What you say can affect your children, even if you don't think they are listening—so when talking about body image, remember to have a positive attitude. The United States (US) Department of Health and Human Services suggests the following: avoid … [Read more...]
Make Fruit and Veggies More Appetizing
We all know how important it is to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, but it is often difficult to convince ourselves or our children to eat them. To help make fruits and vegetables more flavorful and appealing, the American Heart Association … [Read more...]
Regular Exercise Reduces Depression Risk in Children
In a new study, researchers assessed about 700 children at ages six, eight, and ten and found that kids who participated in regular moderate-to-vigorous exercise were less likely to develop depression over those four years. Lead study author Dr. … [Read more...]
Flameless Candle Batteries Pose Dangers to Kids
The tiny button batteries that light up flameless "tea candles" pose a significant risk to children when swallowed. These lithium batteries, which are commonly used in these candles, account for 14% of all the button batteries swallowed by children … [Read more...]
Choose Healthy Food for Your Child’s Plate
To help ensure that your child eats nutritious foods, help them build a healthy plate at meal time. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends the following: serve brightly-colored vegetables next to something plain, such as rice; serve … [Read more...]
Healthy Ambition Beneficial for Kids in the Long Run
Promoting ambition can help children become successful adults. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises the following: love and accept your child unconditionally, and keep your expectations high; don't expect perfection, but do look for empathy, … [Read more...]
Too Much Salt in US Kids’ Diet
A majority of kids in the United States (US) consume more than the recommended amount of salt for their age. Researchers analyzed data on more than 2,100 children aged 6 to 18 and found their average salt intake was 3,256 milligrams (mg) a day. … [Read more...]
Games Calm Kids Before Surgery
Playing video games may help calm anxious children before surgery. Investigators assessed 112 children about to have surgery that required general anesthesia. The children were either given a sedative or a tablet device to play games on about 20 … [Read more...]
Dosing Errors Common with Liquid Medications for Children
According to laboratory experiments, four out of five parents made at least one dosing error when using either a dosing cup or an oral syringe when dispensing liquid medication to their children. Researchers asked over 2,000 parents of children age … [Read more...]
Exercise: Does Eliminating Video Games Increase Physical Activity?
A three year study of Australian pre-teens replaced sedentary video games (played with a gamepad/joystick) with either active video games that require physical movement or no video games at all to see if either increased daily moderate or vigorous … [Read more...]
Diet: TV Exposure?
More time in front of the TV set and higher exposure to TV ads leads to increased consumption of sweetened beverages among children. Each additional hour in front of the TV increased the likelihood of regular sweetened beverage consumption by 50%. … [Read more...]
Mental Attitude: The First Three Years and Aggression
Children who witnessed domestic violence before age three were more likely to show aggression when they reached grade school, even if they were removed from their home and witnessed no domestic violence in the interim. According to Dr. Megan Holmes, … [Read more...]
Exercise: ‘Walkable’ Neighborhoods
Preschool children are less likely to be obese if they live in a neighborhood that is safe and within walking distance of parks and retail services. Pediatric Academic Society, May 2013 … [Read more...]
Diet: Fast Food and Asthma
Children who eat three or more fast food meals a week have a 39% greater risk for severe asthma. British Medical Journal, January 2013 … [Read more...]