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Children's health news

Schools have cut recess for years. Why new pediatric guidance says that should change

Recess isn't just a fun break for grade schoolers. It's crucial to good health and good grades for kids of all ages.

Like mother, like fetus: Study finds contagious yawning begins in the womb

Yawning is incredibly contagious, and more often than not, seeing someone yawn right in front of us makes us instinctively do the same. It is often tied to social and emotional connection and brain mirroring, where we automatically ...

Mothers bear the brunt of food insecurity, study shows

Mothers from households which don't have enough food are going to great lengths to ensure their infants are fed well, often at the expense of their own well-being, a University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka-led study has ...

Can positive experiences help break the cycle of abuse?

Our childhood experiences create ripple effects across our lives and with those whom we encounter. Adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, have been linked to depression and dementia, and even to perpetuating abuse. The intergenerational ...

Controlled peanut intake may reduce allergies in toddlers

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have successfully treated children aged 1–3 years with peanut allergies. The children slowly became accustomed to eating peanuts by consuming small amounts of them daily, which were gradually ...

Why melatonin shouldn't be a bedtime go-to for kids

If your child has trouble falling asleep, you are not alone. And when a child does not sleep well, it can affect everyone's sleep in the home. Many families are looking for a simple solution, and melatonin often feels like ...

Understanding what stereotypies are—And what they aren't

Olivia was around 5 months old when her parents, Danielle and Brendan Collins, noticed she was making unusual movements. "She would redirect her gaze up and hold it there," says Danielle. "She would also stiffen her body." ...

Treatment of rare childhood epilepsy could begin before birth

Research has shown early diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy disorders can improve outcomes. The question of when to administer treatment so it gets ahead of the disease, however, has remained stubbornly elusive. A new Northwestern ...