explanation for why, then that’s a sign we should investigate this more.” 

Managing stress during pregnancy is important for countless reasons. Recent studies have found that heightened stress while pregnant can affect everything from newborns’ behavior to their overall well-being. 

Now, a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Edinburgh found that high levels of stress during pregnancy can affect infants’ brain development. Stress produces the hormone cortisol, and the researchers found that higher levels of cortisol can have an effect on brain development. 

“Our findings are a call to action to detect and support pregnant women who need extra help during pregnancy as this could be an effective way of promoting healthy brain development in their babies,” said researcher James Boardman. 

Concerns related to heightened stress

To better understand how stress during pregnancy can affect newborns’ brain development, the researchers had 78 pregnant women participate in the study. The researchers analyzed hair samples from the women after they had given birth to analyze their cortisol levels, and they performed MRIs on the newborns to see how their brains were developing. 

The study revealed a connection between women who had the highest cortisol levels and infant brain development. High stress during pregnancy was associated with changes in the development of the amygdala, which is responsible for producing our fear response and can also affect other social and emotional responses. 

Because these changes were noticeable at such a young age, the researchers worry about the effect this could have on the newborns’ emotional development throughout childhood and adolescence. However, the team also explained that getting support for stress during pregnancy can be a great way to ensure infants’ health and wellness, and boost overall mood and mental health for pregnant women. 

“Thankfully, psychological treatments are very successful at helping mothers and children and we hope that our findings could guide therapies in future to help spot those who might be most in need of support,” said researcher Rebecca Reynolds. 

Just as women prioritize their physical health during pregnancy, the researchers hope that these findings inspire pregnant women to also keep their mental wellness top of mind. 

“This research highlights how important it is to support women’s health during pregnancy to ensure that their needs are met and that their babies have the best start in life,” said researcher Sarah Brown. “Helping mothers cope with stress is an important step to ensure both mom and baby thrive.” 

Many parents worry about how their kids are affected by too much time in front of screens, but now researchers from the University of Arizona are exploring how parents themselves can be affected by their kids’ screen time. 

According to their findings, parents were more likely to experience higher levels of stress when their kids spent more time watching TV. The researchers learned that the ads kids are exposed to during TV time contributes to parents’ stress levels. 

“The more advertising children see, the more they ask for things and the more conflict is generated,” said researcher Matthew Lapierre. “What we haven’t looked at before is what the potential effect is on parents. We know kids ask for things, we know it leads to conflict, but we wanted to ask the next question: Could this be contributing to parents’ overall stress?” 

How kids’ habits affect their parents

To understand how parents’ stress levels were affected by their children’s TV watching, the researchers analyzed survey responses from over 430 parents with children between the ages of two and 12 years old. In addition to gauging participants’ overall stress, the survey also asked questions about their kids’ TV watching habits and their behaviors around asking for things when out in a store. 

The researchers learned that watching a lot of TV affected the way kids behaved in stores, which ultimately affected their parents’ stress levels. They explained that kids are exposed to more advertisements while watching TV, which led to more demanding behavior while shopping with their parents. This, in turn, creates more conflict between kids and parents and can increase stress levels. 

“Advertising for kids is generated to make them feel excited,” Lapierre said. “They do a lot of things in kids’ advertising to emotionally jack up the child. Children don’t have the cognitive and emotional resources to pull themselves back, and that’s why it’s a particular issue for them.” 

Improving communication

To help combat this issue and ease some of the stress parents feel, the researchers recommend that parents approach communication with their kids from a different angle. They found that trying to be too controlling or directly addressing the persuasive powers of advertising aren’t likely to change kids’ aggressive or demanding behaviors around wanting things. 

The researchers explained that giving kids some influence in the buying decisions was likely to yield the best stress response for parents; however, it isn’t likely to lead to long-lasting changes in kids’ behavior. Creating stricter guidelines around screen time could be the most effective way to both reduce parents’ stress and lead to the best behaviors from kids.  

Nearly 1 in 5 parents in the U.S. considered themselves “vaccine hesitant” in 2019, according to a new government study published in the medical journal Pediatrics. 

Vaccine hesitancy, which was defined in the study as “the mental state of holding back in doubt or indecision regarding vaccination,” was more prevalent among parents with higher education levels. It was also more prevalent among parents with three or more children and parents of Black children. 

The children of these parents were less likely to get a flu shot or shots for other preventable illnesses, which the study authors said was concerning -- particularly ahead of the rollout of a COVID-19 vaccine. 

"Reducing vaccine hesitancy and increasing confidence in vaccinations could help improve vaccination coverage and thus protect children from disease," said lead author Tammy Santibanez, an epidemiologist with the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

Concerns about side-effects

Vaccine-hesitant parents often expressed concern about the long-term side effects of vaccines, but fewer than 15 percent of participants said they knew someone who had a long-term problem related to a vaccine.

The researchers recommended that parents have a conversation with their health care provider about the benefits of vaccination, both for individuals and communities. In some cases, parents may have read false information about vaccines through social media. 

The lack of confidence in vaccines has been “exacerbated by social media,” said Dr. Michael Grosso, chief medical officer and chairman of pediatrics at Northwell Health's Huntington Hospital in New York. Grosso said social media misinformation can make it difficult for many people to “discern what is real and what is myth.”

Holiday celebrations have been upended so far in 2020 by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, but there could actually be an increase in spending on Halloween events -- even though they’ll be confined to home.

A survey by LendingTree found that nearly three out of four parents with children under 18 plan to spend more on Halloween because their kids have missed out on so much this year. Spending is up across a wide range of seasonal products and services.

For example, 34 percent of parents say they have signed up for a new streaming service just to be able to watch Halloween content. More than a third -- 38 percent -- have purchased Halloween items in order to display them on social media. Men, the survey found, are far more likely than women to have done this.

That’s obviously good news to candy manufacturers and retailers who specialize in seasonal party supplies. But it turns out parents didn’t need a lot of convincing to go overboard.

Likely to go overboard

More than half (54 percent) of respondents admitted to spending more on Halloween than they could afford at some point in the past. The most common reason cited was wanting their decorations to look as good as their neighbors’.

LendingTree's chief credit analyst, Matt Schulz says the stress of 2020 has been building for months, and parents along with their children appear to be ready for some release.

"Between remote learning, social distancing measures, canceled vacations, and fewer extracurriculars,  parents and children alike have faced a lot of disappointment and unexpected difficulties in 2020,” Schulz said. “With the uncertainty around Halloween and trick-or-treating, it makes sense that parents want to go above and beyond to make the holiday season extra-special, for both their children and themselves."

Keeping celebrations safe

While few people will be going door-to-door asking for candy, parents may be planning in-home activities for their children, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cautions parents to keep holiday celebrations small and mostly confined to family members. 

The CDC says the safest celebrations would be small, brief, outside, and not include people who have recently been outside the area. Creative costumes can add to the holiday cheer, especially if family pets are included.

ConsumerAffairs recently collected these ideas to add to a family pet’s holiday wardrobe.

Though many expectant mothers are warned about the risks associated with postpartum depression, a new study has found that depression symptoms could start earlier than many may have realized. 

According to researchers from Imperial College London, severe morning sickness, which is medically referred to as hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), could increase the likelihood of depression both during and after pregnancy.

“Our study shows that women with HG are around eight times more likely to suffer antenatal depression and four times more likely to have postnatal depression,” said researcher Dr. Nicola Mitchell-Jones. “Some women in the study even had thoughts of self-harm whilst suffering HG. These figures are shocking and should be reflected in the treatment women receive. We need to do much more than simply treat the physical symptoms of HG; assessment for mental health support should also be routine for any woman with the condition.” 

Link between physical and mental symptoms

The researchers evaluated the mental health of 214 women in their first trimester of pregnancy, half of whom had been hospitalized for severe morning sickness.

The team found that severe morning sickness took a toll on the participants’ mental health. Nearly 50 percent of those who had been hospitalized for morning sickness experienced depression during pregnancy, and nearly 30 percent struggled with postpartum depression. Conversely, less than 10 percent of the women without morning sickness ever experienced depression-related symptoms, either during or after pregnancy. 

The study revealed that severe morning sickness affected the women in their day-to-day lives. Half of those who received medical care for the condition were forced to take extended periods of time off of work, which can put an even greater strain on mental health and relationships. 

The researchers hope that these findings can help change the way women with morning sickness are treated by their health care providers. Though morning sickness is a troubling physical condition, this study shows just how much of a burden it can be on women’s mental health. 

“Many women can’t afford that amount of time off work or are stay-at-home mums with young children to care for,” said Dr. Mitchell-Jones. “Too often their partners, relatives, or work colleagues are not providing the support they need because they fail to understand the severity of what these women are going through. We need to educate them, as well as health care professionals.” 

Recent studies have highlighted how low levels of vitamin D during pregnancy can affect newborns’ development. Now, a new study is exploring how the supplement can be effective in maintaining healthy blood pressure for infants. 

According to researchers from Johns Hopkins University, vitamin D is an important supplement for women with preeclampsia because it has been found to promote better blood pressure for newborns through childhood. 

“There is increasing evidence that cardiovascular disease risk is, to a great extent, programmed in the womb, and we now see that it may be vitamin D that alters this programming in a beneficial fashion,” said researcher Noel Mueller, PhD. 

The benefits of vitamin D

To see how vitamin D could affect newborns’ blood pressure, the researchers analyzed data from Boston Medical Center, which included information on over 750 mothers and infants. The study included data on the mothers’ vitamin D levels during pregnancy, with the researchers regularly checking children’s blood pressure from the time they were three years old through the age of 18.  

The researchers kids were more likely to have high blood pressure when their mothers experienced preeclampsia during pregnancy. However, they also learned that vitamin D could be an effective way to reduce the risk of kids developing high blood pressure. 

Kids who received the highest levels of vitamin D maintained healthy blood pressure readings throughout childhood, regardless of what their mothers’ blood pressure status was during pregnancy. Conversely, those who received the lowest levels of vitamin D during pregnancy were more likely to have elevated blood pressure readings -- especially when their mothers struggled with preeclampsia. 

While consumers should always consult with their doctors before starting a new supplement regimen, these findings are important because they could lead to better health outcomes for kids. Moving forward, the researchers hope that more research is done in this area to better understand this link between maternal vitamin D levels and blood pressure. 

“If other epidemiological studies confirm these findings, then randomized trials would be needed to determine conclusively if higher vitamin D in mothers at risk of preeclampsia protects against childhood high blood pressure,” said Dr. Mueller. 

A new study conducted by researchers from King’s College London has found that introducing infants to gluten in the early months of life could prevent celiac disease. Their work revealed that infants who were given gluten, alongside breast milk, at four months old were less likely to develop celiac disease than those who were given gluten later in infancy. 

“This is the first study that provides evidence that early introduction of significant amounts of wheat into a baby’s diet before six months of age may prevent the development of celiac disease,” said researcher Gideon Lack. “This strategy may also have implications for other autoimmune diseases such as Type 1 diabetes.” 

Preventing celiac disease

The researchers analyzed results from over 1,000 infants who participated in the Enquiring About Tolerance (EAT) study. One group was introduced to gluten at four months old by receiving four milligrams of wheat protein each week, in addition to breast milk. Another group was not exposed to gluten and stuck to just breast milk until they were six months old. 

When the children reached three years old, they were tested for the antibodies associated with celiac disease. The researchers said it was clear that an earlier introduction to gluten was beneficial in preventing gluten intolerance. None of the nearly 490 children who were given gluten early developed celiac disease. Conversely, 1.4 percent of the 516 children who weren’t given gluten early developed celiac disease by age three. 

Though the researchers want to do more work in this area, these findings are important for consumers to consider. There are no treatments or interventions associated with celiac disease, and those with the condition generally must cut out all gluten from their diets. However, the findings show that consumers could potentially protect their young ones from ever developing celiac disease just by introducing them to gluten earlier. 

“Early introduction of gluten and its role in the prevention of celiac disease should be explored further, using the results of the EAT Study as the basis for larger clinical trials to definitively answer this question,” said researcher Dr. Kirsty Logan. 

Helicopter parenting has been found to affect everything from kids’ independence to parents’ stress levels, and now a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Arizona is looking into why these types of behaviors emerge among parents. 

According to the researchers, those who have perfectionist tendencies are the most likely to over-parent their kids, as they derive the most value from having their kids excel in every possible area. 

“All the research thus far on helicopter parenting, or over-parenting, has focused on what are the outcomes for the children who are the recipients of over-parenting, and no one has been looking at who does this in the first place,” said researcher Chris Segrin. “We think knowing more about the motivations of the parents has important implications for understanding what happens to children.” 

Identifying the trends

The researchers conducted two studies to better understand the trends involved in helicopter parenting. In one study, nearly 300 young adults were surveyed about their parents’ parenting style. In the second study, researchers had over 300 parents respond to statements that assessed their personality types and engagement as a parent. 

Both studies revealed that there was a close link between those with high levels of perfectionism and those who were the most likely to over-parent their kids. 

“Over-parenting is when you apply what we call developmentally inappropriate parenting or guidance structure for the child,” said Segrin. “By developmentally inappropriate, we mean we’re providing to the child that which the child could easily do him or herself. People who engage in over-parenting are not adjusting their parenting and letting the child have greater autonomy; they still want to control the child’s outcomes.” 

When thinking about how perfectionism comes into play, the researchers explained that parents push their kids to get the best results and then see their kids’ victory as a victory of their own. 

“They want to live vicariously through their children’s achievements,” Segrin said. “They want to see their children achieve because it makes them look good. I’m not saying they don’t care about their children; of course they do. But they measure their self-worth by the success of their children. That’s the yardstick that they use to measure their own success as a parent.” 

Finding a healthy balance

The researchers explained that it’s crucial for parents to have some kind of separation between their identities and their kids’ identities, as this can help them set more realistic expectations and foster more independence for their young ones. 

“I think those blurred boundaries between parent and child can be harmful to the psychological landscape of the parent,” said Segrin. “We need the parents to realize they have some element of their own life -- whether it’s their career, their personal relationships, their hobbies -- that’s independent of their role as a parent, so they don’t get caught up in this trap of wanting to just keep parenting their children until they’re 40 years old.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from New York University explored how the teen-parent relationship can impact the likelihood of cyberbullying. The findings revealed that when teens feel supported and encouraged by their parents, there is a smaller chance of them cyberbullying others.

“While our study doesn’t prove that a lack of parental support directly causes cyberbullying, it does suggest that children’s relationships with their parents might influence their bullying behaviors,” said researcher Laura Grunin. “These relationships should be considered when developing interventions to prevent cyberbullying.” 

The importance of parental support

The researchers analyzed over 12,000 responses to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Health Behavior in School-Aged Children Survey, which assessed teens’ family situations and their interpersonal relationships with their peers. 

The study showed that cyberbullying was most likely to happen when teens felt like they were lacking the love and support they needed from their parents. Those who said they lacked parental support were six times more likely to engage in cyberbullying behaviors compared to those who said they felt supported by their parents.

“Our findings point to the importance of emotional support as a factor that may influence whether teens cyberbully -- and more importantly, it is how teens perceive the support they receive from their parents,” said Grunin. “I would stress to parents it is not necessarily if they think they are being supportive, but what their adolescent thinks. Parents should strive to discern their teen’s perception of parental emotional support as it might be associated with youth cyberbullying behavior.” 

Being mindful in the future

The researchers also cited two important factors to consider when thinking about teens and cyberbullying moving forward. For starters, this survey was conducted a decade ago, and social media and smartphones have only increased in popularity. The researchers say this could certainly have an effect on these findings. 

Secondly, the researchers say that cyberbullying should be a major focus as many schools reopen virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, cyberbullying could become more prominent in this type of online learning environment. 

“Understanding what factors are related to a young person’s cyberbullying of peers is important for developing ways that families, schools, and communities can prevent bullying or intervene when it occurs,” said researcher Sally S. Cohen. 

Consumers continue to increase their caffeinated beverage consumption. Although there have been benefits associated with drinking caffeine, it can be difficult to know how much is too much. 

While research varies when it comes to your everyday consumers, researchers have determined that the popular beverage ingredient can increase the risk of several complications in pregnant women.

“The substantial majority finding from observational studies and meta-analyses is that maternal caffeine consumption is reliably associated with major negative pregnancy outcomes,” the researchers wrote. “Consequently, current evidence does not support health advice that assumes ‘moderate’ caffeine consumption during pregnancy is safe.” 

Ditching the morning coffee during pregnancy

The researchers analyzed nearly 50 earlier studies, all of which looked at pregnancy outcomes when women consumed caffeine. The overwhelming takeaway from all of these assessments was that drinking caffeine during pregnancy can lead to adverse outcomes. 

The researchers learned that caffeine can increase health risks for both mothers and babies, even in the smallest doses. When it came to pregnancy-related issues, the study revealed that caffeine intake can be linked to stillbirth, miscarriage, or premature delivery, while infants can experience a low birth weight, childhood obesity, or childhood leukemia. 

These findings are consistent with the findings of another recent study, which found that high levels of caffeine can be bad for newborns’ growth and development. Similarly, the researchers of that study said they don’t believe any level of caffeine is free of side effects, and their analysis revealed complications occurred regardless of how much caffeine was consumed during pregnancy. 

Moving forward, the researchers hope that recommendations regarding caffeine consumption during pregnancy change to ensure that women have the healthiest pregnancies possible. Despite the health benefits associated with caffeine, this study emphasized the importance of steering clear of caffeine during pregnancy. 

“Specifically, the cumulative scientific evidence supports pregnant women and women contemplating pregnancy being advised to avoid caffeine,” said researcher Jack James. 

Recent studies have found that spending time in nature can affect consumers in countless ways, such as reducing stress and prompting healthier eating choices. 

Now, a new study conducted by researchers from North Carolina State University suggests that it’s important for parents to find outdoor activities that their kids can connect with if they want them to enjoy nature.

“In order to create a strong bond with nature, you need to provide kids with an opportunity to be alone in nature, or to experience nature in a way that they can personally connect with it, but you need to reinforce that with social experiences either with peers or adults,” said researcher Kathryn Stevenson. 

Creating bonding time

To get a feel for how kids make the most of their time outdoors, the researchers conducted a survey of over 1,200 participants between the ages of nine and 12. They were most interested in understanding what parts of being outdoors are most enjoyable to kids and what kind of relationship they already have with nature. 

Overall, the researchers learned that kids were more likely to have strong relationships with nature when they had experience being outdoors, whether that was with others or by themselves. Participating in activities like camping or fishing were more likely to result in a more positive attitude about being in nature. 

These findings are important because spending time outside, and enjoying that time, can be incredibly beneficial for kids as they develop into adults. The researchers explained that enjoying time in nature provides easy access to physical activity while also boosting overall well-being.

“There are all kinds of benefits from building connections to nature and spending time outside,” said Stevenson. “One of the benefits we’re highlighting is that children who have a strong connection to nature are more likely to want to take care of the environment in the future.” 

Future environmental goals 

The researchers hope that these findings can help kids foster a deeper connection with the environment since it may encourage them to explore their environmental interests more deeply. Moving forward, the goal is to have more outlets for kids to spend time outdoors from both a leisure and educational standpoint. 

“When you think about recreation opportunities for kids, social activities are often covered; people are signing their kids up for sports, camp, and scouts,” said Stevenson. 

“Maybe we need more programming to allow children to be more contemplative in nature, or opportunities to establish a personal connection. That could be silent sits, or it could be activities where children are looking or observing on their own. It could mean sending kids to the outdoors to make observations on their own. It doesn’t mean that kids should be unsupervised, but adults could consider stepping back and letting kids explore on their own.” 

While previous studies have highlighted the benefits associated with children playing with both of their parents, a new study put the spotlight on kids’ quality time with their fathers. 

According to researchers from the University of Cambridge, dads tend to be more physical and active when playing with their kids, even from a young age. They say this kind of engagement can be beneficial in giving kids more autonomy over their emotions and behavior. 

“Physical play creates fun, exciting situations in which children have to apply self-regulation,” said researcher Paul Ramchandani. “You might have to control your strength, learn when things have gone too far -- or maybe your father steps on your toe by accident and you feel cross!” 

“It’s a safe environment in which children can practice how to respond,” he added. “If they react the wrong way, they might get told off, but it’s not the end of the world -- and next time they might remember to behave differently.” 

Improving behavioral skills

To understand what effect playtime with dad can have on kids, the researchers analyzed nearly 80 studies that spanned four decades. They were most interested in understanding how quality time between dads and their kids translated to development. 

The researchers learned that fathers are much more physical and active when it comes to playing with their young ones. Even with infants, fathers display a very hands-on approach with their kids during playtime. Ultimately, the researchers found that this was beneficial for kids’ development, as this type of play was associated with better self-control and behavioral outcomes. 

The study found that when fathers and kids engaged in this way, the kids were less likely to lose their tempers with other kids, had better temperaments, and exhibited better behavior overall. However, the researchers explained that mothers can certainly fulfill this role with their children. The style of play -- being able to chase and run -- is what gives kids the opportunity to learn self-control. 

“Children are likely to benefit most if they are given different ways to play and interact,” said Ramchandani. 

Giving parents more time to play

The researchers hope that these findings help shape new policies and culture shifts that give parents more freedom to have quality time with their little ones. 

“At a policy level, this suggests we need structures that give fathers, as well as mothers, time and space to play with their children during those critical early years,” said researcher Dr. Ciara Laverty. 

“Even today, it’s not unusual for fathers who take their child to a parent-toddler group, for example, to find that they are the only father there. A culture shift is beginning to happen, but it needs to happen more.” 

A recent report by the Census Bureau finds members of U.S. households are suffering increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The series of surveys began as a way to track a range of effects on households, including financial, educational, physical, and mental impacts. Last week’s survey found that a third of respondents are beginning to show signs of clinical anxiety or depression, agency officials said.

The Census Bureau survey showed young adults appear to be most affected. Within households, a second survey shows mothers appear to be bearing the brunt of the stress. 

Increased workloads

The survey conducted by Malt-O-Meal, a brand of ready-to-eat cereals, found that 95 percent of moms said they are multitasking for an average of almost eight hours a day. That may be because workloads have increased for most women with children living at home. More than half -- 55 percent -- say they are working longer hours, and 89 percent of those moms say it’s taking a toll on their well-being. 

More than three in five report feeling increased stress levels. Forty-eight percent describe themselves as more anxious; 46 percent say they spend more time worrying; 27 percent are increasingly sad; and 26 percent say they more easily lose their temper.

With stay-at-home orders keeping kids out of schools and parents out of stores and offices, the household is populated 24/7. Women responding to the survey say they are spending time on their children’s education and keeping them entertained. In the meantime, they are trying to fulfill their own full-time work responsibilities.

Not much ‘me time’

Nearly a third of respondents said they only have one hour a day for self-care, while more than 1 in 8 moms say that they have no “me time” at all. When stress levels reach the breaking point, moms say they have a range of ways they decompress:

• 60 percent binge-watch TV and movies

• 43 percent eat

• 38 percent exercise

• 35 percent sleep

• 35 percent bake

• 24 percent drink

• 24 percent work on crafts

"It's clear that moms are burnt out and in need of a much-deserved break," said Jessica Wobschall, Senior Brand Manager of Malt-O-Meal and mother of two with another on the way. 

"As a brand that has been there for moms for over 100 years, we wanted our survey to draw attention to the job of being a mom, which for many has expanded significantly right now, and find some way to provide a little relief."

In the last few weeks, ConsumerAffairs has compiled a series of ideas for diversions and stress-relievers while stuck at home. They include 5 ways to disconnect and unplug; 5 live feed websites; 4 art projects to try at home; and ways to brew better coffee at home.

While researchers have found that activities like reading and screen time can affect toddlers’ behavior, a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Cambridge shows that parents can also still play a more active role in behavioral outcomes. 

According to the researchers, taking a more flexible parenting approach to children’s needs can yield better behavior as kids progress from infants to toddlers. 

“It’s not about doing everything for your child, or directing their actions,” said researcher Claire Hughes. “It’s more of a to-and-fro between parent and child. Parents who do best at this can sit back and watch when they see their child succeeding with something, but increase support or adapt the task when they see the child struggling.”  

Managing behavior

To better understand how parents can best support their children’s development, the researchers had 400 couples and their infants involved in the study. 

The big test was seeing how parents interacted with their children when they were instructed to complete specific tasks. The sessions were videotaped, and the researchers checked in when the children were four months, 14 months, and 24 months. The researchers were most interested in understanding how parents’ involvement affected the child’s overall temperament and behavior. 

The team learned that some parents were more flexible than others when their kids wanted to veer from the assigned task, and it was in these cases when kids were better behaved. When parents were eager to ensure that the task was completed as designed, children were more likely to have tantrums. 

“We had some children who took two animal pieces from a wooden farm puzzle and started clapping them together, and making a game out of the fact that they made a clapping noise,” said researcher Dr. Rory Devine. “Here, parents might respond by encouraging the child to make animal noises that match the animals being clapped together. Autonomy supportive parenting is about being flexible, following a child’s lead and providing just the right amount of challenge.” 

Patience is key

With many families forced to stay home due to the coronavirus, it can be difficult for parents to always have an activity planned or a task prepared that can entertain their young ones. 

However, the researchers emphasized that patience and flexibility are key during these times. Letting kids’ imaginations run wild, and letting them adapt games to their interests, can lead to optimal behavioral outcomes.  

“Rather than trying to make a child achieve a rigidly defined task, autonomy support is more of a playful interaction,” Hughes said. “It promotes the child’s problem solving and their ability to learn, by letting games or tasks evolve into experiences that engage them.” 

Recent studies have emphasized the importance of staying active during the COVID-19 pandemic, as consumers can reap both physical and mental health benefits. 

Now, researchers from the University of Strathclyde are calling for parents to ensure their young ones are staying active during these challenging times. The researchers recommend that physical activity become part of kids’ daily routines while at home. 

“The measures against COVID-19 are in place for a very good reason, but this reduction in physical activity could be seen as an unintended consequence,” said researcher John Reilly. “Even before the lockdown measures, it was a major problem; our previous research has found that, in Scotland alone, fewer than 20 percent of children were meeting physical activity guidelines.” 

Getting kids moving

Children’s physical activity levels tend to be poor worldwide, and being at home for extended periods of time increases the likelihood that kids will stay sedentary. In analyzing results from 15 countries worldwide, the researchers learned that young people are not moving nearly enough while quarantined. 

While the researchers believe lawmakers are responsible for pushing out messages promoting physical activity, there are also steps families can take to ensure that everyone is moving. They emphasize the importance of having a routine for kids. Bedtimes should remain as usual, and physical activity should be incorporated into the daily schedule. 

Though limiting screen time is important so kids aren’t sitting for extended periods of time, the researchers also say that screens can be effective in encouraging exercise.

“...even screen time can also incorporate activity resources, such as online fitness videos,” Reilly said. “Breaks in screen time are also important, but one reason physical activity is most needed just now is that school is the place where children most often have it.” 

It’s also important to take advantage of the outdoors. Appropriate social distancing is always required, but as the weather gets warmer, it’s the perfect opportunity to get outside and walk, play games, or ride bikes. 

“It’s important that people make whatever use of their environment they can and take the opportunities they can to keep physical activity going,” said Reilly. “The vast majority of children have access to outdoor spaces they can still use.” 

While there is no shortage of stress these days, a new study urges parents to reconsider how they share their stress with their kids. 

According to researchers from Washington State University, when parents try to mask their stress in front of their kids, it could create more stress for young ones. Instead, experts recommend that parents set the example by honoring all feelings with their kids. 

“We show that the response happens under the skin,” said researcher Sarah Waters. “It shows what happens when we tell kids that we’re fine when we’re not. It comes from a good place; we don’t want to stress them out. But we may be doing the exact opposite.” 

Increasing stress levels 

To better understand how parents’ stress can impact their kids’ behavior, the researchers had over 100 parent-child pairs participate in the study. 

After learning what topics typically caused issues between the pairs, the researchers had the parents perform an activity that ramped up their stress levels. From there, parents were reunited with their kids and instructed to repress any negative feelings in front of them.

With stress levels sufficiently high, the pairs were instructed to discuss one of the topics that usually incited an argument. The researchers were able to measure their biological stress response via wearable sensors, while outside participants evaluated the parent-children interactions with no knowledge of who was holding in their stress. 

Ultimately, it was easy to recognize which parents were concealing their emotions, as those conversations were much more tense. The researchers found that the kids mirrored their parents’ responses, leading the team to conclude that stress breeds more stress. 

“That makes sense for a parent distracted by trying to keep their stress hidden, but the kids very quickly changed their behavior to match the parent,” said Waters. “So if you’re stressed and just say ‘Oh, I’m fine,’ that only makes you less available to your child. We found that kids picked up on that and reciprocated, which becomes a self-fulfilling dynamic.” 

Encouraging open communication

To reduce the likelihood of this stress spiral, the researchers recommend that parents openly communicate with their children about their feelings. Especially during uncertain times, there’s a lot for consumers of all ages to feel nervous or disappointed about, and it’s important that all family members have their voices heard. 

“Research shows that it’s more comforting for kids to have their feelings honored than just to be told ‘It’s going to be fine,’” said Waters. “Just sit with them and give them a chance to regulate those emotions on their own. Try not to show them that you’re frustrated with them, or solve their problem. And try to do the same for yourself, give yourself permission to be frustrated and emotional.” 

Waters’ parting advice is that only positive things can come from parents and kids being more open and honest about their feelings. 

“Giving yourself permission to feel opens up your mind to more and better problem solving,” she said. “It’s a good thing.” 

There are countless benefits that come from infants sleeping well, but a new study suggests that not getting quality sleep can be detrimental to children’s mental health.

According to researchers, infants who consistently struggle with sleep throughout the first year of their lives could be at an increased risk of developing anxiety throughout childhood. 

“Persistent disturbed sleep during infancy may be an early indicator of a child’s heightened susceptibility to later mental health difficulties -- in particular, anxiety problems,” the researchers explained. “Infants with persistent severe sleep problems should be monitored for emerging mental health difficulties during childhood.” 

Sleep and mental health

To better understand the effects that poor sleep can have on infants’ developing mental health, the researchers analyzed findings from a recent Australian study that included over 1500 mothers and their babies. 

Over the course of the babies’ first years of life, their mothers reported on their sleeping habits every three months. The study lasted until the children were 10 years old, at which point they had completed questionnaires at two different junctures that assessed their mental health. 

The majority of infants involved in the study had moderate sleeping patterns, but just about 20 percent of them consistently struggled with sleep. By the time the children in this group reached 10 years old, they had heightened anxiety symptoms compared to those who were more settled sleepers.

The findings show that poor sleeping habits are linked with emotional and mental health concerns. The researchers noted that many of the children in the study had symptoms indicative of a number of different anxiety/emotional disorders, including obsessive compulsive disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, and bipolar disorder. 

Though these results come from just one sample population and are observational, the researchers recommend that parents monitor their infants’ sleeping patterns if they’re concerned about persistent restlessness. 

While previous studies have highlighted the importance of parents keeping their cool around their kids, a new study found that parents serve as the best guide for their young ones during times of stress. 

Researchers from the University of Illinois say that parents who take on a “coaching” role could help their kids better manage big moments of transition or stressful times. 

“As we’re thinking about the transition to middle school, we’re looking at the extent to which mothers are encouraging their child to use active, engaged coping strategies, such as problem solving, help-seeking, or reframing or thinking about the situation in less threatening or negative ways,” said researcher Kelly Tu. 

Developing strong coping skills

While college can be a stressful time for parents and kids, the researchers chose to focus their attention on a much earlier transition: elementary school to middle school. 

The researchers were interested in seeing how mothers would help their kids handle situations typical of this time in their lives, like being left out of a social group or potential anxiety around fitting in and making new friends. 

The study itself was comprised of two parts. In the first section, the mothers self-reported on how they’d help their kids navigate such social situations. In the second part, the mothers and kids discussed real-life situations that dealt with similar topics while the researchers observed. 

The study revealed that kids who had higher physical reactions to these discussions responded better to suggestions that were more self-focused and less about directly tackling issues, whereas the opposite framework worked best for kids who had lower physical reactions. 

The researchers suggest that parents take these findings into consideration, as knowing how to best address these problems with their kids, and understanding their kids’ needs, can be incredibly beneficial during times of transition. 

“We found that mothers’ active, engaging coping suggestions were more beneficial for low reactive youth,” said Tu. “Low reactive youth may not be attending to cues in these conversations about stressful or challenging peer experiences, and so they behave in ways that are unexpected, non-normative, or inappropriate. But when parents give them specific advice for how to manage challenging peer situations, this appears to be helpful.” 

Anxiety levels in young people have been a hot topic for researchers, as mental health diagnoses among the younger generation have been on the rise. Now, researchers have discovered another possible risk factor. 

According to a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Montreal, teens who spend more time in front of screens -- whether it be TVs, smartphones, or laptops -- could be at a higher risk for anxiety symptoms. 

“These findings suggest that one way to help teens manage anxiety could be to help them limit the amount of time they spend in front of screens,” said researcher Dr. Patricia Conrod. 

Monitoring screen-time levels

To understand the association between anxiety and screen time, the researchers had the study participants report on their symptoms that could be related to anxiety, as well as how much time they spent in front of screens per day. 

The researchers narrowed down their study to four different types of online engagement to best understand what could contribute to the participants’ anxiety levels: TV, computer, video games, and social media. 

The study revealed that teens who spend more time in front of screens were more likely to also experience more anxiety-related symptoms, but only over the long-term. While daily differences in screen time didn’t amount to much change in anxiety symptoms, the study revealed that yearly fluctuations could impact anxiety levels, raising and lowering depending on how much time was spent in front of screens. 

Despite video games growing in popularity, time spent gaming was the one source of screen time that didn’t contribute to teens’ anxiety symptoms. 

With screen time guidelines under scrutiny from health experts, especially for young people, these findings are important because they could help parents be more mindful of how they set limits for screen time.

Despite concerns from experts, more toddlers than ever before are exposed to screens from laptops, TVs, or smartphones. A new study found that the effects of such exposure are wide in scope. 

According to researchers from SingHealth, children who spend time in front of screens before they’re 18 months old are more likely to experience difficulties with behavior patterns and sleep habits. 

“Although this study was conducted in children with [neurodevelopmental disorders], the results from this study are applicable to the general population, and aligned with existing evidence from studies that have been done on typically developing children,” said researcher Dr. Mae Wong. 

Poor sleeping and behavioral effects

The researchers sought to discover the effects screen time can have on kids, especially when they’re in particularly important developmental stages. The team enlisted nearly 400 children between the ages of two and five years old to participate in the study, all of whom had some kind of neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD). 

While the children’s caregivers answered questions about their child’s day-to-day experiences -- such as typical sleeping habits, physical activity, diet, screen time, and socioeconomic factors -- the children themselves wore Fitbits so the researchers could electronically track their sleeping and activity outcomes over the course of the study. 

The researchers discovered the children’s screen time habits greatly affected other areas of their lives. The overwhelming majority of the children involved in the study -- nearly 94 percent -- were going over the recommended one-hour of screen time per day. 

All this time in front of screens affected the way the kids were sleeping, as nearly 60 percent of the participants had screens in their bedrooms. This ultimately contributed to over 70 percent of the kids experiencing disruptive sleep, the researchers said. 

Avoid screen time early in life

Wong and her team also warn against too much screen time during the toddler years, as more than half of the children involved in the study were either 18 months old or younger when they were first exposed to screens. 

The researchers learned that kids’ screen time often mirrored their caregivers’, and the effects of such time can be wide-reaching and detrimental. They offered some recommendations to help keep kids engaged outside of electronic devices. 

First and foremost, they advise against screen time -- even in moderation -- for all toddlers under 18 months old. When screen time can’t be avoided for young ones, the researchers suggest making it a collaborative activity that has clear starting and ending points, as doing so can ensure that kids remain well-balanced in their day-to-day lives. 

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is proposing a new rule that would virtually eliminate the sale of inclined sleepers, an infant bed that allows babies to sleep at a 30-degree angle.

The American Academy of Pediatrics emphatically states that babies should sleep on flat surfaces, and now there’s mounting evidence that these inverted sleepers can be deadly.

A study conducted for the CPSC found that babies have died in inclined sleepers despite pediatricians’ warnings over the years that the devices were not safe. The study suggests CPSC staff had failed to understand the risks and instead relied on assurances from industry sources that the devices were safe.

Erin Mannen, assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, led the study and found that the design of the inclined sleeper is not safe.

Mannen says the risk is from suffocation. The researchers found that the inclined sleeper makes it easier for an infant to roll into a facedown position. If they lack the strength to roll over again they can suffocate.

Same standard as for bassinets

Mannen concluded that none of the inclined sleep products tested in the study were safe for infants. U.S. PIRG concurs, saying the product is inherently unsafe. The group says new CPSC rules would require future sleepers to meet the same standards used for bassinets

“We have lost too many infant lives because dangerous inclined sleepers continued to be sold, despite the clear evidence they posed a real threat to infants’ lives,” said Grace Brombach, U.S. PIRG Consumer watchdog associate.  “We applaud the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission for taking bold action to end the sale of inclined sleepers and urge them to adopt the rule quickly.”

In July, Fisher-Price recalled 71,000 inclined sleeper accessories included with all models of Fisher-Price Ultra-Lite Day & Night Play Yards. At the time, the company said infant fatalities had been reported while using other inclined sleep products after the infants rolled from their back to their stomach or side while unrestrained or under other circumstances.

Inclined sleepers are designed to position babies to sleep on an incline of between 10 and 30 degrees. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics has long warned that these products make it more likely that a child’s airway will become compressed, causing them to suffocate.

As of October 4, the CPSC said it had received reports that 54 infant deaths had been linked to inclined sleep products.

While previous studies have explored the countless ways stress affects the body, a new study conducted by researchers from King’s College London has discovered how the stress felt by expectant mothers can also affect their newborns. 

The study found that babies’ brain development could be compromised due to their mothers’ stress both before and during pregnancy. 

“It is not diagnosed as often as it should be during pregnancy and we are trying to emphasise that maternal mental health during pregnancy can impact the baby’s brain development which may impact on their outcomes later in life,” said researcher Alexandra Lautarescu. “No one is asking these women about stress and hence they don’t receive any support.” 

Developing brain health

The researchers evaluated over 250 premature babies and their mothers to determine how stress levels affected development.

The study had two parts: first, the mothers reported on their stress levels by filling out questionnaires regarding how frequently they experienced a wide spectrum of stressful events. Following childbirth, the researchers analyzed images of newborns’ brains to better understand how stress affected their neural development.

The researchers found that the presence of more high-level stressors during pregnancy led to more babies born with deficiencies to a white matter tract in the brain known as uncinate fasciculus. When functioning normally, white matter works to send and receive messages between brain cells. When that tract is compromised, the researchers discovered that it can create an increased risk of several mental health disorders, including bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorders, depression, Alzheimer’s, and other conditions. 

Overall, the researchers are hoping that these findings bring to light a serious issue plaguing pregnant women that is going undetected more times than not. If properly assessed, the researchers say mothers and their babies could benefit greatly from increased support.

“Antenatal services need to be aware that it is important to think about the stress of the mums and we need to have some kind of support there for the mums who identify that they are stressed,” said Lautarescu. “If we try to help these women either during the pregnancy or in the early post-natal period with some sort of intervention this will not only help the mother, but may also prevent impaired brain development in the baby and improve their outcomes overall.” 

Choosing healthy foods isn’t always easy or preferable for consumers -- especially young ones. But findings from a new study show that parents can do something to make it more likely for their children to eat their vegetables.

A team of researchers say that giving children a variety of options when it comes to healthy foods makes it more likely that they’ll accept them. 

The study, which involved 32 families, involved trying to encourage young children to incorporate more vegetables into their diets. Families were chosen to either introduce several new vegetables to their children, one new vegetable, or make no changes to their diet or eating habits with their kids. 

Over the course of five weeks, parents were given instructions on how to cook the vegetables they were bringing to the table. They also kept a log of their children’s vegetable intake, including how it differed -- or didn’t -- from before the study began. 

The children in the study were required to eat two dinners at a testing facility without their parents. While several vegetables were served, the children had free reign over which food items they put on their plates. Though the researchers didn’t notice any increase in the children’s vegetable intake at these meals, the children were rewarded at home each time they had vegetables. 

Greater variety led to healthier food choices

Ultimately, children were more eager to accept healthy food choices and eat more of them when they had a greater number of options.e. 

Children in families who introduced just one new vegetable proved to be more accepting of the healthy options over the course of the study, but their diets didn’t change over the long-term to incorporate more vegetables. 

The researchers were pleased to learn that there are tangible ways to introduce new, healthy foods to children. They believe that parents don’t have to stress about mealtime -- especially with little ones. 

“While the amount of vegetables eaten increased during the study, the amount did not meet dietary guidelines,” said researcher Astrid A.M. Poleman, PhD. “Nonetheless, the study showed the strategy of offering a variety of vegetables was more successful in increasing consumption than offering a single vegetable.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital has found positive health benefits in newborns when expectant mothers drink pomegranate juice during pregnancy. 

According to the researchers, polyphenols, which are present in pomegranates, are beneficial in boosting overall brain function. When consumed daily during pregnancy, newborns were more likely to have better brain development at birth.

“Our study provides preliminary evidence suggesting potential protective effects for newborns exposed to pomegranate juice while in utero,” said researcher Terrie Inder. “These findings warrant continued investigation into the potential neuroprotective effects of polyphenols in at-risk newborns, such as those with hypoxic-ischemic injury.” 

A daily practice

The researchers were most curious to see how pomegranate juice could benefit those newborns diagnosed with a condition known as intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), which is detectable before birth and typically signifies low birth weight for the number of weeks of pregnancy. 

The study included nearly 80 expectant mothers between weeks 24 and 43 of pregnancy, all of whom had received an IUGR diagnosis before the start of the study and participated until they gave birth. 

The women were broken up into two groups: those who drank eight ounces of pomegranate juice every day and those who consumed a placebo drink. The researchers monitored the women and their babies up until the women gave birth, and though the pomegranate juice didn’t make the babies any bigger, it did leave the babies with other positive health effects, including improved brain function. 

“We saw no difference in brain growth and baby growth, but we did see improvement in cabling network and brain development measured by synchronous blood flow and visual development of the brain,” said Inder. 

Inder and her colleagues say the findings are “exciting,” and they hope to do further research in this area to find out what exactly about the make-up of polyphenols is giving newborns an extra brain boost. 

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Cambridge found that parents’ prenatal stressors and emotions can indicate how children will behave and respond in their toddler years. 

The study revealed that parents with higher stress levels or more extreme emotional responses are more likely to have two-year-olds who act out. 

“For too long, the experiences of first-time dads has either been sidelined or treated in isolation from that of mums,” said researcher Claire Hughes. “This needs to change because difficulties in children’s early relationships with both mothers and fathers can have long-term effects.” 

Stress during pregnancy

To get a better understanding of how parents’ emotional difficulties during pregnancy affected a child’s likelihood of poor behavior during the toddler years, the researchers had nearly 440 first-time parents take part in the study. 

The goal was to assess parents’ emotional state, as well any anxieties, worries, or concerns the parents might be feeling in preparation of the baby. The researcher had participants complete questionnaires and in-person interviews to evaluate these feelings during the third-trimester of pregnancy, and then again at various junctures once the baby was born. 

At every evaluation, the parents reported on their personal feelings, as well as feelings about their relationship with their partners. Repeating this process over time allowed the researchers to track parents’ progress and see how their emotions might have changed, especially once the baby was born.

“There has been an assumption that it’s really difficult to get dads involved in research like this,” said Hughes. “But our study draws on a relatively large sample and is unique because both parents answered the same questions at every stage, which allowed us to make direct comparisons.” 

More likely to act out

Ultimately, the researchers determined that parents’ emotional state directly affected children’s behavior, especially by the time they hit the two-year-old mark. 

When parents experienced prenatal relationship struggles, children were more likely to have difficulties with emotions, such as being anxious in new situations, worrying frequently, and crying easily. Similarly, children were more likely to lash out, throw tantrums, and have other behavioral issues when their mothers were particularly stressed during pregnancy. 

The researchers hope that these findings shed a light on a very interesting parenting phenomenon, and that parents, especially first-time parents, can get the resources they need to ease stress during pregnancy. 

“Our findings highlight the need for earlier and more effective support for couples to prepare them better for the transition to parenthood,” said Hughes. 

Though school is out for the summer, a recent study could have parents reconsidering what their kids are putting in their backpacks this coming fall. 

According to researchers, children’s weight should be taken into consideration when packing their bags for school. The team says the type of bag -- whether it’s a traditional bag with shoulder straps or a bag that’s wheeled -- should also be taken into account.

Don’t overpack it

The researchers studied roughly 50 students in elementary school, analyzing their body movements when walking free of a bag, when carrying a backpack on their shoulders, and when pulling a bag on wheels. 

The study was designed to see how the different weight-bearing objects affected children’s posture and overall mobility, and if their movement was compromised in any way when carrying or wheeling a backpack. 

During the trials, the researchers had the participants test out bags that were 10 percent of their weight, 15 percent of their weight, and 20 percent of their weight. They then determined how their body movement differed between the varying weights and types of bags used. 

Less weight for shoulder bags

After analyzing the children’s movements with a machine similar to what is used for animated movies, the researchers determined that children’s body weight should be a factor in how much they pack into their bags for school, as should the type of bag they use. 

The study revealed that wheeling a backpack didn’t alter the children’s mobility a great deal, and the results from these trials were the most similar to when the children moved about without a bag of any kind. Because of this, the researchers explained that children can handle more weight in these types of bags without impeding their mobility or risking injury. 

The researchers suggest that when children carry backpacks, the bag should weigh no more than 10 percent of the child’s body weight. Comparatively, parents can feel comfortable sending their kids to school with bags that are up to 20 percent of their child’s body weight if the bag can be wheeled. 

A new study conducted by researchers from Rutgers University found that parents who read to their toddlers from an early age are not only more likely to be less harsh with their children, but their children were found to exhibit better behavior.  

“For parents, the simple routine of reading with your child on a daily basis provides not just academic but emotional benefits that can help bolster the child’s success in school and beyond,” said researcher Manuel Jimenez. “Our findings can be applied to programs that help parents and caregivers in underserved areas to develop positive parenting skills.”

Improving life outcomes

To see the positive impact that reading can have on both children and their parents, the researchers had over 2,100 mothers and their children take part in a multi-year study. To begin, mothers were to report on the regularity with which they read to their children when they were either one or three years old.

The mothers came back two years after the initial assessment so the researchers could determine their parenting styles and see if reading -- or lack thereof -- affected their demeanor around their children. At the two-year report, mothers reported that reading regularly to their toddlers was associated with better behavior from their young kids.

Participating parents said that there were also notable differences in their own behavior towards their children when they read to them regularly. Whether the children were one or three years old at the start of the study, the mothers noticed their parenting was less harsh to their children following diligent reading time together.

“These findings suggest that shared reading contributes to an important aspect of the parent-child relationship and that some of the association operates through enhanced child behavior,” the authors wrote.

Noticing the benefits

Recently, researchers have explored just how beneficial reading and writing at home can be to young children who are either getting ready to enter elementary school or are already enrolled.

Not only does the practice help to enhance very young children’s literacy skills before they’re school-aged, but researchers have found that reading time at home can help with time-management skills, goal-setting, and impulse control for children already in school.

Another recent study explored how traditional print books are more favorable to young children during storytime, as opposed to e-books. The study revealed that print books also help to enhance the reading experience by allowing for more conversation and interaction between parent and child, all of which contribute to children’s overall development and critical thinking and reading skills.

Recent studies have explored how children are struggling to get enough sleep at night, and now a new study could explain why sleep is eluding so many young people.

Researchers from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst recently discovered that preschool-aged children who watch TV are sleeping significantly less than those who don’t spend a ton of time in front of the TV.

“The good news is, this is addressable,” said researcher Rebecca Spencer. “Parents assumed that TV was helping their kids wind down. But it didn’t work. Those kids weren’t getting good sleep, and it wasn’t helping them fall asleep better. It’s good to have this data.”

Turning off the TV

To see how watching TV before bed affected kids’ sleeping habits, the researchers had nearly 500 preschoolers participate in a study that involved their parents answering questions about their TV-watching habits, demographics, and overall health.

Additionally, for just over two weeks, the children donned wearable devices that measured their sleeping patterns.

“Given that we already have some data about why sleep and naps are important for young kids, we decided to look into what are the factors that determine when they sleep, how they sleep, and why they sleep,” said Spencer.

One of the biggest findings from the study was that having a TV in the bedroom can be detrimental to children’s quality of sleep. Nearly 40 percent of the preschoolers involved in the study had a TV in their bedrooms, and according to Spencer, many fell asleep with the TV on, which ultimately affected how much sleep they got.

In contrast, children without TVs in their bedrooms slept about a half-hour more per night than their TV-watching counterparts.

Children with TVs in their bedroom did sleep longer during naps but fell short on total sleep in a 24-hour period, which, according to the researchers, is most crucial to their overall sleep quality.

Overall, children who are watching one hour or less of TV each night, compared with children who are watching more than one hour of TV per night, are sleeping nearly three hours more each week.

Focusing on sleep

While Spencer’s study focuses on ensuring preschoolers are getting enough sleep, a recent study found that having a TV in the bedroom can actually affect preschoolers’ development.

Researchers have found time and again that having a TV in the bedroom can be disruptive and pull children away from engaging in other activities that can enhance their development. Children with TVs in their bedroom were also found to have higher BMIs, poorer eating habits, greater depressive symptoms, greater emotional stress, and more.

“The location of the TV seems to matter,” researcher Linda Pagani said. “Having private access to screen time in the bedroom during the preschool years does not bode well for long-term health. Our research supports a strong stance for parental guidelines on the availability and accessibility of TVs and other devices.”

Children under five should spend no more than one hour watching screens every day and infants under 1 should get no screen time at all, according to new guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO).

In its first-ever guidance on the issue of screen time and physical activity for kids, the agency said it’s crucial to ensure that children’s days are filled with plenty of active play and adequate amounts of high-quality sleep.

“What we really need to do is bring back play for children,” said Dr. Juana Willumsen, WHO focal point for childhood obesity and physical activity in a statement. “This is about making the shift from sedentary time to playtime, while protecting sleep.”

The agency said that while sedentary screen time should ideally be replaced with more active play, “quality” sedentary activities can be highly beneficial to a child’s development. Interactive, non-screen-based activities such as reading, storytelling, singing, and puzzles are just a few examples of quality sedentary activities that caregivers can initiate.

Activity guidance for infants

To set the stage for healthy development, the agency recommends that parents and caregivers of infants under the age of 1 limit the amount of time a baby is restrained in a stroller, high chair, or strapped on a caregiver’s back to one hour at a time.

Infants less than one should be physically active several times a day in a variety of ways, the agency said, noting that “more is better” when it comes to interactive, floor-based play.

Babies who aren’t yet mobile should get at least 30 minutes of tummy time spread throughout the day while they are awake. The organization encourages caregivers to engage in reading and storytelling when babies are sedentary.

At this age, screen time is not recommended at all, WHO said.

Activity guidance for 1-2 year olds

Babies in the 1- to 2-year old age group should spend at least three hours per day engaged in “a variety of types of physical activities at any intensity, including moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity,” according to the guidance.

Children in this age bracket also shouldn’t be restrained for more than one hour at a time in a stroller, high chair, or strapped on a caregiver’s back.

Sedentary screen time isn’t recommended for one-year-olds. For two-year-olds, it should be limited to less than an hour.  

Activity guidance for 3-4 year olds

Like 1-2-year olds, preschool-aged children should also spend at least three hours engaged in a variety of types of physical activities at any intensity. The agency recommends that at least 60 minutes of that time be moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity.

No more than an hour at a time should be spent restrained in a stroller, and sedentary screen time should be capped at 1 hour.

Sleep recommendations

Emphasizing the fact that there are important interactions between physical activity and sufficient amounts of sleep, the agency recommends that young children get the following amounts of sleep per day:

• Less than one year old: 14–17 hours (0–3 months of age) or 12–16 hours (4–11 months of age) of good quality sleep, including naps.

• One to two years old. 11-14 hours of good quality sleep, including naps, with regular sleep and wake-up times.

• Three to four years old. 10–13 hours of good quality sleep, which may include a nap, with regular sleep and wake-up times.

The effects of nicotine have long been documented, and pregnant women -- and their babies -- are at an even greater risk.

Now, researchers have discovered that in utero exposure to nicotine is very closely linked with sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and other cardiac issues in newborns.

“Clinicians often prescribe [nicotine replacement therapies] to pregnant women who wish to quit smoking in order to reduce the number of crib deaths,” said researcher Robert Dumaine, PhD. “However, our data shows that nicotine alone is sufficient to alter electrical currents within the heart and generate arrhythmias leading to crib death.”  

Steering clear of nicotine

To see how fetal exposure to nicotine affected newborns, the researchers conducted an experiment on rabbits, analyzing their cardiac functioning after being exposed to nicotine in the womb.

Once a female rabbit was pregnant for two weeks, the researchers used osmotic pumps to expose the fetus to either 2 ml of nicotine or 2 ml of saline for the control group, and then measured how much nicotine was in their blood every two days.

The researchers found that exposure to nicotine in the womb weakened the hearts’ response to adrenaline.

In a healthy system, adrenaline will increase heart rate; however, when exposed to nicotine in utero, that wasn’t the case in the rabbits. The researchers were primarily concerned about this because this occurrence is typically linked to SIDS.

The researchers explain that when healthy babies experience sleep apnea -- choking or suffocation during sleep -- the brain tries to wake the baby up by secreting adrenaline. However, as was found in the rabbit experiment, fetal exposure to nicotine slows that response to adrenaline and can’t wake the baby.

Moving forward, the researchers hope that these findings signal the severity of this issue to physicians, who can work on better treatment options for pregnant women.

“The importance of this study is that, for the first time, we provide direct evidence that in utero exposure to nicotine has postnatal effects on the development of the heart and its response to adrenaline and may provide a basis to explain why some babies do not wake up during sleep apnea,” Dr. Dumaine said. “Therefore, it might be worthwhile to revisit the clinical practice of prescribing the nicotine patch and NRTs to pregnant women.”

Ensuring health and safety

While one recent study explored a potential genetic marker that could put babies at risk of SIDS, experts have previously linked the condition to exposure to nicotine.

Earlier this month, researchers from Seattle Children’s Hospital found that smoking while pregnant doubles the risk of newborns dying from sudden unexpected infant death syndrome (SUID).  

“With this information, doctors can better counsel pregnant women about their smoking habits, knowing that the number of cigarettes smoked daily during pregnancy significantly impacts the risk for SUID,” said Dr. Tatiana Anderson. “Similar to public health campaigns that educated parents about the importance of infant sleep position, leading to a 50 percent decrease in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) rates, we hope advising women about this risk will result in less babies dying from these tragic causes.”

Other studies have found that exposure to nicotine can change babies’ brain chemistry, while fathers who smoke can affect their children and grandchildren’s cognitive abilities.

With roughly one in nine women across the country experiencing postpartum depression, it’s important for both consumers and physicians to take a deeper look at the condition.

Now, researchers from Michigan Medicine at the University of Michigan found that when babies are fussier, mothers are more likely to experience depressive symptoms.

“Mothers of fussy infants born late preterm and full term are more likely to experience more severe levels of maternal depression, than mothers of fussy infants who were born more preterm,” said Dr. Prachi Shah. “These findings reinforce that all mothers caring for babies with more difficult temperaments may need extra help managing the emotional toll.

“Early screening for infant fussiness may help identify mothers with depressive symptoms in need of support, but may be especially important for mothers of infants born mildly preterm, in which the symptoms of depression are more severe,” she adds.

How babies affect mothers

To see how fussy infants affect mothers’ likelihood of developing symptoms of depression, the researchers evaluated over 8,200 newborns and their parents.

The parents in the study completed questionnaires when their babies hit nine months old to report on their fussiness, while mothers’ depression was also checked at the nine month mark using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Questionnaire.

The researchers also took into account how long the mothers carried their babies, categorizing the babies into three categories: very preterm (24-31 weeks), moderate/late term (32-36 weeks), and full term (37-41 weeks).

The study revealed that mothers who gave birth to fussier babies in all three categories were two times as likely to experience moderate to severe depressive symptoms when compared with women who gave birth at the same time and had less fussy babies.

The researchers suggest that healthcare providers should keep these findings in mind when they encounter new moms struggling with their newborns, as they may be able to intervene before things escalate too far.

“Pediatricians and providers should pay close attention to mothers who describe difficulty soothing their babies,” Dr. Shah said. “Early interventions may reduce the risk of maternal depression that negatively impacts a child-parent relationship and that may be harmful to both the health of a mother and child.”

Preventing postpartum depression

Countless studies have explored triggers of postpartum depression, and recently, researchers have discovered several things for new mothers to consider to hopefully help prevent depression symptoms.

Studies have found several triggers of postpartum depression, including fewer hours of daylight, consistent pain during and after childbirth, and having a boy. However, on a positive note, researchers have found that following a fruit-based supplement regimen that’s high in antioxidants can work to ward off postpartum depression.

In today’s highly technological climate, many consumers have picked a side where books are concerned: print or e-books. However, according to a new study, traditional print books reign supreme when it comes to quality time between parents and their toddlers.

Researchers from Michigan Medicine at the University of Michigan recently found that when parents read to their young children for story time, there is more conversation and interaction when a print book is used instead of an electronic book.

“Shared reading promotes children’s language development, literacy, and bonding with parents,” said Dr. Tiffany Munzer. “We wanted to learn how electronics might change this experience. We found that when parents read children print books, they talked more frequently and the quality of the interactions were better.”

Keeping a strong connection

To see how interactions changed between parents and children when they used e-books versus print books, the researchers had 37 parent-children pairs try reading on three different formats: regular print books, e-books on a tablet, and e-books that featured animations and sound effects.

Overall, the researchers found that both parents and toddlers talked less while reading either of the e-books when compared to a traditional print book. Additionally, when e-books were used, the majority of the conversation was about the technology, as opposed to the story or any outside anecdotes.

Dr. Munzer notes that the commentary parents offer while reading often has lasting effects on children’s development. Things like asking children questions that can relate to their own experiences or the world at large have been found to help children mature.

Conversely, e-books -- particularly those with the added animations and sound effects -- didn’t offer as many opportunities for parents to chime in on their own. Instead, the researchers speculate that parents let the story itself command attention.

“Parents strengthen their children’s ability to acquire knowledge by relating new content to their children’s lived experiences,” said Dr. Munzer. “Research tells us that parent-led conversations [are] especially important for toddlers because they learn and retain new information better from in-person interactions than from digital media.”

The researchers hope that this study encourages parents to keep their interactions consistent across the board when reading to children, regardless of what format they choose.

“Our findings suggest that print books elicit a higher quality parent-toddler reading experience compared with e-books,” said researcher Dr. Jenny Radesky. “Pediatricians may wish to continue encouraging parents to read print books with their kids, especially for toddlers and young children who still need support from their parents to learn from any form of media.”

Lifelong impact

A recent study explored how reading and writing in the home can affect children for their whole lives.

Researchers found that reading and writing at home led children to have stronger time management, impulse control, and goal-setting skills, all of which lasted well beyond childhood.

"People who are good students tend to become good employees by being on time and putting forward their best work. All of the things that make you a good student also make you a good employee," said lead researcher Nicole Alston-Abel. "If you make sure your child is academically engaged at home through third grade, kids go on autopilot -- they know how to 'do' school after that,” she added.

Though experts say watching TV can be disruptive to sleep, many consumers put a TV in the bedroom to help unwind before bedtime. But according to a new study, the habit could be detrimental for children of preschool age.

Researchers from the University of Montreal recently conducted a study and found that having a TV in the bedroom can affect preschoolers’ development, as too much time in front of the television prohibits children from engaging in more enriching activities.

“The early years are a critical period in a child’s development,” said researcher Linda Pagani. “Intuitively, parents know that how their children spend their leisure time will impact their well-being over the long term. And with TV being the most common pastime, it’s clear that the many hours they spend in front of the screen is having an effect on their growth and development, especially if the TV is in a place like the bedroom.”

Reaching optimal development

To see the effect frequent TV-watching had on young children’s development, the researchers followed a group of nearly 2,000 newborns through early adolescence.

According to Pagani, the group wanted to “examine whether there was a link between having a bedroom TV at age 4, during the neurodevelopmentally critical preschool period, and later physical, mental, and social problems in early adolescence.”

The study ended when the children were 13, and the researchers assessed their body mass indices (BMIs), eating habits, sociability in school, and emotional stressors. They then had the participants complete the Children’s Depression Inventory. Combined, these factors would give the researchers an idea of whether or not the participants would have any issues growing into adulthood.

Ultimately, the researchers found that having a TV in the bedroom led to several unhealthy habits that started in childhood and moved into adolescence.

The children with TVs in their bedrooms had unlimited access to screens, but they were also more likely to have poor eating habits, higher BMIs, greater emotional stress, more symptoms of depression, and lower levels of sociability.

The researchers attribute these traits to the children spending too much time in front of the TV and not enough time engaging in social or physical activities. They suggest that parents follow the American Academy of Pediatrics’ guidelines for screen time, especially from a young age, so children start good habits as early as possible.

“The location of the TV seems to matter,” Pagani said. “Having private access to screen time in the bedroom during the preschool years does not bode well for long-term health. Our research supports a strong stance for parental guidelines on the availability and accessibility of TVs and other devices.”

Regulating screen time for little ones

Researchers have found that screen time among the youngest demographic has more than doubled in the last two decades, and it’s more important than ever for parents to regulate how much time their young children spend in front of screens.

Despite the need to ensure children only spend a certain amount of time in front of screens each day, a recent study found that controlling children’s behavior with screen time can backfire by leading to even more time in front of screens.

“It’s similar to how we wouldn’t use sugary treats as rewards because by doing so we can heighten the attraction to them,” said researcher Jessica Haines. “When you give food as a reward, it makes children like the carrot less and the cake more. Same thing with screen time.”

However, setting some ground rules around what’s appropriate for time in front of an electronic device -- and cutting back on that time -- has been effective in improving children’s cognition.

Parents often struggle with children’s transition into adolescence, and this time can be fraught with stress and frustration.

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Rochester explored how parenting styles change as children mature into teens. It found that parents who have a hard time controlling their stress and anger were more likely to dish out harsher punishments on their children.

“Discipline issues usually peak during toddlerhood and then again during adolescence, because both periods are really marked by exploration and figuring out who you are, and by becoming more independent,” said researcher Melissa Sturge-Apple.

Staying calm is key

The researchers were most interested in gauging how parents control their stress during times of conflict with their children and how that stress can affect their parenting.

The study involved nearly 200 parents and their children aged 12 through 14. The researchers evaluated parents’ stress levels using RSSMD -- a reputable tool that analyzes changes in heart rate.

The biggest takeaway was that parents who are unable to control their stress or anger are more likely to be harsher in their punishments for their children over time.

A key factor in parent-children relationships was parents’ ability to adjust their temperament on the fly, which psychologists refer to as set-shifting. According to the study, mothers did better in this area than fathers, who were more inclined to believe that their children were deliberately causing conflict.

“Set shifting is important because it allows parents to alter flexibly and deliberately their approaches to handling the changeable behaviors of their children in ways that help them to resolve their disagreements,” said researcher Patrick Davies.

The researchers also found that those who were unable to set-shift were more likely to feel the effects of stress and anger physically, and this was found to be an indicator of more anger in the future.

With these findings, the researchers are hopeful that parents will be able to thoroughly prepare for future conflict with their adolescent children and better communicate with them moving forward.

“As we learn more, these findings may have important implications for building and refining parenting programs,” said Davies. “For example, there are exercises that help increase physiological regulation in ways that may ultimately reduce hostile parenting behaviors for mothers and fathers.”

It all affects children

Everything parents do affects children in one way or another, and there are countless factors that influence parenting styles. While moms may be under more stress than dads, a study found that children could be performing poorly at school based on harsh parenting at home.

“In our study, harsh parenting was related to lower educational attainment through a set of complex cascading processes that emphasized present-oriented behaviors at the cost of future-oriented educational goals,” said lead author Rochelle F. Hentges.

On a more positive note, researchers have found that strong parent-child relationships can be beneficial for children fighting stress through adolescence and their teenage years.

Screen time for kids under 2 has more than doubled since 1997, according to a study released Monday.

Researchers found that the amount of time young children spend daily watching television or using devices like smartphones, tablets, and computers has skyrocketed over the past two decades.

Between 1997 to 2014, the amount of daily screen time for kids under 2 climbed from 1.32 hours to 3.05 hours. The study found that television accounted for over 2.5 hours of screen time in 2014, compared to just half an hour in 1997.

Among children in the 3 to 5 age range, screen time averaged 2.47 hours in 1997. That figure has remained roughly the same since then, the study found.

Health concerns

The study’s findings come amid growing concern about the effects of excessive screen exposure, especially when it comes to kids’ development.

Previous studies have suggested a link between excessive screen time and delays in cognitive, verbal, and social growth in young children, as well as an increased risk of obesity and sleep problems.

Last August, the American Heart Association said in a scientific statement that kids’ screen time should be limited to under two hours. The organization said its main concern is that too much screen time can lead to obesity in children as a result of the sedentary behavior it can promote.

"Although the mechanisms linking screen time to obesity are not entirely clear, there are real concerns that screens influence eating behaviors, possibly because children ‘tune out’ and don’t notice when they are full when eating in front of a screen," said Tracie Barnett, one of the authors of the statement.

Setting screen time limits

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that kids younger than 18 months get no screen time at all, and that children ages 2-5 spend a maximum of one hour in front of screens per day.

In an interview with CNN, Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson, a general pediatrician and chief of digital innovation at Seattle Children's Hospital, said it’s particularly important that kids under 3 be provided plenty of opportunities to engage in creative play and interact with their parents at a developmentally appropriate pace.

"As a child's brain is developing, particularly in the first 2 to 3 years of life, the brain is making wild, new novel connections. It is wiring and re-wiring," Swanson said.

The new study has been published online in JAMA Pediatrics.

With the legalization of marijuana reaching several states across the country, many parents have taken the time to consider how this will affect their parenting style and their children’s lives.

According to a recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Washington, most parents are looking for information from legitimate sources to share with their children, while also setting rules about drug use.

“What I heard a lot of parents saying is, essentially, ‘I can tell my kids not to use it, but I just don’t know how to enforce and reinforce that message,’” said researcher Nicole Eisenberg. “Parents are having a hard time reconciling societal norms with personal norms. Society has become more permissive, but at home, most parents don’t want their children to use marijuana. It’s a challenge that leaves them feeling like they don’t know what to do.”

Figuring out what works

The researchers conducted focus group interviews with over 50 parents to gauge their feelings and attitudes regarding marijuana use -- both their own and their children’s. The parents were then separated based on their own past marijuana use to see if previous history with the drug would spark trends among how the parents think of their children’s habits.

The groups discussed setting boundaries for children, whether or not parents should share their own history with marijuana, and potential risks. Many parents wanted their children to have as much information on the subject as possible, and the researchers reported that sharing with each other was beneficial for the parents.

“In many ways, parenting around marijuana use is similar to that of alcohol use, since they’re both legal for adults,” said researcher Rick Kosterman. “A key difference is where I think parents and society in general have accepted that some people can become dependent on alcohol and it can ruin people’s lives if used in excess. Parents and kids aren’t so clear about risks of marijuana use -- like the potential for misuse or effects on adolescent brains.”

The biggest takeaway from the focus groups was that information is key for both parents and their children. The researchers gave all parents suggestions on how to get answers for any questions regarding marijuana use that could pop up over time, including school programs, public health agencies, and healthcare providers.

“The fact that parents in this study openly asked for guidance highlights an opportunity for the prevention science community to work with medical professionals, schools, and policymakers to fulfill this vital need at a critical time of policy transition in the United States,” the researchers wrote.

Societal changes

As more states are looking to legalize marijuana, it’s important for consumers to take note of how this could change other parts of day-to-day life.

The Food and Drug Administration is looking to find ways to legally sell drinks and food infused with CBD oil, and Coca-Cola has been exploring options to hop on board. However, a recent study has also showed how states that legalized weed -- and bordering towns -- have seen an increase in traffic fatalities in the months immediately following legalization.

“The effect of cannabis legislation on traffic fatalities is a growing public health concern,” Dr. Tyler Lane. “The results suggest that legalizing the sale of cannabis for recreational use can lead to a temporary increase in traffic fatalities in legalizing states. This spills over into neighboring jurisdictions through cross-border sales, trafficking, or cannabis tourists driving back to their state of residence while impaired.”

The opioid crisis continues to make its way to the forefront of consumers’ brains, as these drugs are being associated with many negative outcomes -- particularly among young people.

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) conducted a survey of parents to gauge their feelings towards opioid use in medical situations, and it came up with some interesting results.

“The survey results shed light on the country’s conflicted relationship with and understanding of opioids,” said ASA President Dr. Linda J. Mason. “While most parents said they were concerned about side effects and risks such as addiction, improper or recreational use and overdose, they still thought opioids work best to manage pain.”

The results

The ASA surveyed over 1,000 parents of young adults aged 13 through 24. One-third of all respondents had children who had been prescribed opioids. While over two-thirds of the respondents believed that opioids were the best pain relief option, the survey revealed that not too many parents are inquiring about non-opioid options.

“Opioids may not always be the best option. It really depends on the type of surgery and how long they are required,” Dr. Mason said. “It is, however, important for parents to know that there are many alternatives available that are as -- or more -- safe and effective for pain management. But only about a third of parents whose children were prescribed opioids even asked their doctor about pain management alternatives.”

For those looking for pain relief alternatives that don’t involve drugs, the researchers suggest acupuncture, physical therapy, and massage, among several others.

The survey also looked at how parents disposed of opioids after they were prescribed, and how open the lines of communication were between parents and children regarding the dangers of the drug.

The majority of parents whose children were prescribed opioids reported having too many pills lef tover, though nearly 40 percent didn’t dispose of them correctly. Both pharmacies and police stations will collect excess pills, and the ASA notes dropping them at these locations is the best way to get rid of them.

On a more positive note, nearly 90 percent of parents whose children took opioids reported having a conversation with them about the possible negative consequences that can come from misusing the drug.

“It’s critical that we recognize the gaps in opioid knowledge and work to correct them, ensuring everyone understands how to use them safely and minimize their risks,” said Dr. Mason. “A physician, anesthesiologist, or other pain management specialist can help parents address their child’s pain and decrease the risk of opioid misuse and addiction.”

To see the full report from the American Society of Anesthesiologists, click here.

Making headlines

Opioids have dominated the news cycle as of late.

A study from earlier this month found that opioids were the driving force behind an increase in suicides and overdoses, while another study found that consumers are now more likely to die from an opioid overdose than they are from a traffic accident.

Perhaps even more troubling is how many children are affected by opioid poisoning, as researchers have found those numbers have tripled in the last 20 years.

“What began two decades ago as a public health problem primarily among young and middle-aged white males is now an epidemic of prescription and illicit opioid abuse that is taking a toll on all segments of U.S. society, including the pediatric population,” the researchers wrote. “Millions of children and adolescents are now routinely exposed in their homes, schools, and communities to these potent and addictive drugs.”

For many parents, finding the perfect amount of time for their children to spend in front of screens can be extremely difficult.

With tons of factors to consider, a new study found that parents’ behaviors and rules play a large role in how much time children are engaging with screen media. Specifically, children of parents who either punish or reward them with adjusted screen time were found to spend more time in front of devices.

“It’s similar to how we wouldn’t use sugary treats as rewards because by doing so we can heighten the attraction to them,” said researcher Jessica Haines. “When you give food as a reward, it makes children like the carrot less and the cake more. Same thing with screen time.”

What affects screen time

According to researcher Lisa Tang, the goal of the study was to “investigate the impact of parenting practices on toddler and preschoolers’ screen time.” The study included 68 parents and 62 children between 18 months and five years old, as this is the time when habits typically start to form.

The parents were asked questions about their children’s screen time, including their own time spent in front of screens, when they allow their children to use devices, and how they monitor their children’s screen time.

Based on the participants’ responses, parents spend an average of two hours per weekday and over two and a half hours on the weekend in front of screens, while children spend about an hour and a half per weekday and over two hours on the weekend using screens. The researchers found that there were several factors that influenced children’s screen time, including using screens during meals, as this habit was found to increase children’s time with devices.

Haines notes that the researchers don’t endorse this behavior; they encourage parents to “be consistent and follow this restriction” if they don’t want their children to be in front of devices at meal times.

For parents who use screen time as either a punishment or a reward, children’s screen time increased -- particularly on weekends. The researchers found that, when used as a behavioral tactic, children spent about 20 more minutes per day in front of screens over the weekend.

Additionally, parents’ own screen time can increase their children’s screen time if it is seen as a family activity. When parents -- particularly moms -- spend time on a device around their children, the habit rubs off on the child.

With this study, the researchers are hopeful that parents understand what can contribute to more time spent in front of screens, and they can help motivate their children to put the devices down.

“Watching screens takes away from other interactions that help children develop social and academic skills,” Tang said. “Our hope is that these findings can help us arm parents who are entering a world where screens are ubiquitous.”

Setting boundaries

Research has shown that setting boundaries for children is of the utmost importance where technology is concerned. This past summer, lawmakers pushed for even more research on the way technology is impacting children, as the effects on health and development are still unknown.

The Senate introduced the Children and Media Research Advancement Act, which would spend about $95 million on long-term studies over the next five years.

“What we feed the minds of children is as important as what we feed their bodies,” said Michael Rich, associate professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. “We need to understand it as best we can. We need to use data to project forward what can create the healthiest and safest environment in which we are raising kids and interacting with each other.”

Ahead of the start of cold and flu season, experts are cautioning that decongestants should not be given to children under 6.

In a new review published in the BMJ, experts explained that there is no current evidence that over-the-counter decongestants containing antihistamines provide effective relief of symptoms such as a stuffy or runny nose. Additionally, these medications can have a range of side effects.

Side effects in adults can include an increased risk of insomnia, drowsiness, headache, or stomach upset, but certain decongestants can cause “serious side-effects, such as hypertension, excitation and convulsions” in children, according to lead researcher Dr. An De Sutter, head of family medicine and primary health care at Ghent University in Belgium.

Not recommended for young children

The report concluded that decongestants or medicines containing antihistamines should not be given to children under 6, and they should be used with caution in children aged 6 to 12.

Instead of recommending decongestants to treat a common cold, the researchers advise doctors to tell patients that symptoms should abate in a few days. The study authors noted that common colds typically clear up in 7 to 10 days.

Regarding other home remedies that parents and caregivers may consider trying, the researchers added that the following have not been studied in children or aren't effective:

• Heated humidified air

• Humidified steam

• Echinacea

• Probiotics

• Eucalyptus oil

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also doesn’t recommend giving young children cold and cough medicines due to the risk of potentially serious side effects. Instead, the agency says parents can use acetaminophen (children's Tylenol) or ibuprofen (children's Motrin) to help ease certain cold symptoms in children -- specifically, fever, aches, and pains.

To help alleviate congestion, the FDA says parents can consider using a cool-mist humidifier and/or saline drops. Making sure kids stay hydrated is also important.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has updated its car seat recommendations and is now saying that parents should keep infants and toddlers in rear-facing car seats for “as long as possible.”

Previously, the pediatricians group recommended that babies remain rear facing until at least age 2. Now, the organization says babies should remain rear-facing until they reach the maximum height and weight allowed by the car seat manufacturer, regardless of their age.

"Fortunately, car seat manufacturers have created seats that allow children to remain rear-facing until they weigh 40 pounds or more, which means most children can remain rear-facing past their second birthday," Dr. Benjamin Hoffman, lead author of the policy statement and chair of the AAP Council on Injury, Violence and Poison Prevention, said in a statement.

"It's best to keep your child rear-facing as long as possible. This is still the safest way for children to ride," Hoffman said.

Increases safety

Every car seat transition reduces the amount of protection a child has in the event of a crash, the AAP said. However, using a car seat that is appropriate for a child’s size reduces the risk of fatalities and serious injuries by over 70 percent.

Forward-facing seats can result in the child’s head being thrown forward during an accident, which could cause injuries to the spine and neck. Rear-facing seats, on the other hand, are better at absorbing the impact of a crash.

"Car seats are awesome at protecting children in a crash, and they are the reason deaths and injuries to children in motor vehicle crashes have decreased," Hoffman explained.

"But that also means we just don't have a large enough set of data to determine with certainty at what age it is safest to turn children to be forward-facing. If you have a choice, keeping your child rear-facing as long as possible is the best way to keep them safe,” he said.

The AAP said its original recommendations to keep a child rear-facing until at least age 2 were based on a European study that was later questioned and retracted.

In its updated guidelines, the organization said that belt-positioning booster seats should be used until the lap and shoulder seat belts fit a child correctly. This typically happens when a child is between 8-12 years old and at least 4 feet, 9 inches.

Children under the age of 13 should be restrained with seat beats in the back seat, the AAP advises.

Infant deaths due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) have reached an annual average of about 3,500 a year, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control.

Although that number represents an overall decrease in the number of sleep-related infant deaths since the 1990s, the CDC says the rate of SIDS deaths is no longer declining.

The agency says its new analysis of data suggests parents can do more to prevent accidental deaths from sleep-related causes.

Key findings

Findings from the analysis revealed:

• One in 5 mothers place their baby to sleep on his or her side or stomach.

• Two in 5 leave loose bedding and soft objects in the baby's sleep area (usually bumper pads and thick blankets).

• Three in 5 sometimes share their bed with their baby.

Overall, the numbers highlighted the fact that nearly half of U.S. caregivers either haven’t been given the correct sleep information from their healthcare providers or have not implemented safe infant sleep practices in their home.

“Unfortunately, too many babies in this country are lost to sleep-related deaths that might be prevented,” said Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, the CDC director. “We must do more to ensure every family knows the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations.”

Safe sleep guidelines

The AAP has recommended since 1994 that babies be placed to sleep on their back on a firm surface without pillows, loose bedding, or toys.

In the 1990s, the national "Back to Sleep" campaign led to a sharp drop in the rate of sleep-related infant deaths. However, the CDC report showed the number of sleep-related infant deaths is no longer declining.

Room-sharing safest

In addition to placing infants to sleep exclusively on their backs in a safe sleep environment, the AAP recommends that babies sleep in a parent’s room -- but not in the same bed -- for at least the first six months.

“Room-sharing, as opposed to bed-sharing, is inherently safer because there is limited possibility of suffocation,” Nicole Johnson, president of The Baby Sleep Site, told ConsumerAffairs.

Parents also shouldn’t rush to get their new baby sleeping in his or her own room, she said.

Sharing a room is “safer because parents are more in tune with baby’s needs and can act quickly if the baby is having breathing difficulties. Room-sharing will not, however, prevent SIDS but can help lower the risk of SIDS.”

Sleep positioners not recommended

Infant sleep-positioners that are placed in the bed with a parent can also be risky. Back in October, the FDA warned consumers not to use baby sleep positioners because they pose a suffocation hazard.

“Sleep-positioners in the bed with a parent can be risky in that the baby can re-breathe carbon dioxide leading to suffocation if his or her face is too close to the side of the device,” Johnson said.

“Co-sleepers, a sidecar-bed that ‘attaches’ to the side of a parent’s bed are usually less risky, but they should be used in accordance to the manufacturer’s instructions to avoid dangerous sleeping conditions,” she said.

“A co-sleeper/sidecar crib is a safe way to room-share without bed-sharing while also having the baby nearby to support breastfeeding and/or tending to his or her needs during normal nighttime arousals,” she added.

The new findings are published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Health experts currently recommend that infants be introduced to solid foods starting when they’re about 6 months old. However, a new study finds that more than half of U.S. parents begin feeding their child solid foods before that age.

Researchers say introducing solid foods or new drinks too early can cause babies to miss out on important nutrients that come from breast milk and infant formula. Waiting too long to introduce solid foods can also have a negative impact on a child’s health.

Study details

For the study, researchers analyzed the food intake of almost 1,500 babies between 6 months and 3 years old. Data was taken from the 2009-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Parents were asked to report when they gave their baby anything other than breast milk or formula. The analysis showed that babies who were bottle-fed exclusively or breast-fed for less than 4 months were most likely to be introduced to foods too early.

Nearly one-third of infants in the U.S. are introduced to solid foods at around 6 months, the age currently recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

But more than half of babies have their first taste of solid foods too early. The study found that 16 percent of babies were given complementary foods before the age of 4 months; about 38 percent were introduced to solid foods or other drinks by 5 months of age.

Impact of waiting too long

A small percentage of babies (13 percent) didn’t start solid foods until they were 7 months or older. Lead investigator Chloe Barrera says waiting too long is also a mistake.

“Introducing babies to complementary foods too late has been associated with micronutrient deficiencies, allergies, and poorer diets later in life,” she told ConsumerAffairs.

Parents should aim to introduce solid foods at around 6 months old in order to allow children to benefit the most from breast milk or formula.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says that for most infants, you do not need to give foods in a certain order.

“Iron-fortified infant cereals, meats, vegetables, and fruits are all good choices for infant’s first food,” Barrera said.

The full study has been published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

A new study from Oxford University suggests limiting children’s access to digital media may not benefit their well-being as much as previously thought. 

Researchers say it may actually be more beneficial for parents to become more actively engaged in exploring the digital world with their children rather than focusing on enforcing strict screen time limits.

There is “little or no support for the theory that digital screen use, on its own, is bad for young children’s psychological wellbeing,” said lead author Dr Andrew Pryzbylski of the Oxford Internet Institute.

"If anything, our findings suggest the broader family context, how parents set rules about digital screen time, and if they’re actively engaged in exploring the digital world together, are more important than the raw screen time.”

Encourage beneficial digital activity

While screen time on its own may not be inherently bad, experts stress that boundaries are important when it comes to technology use. Parents should strive to manage screen time in young kids and teens.

To do so, David Lord, CEO of JumpStart Games, recommends assessing the true intent of each device or app with the goal of weeding out any technology that will not be beneficial for your child.

“We live in a digital age that offers up many unique and creative tools that make life more productive and interesting, so a blanket limit is not prudent,” Lord told ConsumerAffairs.

Once you’ve made the call on which technology is life enhancing and engaging, you can then encourage that type of digital activity.

“The key is to stay informed and educated as a parent so you are the first line of digital decision making for your child,” said Lord. “We all know that we should limit things like snacks for kids, but what parent would limit the number of carrots or apples that a child desires?”

“Good technology follows the same analogy. Always offer up the wiser option and you won’t worry so much about limits.”

Find the right balance

In this digital age, parents should aim to help their children incorporate technology into their life in a healthy way.

“Technology is not to be compared with TV watching or music, technology is a trade, an important skill every young person should acquire like the ability to do banking, manage a home/apartment, etc,” Lord said.

“If there are concerns on content, parents should make technology time more akin to family time where learning is shared and celebrated. That way parents can be assured safe content is being consumed while their child learns important life skills.”

Parents should also be sure not to miss signs that their child’s technology use may be veering into unhealthy territory. Seeing your child live a sedentary lifestyle is a major tip-off that your they may need help finding a better balance.

“Keeping a balance between technology and an active lifestyle for children and teens is very important. Parents should set goals and time for their kids to be active and social and encourage a good balanced use of technology,” Lord said.

“The limiting of technology will happen organically when other activities are given more focus.”

Model good habits

To further encourage healthy technology use by children, parents should model good habits themselves. Setting priorities each day can also help naturally limit technology use

“It is so important for parents to be good role models and limit their own technology use and take advantage of physical, emotional and social opportunities to engage with their children and others. An active family lifestyle organically promotes screen and tech limits without having to continually set down limits and boundaries,” Lord said.

“If parents emphase homework and studying, sports, hobbies, friends, events, etc. as a higher priority on a day to day basis for their children, then technology use should naturally decline as available time lessens. In so doing, that screen time becomes more valuable and children become more selective in how they use their time.”

An increasing number of parents are choosing to follow the baby-led weaning approach, where babies mature enough for solid foods are allowed to self-feed.

Now, new research finds babies who feed themselves solids are no more likely to choke than babies who are spoon-fed purees. 

Lead researcher and associate professor of Child Public Health at Swansea University Dr. Amy Brown told ConsumerAffairs the study found that, although babies in the baby-led group were self feeding solid foods, they were not at a higher choking risk than those being spoon-fed special pureed baby foods.

No higher risk of choking

The rise in popularity of the baby-led weaning approach has risen concerns for those who believe babies will choke. However, the research suggested that babies who graduate from pureed baby food to solids are no more or less likely to choke.

For the study, more than 1,000 women reported how they gave their baby solid foods, what foods they offered, and whether their baby had ever choked while eating. Ultimately, finger foods did not appear to carry an increased risk of choking. 

“This study provides further support, in a large sample, that allowing babies to feed themselves from six months of age is not an increased choking risk compared to traditional methods of giving babies solid foods,” Brown said.

Potential benefits 

How parents choose to introduce solid foods into their child’s diet is a personal choice, but Brown says the baby-led weaning approach has plenty of potential benefits. 

This approach encourages parents to wait until the recommended six months to introduce solids, then take a hands-off approach and let babies eat at their own pace and stop when they are full. 

Babies are also given a chance to play with their food -- which Brown says can benefit their development in several ways. 

“At first glance this might seem messy and a potential waste if they drop it, but actually it's a great learning experience for them,” she explained. “They are learning what foods feel and smell like and having fun mastering getting them to their mouth which is a great way for them to hone their fine motor skills.” 

It can also make family mealtimes easier and more relaxed, she added, since parents don’t need to think about spoon-feeding the baby while eating their own meal. 

Guidelines for safety

For parents who decide to go the baby-led weaning route, there are a few safety guidelines to follow.

First, look for signs of readiness. Your baby should be able to sit up well in a highchair and keep their head steady so they will be in a good position to eat. Babies should also have the ability to pick up food that is placed in front of them and bring it to their mouth.

“They will have the ability to chew from around six months but it might take them a little time to get used to it, but this is fine,” Brown explained. “Weaning is about learning as much as it is nutrition. 

Other pointers:

• Don’t put the food in their mouth. “Babies are skilled at chewing and swallowing finger foods as long as you let them put the food in their mouths themselves,” Brown says. “There is a temptation to do it for them, but you shouldn’t do this as you might place it too far in which might cause them to choke.” 
• Let babies pick. Put some solid foods on a tray in front of your baby and let them select what they want to eat. Foods about the size of your finger, such as a soft cooked carrot or piece of broccoli, are about the right size, she says.
• Avoid certain foods. Hold off on giving your child whole nuts until they are five years old. Also avoid hard foods that a baby could break off in a small amount in their mouths and accidentally swallow, such as hard apple slices or carrot sticks. Also avoid foods like popcorn or marshmallows which could get stuck in a baby’s throat. 
• Be smart with seasonings. Don’t be tempted to add salt or sugar to the food, but spices are fine. “Babies often really like them,” says Brown. 

The most important part of feeding your baby is to be responsive to your child’s needs and go slowly, Brown says. It’s crucial to follow your baby’s lead; don’t try to get them to eat more if they indicate they are full. And no matter how you feed your baby, always stay in the room and watch them.

The full study has been published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics.

Mobile games tend to appeal to children, but some mobile games may be scammers attempting to exploit kids’ desire to play, and unsupervised access to their parents’ digital wallets. 

Kids can rack up huge bills on apps that were free to download. Tech giants including Apple, Google, and Amazon have all had to recently issue refunds for unauthorized in-app purchases made by children as young as four. 

In an interview with ConsumerAffairs, Julie Myhre-Nunes from NextAdvisor.com talked about the different types of mobile game scams that are currently out there and what parents can do to protect their children from these scams.

Types of mobile game scams 

One of the most common mobile game scams is “freemium games,” which are initially free to download but encourage users to make repeated in-app purchases.

“The game play is limited unless you pay real money to unlock new aspects of the game or purchase game currency (using real money) to unlock new aspects -- something these apps aggressively request,” Myhre-Nunes explained.

Although this isn’t technically a scam, she says it is definitely misleading and something that parents should be aware of.

Parents should also be wary of games that ask for too many permissions. Games that want to access your photos, videos, contacts, and text messages may be designed to gather more data on the user to sell to data brokers, hack a user’s device, or even steal their identity.

Kids are easy targets

Children are uniquely vulnerable to these types of scams because they usually aren’t on the lookout for potential warning signs of a scam–they’re just looking for another entertaining pastime. 

“Scammers prey on children because, frankly, they’re an easy target,” said Myhre-Nunes. “Children do not have the skeptical eye of an adult, who may have encountered a number of potential scammers in their lives.” 

Fraud artists also know that they can conceal scams through fun apps, like games or phony apps, to trick children into downloading and using them.

“While an adult may look at the developer of the app to confirm it’s legitimate, children will usually just download an app, especially if they learn of it from their peers,” she said.

Keeping kids safe 

To help keep kids from falling victim to mobile game scams, Myhre-Nunes says parents should strive to maintain open communication with their child.

“Talking to your children is a great first step to protecting them from mobile game scams,” she said. “Just as you would teach them that they shouldn’t trust strangers, you should explain that not all apps are as genuine they appear.” 

Parents should also keep tabs on what games their child is playing on their mobile device.

“If you’re aware of the games your children play, you can research it to see if there’s anything alarming about it, or even play it on your own device to see what it’s like,” she said. “The hope is with open communication, your child will approach you when they plan to download a game, so you can help them determine if it’s safe.” 

Managing the device’s settings can also help keep your child safe from these scams. To keep your child from downloading a “freemium game,” change your app store password and avoid sharing it with your child. 

Additionally, go to the settings section of your (or your child’s) device’s app store to confirm that it is set to ask for a password every time the user makes a purchase. As long as you don’t share your password with your child, you’ll be alerted every time your child intends to make a purchase since you will be required to enter the password.

Offering children too many toys at playtime may limit their creativity, according to a new study from the University of Toledo.

Researchers found that toddlers who were given the opportunity to play with just a few toys at a time engaged in longer periods of play, which in turn translated to better focus and more creativity during playtime.

In light of these findings, the study authors say parents and caregivers may want to consider offering toddlers opportunities to play with just a few toys at a time.

“This might mean putting some toys away (out of sight, out of mind) in a busy playroom or bedroom, or it could mean taking a few select toys into an otherwise uncluttered area to play,” study author Alexia E. Metz told ConsumerAffairs.

Benefits of fewer toys

Metz says giving kids access to fewer toys may do two things:

• Reduce competition for the toddlers’ attention. The researchers say limiting toys can help toddlers practice focusing. “Focus is a bit like a muscle… it gets stronger when you use it,” Metz said.

• Give kids a chance to play with a toy in a more creative fashion. Kids will have time to explore all the things that can be done with the toy, and may even invent some new things.

“Together, these may support several aspects of development: attention, problem solving, ideation (coming up with a  novel way to use an item), motor planning (similarly, coming up with a novel way to use one’s motor skills), motor skills, and creativity,” Metz said.

Limiting toys around the holidays

Around the holidays, a time when many children will be unwrapping dozens of new toys, the study authors say parents can do a few things to curb adverse effects related to having access to too many toys.

There’s nothing wrong with giving kids gifts to celebrate the holiday, the study authors said. However, once the excitement has died down, parents should watch for signs that their children are overwhelmed by the number of toys.

In that case, the researchers suggest that parents put some of the toys away for a later time. “It could even be framed (for children old enough to understand) as a way to make the special occasion last,” she said.

Parents can also take steps to prepare their home environment for the influx of new toys in advance of the holiday.

Preparing your child for gifts in advance

“Parents (and children if they are able) can weed through ‘old’ toys (donating them, passing them along to younger siblings/cousins/friends, or throwing out broken/incomplete ones), to make room for new ones,” Metz said.

“Young children may not even notice if changes are made gradually, as long as parents do not take away favorite toys or those that the children routinely play with.”

For the toys that are kept, she recommends leaving just a few visible and within reach at a time. Storing others on a shelf or in a toy box might also help to reduce the temptation to take out too many toys.

The reduction in toys should ideally be done in a manner that doesn’t feel like a punishment, Metz advised.

The full study is set to be published in an upcoming edition of the journal Infant Behavior and Development.

Kids who use smartphones and other digital devices before bed may be at risk of suffering from sleep and nutrition problems, a new study suggests.

After surveying 234 parents of eight- to 17-year-olds about their kids’ technology use and sleep habits, researchers from the Penn State College of Medicine found that using technology before bed was linked with less sleep, poorer sleep quality, and more fatigue in the morning.

Additionally, young people who watched TV or used their cell phones before bed tended to have a higher body mass index (BMI). The researchers believe this may be because kids who engaged with screen media before bed were more likely to be tired in the morning and to skip breakfast -- two risk factors for obesity.

Sleep is critical

Kids who watched TV or played video games before bed got an average of 30 minutes less sleep than those who did not, while kids who used their smartphone or a computer before bed averaged an hour less sleep than those who did not.

In an interview with ConsumerAffairs, lead author and medical student Caitlyn Fuller said the results of the study showed a loop pattern between technology use, poor sleep, and higher BMIs.

“We saw technology before bed being associated with less sleep and higher BMIs,” Fuller said. “We also saw this technology use being associated with more fatigue in the morning, which circling back, is another risk factor for higher BMIs.”

Overweight and obese children were more likely to have trouble falling asleep and trouble staying asleep than their normal BMI counterparts, she added.

“The results of this study solidify some well-established data concerning childhood obesity – namely that children who watch more television and have a more sedentary lifestyle are more likely to have an overweight or obese BMI compared with those who are more active,” Fuller said.

Limiting technology use

Past studies have found that teens are particularly likely to struggle with technology addiction. This study suggested kids often have a difficult time self-regulating their screen time, which can take a toll on both the quality and quantity of sleep they get.

“When children were reported by their parents to use one form of technology at bedtime, they more than likely used another form of technology as well,” Fuller said.

Curbing technology use at bedtime can help “encourage childhood development and promote mental health during the childhood and adolescent years,” she said.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that parents set boundaries for technology use, such as requiring kids to put away their devices during meal times and keeping phones out of bedrooms at night. For help creating a family media use plan, click here.

The full study has been published in the journal Global Pediatric Health.

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) toys have become increasingly popular in recent years for their purported ability to spark an early interest in coding and electronics.

Industry experts say STEM-focused toys can teach children important concepts -- such as cause-and-effect, programming, coding, mathematics, physics, chemistry -- in a fun and accessible way.

When STEM toys are involved, playtime can double as a time to learn skills that are becoming “integrally important in both their future careers and daily life in our modern world,” explained Ali Mierzejewski, Senior Editor of the Toy Insider, in an interview with ConsumerAffairs.

Integrating the basics of STEM learning into early play is important, she says, because it can help kids build a foundation for topics that might be difficult to master later in life.

“It makes these seemingly daunting concepts much more approachable when they’re introduced during playtime because most STEM toys are designed to entertain kids as much as they are to educate them,” she said.

“The earlier they are introduced, the more of a foundation they are able to build.”

STEM gifts

If you’re still on the hunt for the perfect gift for a child on your holiday shopping list, here are a few toys that can help kids develop (or sustain) an interest in STEM concepts.

• Circuit Cubes (ages 8-12). These electronic building blocks (for kids ages 8-12) fit into LEGO projects or creations from household items, like toilet paper rolls or pool noodles. They’re designed to teach kids the basics of circuitry through hands-on play. The blocks’ transparency lets kids see the connections they make when they light an LED, power a motor, or activate a switch.

• LittleBits Star Wars Droid Inventor Kit (ages 8-12). Kids can build their own R2D2 and even modify it by incorporating some household items. When they’re finished, the Droid can be controlled through a companion app and sent on missions.

• Lego Boost Creative Toolbox Building & Coding Kit (ages 7-12). This kit (for kids ages 7-12) lets kids build five different robots out of traditional Lego bricks and robotics bits and pieces. Bots that can be built include a purring cat and a robot called Vernie, who can be programmed to tell jokes, make sound effects, and perform other actions.

• Amazon STEM club toy subscription (ages 3-13). This monthly subscription service delivers hand picked, high-quality STEM toys for $20 a month and targets kids across three different age ranges (3-4, 5-7, and 8-13). Toys include math games, chemistry sets, and robotics kits.

• Sphero (ages 8 and older). Sphero programmable robotic balls have been on the market for more than five years now, but the latest model (SPRK+) includes a companion app that lets kids control and program the device using different systems. Kids can start with basic line drawing and hone their coding skills until they’re able to progress to more advanced systems like Javascript.

Facebook recently announced that it will roll out a standalone messaging platform for children called “Messenger Kids,” for users ages six to 12 to safely chat with family and friends.

Much like Facebook’s existing messenger app, Messenger Kids will include a video call option including playful filters, sound effects, and age-appropriate GIFs. Most importantly, Messenger Kids users will only be able to interact with individuals their parents or guardians approve first.

The social network says its new kid-focused app is the result of more than a year of research, as well as advice and insight from online safety experts and roundtable discussions with parents. A common thread in the discussions? Parents wanted more control over their kids’ online experiences. 

To protect the privacy of its youngest users, Facebook says it will collect “little data” from those who use the app. Additionally, kids won’t be able to access their parent’s Facebook accounts and won’t be searchable within the app. The app will also include tools to report or flag inappropriate content and block users. 

Cybersecurity experts like CyberGhost CEO Robert Knapp are skeptical.

"The problem with targeting children is that companies like Facebook and Google and for that matter less sophisticated organisations do not have the capacity to secure their users; we have seen this recently where children were targeted on youtube platforms, and, despite Google's best attempts, they were not able to fully protect children on their platform," he told ConsumerAffairs.

"The risk beyond getting children hooked on these companies' platforms at a young age is that putting all the young users in one place actually increases the risk of them being targeted," Knapp said.

Parent-controlled 

Parents must set up their child’s Messenger Kids account and approve who their kids can communicate with on the app. Parents can also see what their children are saying in their chats. 

“None of the messages disappear or can be deleted, so parents can look at their kid’s device at any time to see their messages (this was a strong point of feedback we heard from parents),” a Facebook spokesperson told ConsumerAffairs.

“Many of us at Facebook are parents ourselves, and it seems we weren't alone when we realized that our kids were getting online earlier and earlier,” the spokesperson said. “We want to help ensure the experiences our kids have when using technology are positive, safer, and age-appropriate, and we believe teaching kids how to use technology in positive ways will bring better experiences later as they grow.” 

Knapp's recommendation is to simply limit time a child spends using any social media platform. "I believe the longer you can keep children away from the screens the better, and especially when it comes to social interaction," he said. "Encouraging them to communicate with their friends through online communication is an extreme step, especially when powered by the largest social network, which is powered by data."

Potential safety risks

Despite its heavy focus on safety and privacy, the app is likely to draw criticism -- especially in the wake of safety flaws recently discovered in other apps geared toward young children. 

Back in November, inappropriate cartoons were found on the popular YouTube Kids app, even after the company updated the app to include enhanced parental controls and other key safety measures. Meanwhile, Snapchat -- the social media platform most known for its disappearing messages -- recently made news for being used by child predators.

Children’s online safety experts say it’s hard to predict how a new app is going to be used and what unintended consequences there might be. But Facebook says Messenger Kids was created with the goal of providing a safe online experience tailored to kids’ needs.

Thanksgiving is a time for family members to come together, but sometimes holiday reunions can be a recipe for conflict.

The stress of travel, longstanding disagreements between family members, and today’s contentious political climate can give way to arguments that can put a damper on the event.

To keep your family’s Thanksgiving get-together free of quarrels and conflict, experts recommend following a few key rules.

Don’t talk politics

In an interview with ConsumerAffairs, gerontologist and professor of human development Karl Pillemer offered a few tips for keeping holiday gatherings from turning into a political debate.

• Avoid hot-button issues. “Thanksgiving is not the time to try to show your parents, for example, that their political views are all wrong. That’s the idea behind the ‘politics-free holiday,’” said Pillemer.

• Squash potential conflict early. “When Uncle Bob, a football fan, is gearing up to spout extreme political views, jump it with ‘How about those Broncos/Jets/ Patriots/Bears?’ Lead people away from the hot-button topic.”

• Find another activity. “If a heated debate starts up, that’s the time to toss the football in the backyard with the kids, help with the dishes, or go for a walk,” Pillemer says.

Spark intergenerational dialogue

Thanksgiving is an event that often brings multiple generations together under one roof, which makes it a perfect opportunity for younger family members to reap the wisdom of older family members.

Younger family members can ask older family members to share their advice for living, says Pillemer. Asking about advice for living can be even more powerful than asking for life stories, he says.

“Don’t just ask: ‘What was it like to be a child in the Great Depression,’ but follow it up with: ‘What did you learn from that experience that would help a young person like me?’”

Avoid bringing up the past

Avoid bringing up a past incident that may upset another family member, such as a divorce or separation, to keep dinner conversations positive.

However, if an elder family member touches on a sensitive topic -- the death of a child or surviving a terrible experience like the Holocaust, for instance -- the best thing to do is to let the elders set their own limits and listen sympathetically, says Pillemer.

“In my hundreds of interviews, I found that older people pick and choose what they will share with a younger person in these ‘wisdom interviews,’ and often steer clear of the most traumatic events in their lives if they can’t handle discussing them.”

Keep it light

Relax your expectations for the event and remember to enjoy your time with family members. If your family isn’t too competitive, you could play a group game like Charades or touch football.

If children will be in the mix, have them participate in small tasks like setting the table or hanging up hats and coats. Expect them to spill or break things and to have loud moments of silly fun.

For guests who will be staying more than one day, consider planning a fun activity to do each day -- but make it optional. Too much togetherness can sometimes create conflict.

Target recently announced that it will expand its popular Cat & Jack line to include sensory-friendly clothing made specially for kids with sensory issues, disabilities, or those who are required to wear medical devices.

The new adaptive apparel (which was officially launched Oct. 22) was designed to “make getting dressed easier for everyone (kids and parents),” the company said in a statement. Features include side-entry openings, zip-off sleeves, back snaps, flat seams, and areas with abdominal access.

Expanded collection

Back in August, the company added sensory-friendly long and short sleeve clothing items to its website. Now, the retailer has expanded the line to include bodysuits, hooded sweatshirts, puffer jackets, and leggings with modifications for kids and toddlers with disabilities.

“We heard from our guests — and members of our own team — that there’s a need for adaptive clothing for kids that is both fashionable and affordable, so we set out to create exactly that,” said Julie Guggemos, senior vice president, Product Design & Development, Target.

“Since launching sensory-friendly apparel and receiving such positive guest feedback, we’re focused on continuing to evolve and expand Cat & Jack to meet the needs of even more of our guests,” Guggemos said.

Stylish and comfortable

The new adaptive collection features tagless clothing with flat seams, which are ideal for kids or toddlers who won’t tolerate stiff or itchy clothing. To further minimize irritation and discomfort, the clothing is made from extra soft and comfortable cotton knits.

The line also includes jackets with Velcro seams designed to make self-dressing easier for kids with limited hand and finger strength or fine motor skills.

Modifications aside, most of the items that make up the 40-piece adaptive clothing collection are based off of current designs in the Cat & Jack line, so kids will fit right in with their peers.

The pieces range in price from $4.50 to $39.99 (but most are under $20). The items are available online-only at Target.com.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued new guidelines which recommend having children stay away from toys in the waiting room at the pediatrician’s office to avoid contact with germs.

The group says that doctor’s offices should avoid stocking their waiting room with plush toys, like stuffed animals, which are difficult to clean and can harbor germs. Even contact with items like books and toys are discouraged because they can be breeding grounds for germs, especially during cold and flu season..

The group also recommends that doctor’s offices implement the same infection control initiatives as hospitals. For example, the guidelines suggest that hand sanitizer and masks be made available to parents in the doctor's office, cough and sneeze etiquette be enforced via visual reminders, and tissues be properly disposed of.

Bring your own toys

Instead of letting kids play with toys and games that may be available in the waiting room, AAP recommends bringing books and toys from home. To further curb the risk of infection, parents can keep their infant or toddler in their stroller until they are taken into an exam room.

Parents can also check with the front desk about how long the wait is likely to be, then take a walk or wait in the car and ask the staff to call their cell phone when it’s their child’s turn, Dr. Mary Anne Jackson, co-author of the policy statement, told the New York Times.

The updated infection-prevention guidelines also state that kids should get all of their recommended vaccines, including the flu shot if they are over the age of six months. Doctor’s office personnel should also make sure to get their annual flu shot, the group says.

An eighth child -- a 2-year-old California boy -- has died as the result of the tip-over of a recalled IKEA Malm dresser, prompting consumer advocates to make another call for action from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and IKEA.

It's not the first time the agency and the retailer have been under fire. In August 2016, Consumers Union, Consumer Federation of America, and Kids In Danger criticized IKEA for placing countless children at risk and resisting a recall for too long.

A coalition comprised of the American Academy of Pediactrics, Consumers Union, Consumer Federation of America, Kids in Danger, the National Center for Health Research, Public Citizen, Shane’s Foundation, and U.S. PIRG issued a statement on the latest death earlier this week.

“This death highlights the risks to children of tip-over incidents. Companies must be held accountable for their products’ safety and the CPSC must be strong enough to force companies to take action in ways that successfully get recalled products out of homes,” the groups said.

The groups said CSPC must make a greater effort, “to reach every home with an IKEA dresser, urging families to return any unsafe dresser for a refund, and providing incentives for consumers to remove such a dresser from their homes.”

IKEA agreed late last year to pay millions of dollars in damages to families whose children died due to tip-overs.

Would your family know what to do if the smoke alarm went off in the middle of the night?

According to a survey conducted by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), three-quarters of Americans have created an escape plan in case of a fire at home. However, less than half of those people have ever practiced their plans.  

Fire Prevention Week is this week -- October 8-14, 2017. This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme, “Every Second Counts: Plan 2 Ways Out” aims to reinforce potentially life-saving messages.

Have a first and second way out

Fire safety officials say you may have as little as 1-2 minutes to escape safely after you hear the smoke alarm sound. For this reason, it’s critical to make sure every family member knows how to use that small timeframe effectively.

The NFPA recommends making an escape plan that shows two ways out of every room in case one exit gets blocked. Additionally, it's important to practice those plans to make sure they can be accomplished in two minutes or less.

Here are a few tips for developing and practicing your home escape plan.

• Create a plan based on your home’s layout. Draw a map of your home with all members of your household, marking two exits from each room and a path to the outside from each exit. 
• Perform a mock evacuation twice a year. Practice your fire escape plan at least twice a year. Conduct one practice run at night (since about half of home fire deaths result from fires reported between the hours of 11:00 pm and 7:00 am, according to the NFPA) and one during the day with everyone in your home. Practice using different ways out.
• Teach kids to “get low and go.” Make sure your children know the emergency phone number for your fire department, as well as how to escape on their own in case you can’t help them. Teach them that "stop, drop, and roll" should only be used if their clothing catches fire. Otherwise, crouching down very low and crawling around the perimeter of the room to the exit is best.
• Never go back inside a burning building. Close doors behind you as you leave. This may slow the spread of smoke, heat, and fire. And once you get outside, stay outside.
• Make sure your house number is visible. To help firefighters, make sure your house or building number can be seen from the street.
• Establish a family meeting spot. Whether it’s a tree, light pole, or some other permanent landmark, make sure your family has agreed on a meeting place to gather in front of your home after escaping. 
• Make sure your smoke alarms work. Reliable, properly placed smoke detectors are vital to keeping your family safe. Be sure to check your smoke detectors regularly to make sure they are working properly

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to use infant sleep positioners -- also known as “nests” or “anti-roll” products -- because they pose a suffocation hazard to babies.

"The federal government has received reports about babies who have died from suffocation associated with their sleep positioners," the FDA said in a statement, adding that suffocation can occur when the baby rolls from their side onto their stomach.

Typically marketed for babies under six months old, sleep positioners usually include two raised pillows or “bolsters” attached to a mat. Parents and caregivers often use sleep positioners to keep babies in a specific position while they are sleeping.

However, sleep surfaces that are not clear of soft objects (such as positioners) can increase the risk for accidental suffocation and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), says the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Risks outweigh possible benefits

This isn’t the first time the FDA has issued such a warning. In 2010, the FDA, Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and the AAP issued a joint warning after reviewing reports of 12 infant deaths associated with sleep positioners in the preceding 13 years.

"Sleep positioners do not prevent SIDS and in fact can increase the risk of babies suffocating," the AAP said in 2010. "These deaths are tragic and avoidable."

Although some sleep positioners have been marketed as products to ease gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or help prevent flat head syndrome (plagiocephaly), the FDA says it has “never cleared an infant sleep positioner that claims to prevent or reduce the risk of SIDS.”

Furthermore, the agency adds that “there is no scientifically sound evidence to support medical claims about sleep positioners.”

Creating a safe sleep environment

The FDA says it can “continue to take action against manufacturers who make unproven medical claims about their products.” Meanwhile, parents and caregivers can keep babies safe by not using sleep positioners.

Approximately 4,000 infants die every year while sleeping from accidental suffocation, SIDS, or unknown causes, according to the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

To reduce the risk of SIDS and sleep accidents, the FDA urges parents to heed the following advice for creating a safe sleeping environment:

• Never use infant sleep positioners. Using pillows or bolsters to keep an infant on his or her side or back is dangerous, says the FDA.
• Keep sleep surfaces bare. Don’t put pillows, blankets, toys, loose sheets, comforters, or quilts under a baby or in a crib. Pillows are not necessary for babies, and adequate clothing (not blankets) can be used to keep babies warm.
• Follow the ABCs of safe sleep. Always place your baby to sleep on his or her back at night and during nap time. Follow the ABCs of safe sleep: “Alone on the Back in a bare Crib.”

Researchers say there is a "powerful ripple effect" when children are allowed to have TV and video game systems in their bedroom.

A new study tracked elementary-age children over two years, ultimately finding that the kids who had TVs or gaming systems in their rooms (away from parents) were more likely to spend extensive amounts of time engaged with media and consume content they wouldn't in front of other people.

Additionally, bedroom media predicted poorer school performance, higher risk for obesity, greater likelihood of video game addiction, and greater aggressive behavior, the study found.

Lead author Douglas Gentile, a professor of psychology at Iowa State University, says the media itself isn’t what raises the risk for these consequences -- rather, it’s allowing a child to have these systems in their room.

Changing the content

For nearly two decades, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has recommended that children not have media in their bedroom. This study shows they were right, says Gentile.

Children who have bedroom media are more likely to overindulge, which can displace beneficial activities like reading and sleeping. They are also likely to be exposed to more violent media. 

“There are many potential benefits to children having access to the media. Certainly the one parents are most aware of is that it keeps the kids quiet and out of other trouble. But most of the other benefits (e.g., educational benefits, communication benefits, etc.) they could enjoy could be gotten just as easily in a public room,” Gentile told ConsumerAffairs.

“Once [media] moves into the child's bedroom, both the amount and content change (as can be seen in our study), and on average, not in a way that is good for the children's long-term health and wellness,” he said.

Worth the fight

Studies show more than 40 percent of children aged 4-6 have a TV in their bedroom, and a majority of children 8 and older have a TV or video game console in their bedroom.

While this study looked specifically at TVs and video game systems, the study authors expect the effects to be the same – if not stronger – now that children have access to digital devices like cell phones and iPads.

As a parent himself, Gentile knows how hard it can be to say ‘no’ to media in the bedroom. However, he argues that taking devices out of the bedroom is worth the short-term fight because it will be better for children in the long run.

If parents don't want to remove media from bedrooms, “they should work to establish good rules and boundaries about what, when, and how much. If children can’t abide by those rules, then the media should be removed,” Gentile says.

“The goal for most parents is to get children to self-regulate, and some kids are better at that than others,” he added.

The study has been published online in the journal Developmental Psychology.

A new survey from Personal Capital has found that 70 percent of Millennial parents (versus 48 percent of parents overall) say they would focus savings on their kid's college education over their own retirement.

However, financial experts warn this is a huge mistake. Accruing the funds needed to help foot the bill for a college education may be a worthy endeavor, but college savings shouldn’t come at the expense of retirement (for which there are no loans, grants, or scholarships).

You don't want to "derail your retirement for your child's college education when they can get a loan or scholarships," certified financial planner Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz told CNBC Make It.

Future repercussions

Pew Research Center defines "Millennials" as those between the ages of 20–36 (this year). According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York Consumer Credit Panel, the average student loan debt for an individual Millennial is roughly $33,000.

Understandably, parents in this age group may not want to see their children end up in the same financial boat after they graduate, but experts predict funneling savings into a child's college fund instead of retirement will one day put the child in a more difficult spot.

Those who don't save enough money for retirement may end up relying on their adult children, which could end up being an even bigger financial burden than student loans, Schwab-Pomerantz explained.

Instead, the wise move is to help your child take advantage of scholarships, grants, or loans when the time comes – options not available for those moving into retirement.

Take care of yourself first

The study also found that Millennial parents tend to plan for helping out with their children’s housing costs -- 48 percent of participants said they would pay all of their children’s rent costs, and 46 percent said they would pay for a house for their child.

At the end of the day, Millennial parents should remember, “there's no guarantee the kids will take care of them financially or otherwise in their old age," said Lazetta Braxton, CFP and founder of Financial Fountains.

"Be upfront with your kids about how much you can realistically contribute towards college, even if the amount may disappoint them," Braxton told CNBC.

The sooner you have the conversation, the more time kids will have to figure out their own way to pay for college. Your kids might also be happy to know they won’t have to take care of you financially at an age when they may be juggling other financial responsibilities, like taking care of their own families.

For new mothers, the first weeks after giving birth should be a time of bonding, physical recovery, and potentially navigating breastfeeding challenges. However, economic necessity will push nearly 1 in 4 new mothers back into the workforce within just two weeks of having a baby.

New parents who aren’t lucky enough to get 12 weeks of paid parental leave -- and who can’t afford to take time off -- are faced with the difficult decision of choosing between their careers and time with their infant.

Now, a new maternity leave registry site called Take12 aims to give new parents the financial means to stay home with their baby for a full 12 weeks.

The gift of time

Margi Scott, the founder of Take12, characterizes the site as “crowdfunding meets baby registry.”

Instead of registering for baby gifts and gear, expectant parents can ask visitors to go to their personalized site to donate money to cover various moments of a maternity leave. Friends and family can “purchase” baby snuggles, shower time, a night of sleep, and more.

“Burp cloths and outfits are nice, but time with your baby without going into financial turmoil is nicer,” the Take12 website reads. “Add your Take12 registry to your baby shower invitation and let your friends, family, and co-workers know how they can help you the most.”

The site has a guide to help soon-to-be parents figure out roughly how much money they would need to take 12 weeks of maternity leave. It encourages working moms to take a full 12 weeks, especially if they qualify for the Family and Medical Leave Act.

Maternity leave crisis

In addition to its goal of affording moms the ability to stay home with their baby, Take12 aims to elevate the importance of sufficient family leave.

Research shows mothers who return to work soon after giving birth are less likely to breastfeed and more likely to suffer from depression. Each additional week of paid maternity leave has also been linked to lower infant mortality rates.

While many employers are required to provide 12 weeks of unpaid leave following the birth of a child, many new parents can’t afford to go that long without a paycheck. A mere 13 percent of U.S. private sector workers have access to paid leave through their employer, according to a 2016 report from the Department of Labor.

“I understand the crisis of unpaid maternity leave because I have experienced it three times,” writes Margi Scott, the founder of Take12.

“I am perplexed by the fact that working mothers are some of the most creative, focused, and determined beings I know, yet most of us venture into the transition of maternity leave and the return to work with little to no preparation. As result, we are left feeling defeated, alone, and overwhelmed.”

The Take 12 website plans to expand to allow fathers to register for paternity leave in the future.

In the aftermath of a senseless tragedy, such as the recent mass shooting in Las Vegas, parents and caregivers are faced with the difficult task of talking to children about what happened and reassuring them that they are safe.

While exposure to information about the tragedy should ideally be limited (especially for children under 8), it’s not always possible to shield children from all the details of a major crisis.

Questions and fears can arise when children see frightening images on TV, social media, or when they hear their peers talking about the tragedy. It’s a parent’s job to filter information about the tragedy and answer any questions kids might have.

Addressing children’s concerns

What to say to children depends on their age and developmental stage, but recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) state that parents should begin conversations with children of all ages the same way: by asking what they have already heard.

More often than not, kids will have heard something about the tragedy. The first step towards helping them cope with the news is to answer any questions they have in an honest, straightforward manner. Let your child’s answers and reactions guide your discussion.

Your child’s age will affect how they process the information. Older children, teens, and young adults might ask more questions and benefit from additional information. In conversations with children of all ages, it’s best to avoid dwelling on the scale or scope of the tragedy.

Conversations vary by age

Here are a few tips for talking to children in different age ranges about a tragedy:

• Preschool age. For very young children, the tragedy does not need to be brought up unless they have heard something about it first. If they have, get down to your child’s eye level and speak in a calm and gentle voice while answering any questions that might be on their mind.
• Elementary school age. This is an age range when parents should share basic details about the tragedy and make sure children know they can come to them with questions. Make a point of reassuring children that they are truly safe.
• Middle and high school age. Older children can be given more detailed information about the tragedy and recovery efforts. Figure out what may be bothering them and address any safety concerns. Discuss what your family does to keep each other safe as well as what communities do to keep people safe.

‘Look for the helpers’

When a tragedy occurs, it can also be helpful to remind children of the words of television personality Fred Rogers, who explained how his mother used to make him feel safe in a scary world.

“Always look for the helpers,’ she’d tell me. ‘There’s always someone who is trying to help.’ I did, and I came to see that the world is full of doctors and nurses, police and firemen, volunteers, neighbors and friends who are ready to jump in to help when things go wrong," said Rogers.

The Fred Rogers organization has a part of their website dedicated to helping children understand the images they see on TV and online. It can be viewed here.

The 2018-2019 free application for federal student aid (FAFSA) submission window is open as of October 1, with roughly $120 billion in federal student aid up for grabs.

Filling out the FAFSA form can be a tedious process, often requiring the assistance of parents or guardians. For parents, experts at student loan company Sallie Mae have a few tips to avoid running into issues.

They recommend filing a new FAFSA application each year -- first as a high school senior and in every subsequent year of college and graduate school -- “regardless of whether you think you will qualify for funding.”

A student's eligibility and amount they qualify for can vary year-over-year.

FAFSA tips

To complete a FAFSA application students and their families should:

• Gather information. Before starting the application, parents and students should create a username and password (a Federal Student Aid ID) and gather Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, bank statements, 2016 tax returns, and W-2 forms.

• Be an early bird. Because some financial aid is doled out on a first-come, first served basis, completing the form early can boost your chance of getting that aid. Submitting the FAFSA soon after October 1 can also expedite financial aid from your student's school.

• Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. The IRS Data Retrieval Tool can help you import and convert tax information directly into the FAFSA.

• Watch out for imposters. The only way to fill out a FAFSA is at fafsa.gov. Beware of sites that charge a fee or make promises that sound too good to be true. To reduce the risk of identity theft, keep your Federal Student Aid ID confidential.

• List at least one school. Families should list at least one school on the FAFSA. Some state aid is based on the order of how schools are listed, so consider listing state schools first to be in line for state aid. If your child is applying to more than ten schools, follow this process.

What happens next

After you have completed the application, you will get a Student Aid Report summarizing your form. This will give you a chance to modify your application and correct any errors. 

Once your student is accepted by a college, you must then decide whether to accept your aid package. Make sure you know which type of aid you're getting (if it's a grant or a aid requiring reimbursement). Read up on all the terms and commitments that come with each form of assistance. For more tips on accepting aid, click here.

Additional information is available at studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa.

A new study conducted by researchers at San Diego State University and Bryn Mawr College suggests that teens are maturing at a much slower pace than in previous decades.

Lead author Jean M. Twenge, an SDSU psychology professor, says that teens are participating less in certain social activities and taking longer to engage in “adult” responsibilities like driving or even working for pay.

"The developmental trajectory of adolescence has slowed, with teens growing up more slowly than they used to," explained Twenge. "In terms of adult activities, 18-year-olds now look like 15-year-olds once did."

Cultural shift between generations

The researchers analyzed seven nationally representative surveys conducted between 1976 and 2016, which questioned 8.3 million 13- to 19-year-olds about their engagement in adult activities. The study focused on comparisons between teens in the 2010s and their counterparts from the 2000s, 1990s, 1980s, and 1970s.

After adjusting for factors like family size, life expectancy, education, and the economy, survey data indicated that teens in the 2010s are less likely to work for pay, drive, date, drink alcohol, go out without their parents, or have sex than teens from previous decades. The findings were consistent across all demographic groups, which suggests an overarching cultural shift between generations.

The researchers say that the results cannot be explained away by extra time spent on schoolwork or extracurricular activities, since these factors have remained steady or decreased over time. Rather, they believe that an increasing amount of time spent online could be playing a role.

Not necessarily a problem

While older generations may lament what they perceive to be stunted development, co-author Heejung Park, an assistant professor of psychology at Bryn Mawr College, says that the findings do not necessarily indicate a problem in today’s youth.

"Our study suggests that teens today are taking longer to embrace both adult responsibilities (such as driving and working) and adult pleasures (such as sex and alcohol)," he said. "These trends are neither good nor bad, but reflect the current U.S. cultural climate."

The full study has been published in Child Development.

For couples with kids, romance can often get put on the back burner -- but regular date nights can help cut through some of the stress of parenting. When couples need to get out for a few hours, grandparents are often the first to volunteer to watch the kids.

Now, a new study using data collected from 1990 to 2009 finds grandparents who step in to fulfill the role of babysitter may live longer lives.

For the study, researchers used data from the Berlin Aging Study which followed 500 seniors aged 70 and older over the course of 20 years. They found that grandparents who provided some form of care to their grandchildren had mortality hazards that were 37 percent lower than seniors who did not take care of children.

Promoting physical activity and social engagement

Young children are highly energetic and curious, requiring close supervision and physical activity from their caregivers. For seniors, opportunities for this type of engagement are rare and valuable.

In addition to helping seniors stay physically active, babysitting can even help alleviate stress, the study found. What’s more, the social interaction can help keep the brain healthy.  

“There is a link between providing this care and reducing stress and we know the relationship between stress and higher risk of dying,” said Dr. Ronan Factora, a Geriatric Medicine specialist at the Cleveland Clinic.

And it didn’t matter whether the children in their care were blood relatives or not. Similar benefits were seen when seniors provided care to children who were not their own.

“If providing care to grandchildren and others in need is one way that can actually reduce stress, then these activities should be of benefit to folks who are grandparents and provide this care to their grandkids,” he said.

Avoid overdoing it

While occasionally stepping in to help give parents a much-needed break can translate to a longer lifespan for grandparents, dedicating too much time to caregiving can negate the health benefits.

When it comes to caregiving, balance is key. An overwhelming amount of caregiving can actually be a source of stress and aging, says Factora.

"You want to make sure that you find that right balance where you are doing what you can to stay active, doing good for the folks that you're helping out with, but don't do too much where you get to the point where you're overly stressed," said Dr. Factora.

The full study has been published in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior.