Children's health
11 Oct 2012
Sweets for the sweetly behaved not helpful for children's weight
Cutting screen time and not rewarding children’s good behaviour with sweets are among the steps parents could take to reduce overweight and obesity in children before they start school, according to research by the University of Sydney. The study, led by Dr Louise Hardy, from the School of Public Health…
Children's health
08 Oct 2012
Researchers investigate aggression among kindergartners
Not all aggressive children are aggressive for the same reasons, according to Penn State researchers, who found that some kindergartners who are aggressive show low verbal abilities while others are more easily physiologically aroused. The findings suggest that different types of treatments may be needed to help kids with different…
Children's health
04 Oct 2012
Lack of sleep leads to insulin resistance in teens
A new study suggests that increasing the amount of sleep that teenagers get could improve their insulin resistance and prevent the future onset of diabetes. “High levels of insulin resistance can lead to the development of diabetes,” said lead author Karen Matthews, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh Department of…
Children's health
18 Sep 2012
Quitting smoking is tough for teens, too
A new study finds that relatively early into tobacco addiction, teens experience many of the same negative psychological effects during abstinence as adults do, with a couple of exceptions. The data can inform efforts to improve the efficacy of quitting and withdrawal treatment programs. Abstinence from smoking seems to affect…
Children's health
18 Sep 2012
Parents often prefer less-effective birth control methods for teens
Parents of teen girls are more ready to accept their daughters being offered birth control pills and condoms during doctor visits than other, more effective and long-acting contraceptive methods, according to a new study in the Journal of Adolescent Health. The study also shows that the more that a parent…
Children's health
18 Sep 2012
Asthma kids risk mental health
A new study has found that young children with severe or persistent asthma are at higher risk of developing many common mental health problems. The research, a collaboration between researchers at The University of Western Australia affiliated Telethon Institute for Child Health Research and Columbia University in New York, has…
Children's health
11 Sep 2012
Toddlers are heavier than mums realise
Mums incorrect take on their toddler’s weight may be inadvertently leading to their toddlers overeating and getting heavier, say nutrition researchers. The research, being presented this week at the International Congress of Dietetics in Sydney, found many Australian mothers were unable to correctly identify their child’s weight, especially if their…
Children's health
04 Sep 2012
Gene 'switch' may explain DiGeorge syndrome severity
The discovery of a ‘switch’ that modifies a gene known to be essential for normal heart development could explain variations in the severity of birth defects in children with DiGeorge syndrome. Researchers from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute made the discovery while investigating foetal development in an animal model…
Children's health
04 Sep 2012
Playtime with dads prepares kids for classroom survival
An Australian-first website is encouraging dads to ‘get serious’ about playtime in a bid to to better prepare their kids for school. The Fathers for School Readiness website, launched today by the Minister for Tertiary Education, Senator Chris Evans, at the University of Newcastle provides tools for educators to work…
