News Related to Children’s Health

Phthalates Affect Way Young Boys Play

Nov. 16, 2009 -- Mothers exposed to high levels of chemicals known as phthalates during pregnancy may have boys who are less likely to play with trucks and other male-typical toys or to play fight, according to a new study. Phthalates, common in the environment, are found in toys, food packaging, pe
Read Full Article
Study Unravels Mystery of Dyslexia

Nov. 11, 2009 -- New research may provide an answer as to why children with dyslexia often have difficulty hearing someone talk in a noisy room. Dyslexia is a common, language-based learning disability that makes it difficult to read, spell, and write. It is unrelated to a person's intelligence. Stu
Read Full Article
Hot Tub Injuries on the Rise

Nov. 5, 2009 -- Relaxing in a backyard hot tub may be fun, but potential dangers lurk. A new study shows that as the popularity of hot tubs has increased, so has the number of injuries. Researchers analyzed emergency room records from 1990 until 2007. During that period, the number of nonfatal hot t
Read Full Article
Newborns' Cries Reflect Parents' Language

Nov. 5, 2009 -- The cries of infants as young as three days old already reflect the language their parents speak, according to a new study that compared the newborn cries of French-born and German-born children. It's well known by experts that parental voices, especially a mother's, are perceived in
Read Full Article
TV Linked to More Child Aggression

Nov. 2, 2009 -- Parents, here’s one more reason to turn off the television. A new study shows that children who watch more television -- and even those who are exposed to the television while other people in the home are watching -- are more likely to be aggressive. Researchers examined data on 3,12
Read Full Article
Lack of Insurance Puts Kids in Peril

Oct. 30, 2009 -- Nearly 17,000 deaths of hospitalized children might have been prevented by having insurance over a span of 18 years, researchers from Johns Hopkins in Baltimore estimate in a new study. Researcher Fizan Abdullah, MD, PhD, assistant professor of surgery at Johns Hopkins School of Med
Read Full Article
Antipsychotics Tied to Kids' Weight Gain

Oct. 27, 2009 -- Taking newer antipsychotic drugs may lead to weight gain in children and teens, a new study shows. The study, published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, focuses on atypical antipsychotics, which have been linked to weight gain in adults. The researchers tracked 33
Read Full Article
U.S. Kids May Need More Vitamin D

Oct. 26, 2009 -- Millions of children in the U.S. may not get enough vitamin D, and African-American and Hispanic kids are especially at risk, a new study suggests. Researchers concluded that more than 6 million U.S. children have lower vitamin D levels than the American Academy of Pediatrics recomm
Read Full Article
CDC: Partial OK of Gardasil for Boys

Oct. 21, 2009 -- Parents of boys may get federal funds to pay for the Gardasil HPV vaccine to prevent sexually transmitted genital warts, a CDC advisory panel today ruled. But the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) did not fully recommend the vaccine to boys, as it does for girls. F
Read Full Article
Video Games May Cause Kids Pain

Oct. 19, 2009 (Philadelphia) -- If your child suffers from unexplained finger or wrist pain, video games could be to blame. A new study -- initiated by an elementary school student -- suggests 12% of young players have finger pain severe enough to limit their gaming time. Ten percent report wrist pa
Read Full Article