Early treatment for children with mental problems can help prevent trouble at home and at school, and with alcohol, drugs, and violence. But a study published in the journal Pediatrics reveals that half of U.S. children with mental problems don?t get help.
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New research published in the journal Pediatrics shows that the percentage of children with food allergies has gone up 18 percent since 1997, and the number of health care visits for child food allergy has tripled since 1993. The study authors aren't sure if the increases reflect an actual rise in prevalence or just increased awareness, but one thing is for sure -- the numbers are growing.
To reduce a child's pain or fever, more parents turn to acetaminophen than to any other drug. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), acetaminophen is generally considered safe and effective when used according to the label directions. But using too much can cause liver damage.
The most important part of a holiday meal is not the turkey, the stuffing, or the homemade apple pie. It's not even the gifts you may exchange. What is? Family. Sharing a meal with your family provides a valuable opportunity to strengthen bonds and create lasting memories. It's a time to reconnect and share what's going on in each other's lives. This is especially true during the holidays, when families come together to celebrate.
Since the H1N1 influenza virus spread to the U.S. in April, health experts have recognized a curious trend: Older adults are less affected by the virus than young people. According to recent health reports, most cases of H1N1 infections are among people ages 5 to 24.
A new study reported in the journal Pediatrics shows that bathtubs can be a dangerous place for children. Bath safety often focuses on avoiding burns and drowning, but it is actually slips, trips, and falls that account for most bathing-related injuries in children.
According to two new research studies, listening to what your children have to say is just as important as talking to them. This interaction is key to their language development. Speaking to your child is still important, but it seems that the give and take of conversation matters more.
Just one in five teens is getting the recommended eight hours of sleep each night. The rest may be texting the night away with the help of highly-caffeinated energy drinks, according to a study reported in the journal Pediatrics.
Two new studies highlight the complex genetic roots of autism The first says inheriting abnormal mutations of two common genes can raise the risk for developing the disease.
Experts say that safe driving education should be part of routine physicals for teens. Pediatricians are advised to ask teenagers during regular physical exams if they are driving.
When Dr. Earl S. Ford read that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) was recommending that children as young as eight be given cholesterol-lowering statins, he decided to check on the numbers
Kids who spend more time outside - and away from the television set - are less likely to develop myopia, the inability to see things clearly at a distance. The findings were published in the medical journal Optometry and Vision Science.
An apple a day while you are pregnant may indeed keep the doctor away. But the real beneficiary could be your unborn child, say researchers in the journal Thorax.
Although genetics likely play a role in whether or not someone becomes overweight or obese, a family's lifestyle also has a major impact on the chances of a teenager developing a weight problem, a new study shows.
The leading children's medical organization in the United States says that it has doubled the amount of vitamin D recommended for infants, children, and adolescents.
The increase, from 200 international units (IU) to 400 IU per day was detailed at a meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Young children who wheeze when they have rhinovirus infection - the most common cause of colds - are at much greater risk of developing asthma later during childhood, says a study in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Researchers have discovered that children who are breastfed seem to cope with stress and anxiety more effectively when they reach school age, according to a report in the Archives of Diseases in Childhood.
For babies ready to graduate from breast milk or formula to cow's milk, the longstanding recommendation has been that they receive whole milk, instead of reduced-fat or fat-free milk.
New research suggests that high school football coaches are getting a lot better at spotting a concussion and managing the problem, although there is still room for improvement.
At least 40 percent of American infants and toddlers are not getting enough vitamin D, according to a report in Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.
The American Heart Association (AHA) has issued recommendations that call for cardiovascular screening before prescribing stimulant treatment for all children diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Secondhand smoke causes signs of cardiovascular damage in children, especially the very youngest, say researchers at an American Heart Association meeting.
Teens who are passengers in automobiles that crash are more likely to die than younger children in the same setting, according to a study in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.
While social networking Web sites such as MySpace and Facebook have been singled out as places where teens could face sexual harassment, most of the unwanted solicitation actually happens in chat rooms and via instant messaging, says a study in the journal Pediatrics.
While riding an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) may seem like a fun activity for your child, too often it can end in a serious injury and a trip to the emergency room, say Radiological Society of North America researchers.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Association of Children's Museums are teaming up on a program to combat the obesity epidemic among America's children.
A US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel recommends a ban on over-the-counter cough and cold medicines for children younger than six.
Youngsters at high risk for developing type 1 diabetes might be able to prevent the disease by eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, a new study suggests. Reporting in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers found that high-risk children with the highest omega-3 intake had up to a 55 percent reduced risk of type 1 diabetes.
Gastroesophageal reflux, or GERD, can strike even the youngest person. Just ask Priscilla Dunstan. When her newborn son screamed all day and night, relaxing only when she carried him upright in her arms, his physician told her he had colic, a common condition among infants that tends to disappear by the age of 18 months.
A new study of identical twins suggests that children who spend more time in the sun have a lower risk for developing multiple sclerosis, or MS, as adults. Reported in the medical journal Neurology, the study shows that evidence is growing that sunlight and/or vitamin D exposure during childhood may help protect health.
Unlike Harry Potter, most Muggle children are not charged with saving the world by fighting the evil Lord Voldemort. But a surprising number of Muggles (non-wizards) do have something in common with their wizard hero: They suffer from migraine headaches, says a report in the medical journal Headache.
Researchers have begun to take a serious look at the long-term health consequences of children's inactivity by using cholesterol levels as a window into these youngsters' futures.
Parents do not seem to be heeding expert pediatrician guidelines that urge a ban on TV watching for their very youngest children, says a report in the journal Pediatrics.
US colleges and universities are experiencing a surge in the number of students seeking mental health services, says a report from a meeting of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA).
If you think young children spend their summers running around and keeping trim, think again. A new study finds that kindergarteners and first-graders put on more weight during summer vacations than during the school year.
Over a 13-year period almost 1.6 million US children needed to visit the emergency room due to soccer-related injuries, according to a report in The American Journal of Sports Medicine.
Girls are most likely to gain weight early in adolescence, between the ages of nice and 12, according to a report in the Journal of Pediatrics.
Sleep problems do not just plague teenagers who burn the candle at both ends or adults anxious about paying their bills. Even preschoolers can have trouble sleeping, and experts suspect the main difficulty for children ages one to five is simply a lack of restful slumber, according to a study reported in the journal Sleep.
Two new studies spotlight both the difficulty parents often have in keeping children away from the TV and also the potential health rewards for children in cutting down on TV and other media, according to the journal Pediatrics.
Injury rates for US high school athletes in nine p opular sports have declined dramatically over the past 10 years, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The American Academy of Pediatrics has a new attitude about consumption of milk and milk products by children with lactose intolerance: Hey, give it a try.
Toddlers of women who smoked during pregnancy begin to show a pattern of behavior problems as early as 18-24 months of age, according to a study in the journal Child Development.
If your young child has an ear infection that will not go away, it may be caused by a slime-like substance in the middle ear that experts call bacterial "biofilm," says a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
A new study reported in Pediatrics suggests that waiting to introduce babies to cereal grains might not be a good idea if you want to prevent food allergies.
Childhood obesity is growing at an alarming rate, but experts say parents are more powerful than they imagine at helping kids fight the problem.
The vaccine to prevent serious infections such as invasive pneumonia and meningitis has significantly reduced the rate of these illnesses, say researchers in the New England Journal of Medicine.
As teenage girls age, they drink less milk and more soda, which translates into lower intakes of calcium and higher body-mass indexes, say researchers in The Journal of Pediatrics.
Moderate amounts of parental conflict can cause distress in the lives of children, disrupting their sleep and causing negative feelings in their day-to-day lives, according to two studies reported in Child Development.
Medications taken accidentally by young children account for an estimated 53,517 nonfatal visits to emergency departments each year in the US, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
A child’s weight may be influenced by the mother even before the child is actually born, according to a report in the medical journal Pediatrics.
While the sleep problems that can plague teens and adults are widely known, a new study reported in the medical journal Sleep finds many young children may not be getting enough sack time, either.
Consumption of carbonated soft drinks from school vending machines has very little impact on adolescent weight problems, according to a report in the journal Risk Analysis.
Parents and children may breathe a sigh of relief with the introduction of a new single shot vaccine that protects kids against measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox.
Baby teeth may not be permanent, but dentists say they require just as much cleaning and care as adult teeth.
Three new studies reported in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine find that too much television time can lower test scores, retard learning, and even predict college performance.
Three girls are picking through their lunches at school, commenting on which foods will make them fat or not. One says she has started dieting, and her friends agree that they might start cutting back on calories, too.
New research appears to refute well-publicized reports linking the use of the prescription acne medication Accutane to depression and suicide among teens, according to a report in the Archives of Dermatology.
A decade after playing sports at a highly competitive level, many young athletes - especially soccer players - have suffered injuries related to their sport. However, relatively few of those injuries are serious enough to put an end to an athlete's game, says a study in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.
For young patients who grow to adulthood with a chronic illness, leaving behind the pediatrician who may have saved their lives can be a tough transition, according to a report in the medical journal Pediatrics.
An oral asthma medication can reduce symptoms in children who have intermittent asthma flare-ups linked to infection, a new study states in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Over-the-counter products for mild-to-moderate facial acne are just as effective as prescription antibiotics,and they can cost much less, according to a study reported in the medical journal The Lancet.
Concern about the rising rate of antibiotic use, leading to resistance of the germs that cause middle ear infections, has prompted new guidelines encouraging lower use of antibiotics, issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians.
New research suggests that teens who spend a lot of time hanging around convenience stores are more likely to smoke, even if they are not the type of kids considered to be delinquents, according to a report in the American Journal of Public Health.
Most children do not get the recommended amount of sleep for their age group, and many parents are not aware of just how much sleep children should be getting, according to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF).
Those most vulnerable to the flu include young children, people over age 65, pregnant women, and those with chronic illnesses like asthma and diabetes, experts say.
Many parents of children with asthma may have the best of intentions, but they are not fully informed about solutions when they try to protect their kids from allergens, notes the a report in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
For some unlucky people, high cholesterol is passed from one generation to the next, but children who inherit the disorder may benefit from cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins, according to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Teens are more likely to overeat when served fast food, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
A US government panel has concluded decisively that childhood vaccinations do not cause autism, according to a report issued recently.
Stimulant medications used to calm children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may have an unexpected side effect - slightly slower growth, according to a study appearing in the medical journal Pediatrics.
The simple act of requesting to sit in a nonsmoking section may have profound benefits beyond avoiding second-hand smoke, according to a report in The Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
The nation's leading table-service chain restaurants score low when it comes to providing healthy food choices for kids, according to a new study from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).
A new study, reported in the medical journal Pediatrics, provides the most conclusive evidence to date that prolonged breast-feeding can help reduce the risk of obesity.
The teeth in a young child's mouth may not be permanent, but they require as much care as an adult's - and neglecting them can have lifelong consequences.
An estimated one in eight US schoolchildren has risk factors that could signal heart disease in the years to come.