Second Opinion
Choking deaths among U.S. children have dropped dramatically since 1968
The greatest annual declines occurred after warning labels started appearing on children’s products.
Children’s health
Second Opinion
Sports specialization is putting children’s health at risk, trainers say
New recommendations of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association are intended to reduce the growing incidence of sports-related physical injuries among young people.
Second Opinion
Watching TV and playing video games (but not overall screen time) linked to poorer performance in school
An international team of researchers analyzed 58 studies involving more than 480,000 children and teens aged 4 to 18.
Second Opinion
Minnesota ranked 6th healthiest state for women and children
Rhode Island is cited as the healthiest state for women and children, followed by Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Connecticut.
Second Opinion
What young children should and shouldn’t drink: experts’ new guidelines
Example: All kids 5 and under should avoid drinking flavored milks, toddler formulas, plant-based/non-dairy milks, caffeinated beverages and sugar- and low-calorie sweetened beverages.
Second Opinion
Air pollution particles can cross to fetal side of the placenta, study finds
“We need to develop air pollution standards which protect the most vulnerable of the population,” said researcher Tim Nawrot.
Second Opinion
Flooring, beds and football top list of products/activities that cause traumatic brain injuries in children
Most nonfatal TBIs in children are the result of falls, motor vehicle crashes, being struck by a moving or stationery object, and assault. Football was the leading cause of TBIs among 15- to 19-year-olds.
Second Opinion
Injuries from personal care products send thousands of young children to ERs every year, study finds
Most of the injuries (86 percent) were poisonings, which resulted when the child swallowed the products. The remaining injuries (14 percent) were chemical burns.
Second Opinion
Delaying fatherhood raises health risks for both partner and child
Aging not only affects a man’s fertility, the study found, but becoming a father late in life also increases the risk that the mother of the child will have complications during pregnancy and that the child will have health problems.
Second Opinion
Young people who drink artificially sweetened sodas and other beverages still take in excess calories, study finds
Water remains the best option for kids and young adults.
Second Opinion
New evidence supports ‘grandmother hypothesis’ — although with caveats
The “grandmother hypothesis” is the evolutionary proposition that women live long past their reproductive years in order to help their grandchildren survive and pass on their DNA.
Second Opinion
Only 1 in 20 U.S. teens meet sleep, exercise and screen-time recommendations
Researchers describe the findings as “startling.”
Second Opinion
Many children use too much toothpaste — and a third don’t brush often enough, CDC says
Children under age 3 should be brushing with only a “smear” of toothpaste — an amount no bigger than the size of a grain of rice, CDC officials say. And children aged 3 to 6 should be using no more than a pea-sized amount.
Second Opinion
As more families own handguns, more young children die from gun-related injuries, study finds
Handguns are easier than other firearms for young children to hold, and toddlers as young as 2 years old have enough hand strength to operate them, researchers point out.
Second Opinion
Most parents rely on unscientific strategies to prevent colds in children, survey finds
Experts recommend three basic strategies: Wash your hands often with soap and water; avoid touching your nose, eyes or mouth with unwashed hands; and stay away from people who are sick.
