Watching too much TV is linked to harmful effects in children, but the latest research says even background TV can affect development
Childhood
Study: Serious Child Abuse Injuries Rise Slightly in the U.S.
A new study finds that rates of serious child abuse have risen slightly in the U.S. over the past 12 years, suggesting that other data showing a decline in abuse may be due to differences in reporting, rather than a true …
Should Teachers Be Allowed to Spank Students?
A Texas school district changes its corporal-punishment policy — by expanding rather than limiting teachers’ rights to paddle students. Is spanking really the best way to discipline kids?
Xbox or Wii: Which Is Better for Sedentary Kids?
Playing video games isn’t exactly demanding on the body, but some newer versions may get children moving enough to keep them healthy.
Should Children Be Allowed to Sip Mommy’s Drink?
Will allowing your child a sip of wine at an early age prevent him from engaging in dangerous drinking later? Probably not, but plenty of parents think so, finds a recent study.
Time for a Time Out: Why Are 40,000 Children So Harshly Disciplined in Public Schools?
If psychiatric facilities can eliminate the traumatic punishment techniques of isolation and restraint, why can’t public schools?
Omega-3s as Study Aid? DHA May Help Lowest-Scoring Readers Improve
In a four-month trial of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA, some improvement was seen in children’s reading scores and behavior, but only in the lowest performing students
Paying for Grades: What to Consider Before Promising Your Kids Cash for A’s
Here are helpful tips if you’re thinking about rewarding good grades with greenbacks
Snoring at Night May Affect Kids’ Daytime Behavior
As any parent knows, an exhausted child is an ill-behaved one. So it’s no surprise that a new study finds that young children who snore persistently — which can disrupt the quality of their sleep — are more likely to have …
Stick to Sesame Street: Violent TV Disrupts Kids’ Sleep
You might be surprised to learn what kinds of TV shows are too scary for kids
Summer Camp: Great for Kids, Even Better for Parents
Psychologist Michael Thompson makes the case in his new book that overnight camp is the antidote to parenting in the age of anxiety
Psychological Abuse: More Common, as Harmful as Other Child Maltreatment
Psychological abuse — including demeaning, bullying and humiliating — may be the most prevalent form of child maltreatment. Yet it’s among the hardest to identify or to treat
Severely Obese Kids Have Heart Disease Risk Factors as Early as Age 2
A Dutch study finds that high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high blood sugar are the norm, not the exception, among severely overweight children and adolescents