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
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…
Children's health
31 Aug 2012
Parents with mental illness ashamed to ask for help
A new study by the national mental health charity SANE Australia, reveals many parents with a mental illness raising children lack support from health professionals and school staff, and they feel ashamed to ask for help. SANE Australia’s study found that only around a third (31%) of survey respondents have…
Men's Health
08 Oct 2008
Managing Mental Health
Mental disorders are the leading cause of years of life lost due to disability in Australia. The predominant disorders in males are substance abuse disorders (primarily alcohol abuse), suicide / self harm and depression. Affective disorders (predominantly depression) are the leading cause of mental heath disorders in women.1 The likelihood…
Bone
04 Jun 2008
Bunk beds pose dangers to kids and adults
Bunk bed-related injuries are not an issue of concern solely for parents of young children according to a study conducted by investigators at the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The study, published in the June issue of Pediatrics, found although three-quarters…
Bone
04 Jun 2008
First study to examine vitamin D insufficiency in pediatric patients with low bone density
Vitamin D insufficiency is common in adults and is emerging in the world of pediatrics. A mild degree of vitamin D deficiency, also known as vitamin D insufficiency, causes rickets in children and can be treated with increased amount of nutritional vitamin D intake as well as increased sun exposure.
Children's health
04 Jun 2008
More girls than boys benefit from breastfeeding
Challenging the long-standing belief that breast-feeding equally protects all babies against disease, research led by Johns Hopkins Children’s Center investigators suggests that when it comes to respiratory infections, the protective effects of breast milk are higher in girls than in boys. Following 119 premature babies in Buenos Aires through their…
