Longer breastfeeding tied to better development | Reuters

Longer breastfeeding tied to better development | Reuters: Children who were breastfed for more than six months scored the highest on cognitive, language and motor development tests as toddlers, in a new study from Greece.

Earlier research tied breastfeeding to better thinking and memory skills. But how it's related to language skills and movement and coordination had been less clear.

Children at lower risk for nut allergies if moms ate nuts during pregnancy | Fox News

Children at lower risk for nut allergies if moms ate nuts during pregnancy | Fox News: Pregnant women are full of questions about what is best for their babies. Many questions involve nutrition because what a woman eats during pregnancy can affect her child’s health outside the womb. One major source of diet anxiety is peanuts and tree nuts, which have been linked to a growing number of allergies in children.

Obesity may disturb bone growth during teen years | Reuters

Obesity may disturb bone growth during teen years | Reuters: Obese teens might not develop sufficient bone mass relative to their body weight, according to a new study from Brazil.

Both body fat and lean body mass have an impact on bone growth, but it's not clear if the bones of the heaviest teens are strong enough for their weight and that could have long- and short-term consequences.

Too much Tylenol in pregnancy could affect child's development | Authint Mail

Too much Tylenol in pregnancy could affect child's development | Authint Mail: Expectant mothers often take Tylenol, with the active ingredient acetaminophen, to deal with back pain, headaches or mild fevers during pregnancy.

But frequent use may be linked to poorer language skills and behavior problems among their children.

Antidepressant Use During Pregnancy Not Linked to Autism – WebMD

Antidepressant Use During Pregnancy Not Linked to Autism – WebMD: Despite some concerns to the contrary, children whose moms used antidepressants during pregnancy do not appear to be at increased risk of autism, a large new Danish study suggests.

The results, published Dec. 19 in the New England Journal of Medicine, offer some reassurance, experts said.

Why peace and quiet may be best for baby: Listening to repetitive, continuous noise can hinder a child's development | Mail Online

Why peace and quiet may be best for baby: Listening to repetitive, continuous noise can hinder a child's development | Mail Online: Why peace and quiet may be best for baby: Listening to repetitive, continuous noise can hinder a child's development

Is Your Child on Track to Meet the Major Development Milestones? | Inland Valley News | News from the heart of the Inland Valley since 1992

Is Your Child on Track to Meet the Major Development Milestones? | Inland Valley News | News from the heart of the Inland Valley since 1992: It is natural for parents to be curious about how their children are developing mentally, emotionally and physically. And it’s even natural for parents to experience some apprehension about what is “normal.” But experts say that by better understanding your child, you can put the anxieties aside and help guide your children through each age and stage.

Vitamin D deficiency may damage the brain, study finds | Fox News

Vitamin D deficiency may damage the brain, study finds | Fox News: According to a new study published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine, rats who were fed diets low in vitamin D for a long period of time developed free radical brain damage and performed poorly in cognitive functioning tests compared to rats fed a normal diet, Medical News Today reported.

Another low-tech child obesity treatment: Feed them in smaller bowls

Another low-tech child obesity treatment: Feed them in smaller bowls: Kids who are given larger bowls will ask for more cereal than when they're given smaller bowls, and will more than likely overeat or waste the excess food, according to a new study.

The links between education, marriage and parenting | Pew Research Center

The links between education, marriage and parenting | Pew Research Center: New data released this week from the U.S. Census Bureau reaffirm the strong linkage between educational attainment and the marital status and living arrangements of parents of minor children.

Pregnant women who work out may help boost child's brain development | TribLIVE

Pregnant women who work out may help boost child's brain development | TribLIVE: Though many studies have demonstrated the brain-boosting power of exercise for adults and children, the study from the University of Montreal's Department of Kinesiology suggests that in-utero babies get the same benefits. Professor Dave Ellemberg and two colleagues studied women in their first trimester of pregnancy and assigned them to either an active or sedentary group. The sedentary mothers-to-be mostly relaxed (and averaged 12 minutes of weekly exercise) during their second and third trimesters, while the active ones were advised to do moderate exercise for at least 20 minutes, a minimum of three times a week, during their second and third trimesters. On average, the active women exercised for 117 minutes per week.

Too much Tylenol in pregnancy could affect child's development, study finds - NBC News.com

Too much Tylenol in pregnancy could affect child's development, study finds - NBC News.com: Expectant mothers often take Tylenol, with the active ingredient acetaminophen, to deal with back pain, headaches or mild fevers during pregnancy. But frequent use may be linked to poorer language skills and behavior problems among their children, according to a new study.

Thoughtful Parenting: Practicing gratitude benefits well-being | Steamboat Pilot & Today

Thoughtful Parenting: Practicing gratitude benefits well-being | Steamboat Pilot & Today: Gratitude is a feeling of being grateful or thankful, realizing that something good happened and appreciating that it did. Good things and good times wax and wane, and we miss them when they’re not there. Gratitude is especially difficult to muster when times are really hard, so what can we be grateful for when things aren’t going our way?

Shut Off the TV: Parent-Child Interaction Best for Baby Brain Development | Attachment Matters

Shut Off the TV: Parent-Child Interaction Best for Baby Brain Development | Attachment Matters: Very few parents can resist the urge to use television at least occasionally to entertain their children. And occasional TV viewing isn’t concerning. It’s when parents are relying on TV for frequent “babysitting” or, more likely, early educational opportunity that there’s a need for change.

Is crawling pivotal in a child's development? | 9news.com

Is crawling pivotal in a child's development? | 9news.com: KUSA - Learning to crawl before you walk is a conventional wisdom, but is it just an idea that exists in the western world?

A recent study from David Tracer, anthropologist at the University of Colorado, dissected whether crawling is really important after all.

"There are many ways to get to walking," Tracer said. "Crawling turns out to be just one of them.

Children's Chatter: Nurturing your child’s development from 24 to 36 months - The Advocate Messenger: Life

Children's Chatter: Nurturing your child’s development from 24 to 36 months - The Advocate Messenger: Life: Between the age of 2 and 3, you will notice your child becoming full of personality and energy. He will use his growing language to tell you what he is thinking and feeling, and his growing physical skills (walking, running and climbing) will help him to explore the world as a great adventure.

The Need for Pretend Play in Child Development | Beautiful Minds, Scientific American Blog Network

The Need for Pretend Play in Child Development | Beautiful Minds, Scientific American Blog Network: Many people often think of play in the form of images of young children at recess engaging in games of tag, ball, using slides, swings, and physically exploring their environments. But physical play is not the only kind of play. We often use the terms pretend play or make-believe play (the acting out of stories which involve multiple perspectives and the playful manipulation of ideas and emotions), that reflect a critical feature of the child’s cognitive and social development. Over the last seventy-five years a number of theorists and researchers have identified the values of such imaginative play as a vital component to the normal development of a child.

Rules, relationships are important in children's development » Opinion » The Clinton Herald, Clinton, Iowa

Rules, relationships are important in children's development » Opinion » The Clinton Herald, Clinton, Iowa: ‘Rules without relationship equals rebellion” is a phrase coined by Josh McDowell, a prolific writer who has coined the phrase “The Disengaged Generation,” his reference to the disconnect between today’s adults and teenagers.

A consistent set of clearly defined rules and consequences for both following and not following is certainly important; however, discipline approaches are likely to be ineffective without building a solid parent-child relationship.

Parents' cellphone addiction may hinder child development – Swedish study — RT News

Parents' cellphone addiction may hinder child development – Swedish study — RT News: Swedish children may be suffering emotional harm because of their mobile phone-dependent parents, a study has found. One in five parents in Stockholm confessed to having lost sight of their child in a “dangerous place” while focusing on a mobile device.

Exercise during pregnancy boosts brain development in babies - Indian Express

Exercise during pregnancy boosts brain development in babies - Indian Express: Moms-to-be, please note! Just 20 minutes of moderate exercise three times per week during pregnancy enhances the newborn child's brain development, scientists have found.
Researchers at the University of Montreal and its affiliated CHU Sainte-Justine children's hospital said this head-start could have an impact on the child's entire life.

Child development and mealtime – Part 2 | MSU Extension

Child development and mealtime – Part 2 | MSU Extension: How can you help a child develop emotionally? You can start helping children develop healthy emotions during meals. To develop emotionally there are things that young children must learn how to do, and these things can be supported during mealtimes. Part one of this article discusses children developing a sense of hunger cues during mealtime.

Child development and mealtime – Part 1 | MSU Extension

Child development and mealtime – Part 1 | MSU Extension: Who would have thought that you can help a child develop a sense of independence during mealtimes? The old saying of forcing a child to “clean their plate,” may not be the best way to support child development. Michigan State University Extension recommends that children are taught to read their hunger cues, to tell if they need more to eat or if their hunger has been satisfied.

Children born to teen mothers have delayed development, likely due to social factors

Children born to teen mothers have delayed development, likely due to social factors: Babies born to teen mothers have less developed speaking skills at age five than children of older mothers, a new study has found.

Children who spend time in child care more likely to develop behavioural problems' - Telegraph

Children who spend time in nurseries 'more likely to develop behavioural problems' - Telegraph: The study said: “These findings suggest that interventions to enhance children’s emotional and behavioural development might best focus on supporting families and augmenting the quality of care in the home.”

Children born to teen mothers have delayed development, likely due to social factors

Children born to teen mothers have delayed development, likely due to social factors: Babies born to teen mothers have less developed speaking skills at age five than children of older mothers, a new study has found.

Speakers laud role of families at parenting conference | Deseret News

Speakers laud role of families at parenting conference | Deseret News: During their presentation, the Eyres shared their five basic principles of all families — the need to not be overly concerned with small issues; to remember each child is unique; to preserve time for personal needs; to prioritize children while they live in the home; and to give children more by giving them less.

"You need to restrain yourself, parents," Richard Eyre said. "Your instinct is to give them everything. It is the worst thing you could do."

Family caregivers live longer than their peers | Fox News

Family caregivers live longer than their peers | Fox News: Caring for a disabled family member can be overwhelmingly hard. But caregivers may live longer than those who don't bear such responsibilities, new research suggests.

In a nationwide study, adults who provided care for a chronically ill or disabled family member had a lower death rate than a similar group of non-caregivers.

Irregular Bedtimes Hampers Brain Development in Children

Irregular Bedtimes Hampers Brain Development in Children: A recent study has established a link between irregular sleep timings and behavioral problems in children. The research pointed out that children having irregular bedtimes end up disturbing their circadian rhythms that triggers sleep deprivation and hampers brain development.

Amazing photos show child's psychological development in the womb - Marriage & Family - Home & Family - Catholic Online

Amazing photos show child's psychological development in the womb - Marriage & Family - Home & Family - Catholic Online: Researchers believe recent findings could improve understanding about babies, especially those that are born prematurely. The new findings indicate that these actions help them to interact socially and their ability to calm themselves by sucking on their thumb or fingers.

The results could also be a potential indicator of how prepared babies are for feeding

Depression during pregnancy may affect child`s brain development

Depression during pregnancy may affect child`s brain development: Researchers at Bristol University have suggested that stress hormone cortisol, which is higher in depressed mothers, may affect the developing brain of the foetus in the womb as they are able to cross the placenta.







The research has been carried out by Rebecca Pearson, research epidemiologist at Bristol University's school of social community medicine.

Nurturing your child’s development from two to six months - The Advocate Messenger: Features

Children's Chatter: Nurturing your child’s development from two to six months - The Advocate Messenger: Features: During this stage of your baby’s life, you will notice that he is very interactive … smiling, cooing and babbling with you. He may even make a noise and wait for you to respond with a like noise, or he may respond to whatever noise or gesture you make. You may not realize it, but you are helping your child to develop his language and communication skills with this simple interaction.

Specialists agree reading to children necessary for development - TimesDaily: General Interest

Specialists agree reading to children necessary for development - TimesDaily: General Interest: Reading to children is one of the most important things a parent or relative can do for their child.

Yet, according to information on Reading is Fundamental’s website rif.org, fewer than half of families read to their kindergarten-age children daily.

Soyfoods: Healthy Solutions to Children's Nutrition | PRNewswire | Rock Hill Herald Online

WASHINGTON, Oct. 4, 2013: Soyfoods: Healthy Solutions to Children's Nutrition | PRNewswire | Rock Hill Herald Online: To meet growing demands for healthy, plant-based foods, schools nationwide are serving tofu, veggie burgers, soy crumbles, soymilk, soy yogurt, and other soyfoods. In celebration of National School Lunch Week on Oct. 14-18, the Soyfoods Association of North America highlights the latest research confirming the healthfulness of soyfoods for children, and showcases schools offering soyfood options in their cafeterias.

Pediatric Advisor: Habit Reversal Training

Pediatric Advisor: Habit Reversal Training: Habit reversal training is a method used to help people deal with their habits. This method has been used to help with habits such as hair pulling, nail biting, thumbsucking, and certain kinds of tics. Usually, your healthcare provider or psychologist will show you how to use the procedures. These tips will help you practice at home.

Child development and mealtime – Part 1 | MSU Extension

Child development and mealtime – Part 1 | MSU Extension: Who would have thought that you can help a child develop a sense of independence during mealtimes? The old saying of forcing a child to “clean their plate,” may not be the best way to support child development. Michigan State University Extension recommends that children are taught to read their hunger cues, to tell if they need more to eat or if their hunger has been satisfied.

Children’s language development: Talk and listen to them from birth.

Children’s language development: Talk and listen to them from birth.: Pediatric surgeon Dana Suskind understands the gravity of her responsibility when a parent entrusts her to cut into a baby’s head. She does so as part of a delicate, two-hour operation to attach a cochlear implant to a deaf or hearing-impaired child’s inner ear. She does not consider an operation successful if it results merely in a child being able to hear.

Child Development and the Importance of Movement

Child Development and the Importance of Movement: The topic of this year’s SRAEYC conference was “Move to Learn, Play to Grow” and featured Christine Roberts, founder of Nurturing Pathways, an early childhood dance program based out of Seattle that promotes healthy development and strong bonds between parents and infants.

Aubrie McArthur, CSI toddler- and preschool-lab facilitator and conference organizer, said she decided to invited Roberts after seeing her present last year in Coeur d’Alene.

Overeating During Pregnancy Predicts a Lifetime of Obesity for Children

Overeating During Pregnancy Predicts a Lifetime of Obesity for Children: Medicine has long focused on the effects of malnutrition during pregnancy. Expectant mothers are encouraged to take vitamin supplements to ensure that their child receives all the crucial nutrients they need. But with America’s rising obesity epidemic, it's time to examine the effects of another, seemingly unrelated problem: overnutrition.

Too much screen time can delay child's brain development

Too much screen time can delay child's brain development: The addictive nature of some computer games was also leading to serious social disorders, doctors giving presentations at this year's Australian Council on Children and the Media conference said.

While many parents worry whether they should give small children access to technology, a lecturer at the Institute of Early Childhood at Macquarie University, Kate Highfield, said a small amount of screen time with the right apps or games could help a child's development.

Urgency of Protecting the Developing Brain

Click this link to read the article.

Early Childhood Adversity, Toxic Stress, and the Role of the Pediatrician: Translating Developmental Science Into Lifelong Health

Early Childhood Adversity, Toxic Stress, and the Role of the Pediatrician: Translating Developmental Science Into Lifelong Health: Pediatricians are now armed with new information about the adverse effects of toxic stress on brain development, as well as a deeper understanding of the early life origins of many adult diseases. As trusted authorities in child health and development, pediatric providers must now complement the early identification of developmental concerns with a greater focus on those interventions and community investments that reduce external threats to healthy brain growth. To this end, AAP endorses a developing leadership role for the entire pediatric community—one that mobilizes the scientific expertise of both basic and clinical researchers, the family-centered care of the pediatric medical home, and the public influence of AAP and its state chapters—to catalyze fundamental change in early childhood policy and services.

Impact of Pivotal Response Training Group Therapy on Stress and Empowerment in Parents of Children With Autism

Impact of Pivotal Response Training Group Therapy on Stress and Empowerment in Parents of Children With Autism: Parents of children with autism are increasingly being considered as primary agents of intervention for their children. The goal of this study was to evaluate whether participating in a pivotal response training (PRT) group therapy program for parents of children with autism influenced related aspects of parents’ lives, namely, their levels of stress and empowerment. Seventeen families participated in a 10-week therapy group designed to train parents to use PRT, with a specific focus on their children’s language deficits. Measures of empowerment and stress were obtained at baseline and at the end of the trial. Ratings on the Parenting Stress Index/Short Form and the Family Empowerment Scale showed significant changes from pre- to posttreatment, indicating that parents felt higher levels of empowerment and lower levels of stress after the 10-week group program. Notably, stress related to parent–child interactions was most reduced. Possible causal factors and implications are discussed.

Parent-Mediated Everyday Child Learning Opportunities

Abstract

This CASEinPoint includes a description of the theoretical,

operational, and research foundations of an approach to early

childhood intervention called Contextually Mediated Practices

or CMP. CMP uses everyday family and community activities

as sources of natural learning opportunities and child interests

as the basis for parent-mediated child participation and learning

in those activities. The goals of CMP are increased child

participation in everyday activities and enhanced child and

parent confidence and competence as a result of the everyday

learning opportunities.

Click on this link for the rest of the article.

Interest-Based Child Participation in Every-day Learning Activities

ABSTRACT

This paper includes a description of the characteristics and

consequences of children’s interest-based participation in everyday

learning activities. A framework illustrating how interest-

based participation in everyday family and community

activities promotes child learning and development is included.

Strategies are described for identifying and using child interests

as the basis for promoting learning and development. The

benefits of children’s interest-based participation in everyday

activities also are described.

Click on this link for the rest of the article.

A randomised group comparison controlled trial of ‘preschoolers with autism’: A parent education and skills training intervention for young children with autistic disorder

A randomised group comparison controlled trial of ‘preschoolers with autism’: A parent education and skills training intervention for young children with autistic disorder: Parent education and behaviour management resulted in significant improvement in adaptive behaviour and autism symptoms at 6 months follow-up for children with greater delays in adaptive behaviour. Parent education and behaviour management was superior to parent education and counselling. We conclude that a 20-week parent education programme including skills training for parents of young children with autistic disorder provides significant improvements in child adaptive behaviour and symptoms of autism for low-functioning children.

Caffeine can Delay Brain Development in Children : Health & Medicine : Nature World News

Caffeine can Delay Brain Development in Children : Health & Medicine : Nature World News: Pubescent children drinking coffee or consuming products rich in caffeine might suffer from poor sleep and delayed brain development. A new study on pubescent rats showed that growth of young brain slows down in the presence of caffeine.

Researchers found that caffeine intake of pubescent rats' adversely affected deep sleep and brain development. The amount of caffeine given to the rats was roughly equivalent to three to four cups of coffee per day.

Obesity influences school success

Obesity influences school success: Children who are extremely overweight achieve lower math grades and attend German upper secondary school (Gymnasium) less frequently, is shown by a study, undertaken by the WZB Berlin Social Science Center (WZB). For the first time, it has been proved that obesity regardless of the students social background influences school performance. Previously, it was only known that people with lower education had a tendency to suffer from weight issues. In Germany 15 percent of children and young people between the ages of 3 to 17 are overweight, and about 6 percent are obese

Child development tip: Stages of speech development - The Western News: Opinion

Child development tip: Stages of speech development - The Western News: Opinion: How well does the child respond to noises in his environment?

• How does he request items?

• Does he try to make any words?

• How well can he identify named objects?

• Can he follow directions?

• Does he seem frustrated when others don’t understand him?

Here are some general guidelines for the development of the speech aspect of talking that may help you decide if you should worry about your child’s language skills.

Children’s language development: Talk and listen to them from birth.

Children’s language development: Talk and listen to them from birth.: Why? The question ate at Suskind, who co-founded the hospital’s cochlear implant unit in 2006. She believes she discovered her answer in research by child psychologists Betty Hart and Todd R. Risley. Their landmark study in the 1990s found that a child born into poverty hears 30 million fewer words by age 3 than a child born to well-off parents, creating a gap in literacy preparation that has implications for a lifetime.

I Wouldn’t Have Known: Parenting a Special Needs Child | NRL News Today

I Wouldn’t Have Known: Parenting a Special Needs Child | NRL News Today: You don’t know what you’re capable of until it stares you in the face. And the last 12 years of loving my son, serving my son, have been rich. I wouldn’t have known that. I would have said I couldn’t handle it, the medical stuff, the fear, the recurring sadness of having a brain-damaged child. I would have been so wrong.

Defending the Faith: Sociologist explains how religion benefits even atheists | Deseret News

Defending the Faith: Sociologist explains how religion benefits even atheists | Deseret News: Regardless of their age, he says, religious people are much less likely to commit crimes. Accordingly, the higher a city’s church membership rate, the lower its rates of burglary, larceny, robbery, assault, rape, sexually transmitted disease and homicide. In a cleverly designed test at Pepperdine University, a disappointing 45 percent of weekly church attenders turned out to be honest, but that was still more than three times the 13 percent rating of non-attenders.

LDS Church News - Children need positive feedback, encouragement in academics

LDS Church News - Children need positive feedback, encouragement in academics: Parents also need to be examples of learning and behavior. "Don't belike the teacher who said, `I am yelling at my students to be nice,' " shesaid. "If we want our children to be happy, capable and thoughtful, wehave to be that way ourselves."

Acupuncture and Depression: Acupuncture Has the Same Effect as Counseling, Study Finds : News : Headlines & Global News

Acupuncture and Depression: Acupuncture Has the Same Effect as Counseling, Study Finds : News : Headlines & Global News: After the 12-week testing period, the researchers reevaluated the depression levels of each group. Those who underwent acupuncture treatment scored 9 in average, falling on the “mild depression” category. Those who went through counseling scored 11 while those who had the usual care scored 13 in an average, both fall under the “moderate depression” category.

BBC NEWS | Health | Music training boosts the brain

BBC NEWS | Health | Music training boosts the brain: Music lessons can improve memory and learning ability in young children by encouraging different patterns of brain development, research shows.

Caffeine intake results in delayed brain development

Caffeine intake results in delayed brain development: Humans and other mammals show particularly intensive sleeping patterns during puberty. The brain also matures fastest in this period. But when pubescent rats are administered caffeine, the maturing processes in their brains are delayed. This is the result of a study supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF).

Children's and young adults' average caffeine consumption has increased by more than 70 per cent over the past 30 years, and an end to this rise is not in sight: the drinks industry is posting its fastest-growing sales in the segment of caffeine-laden energy drinks. Not everybody is pleased about this development. Some people are worried about possible health risks caused in young consumers by the pick-me-up.

Losing weight for baby: Mom's obesity linked to extreme preemies - NBC News.com

Losing weight for baby: Mom's obesity linked to extreme preemies - NBC News.com: Women with a body-mass index between 30 and 35 were 58 percent more likely than those at a healthy weight to deliver an extremely premature baby, a team of U.S. and Swedish researchers found after examining the medical and delivery records of 1,599, 551 Swedish moms.

Napping may boost preschoolers' memory skills - CBS News

Napping may boost preschoolers' memory skills - CBS News: "Until now, there was nothing to support teachers who feel that naps can really help young children. There had been no concrete science behind that," Dr. Rebecca Spencer, an assistant professor in the department of psychology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, said in a press release. "We hope these results will be by policy makers and center directors to make educated decisions regarding the nap opportunities in the classrooms. Children should not only be given the opportunity, they should be encouraged to sleep by creating an environment which supports sleep."

Nutritious snacks help keep kids healthy and alert | Appleton Post-Crescent | postcrescent.com

Nutritious snacks help keep kids healthy and alert | Appleton Post-Crescent | postcrescent.com: “There is a difference between mindless and purposeful snacking,” said Angela Lemond, a Dallas dietitian and childhood-nutrition spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. “What a child eats and how much they eat for snacks has a huge impact on their overall nutrition.”

Music matters: Studies show it's important for brain development

Music matters: Studies show it's important for brain development: With fall fast approaching, extracurricular activities are on the minds of many children and adults alike.

While sports often make the shortlist of choices, music lessons can sometimes be over-looked as an important extra-curricular choice. But many recent studies are giving good reason to move music to the top of one's to-do list.

Are you stressing out your child? | Inquirer Lifestyle

Are you stressing out your child? | Inquirer Lifestyle: Though stress isn’t the sole cause of the seeming rising incidence in child disorder today, it is still something parents must be concerned about.
Even if your child caps your really bad day, take a step back and examine exactly how your own behavior affects the behavior, development and personality of your child.
David Code, in his book “Kids Pick Up On Everything: How Parental Stress Is Toxic To Kids,” concludes that a parent’s level of stress can severely affect a child’s development. Not only is the effect of chronic stress felt as early as when the baby is in his mother’s tummy, this is also where stress could be especially harmful.

Tackle child obesity with diet, exercise: Your Say

Tackle child obesity with diet, exercise: Your Say: About 4% to 6% of children in the United States are severely obese, but there are few effective options to help them reach a healthy weight, according to the American Heart Association. Comments from Facebook are edited for clarity and grammar:

Parenting in 2013: Going on Your Kid's Job Interview, Killing Bedtime Stories - Alexander Abad-Santos - The Atlantic Wire

Parenting in 2013: Going on Your Kid's Job Interview, Killing Bedtime Stories - Alexander Abad-Santos - The Atlantic Wire: Today's parents aren't like the men and women who raised them. Case in point: a disturbing survey out today says that there are parents who are now accompanying their adult children on job interviews. Another poll, equally frightening, provides proof that parents have begun to abandon the cherished bedtime story.

"A 2012 survey of more than 500 college graduates by Adecco, a human-resources organization, found that 8% of them had a parent accompany them to a job interview, and 3% had the parent sit in on the interview," reads the key line from a highly distrubing Wall Street Journal trend piece today.

So that's 15 kids out of 500, three out of every one hundred adults (who are generally old enough to be considered legal adults) if extrapolated, that thought it okay to have a parent sit in on an interview. And those parents (generally grown-up adults) thought that accompanying their adult children to their big-boy and big-girl job interviews was okay too.

Mom's sensitivity helps language development in children with hearing loss

Mom's sensitivity helps language development in children with hearing loss: Mar. 8, 2013 — University of Miami (UM) Psychologist Alexandra L. Quittner leads one of the largest, most nationally representative studies of the effects of parenting on very young, deaf children who have received cochlear implants. The findings indicate that mothers who are most sensitive in their interactions with their children receiving cochlear implants have kids that develop language faster, almost "catching up" to their hearing peers.

Fighting childhood obesity; it can be prevented

Fighting childhood obesity; it can be prevented: What is the good news? Childhood obesity can be prevented. For children, experts recommend at least one hour of physical activity per day and a balanced diet focused on vegetables, fruit, healthy fats and lean meats with limits on refined grains and sugars. If you’re concerned about your child’s health, there’s no time like the present to start you and your child down the path to a healthy life.

Parents' Yelling Is as Harmful as Hitting, Study Finds - WSJ.com

Parents' Yelling Is as Harmful as Hitting, Study Finds - WSJ.com: Parents who yell at their adolescent children for misbehaving can cause some of the same problems as hitting them would, including increased risk of depression and aggressive behavior, according to a new study.

Throwing Out To Rule Book On Parenting - Science News - redOrbit

Throwing Out To Rule Book On Parenting - Science News - redOrbit: The research team found that children’s genetically-influenced characteristics do affect parental behavior across 32 studies involving twins. They estimated that a child’s genetics influenced 23 percent of genetic differences in parenting. Children evoke different responses from their environment through genotype-related differences. An antisocial child, for example, is more likely to elicit harsh discipline than a more social child.

Learning a new language alters brain development

Learning a new language alters brain development: The study concludes that the pattern of brain development is similar if you learn one or two language from birth. However, learning a second language later on in childhood after gaining proficiency in the first (native) language does in fact modify the brain's structure, specifically the brain's inferior frontal cortex. The left inferior frontal cortex became thicker and the right inferior frontal cortex became thinner. The cortex is a multi-layered mass of neurons that plays a major role in cognitive functions such as thought, language, consciousness and memory.

Language development at age 2 | Washington Times Communities

Language development at age 2 | Washington Times Communities: However, all the growth that seemed to be stunning can be quickly eclipsed once the second birthday hits and children begin developing their language skills in earnest. By this point children should understand most of what is being said to them.

Irregular Bedtimes Impair Children's Cognitive Development

Irregular Bedtimes Impair Children's Cognitive Development: Irregular bedtimes throughout early childhood may impair children's cognitive development and have deleterious long-term knock-on health effects throughout life, new research shows.

A large longitudinal study conducted by investigators at University College London in the United Kingdom showed that irregular bedtimes in toddlers were associated with lower cognitive test scores at age 7 years, with girls particularly affected.

Health News - Nutrition During First 1,000 Days of Life Crucial for Childhood and Economic Development

Health News - Nutrition During First 1,000 Days of Life Crucial for Childhood and Economic Development: A new Lancet series on maternal and childhood nutrition finds that over 3 million children die every year of malnutrition—accounting for nearly half of all child deaths under 5. Along with state-of-the-art global estimates on the long-term burden of malnutrition, the series presents a new framework for prevention and treatment that considers underlying factors, such as food security, social conditions, resources, and governance.

Cut the Coffee: Drink Could Cause Early Death

Cut the Coffee: Drink Could Cause Early Death: Too much coffee might give you the jitters, gas or even help cure your hang over. Or it might help wake you up. Or you might just genuinely like the tary taste of a nice dark roast. However, a recent study suggests that too much coffee may also be detrimental to your health.

Like Us on Facebook





Related Articles

Nutritional Supplements May Help Prevent Hospital Readmission
Could Jet Lag be a Thing of the Past?

Statistics show that coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the United States, with workers running to Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts to consume more than 400 cups of Joe a day.

The How-to Parenting Program improves the mental health of children

The How-to Parenting Program improves the mental health of children: "Did you know that certain ways of talking to your child are more effective? Certain ways of listening make a real difference?" These questions are asked to parents in the How-to Parenting Program. The program is consistent with the findings of recent scientific research in developmental psychology and is designed to help parents know how to react to the painful feelings of their children, cultivate a climate of respect in their homes, facilitate cooperation in their children, firmly express disagreement when necessary, and promote the development of a positive and realistic image in their children.

Depression affects men just as much as women

Depression affects men just as much as women: Around the world, women are typically diagnosed with depression twice as often as men. But a recent study published in JAMA Psychiatry looks at these disparities in a new way by considering alternative symptoms of depression typically attributed to men.

The researchers, led by Lisa A. Martin, Ph.D., analyzed data from a national mental health survey of 3,310 women and 2,382 men while also looking for alternative symptoms. They wanted to observe whether the sex differences in depression rates would disappear when these alternative symptoms were considered alongside more conventional ones.

Drinking Soda Linked to Behavioral Problems in Kids | Parenting - Yahoo! Shine

Drinking Soda Linked to Behavioral Problems in Kids | Parenting - Yahoo! Shine: Researchers found that aggression, withdrawal and attention problems were all associated with soda consumption. Children who drank four or more soft drinks per day were more than twice as likely to destroy things, get into fights and physically attack people. They also had more trouble paying attention and acted withdrawn more often.

Religion enhances mobility toward American dream, LDS Church says | Deseret News

Religion enhances mobility toward American dream, LDS Church says | Deseret News: The Newsroom posting refers to Fareed Zakaria's Washington Post column about declining social mobility in America, which is detailed in a new study by economists at Harvard University and the University of California at Berkeley. The study confirms recent analysis that many European countries are doing a better job of helping poor people climb out of poverty to economic success.

State of parenting has been in steady decline since the 'Good Old Days' - The Herald Dispatch

State of parenting has been in steady decline since the 'Good Old Days' - The Herald Dispatch: Sometimes, the so-called "good old days" really were better. For example, if the data is correct, then the state of parenting in America has been in slow but steady decline since the 1960s. Child mental health and school achievement were much better back then, when the go-to parenting experts were grandparents.

Family meals crucial to children's development (From Gazette Series)

Family meals crucial to children's development (From Gazette Series): Eating meals as a family is about more than practicality, it's about helping your child's development.

A family sitting round a table eating dinner may seem like a fairly standard scene, but sadly, it's one in decline.

According to new research, by TradeFurnitureCompany, 46% of families no longer share an evening meal together every day, and a quarter of children (26%) don't have daily mealtime chats.

How to stop bed-wetting for good | Fox News

How to stop bed-wetting for good | Fox News: Got a bed wetter? Sure, it can be frustrating for you and embarrassing for your kid, but it’s actually a common problem with approximately 5 to 7 million children in the U.S who wet the bed at night.

Find out what causes bed-wetting and what you can do to help your child finally stay dry.

Nutritious snacks help keep kids healthy and alert

Nutritious snacks help keep kids healthy and alert: active children require extra calories to fuel their brains, energy and growth. The key is eating the right snacks in the right amount. Give kids smart choices, not carte blanche.

As children go back to school, parents can help them focus on healthy snacking for a healthy body and alert mind.

Adults who were born prematurely may have a higher risk of developing heart problems later on in life, a small new study suggests.

Despite most premature babies growing like any other baby born at full term, the study suggests that there may be underlying health concerns that premature babies face as they grow up. In this new study, published in the journal Circulation, researchers reported that people who were born prematurely are at a greater risk of suffering from heart failure.

Marital conflict causes stress in children, may affect cognitive development

Marital conflict causes stress in children, may affect cognitive development: Marital conflict is a significant source of environmental stress for children, and witnessing such conflict may harm children's stress response systems which, in turn, may affect their mental and intellectual development.






These conclusions come from a new study by researchers at Auburn University and the Catholic University of America. The study appears in the journal Child Development.

Breastfed children are less likely to develop ADHD later in life, study suggests

Breastfed children are less likely to develop ADHD later in life, study suggests: Seeking to determine if the development of ADHD was associated with lower rates of breastfeeding, Dr. Aviva Mimouni-Bloch, of Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Head of the Child Neurodevelopmental Center in Loewenstein Hospital, and her fellow researchers completed a retrospective study on the breastfeeding habits of parents of three groups of children: a group that had been diagnosed with ADHD; siblings of those diagnosed with ADHD; and a control group of children without ADHD and lacking any genetic ties to the disorder.

Full Moon 'disturbs a good night's sleep'

BBC News - Full Moon 'disturbs a good night's sleep': Researchers found evidence of a "lunar influence" in a study of 33 volunteers sleeping in tightly controlled laboratory conditions.
When the Moon was round, the volunteers took longer to nod off and had poorer quality sleep, despite being shut in a darkened room, Current Biology reports.
They also had a dip in levels of a hormone called melatonin that is linked to natural-body clock cycles.

Smoking during pregnancy linked to child conduct disorder

Smoking during pregnancy linked to child conduct disorder: Mothers who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to have children with conduct disorder (CD), according to a study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.

The study, carried out by researchers at the University of Leicester in the UK, analyzed the relationship between smoking during pregnancy and the risk of the child developing CD.

3 nutrients linked with a better night's sleep | Fox News

3 nutrients linked with a better night's sleep | Fox News: There could be many reasons for not sleeping well, and stress often plays a role, but quite a few studies have shown that getting the right nutrients can help you get a good night's rest. Why not try eating right, before popping an Ambien?

How adequate nutrition boosts mother, baby development

How adequate nutrition boosts mother, baby development: In fact poor maternal nutrition has been linked to the rising cases of non communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer, stroke, heart and kidney failures, mental disorders, violence, and suicidal tendencies in offspring.

New Model Addresses Childhood Obesity - Forbes

New Model Addresses Childhood Obesity - Forbes: Hall’s model is based on the “energy balance principle”, which states that weight fluctuations are the result of a difference between calories consumed and energy expended. It accounts for the metabolic changes which occur when body weight fluctuates and also differentiates between the energy needs of lean muscle mass and fat or adipose tissue. The model additionally accounts for sex-specific differences in growth rates and metabolism. To account for normal growth-related energy requirements between the ages of 5 and 18 years, Hall and colleagues assumed a gradual increase of about 1200 kcal/day for boys and 900 kcal/day for girls. When tested against actual population data, the authors determined that the model accurately reflected cross-sectional data from 292 healthy white children, as well as data from Hispanic and African American children.

Sensitive parenting can boost premature children's school performance

Sensitive parenting can boost premature children's school performance: Children born prematurely are at risk of a variety of neurological impairments which can mean they are more likely to need special educational support when they reach school age.

But a new study led by the University of Warwick shows that parents of very preterm and very low birthweight (VP/VLBW) children can increase their child's academic achievement through sensitive and cognitively stimulating parenting.

Wholehearted parenting: Raising kids with courage and resiliency | MSU Extension

Wholehearted parenting: Raising kids with courage and resiliency | MSU Extension: As anyone who serves in a parenting role knows, parenting is hard work! Parenting requires dozens of day-to-day choices and decisions from birth through adolescence – and even into the role of being a parent with adult children. Many of us find ourselves in need of support, guidance or just a non-judgmental listening ear at times as we navigate the important role we play in the lives of children. What parents don’t need are books and educational efforts that try to blame, shame and guilt-trip them into being “perfect” parents. These well-intentioned but often shame-based approaches can be very destructive to parents doing their best to raise children in a world with increasing risks and demands on families, according to researcher and educator, Brené Brown, Ph.D., “Caring about the welfare of children and shaming parents are mutually exclusive endeavors.”

Are mobile phones and tablets ruining your child's development? - Health - DNA

Are mobile phones and tablets ruining your child's development? - Health - DNA: When the internet was introduced to the public around 10 years ago, it was considered a way that the world will come closer – opening multiple opportunities for people to learn, form relationships and in general create a better connected, more informed world. Though the internet still retains its good qualities, with the increasing use of gadgets in children’s lives in addition to no controls on internet usage, the net is becoming the root cause of a lot of behavioural, emotional and psychological problems in children. It has become a vehicle which allows children to download age-inappropriate games, spend a lot of time on social networking sites, even allows them access to pornography and this led them to forgoing spending on things like school work or playing outdoors.

Great Recession onset spurs harsh parenting

Great Recession onset spurs harsh parenting: The onset of the Great Recession and, more generally, deteriorating economic conditions lead mothers to engage in harsh parenting, such as hitting or shouting at children, a team of researchers has found. But the effect is only found in mothers who carry a gene variation that makes them more likely to react to their environment.

Nutritious snacks help keep kids healthy and alert

Nutritious snacks help keep kids healthy and alert: A childhood ritual — snacking — is getting a bad rap.

Sure, bags of chips and microwavable globs of processed cheese share the blame for the nation’s childhood-obesity epidemic. A 2010 National Survey on Children’s Health reported that nearly 32 percent of America’s kids are overweight or obese.

But not all snacks are bad, and active children require extra calories to fuel their brains, energy and growth. The key is eating the right snacks in the right amount. Give kids smart choices, not carte blanche.

Mom's Self Image May Affect Child's Brain Development : Mental Health : Counsel & Heal

Mom's Self Image May Affect Child's Brain Development : Mental Health : Counsel & Heal: Previous studies have tied objective socioeconomic factors like parental income or education to child health, achievement and brain function. However, the latest study is the first to link brain function to maternal self-perception.

Researchers found that children of mothers who saw themselves as having a low social status were more likely to have higher cortisol levels. These children also had less activation of their hippocampus, a structure in the brain responsible for longer-term memory formation and reducing stress responses.

Meaning Is Healthier Than Happiness - Emily Esfahani Smith - The Atlantic

Meaning Is Healthier Than Happiness - Emily Esfahani Smith - The Atlantic: It seems strange that there would be a difference at all. But the researchers, who looked at a large sample of people over a month-long period, found that happiness is associated with selfish “taking” behavior and that having a sense of meaning in life is associated with selfless “giving” behavior.

"Happiness without meaning characterizes a relatively shallow, self-absorbed or even selfish life, in which things go well, needs and desire are easily satisfied, and difficult or taxing entanglements are avoided," the authors of the study wrote. "If anything, pure happiness is linked to not helping others in need.” While being happy is about feeling good, meaning is derived from contributing to others or to society in a bigger way. As Roy Baumeister, one of the researchers, told me, "Partly what we do as human beings is to take care of others and contribute to others. This makes life meaningful but it does not necessarily make us happy.”

Educational Apps May Actually Hurt Your Child's Development

Educational Apps May Actually Hurt Your Child's Development: The group alleges that despite some of the skills that some of these apps and programs claim to provide children, youths who spend too much time with these apps may suffer “detrimental” harm. While the benefits may be unproven, young children who are using these apps may not be developing by spending time with adults and having hands-on time with toys that promote infant learning.

Camping may help retrain your body rhythm | Fox News

Camping may help retrain your body rhythm | Fox News: Research has shown that our bodies are most in synch with the environment when we’re exposed to a lot of natural light during the day and not exposed to artificial light at night. The daylight keeps our circadian rhythm “entrained” to the sun’s rhythms. When the sun sets, it then triggers the release of melatonin, which makes us sleepy. But since we spend most of our days indoors, we’re not getting enough sun exposure to adequately entrain our circadian rhythm. We bask in electric lights and the glow of the TV and our bright devices at night, which delay the release of melatonin.

Video games boost visual attention but reduce impulse control

Video games boost visual attention but reduce impulse control: A person playing a first-person shooter video game like Halo or Unreal Tournament must make decisions quickly. That fast-paced decision-making, it turns out, boosts the player's visual skills but comes at a cost, according to new research: reducing the person's ability to inhibit impulsive behavior. This reduction in what is called "proactive executive control" appears to be yet another way that violent video games can increase aggressive behavior.

Maternal 'junk food diet' may alter baby's brain development

Maternal 'junk food diet' may alter baby's brain development: Eating a junk-food filled diet during pregnancy may affect the development of brain pathways in developing babies, permanently altering responses to foods that are high in fat and sugar, say researchers

Playing with smartphones hinder toddler's brain development

Playing with smartphones hinder toddler's brain development: Using smartphones as a learning tool for kids can impede early development in areas that would impact the child for the rest of their lives, experts have claimed.

It has been revealed that about 25 percent of kids 2 years old and younger have their own smartphones, CBS News reported.

According to the experts, using this type of technology is same as putting a child in front of a television, where kids don't learn but are just get distracted.

Mormon Parenting: In the living room the battle is fought | Deseret News

Mormon Parenting: In the living room the battle is fought | Deseret News: In our column a week ago, we suggested that the real, final battle in these last days would be between those who prioritize faith, family and commitment and those who are caught up in the pursuit of individual “freedom” and preserving their personal options.

We also drew the conclusion that those who orient themselves to the sacrifice required by family devotion end up being much more religious and spiritual than those who don’t.

How to grow a baby's brain - Child In Mind - Boston.com

How to grow a baby's brain - Child In Mind - Boston.com: The Grow America Stronger Campaign was created to organize support for funding for investment in early childhood. This month the theme is early brain development. In support of these efforts I am publishing a short segment from my book Keeping Your Child in Mind that elaborates on how relationships grow the brain. It is a companion piece to my previous post that speaks to the need to support and value parents. Today's Rally 4 Babies, with featured guests Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, and actress Jennifer Garner, will address the need for social policy supporting early learning.

Toddlers' irregular bedtimes 'hit results at school': Children without a set time aged three achieve lower scores in maths and reading tests at seven | Mail Online

Toddlers' irregular bedtimes 'hit results at school': Children without a set time aged three achieve lower scores in maths and reading tests at seven | Mail Online: Children who go to bed at irregular times when very young do worse in school later on, research has found.

Those without a set bedtime as three-year-olds achieved lower scores in maths, reading and IQ tests when they were seven.


The disruption, in which girls were shown to be more strongly affected, may restrict children’s academic achievement for the rest of their lives.

Second-hand porn: the spreading circle of damage | Deseret News

Second-hand porn: the spreading circle of damage | Deseret News: “People aren’t aware of how extremely harmful (pornography) can be,” says Wendy Maltz, psychotherapist and co-author of "The Porn Trap: The Essential Guide to Overcoming Problems Caused by Pornography." “We’ve allowed this product that shows sex in a particular way and trains sexual arousal patterns in ways that can limit positive sexual expression. People are developing a sexual relationship with it that is superseding human relationships.”

Toxic stress of abuse hurts child's development | The Tennessean | tennessean.com

Toxic stress of abuse hurts child's development | The Tennessean | tennessean.com: Stress is inevitable in life, but chronic stressful conditions such as neglect or abuse are called “toxic stress” and can disrupt developing brain architecture. Children exposed to toxic stress early, including exposure to violence (child abuse and domestic violence), as well as hunger, poverty, severe maternal depression, incarceration or death of a parent, develop an exaggerated stress response that, over time, weakens their defense system against diseases, including heart disease, schizophrenia, amnesia and fibromyalgia.

Why grammar really is child’s play - Telegraph

Why grammar really is child’s play - Telegraph: For the uninitiated, the word ‘grammarian’ conjures up a picture of an elitist scholar or geeky pedant who is overly involved with the minutiae of language. However, research published last week by Newcastle University, which shows that babies ‘babble’ grammatically, underlines what good teachers already know: young children can be excellent grammarians.
The research by Dr Christina Dye, a lecturer in child development, showed that very young children copy speech patterns and grammatical nuances which they then incorporate in their baby babble.

Baby Brain Growth and Development - Stimulate Baby Brain Development Video

Baby Brain Growth and Development - Stimulate Baby Brain Development Video: Encouraging your baby's brain growth can be fun for both parents and children. See how to become an active teacher and begin stimulating your baby and promoting brain development

Researchers: Video games hurt brain development - CNET News

Researchers: Video games hurt brain development - CNET News: Scientists at Japan's Tohoku University said they've found that computer games stimulate only those parts of the brain devoted to vision and movement and do not aid the development of other important areas of the brain.
The researchers are particularly concerned that by spending many hours playing games some children will not develop their frontal lobes, which play a crucial role in controlling behavior and in developing memory, emotion and learning.

In contrast, tasks such as arithmetic stimulate brain activity in the frontal lobe, which is thought to continue developing until adulthood.

Video Games Desensitize to Real Violence | Psych Central News

Video Games Desensitize to Real Violence | Psych Central News: New research has found exposure to violent video games can desensitize individuals to real-life violence. According to the investigators, this is first documented finding that video-games can alter physiological responses typically aroused by real violence.

Video Games Desensitize to Real Violence | Psych Central News

Video Games Desensitize to Real Violence | Psych Central News: New research has found exposure to violent video games can desensitize individuals to real-life violence. According to the investigators, this is first documented finding that video-games can alter physiological responses typically aroused by real violence

Study: Violent games can desensitize players - GameSpot.com

Study: Violent games can desensitize players - GameSpot.com: Frequent exposure to violent games can desensitize players to brutality, according to the results of new research.

Video Games and Aggression: Context Matters

Video Games and Aggression: Context Matters: Playing a violent cop in a video game makes one more likely to identify with and feel sympathetic toward violent cops. That finding from a newly published study is less than shocking, but it may help explain why the debate about video games and aggressive behavior has yet to be definitively settled.

The evidence strongly suggests that exposure to violent video games is a causal risk factor for increased aggressive behavior

PsycNET - Display Record: The evidence strongly suggests that exposure to violent video games is a causal risk factor for increased aggressive behavior, aggressive cognition, and aggressive affect and for decreased empathy and prosocial behavior. Moderator analyses revealed significant research design effects, weak evidence of cultural differences in susceptibility and type of measurement effects, and no evidence of sex differences in susceptibility. Results of various sensitivity analyses revealed these effects to be robust, with little evidence of selection (publication) bias

PsycNET - Display Record

PsycNET - Display Record: The evidence strongly suggests that exposure to violent video games is a causal risk factor for increased aggressive behavior, aggressive cognition, and aggressive affect and for decreased empathy and prosocial behavior. Moderator analyses revealed significant research design effects, weak evidence of cultural differences in susceptibility and type of measurement effects, and no evidence of sex differences in susceptibility. Results of various sensitivity analyses revealed these effects to be robust, with little evidence of selection (publication) bias

This is your brain on violent video games: Neural desensitization to violence predicts increased aggression following violent video game exposure

This is your brain on violent video games: Neural desensitization to violence predicts increased aggression following violent video game exposure: These data provide the first experimental evidence linking violence desensitization with increased aggression, and show that a neural marker of this process can at least partially account for the causal link between violent game exposure and aggression.

Good fats consumed during pregnancy may decrease risk of autism

According to an article published today by Fox News, a study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health suggests that women who consume high amounts of linoleic acid may have a decreased risk of having a child with autism. Linoleic acid is a type of omega-6 fatty acid found in vegetable oils, nuts, avocados, and seeds.

Click below for the rest of the article.
Good fats consumed during pregnancy may decrease risk of autism

Happy marriages give couples lifelong health benefit, long-term BYU study finds | Deseret News

Happy marriages give couples lifelong health benefit, long-term BYU study finds | Deseret News: Couples who are happy over the long haul stay healthier as the years pass, too, according to a new BYU study in the Journal of Marriage and Family. It's not just that conflict is bad for health. Happy marriages have a preventive component.

This is your brain on alcohol - IOL Lifestyle | IOL.co.za

This is your brain on alcohol - IOL Lifestyle | IOL.co.za: The human brain does not stop developing until a person’s mid-twenties – meaning heavy use of alcohol under the age of 21 can damage necessary growth processes.

Study shows a solitary mutation can destroy critical 'window' of early brain development

Study shows a solitary mutation can destroy critical 'window' of early brain development: The study, published this week in the Journal of Neuroscience, sheds new light on the early development of neural circuits in the cortex, the part of the brain responsible for functions such as sensory perception, planning and decision-making.

The research also pinpoints the mechanism responsible for the disruption of what are known as "windows of plasticity" that contribute to the refinement of the neural connections that broadly shape brain development and the maturing of perception, language, and cognitive abilities

Salk scientists discover previously unknown requirement for brain development | e! Science News

Salk scientists discover previously unknown requirement for brain development | e! Science News: Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have demonstrated that sensory regions in the brain develop in a fundamentally different way than previously thought, a finding that may yield new insights into visual and neural disorders. In a paper published June 7, in Science, Salk researcher Dennis O'Leary and his colleagues have shown that genes alone do not determine how the cerebral cortex grows into separate functional areas. Instead, they show that input from the thalamus, the main switching station in the brain for sensory information, is crucially required.

9 Smart Ways to Help Build Your Child’s Vocabulary

9 Smart Ways to Help Build Your Child’s Vocabulary: “There’s a lot of emphasis on vocabulary these days, which is interesting, because little kids are essentially word-learning machines,” says Christine Dollaghan, Ph.D., professor in the school of behavioral and brain sciences at the University of Texas at Dallas. “It’s hard for them to avoid learning new words, and the best thing that parents can do is really just talk to their children all the time. Experts call this ‘bathing’ your child in language, and the more your talk and the more words you use, the larger your child’s vocabulary will be.”

Brain Scans Reveal Breastfed Babies Develop Motor And Language Skills Faster Than Formula-Fed Infants : Healthy Living : Medical Daily

Brain Scans Reveal Breastfed Babies Develop Motor And Language Skills Faster Than Formula-Fed Infants : Healthy Living : Medical Daily: Now a new study bolsters the mounting evidence with a series of brain scans that illustrate faster brain development, particularly areas involving language, motor, and cognition, in infants that were exclusively breastfed.

Penn Study Finds Stressed Dads Can Affect Offspring Brain Development

Penn News | Penn Study Finds Stressed Dads Can Affect Offspring Brain Development: Stress felt by dad—whether as a preadolescent or adult—leaves a lasting impression on his sperm that gives sons and daughters a blunted reaction to stress, a response linked to several mental disorders. The findings, published in a new preclinical study in the Journal of Neuroscience by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, point to a never-before-seen epigenetic link to stress-related diseases such as anxiety and depression passed from father to child.

How Summer Camp Helps Develop Your Child's Mental Health and Resilience : Consumer News : Medical Daily

How Summer Camp Helps Develop Your Child's Mental Health and Resilience : Consumer News : Medical Daily: Alarmingly, children who are at high risk of obesity tend to gain weight more rapidly when they are out of school in the summer due to the lack of physical productivity many face just sitting at home.

Summer camp — day or overnight — provides the opportunity for children to hone in their life-skills and enhance their cognitive and behavioral development.

Breast-fed children more likely to climb the social ladder | Fox News

Breast-fed children more likely to climb the social ladder | Fox News: Children who are breast-fed may be more likely to reach a higher social class than their parents, a new study finds.

Mormon Parenting: Who is in charge of kids’ education? You! | Deseret News

Mormon Parenting: Who is in charge of kids’ education? You! | Deseret News: But research continues to show that the single most important variable in a child’s education is the level of involvement of parents. It is proved time and again that when parents really take ownership in their kids’ education, and when they are willing to spend the time not only to help with homework but to monitor and motivate their student in every way they can, good results happen.

How to help develop your baby’s vocabulary - Yahoo! Lifestyle UK

How to help develop your baby’s vocabulary - Yahoo! Lifestyle UK: Babies naturally pick up words from everyone around them, but there’s plenty extra you can do to help your tot develop strong language skills

The Power of Touch | Psychology Today

The Power of Touch | Psychology Today: If touch is a language, it seems we instinctively know how to use it. But apparently it's a skill we take for granted. When asked about it, the subjects in Hertenstein's studies consistently underestimated their ability to communicate via touch—even while their actions suggested that touch may in fact be more versatile than voice, facial expression, and other modalities for expressing emotion.

Dads with stress can affect the brain development of their child - Indian Express

Dads with stress can affect the brain development of their child - Indian Express: While environmental challenges, like diet, drug abuse, and chronic stress, felt by mothers during pregnancy have been shown to affect offspring neurodevelopment and increase the risk for certain diseases, dad's influence on his children are less well understood.

Nutrition during first 1,000 days of life crucial for childhood and economic development

Nutrition during first 1,000 days of life crucial for childhood and economic development: "This series strengthens the evidence that a nation's economic advancement is tied to the first 1,000 days of every child's life," says Black. "Malnutrition can haunt children for the rest of their lives. Undernourished children are more susceptible to infectious diseases and achieve less education and have lower cognitive abilities. As a result, undernutrition can significantly impede a country's economic growth." While some progress has been made in recent years, Black and colleagues estimates that over 165 million children were affected by stunting and 50 million by wasting in 2011.

Pediatric sleep disorders can jeopardize childhood development | tri.gmnews.com | Tri-Town News

Pediatric sleep disorders can jeopardize childhood development | tri.gmnews.com | Tri-Town News: Sleep behaviors are one of the most common concerns parents of young children discuss with their pediatricians. In infancy and early childhood, the developing brain requires more time asleep than it does awake.As a result, sleep quality is extremely important in the overall well-being of a child. Children suffering from lack of quality sleep or sleep-related disorders can jeopardize their cognitive, emotional and physical development. Pediatric sleep problems don’t just affect the child - they often have a negative impact on other siblings’ quality of sleep and the entire family dynamic.

Habitual overeating learned in infancy, BYU study says | Deseret News

Habitual overeating learned in infancy, BYU study says | Deseret News: How parents feed their infants can decrease the odds of early childhood obesity, but breast-feeding is only part of the picture, according to a new study by Brigham Young University sociologists.

Defending the Faith: A case for the traditional view of marriage | Deseret News

Defending the Faith: A case for the traditional view of marriage | Deseret News: The 2012 book “What is Marriage? Man and Woman: A Defense” and its accompanying website at whatismarriagebook.com, deserve wide readership, therefore, and will, I believe, help beleaguered defenders of traditional marriage. The book methodically presents a concise, calm, lucid case for the proposition that legal recognition should be limited to marriage as marriage has been universally defined for millennia.

Children of Married Parents have Lower Obesity Risk: Study : Health & Medicine : Science World Report

Children of Married Parents have Lower Obesity Risk: Study : Health & Medicine : Science World Report: The study monitored the obesity rate of children living in non-traditional and traditional family structures across the U.S. Researchers worked on samples of 10,400 children from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort. The research also included assessment of children's height, weight and other factors of development such as cognitive functioning.

Babies who share bed with parents 5 times more likely to die of SIDS | Fox News

Babies who share bed with parents 5 times more likely to die of SIDS | Fox News: Babies sharing beds with their parents face a five-fold risk of dying of cot death, even if their parents are not smokers, new research shows.

The increased risk of death extends to babies previously thought to be at low risk because they are breastfed and the mother has not taken alcohol or drugs, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal Open.

For Peace at Home - general-conference

For Peace at Home - general-conference: Recognize the good in others, not their stains. At times a stain needs appropriate attention to be cleansed, but always build on his or her virtues.

For Peace at Home - general-conference

For Peace at Home - general-conference: One of the greatest blessings we can offer to the world is the power of a Christ-centered home where the gospel is taught, covenants are kept, and love abounds.

We Are Daughters of Our Heavenly Father - general-conference

We Are Daughters of Our Heavenly Father - general-conference: “We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God.”6

We Are Daughters of Our Heavenly Father - general-conference

We Are Daughters of Our Heavenly Father - general-conference: “We must never lose sight of the strength of the women. … It is mothers who most directly affect the lives of their children. … It is mothers who nurture them and bring them up in the ways of the Lord. Their influence is paramount. …

“… They are the creators of life. They are the nurturers of children. They are the teachers of young women. They are our indispensable companions. They are our co-workers in building the kingdom of God. How great is their role, how marvelous their contribution.”5

We Are Daughters of Our Heavenly Father - general-conference

We Are Daughters of Our Heavenly Father - general-conference: she never complained. She kept her covenants, and because she did, she called down the powers of heaven to bless our home and to send miracles. She relied on the power of prayer, priesthood, and covenant promises. She was faithful in her service to the Lord. Her steadfast devotion steadied us, her children. She often repeated the scripture: “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.”

We Are Daughters of Our Heavenly Father - general-conference

We Are Daughters of Our Heavenly Father - general-conference: As daughters of God we are each unique and different in our circumstances and experiences. And yet our part matters—because we matter. Our daily contributions of nurturing, teaching, and caring for others may seem mundane, diminished, difficult, and demeaning at times, and yet as we remember that first line in the Young Women theme—“We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us”—it will make all the difference in our relationships and our responses.

We Are Daughters of Our Heavenly Father - general-conference

We Are Daughters of Our Heavenly Father - general-conference: As daughters of God we are each unique and different in our circumstances and experiences. And yet our part matters—because we matter.

Elder Oaks promotes strengthening the free exercise of religion | Deseret News

Elder Oaks promotes strengthening the free exercise of religion | Deseret News: “Our society is not held together primarily by law and its enforcement but most importantly by those who voluntarily obey the unenforceable because of their internalized norms of righteous or correct behavior. Religious belief in right and wrong is a vital influence to produce such voluntary compliance by a large number of our citizens.”

Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Study: Breastfeeding can prevent the development of ADHD later in childhood

Study: Breastfeeding can prevent the development of ADHD later in childhood: Breastfeeding has a positive impact on the physical and mental development of infants. A new study suggests that breastfeeding may protect against the development of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) later in childhood. The study is reported in Breastfeeding Medicine, the Official Journal of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Breastfeeding Medicine website at http://www.liebertpub.com/bfm.

Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow Chapter 9: Sacred Family Relationships

Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow Chapter 9: Sacred Family Relationships: “If we are faithful we will associate with each other in an immortal and glorious state. … Those connections formed here, that are of the most enduring character, shall exist in eternity.”

Latter-day Saints Celebrate Motherhood

Latter-day Saints Celebrate Motherhood:
“One cannot forget mother and remember God. One cannot remember mother and forget God. Why? Because these two sacred persons, God and mother, partners in creation, in love, in sacrifice, in service, are as one.”

“Behold Thy Mother” - Ensign Apr. 1998 - ensign

“Behold Thy Mother” - Ensign Apr. 1998 - ensign:
Men turn from evil and yield to their better natures when mother is remembered. A famed officer from the Civil War period, Colonel Higginson, when asked to name the incident of the Civil War that he considered the most remarkable for bravery, said that there was in his regiment a man whom everybody liked, a man who was brave and noble, who was pure in his daily life, absolutely free from dissipations in which most of the other men indulged.

One night at a champagne supper, when many were becoming intoxicated, someone in jest called for a toast from this young man. Colonel Higginson said that he arose, pale but with perfect self-control, and declared: “Gentlemen, I will give you a toast which you may drink as you will, but which I will drink in water. The toast that I have to give is, ‘Our mothers.’”

Instantly a strange spell seemed to come over all the tipsy men. They drank the toast in silence. There was no more laughter, no more song, and one by one they left the room. The lamp of memory had begun to burn, and the name of Mother touched every man’s heart.

“Behold Thy Mother” - Ensign Apr. 1998 - ensign

“Behold Thy Mother” - Ensign Apr. 1998 - ensign:

The holiest words my tongue can frame,

The noblest thoughts my soul can claim,

Unworthy are to praise the name

More precious than all other.

An infant, when her love first came,

A man, I find it still the same,

Reverently I breathe her name,

The blessed name of mother. 1

Amy Cuddy: Your body language shapes who you are | Video on TED.com

Amy Cuddy: Your body language shapes who you are | Video on TED.com: Body language affects how others see us, but it may also change how we see ourselves. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy shows how “power posing” -- standing in a posture of confidence, even when we don’t feel confident -- can affect testosterone and cortisol levels in the brain, and might even have an impact on our chances for success.

If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear - general-conference

If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear - general-conference: The role of women is unique. The renowned American essayist, novelist, and historian, Washington Irving, stated: “There is one in the world who feels for him who is sad a keener pang than he feels for himself; there is one to whom reflected joy is better than that which comes direct; there is one who rejoices in another’s honor more than in any which is one’s own; there is one on whom transcendent excellence sheds no beam but that of delight; there is one who hides another’s infirmities more faithfully than one’s own; there is one who loses all sense of self in the sentiment of kindness, tenderness, and devotion to another. That one is woman.”

Thirty reasons marriage matters more than ever | Deseret News

Thirty reasons marriage matters more than ever | Deseret News: The report is broken down into 30 conclusions, which make up the bulk of this list. These conclusions can be subscribed to five fundamental themes.

1. Children are less likely to thrive in cohabiting households, compared to intact, married families.

2. Family instability is generally bad for children.

3. American family life is becoming increasingly unstable for children.

4. The growing instability of American family life also means that contemporary adults and children are more likely to live in what scholars call "complex households."

5. The nation's retreat from marriage has hit poor and working-class communities with particular force.

Homage to the Home: Why Society Needs Strong Families

Homage to the Home: Why Society Needs Strong Families: We hear it all the time: “The family is the basic unity of society.” But do we, as a society, really think about what that means? The bonds between husband and wife, parents and children, are so firmly planted in history and experience that we often take them for granted — until, as happens from time to time, those bonds break down. As a solid body of research shows, there is no replacement for the way this institution creates and develops human relationships. Family is no longer, nor ever has been, something that is simply “granted.” As anyone who has tried it knows, raising a family and sustaining a marriage are challenging things to do. However, at stake is not only the health of the individual family but also the prosperity and future of society.

LDS Church commentary: Society needs strong families | Deseret News

LDS Church commentary: Society needs strong families | Deseret News: Drawing significant information from a wide variety of scholars and researchers, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints today published a commentary called "Homage to the Home: Why Society Needs Strong Families," in which it suggests that not only is the health of the family at risk in the modern world, but also "the prosperity and future of society."

Study Finds Abused Children Develop a Distinct Form of PTSD : Mental Health : Counsel & Heal

Study Finds Abused Children Develop a Distinct Form of PTSD : Mental Health : Counsel & Heal: The subject of child abuse and the extent of its consequences on the child's brain and body has been a hard one for scientists to study. Similarly to researching mental illness, scientists have found certain key indicators of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that developed as a result of abuse, but finding distinct similarities between all victims is nearly impossible. However, in a new study, researchers were able to find differences in PTSD that is present in children of abuse when compared to PTSD that develops from other traumatic situations at different moments of time. According to the researchers, abused children who suffer from PTSD might develop a biologically distinct type of the disorder that is not found in people who suffer from PTSD due to other types of trauma later on in life.

Believing in God, going to church means better health, studies are showing | Deseret News

Believing in God, going to church means better health, studies are showing | Deseret News: A recent New York Times column by Stanford anthropologist T.M. Luhrmann says that the reason isn't entirely clear why church attendance "boosts the immune system and decreases blood pressure. It may add as much as two to three years to your life."

Tough love parenting for the benefit of society | Washington Times Communities

Tough love parenting for the benefit of society | Washington Times Communities: Tough love” is an excellent description for decisions that parents must make today. Because of the decline of our society, parents are forced to apply this principle more frequently than in the past, on a wide variety of issues.

As difficult as it is, parents of today must dispense that “tough love” for the sake of not only their children but also society as a whole.

Music important to child development | KXAN.com

Music important to child development | KXAN.com: Youngblood said music, as a daily routine, supports all learning styles and supports family bonding. Adults do not need any special skills or talent when singing with their child.

Some ways that parents/caregivers can start today to make music a part of their daily routine is:

Too Much TV May Make Kids Antisocial, Study Suggests - US News and World Report

Too Much TV May Make Kids Antisocial, Study Suggests - US News and World Report: Five-year-olds who watch television for three or more hours a day are a bit more likely to fight, steal and have other antisocial behaviors by the age of 7, a new study suggests.

- The Future of Children -

 - The Future of Children -: The Role of Selection
A common challenge in research in this area is that parents who are single or cohabiting may have attributes (both observed and unobserved) that differ from those of married parents and that also foster adverse child and adolescent outcomes. Men who choose to cohabit, for example, may not have the same family values that men who choose to marry do. As a consequence of such attributes, the negative "effects" being ascribed to single parenthood and cohabitation may be explained by the pre-existing attributes of members of these families, rather than reflecting an effect of the family type. Although some of these differing attributes can be controlled for using survey data on characteristics such as age and education, other differences may be harder to measure even in a detailed study such as FFCWS. A parental characteristic such as a lack of strong family values is hard to observe in survey data but it may be at work within the family system, simultaneously influencing both the structure of the family and child well-being.