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Crystal meth abuse linked to underage sex, smoking and drinking

Teens who have never done drugs, but engage in other risky behaviours such as drinking, smoking and being sexually active, are more likely to use crystal meth, medical researchers at the University of Alberta have concluded.

18 Nov 2008

Kids from juvenile justice system 7 times more likely to commit criminal acts

A new study shows that juvenile delinquents sentenced to either a juvenile retreat, probation or unsupervised community service were seven times more likely to commit criminal acts as adults than youngsters from the control group who managed to avoid the juvenile justice system.

18 Nov 2008

Many sleepless children become overweight

Between the ages of six months and six years old, close to 90 percent of children have at least one sleep-related problem.

18 Nov 2008

Most children still failing to eat five pieces of fruit and veg a day

Most children are still failing to eat five pieces of fruit and veg a day, though their levels of physical activity do meet current Government recommendations, according to the SPEEDY study (Sport, Physical activity and Eating behaviour: Environmental Determinants in Young people).

16 Nov 2008

Traffic pollution worsens respiratory symptoms of childhood asthma

Traffic pollution, especially in cities, adversely affects respiratory health in children with asthma.

16 Nov 2008

In child care, relationships with caregivers key to children's stress levels

How children are affected by out-of-home care depends not only on the qualities of their teacher and the classroom, but also on the nature of the children's relationship with their caregivers.

16 Nov 2008

Children distressed by family fighting have higher levels of cortisol

Children who become very upset when their parents fight are more likely to develop psychological problems.

16 Nov 2008

Heart rate and sleep in boys affected by violent video games

An article published electronically in the scientific journal "Acta Paediatrica", describes how heart rate and sleep in boys are affected by violent video games. Researchers from Stockholm University, Uppsala University and Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have worked together with this study.

13 Nov 2008

Helping children and teens deal with stress in an uncertain times

As families across the country face losses of nest eggs, homes or jobs, their young children and teens need emotional support.

13 Nov 2008

Specific features of childhood brain tumors may help guide prognosis

Specific histologic features of childhood medulloblastomas may provide insight into prognosis, according to an article in the new issue of Pediatric and Developmental Pathology.

13 Nov 2008

U.S. fails hundreds of thousands of its youngest citizens on the day they are born

The United States is failing hundreds of thousands of its youngest citizens on the day they are born, according to the March of Dimes.

12 Nov 2008

Text messaging could help children to stay a healthy weight

Many children love sending and receiving text messages through their cell phones - sometimes to the great annoyance of their parents.

12 Nov 2008

Neck arteries of obese children and teens look more like those of 45-year-olds

Researchers used ultrasound to measure the thickness of the inner walls of the neck (carotid) arteries that supply blood to the brain. Increasing carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) indicates the fatty buildup of plaque within arteries feeding the heart muscle and the brain, which can lead to heart attack or stroke.

11 Nov 2008

Racial disparities found in access and use of organ transplantation in children listed for heart transplant

Minority children awaiting a donor heart for transplant have a higher death rate than white children, even after controlling for clinical risk factors, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2008.

11 Nov 2008

25% of U.S. kids received no dental care in at least one year

A University of South Carolina study of children's dental health has found that nearly one-fourth of the nation's children have had no dental care in at least a year.

11 Nov 2008

Elimination of sugar-sweetened beverages from school menus shown not to affect total consumption by adolescents

With childhood obesity increasing, school administrators and public health officials are reducing availability of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) in schools.

11 Nov 2008

Researchers discover genetic basis for some common congenital birth defects

A multidisciplinary research team at Case Western Reserve University led by Gary Landreth, Ph.D., a professor in the School of Medicine's Department of Neurosciences, has uncovered a common genetic pathway for a number of birth defects that affect the development of the heart and head.

10 Nov 2008