by Stacey
Some schools around the country are teaching students a controversial form of meditation to help battle stress. According to this article in Newsweek, transcendental meditation may help kids in inner city schools better handle stressful situations as well as improve their academic performance.
TM is the trademarked name of a meditation technique created by Maharishi […]

Cross-posted at MotherTalkers
by Stacey
Kids who are allowed to leave the house unsupervised are more sociable and more active, according to a new study out of the University College London in England. According to this article from Science Daily, kids who are given more freedom are out and about more and spend more time at […]

by Stacey
Sorry to be late on this story. On Wednesday the Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled 4.2 million Aqua Dots, distrubuted by Spin Master of Toronto, Canada. According to this article in the NY Times, if ingested the beads release a chemical related to GBH, otherwise known as the banned date rape drug.
The toy is […]

by Stacey
Lots of good stuff from the November issue of the Journal Pediatrics.
Let’s start with the babies. One new study called Are We Overprescribing Antireflux Medications for Infants With Regurgitation? shows that babies who are treated with drugs for gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, may not actually need the medication. According to the study abstract, […]

by Stacey
Even if you’re not a parent, you know that sugar makes kids hyper. Right? Well, maybe not. According to this article in the LA Times, it’s a matter of debate among nutrition researchers.
Experts disagree about whether the sugar high and sugar crash truly exist. Many say the evidence contradicts such stories. “There is no […]

by Stacey
Pediatricians should screen all children for autism twice by age 2, according to two new reports issued today by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Up until now, the group recommended screening between 18 and 24 months of age, according to this AP story. Experts say one in 150 U.S. children have the troubling developmental […]

by Stacey
Although it was news to parents, pediatricians have known for years that cough and cold medicines for kids were a waste of time and money. According to this article in the Washington Post, some doctors even learned about it in medical school.
“When I was trained as a pediatrician, it was just accepted that these […]

by Stacey
About one million foam baby seats made by Bumbo International of South Africa are being recalled due to reports of young children falling out the sides. According to this AP story, the Consumer Product Safety Commission received 28 reports of young children falling out of the seats, including three who suffered skull fractures because […]

by Stacey
Nearly 13 percent of parents in the U.S. practiced co-sleeping with their children in 2000 up from 5.5. percent in 1993, according to a series of studies on co-sleeping published in the August issue of the journal Infant and Child Development. And according to this article in the NY Times, the current number […]

by Stacey
Yesterday’s post was all about how picky eating among children is more nature, less nurture. But environment does have its role. In this NY Times article, child nutrition experts offer advice on how to get a picky eater to try new foods.
Meals should be served family style, with no separate foods for children. Prepare […]