(HealthDay News) — Playtime is important to any child, especially one that is under pressure and stressed, the American Academy of Pediatrics says. Playtime is a brain-building activity that’s a healthy and necessary part of childhood development, the academy adds. The group offers this advice to parents, doctors and educators:Continue Reading
MONDAY, Sept. 3, 2018 (HealthDay News) — All children 6 months of age and older should have a flu shot, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says. A flu shot significantly reduces a child’s risk of severe illness and flu-related death, according to the policy statement published online Sept. 3Continue Reading
MONDAY, Sept. 3, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Homelessness threatens young children’s health, even if it occurs while they’re still in the womb, a new study shows. “These findings back up what we already knew about how the stress of homelessness affects children’s heath, but this helps us determine which childrenContinue Reading
HealthDay News) — Schools often have classroom pets, such as hamsters, fish or frogs. Caring for those animals can be a great learning experience for kids. But exposure to animals does have some risk, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. Young children are still developing an immune system,Continue Reading
SATURDAY, Sept. 1, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The earlier the better when it comes to having your child’s vision checked, eye experts say. “Babies must have a vision screening by a health care professional soon after they are born, which must include an evaluation of the ‘red reflex’ of theContinue Reading
(HealthDay News) — Parents of a child with epilepsy may be preoccupied with keeping the child safe during the school day. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers these suggestions: Develop an action plan so that teachers and school officials know what to do in the event ofContinue Reading
THURSDAY, Aug. 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The consequences of the opioid epidemic may be more far-reaching than thought. New research suggests that children who experience drug withdrawal after birth may be at risk of educational disabilities between the ages of 3 and 8. Additionally, the Tennessee study reported thatContinue Reading
THURSDAY, Aug. 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Kids should ride in rear-facing car safety seats until they reach the highest height and weight their seat can hold, a leading pediatricians’ group now says. The previous advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics was to stop using a rear-facing seat whenContinue Reading
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Teen boys who drink may raise their risk for aggressive prostate cancer decades later, a preliminary study suggests. Compared to non-drinkers, men who reported having at least one alcoholic drink a day between ages 15 and 19 had more than triple the oddsContinue Reading
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Teens who drink or smoke already have stiffening arteries, and the risk is highest for those who are both heavy smokers and heavy drinkers, a new study reports. Arterial stiffening is a sign of blood vessel damage that increases the chances for heartContinue Reading
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Limiting online access used to be the main parenting strategy to protect kids from internet hazards like cyberbullying and sexual predators. But research suggests that teaching them how to avoid these risks in the first place is a smarter and safer approach. ThanksContinue Reading
(HealthDay News) — Your child’s backpack may be incredibly handy and reflect a personal sense of style. It should also be functional and help protect your child’s back, the Nemours Foundation says. If a backpack is poorly worn or too heavy, it can strain muscles and joints and cause backContinue Reading
TUESDAY, Aug. 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Autism spectrum disorder — or ASD — is a developmental disability now diagnosed in about one in 37 boys and one in 151 girls in the United States. Researchers are learning more about why differences in the brain develop and result in autismContinue Reading
MONDAY, Aug. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Everyone worries about drug abuse among children, but a hidden danger for some kids rests in prescription medicines intended to help them, a new study warns. Some children and teenagers who are prescribed multiple medications are at risk of drug interactions that couldContinue Reading