News Articles

• Teen Sexting Can Be Warning Sign of Other Risky Behaviors

  

  Parents who find a sex-based text on their teenager's phone should be on the lookout for other problems in their child's life, a new evidence review suggests. More...

• Tips for Keeping Your Child Healthy at Camp

  

  With thousands of kids heading to camp for the summer, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has some tips for keeping them safe and happy. More...

• Best Gift From Dad for Kids: More Time Together

  

  Father's Day is a once-a-year celebration of the bond between Dad and his kids, but cementing that bond takes a year-round commitment. More...

• 'Dad Shaming' Is Real, Survey Shows

  

  It's not just Moms: Just ahead of Father's Day, a new survey finds that about half of American dads say they've been criticized about their parenting styles. More...

• How to Put Limits on Your Family's Screen Time

  

  While kids get some benefit from using digital and social media, such as early learning and exposure to new ideas, too much of it can negatively affect their health, sleep and eating habits, and even their attention span. More...

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• Hundreds of Young Kids Drown in Pools Each Year -- Keep Yours Safe

  

  Summer at the nation's swimming pools and hot tubs means fun for kids, but danger, too. More...

• AHA News: With Summer Vacation Here, How Much Screen Time Is Too Much?

  

  With summer vacation starting for millions of American children, many parents are asking: How much screen time is too much? More...

• How Kids Benefit From Doing Chores

  

  These everyday tasks make households run, and engaging kids in age-appropriate chores from an early age teaches them invaluable life skills, instills in them a sense of responsibility and boosts self-esteem through accomplishment, according to the experts at the non-profit Understood.org. More...

• Opioid Prescriptions to Teens, Young Adults Still Common

  

  Even amid an epidemic of abuse, opioid painkillers are still commonly prescribed to teenagers and young adults for conditions like tooth and back pain, a new study finds. More...

• Does Taking Screens Away Help Sleep-Deprived Teens?

  

  Cutting teens' evening screen time can improve their sleep in just one week, a new study finds. More...

• Health Tip: Children and Pets

  Teaching children how to care for an animal can be an invaluable experience. However, certain guidelines must be followed. More...

• Does Your Sunscreen Work for You?

  

  Sunscreen is a real key to protecting your skin from the sun and preventing skin cancer, but are you using it correctly? More...

• Who's Most Likely to Miss School Due to Eczema?

  

  Hispanic and black children are more likely to miss school than white children due to the chronic skin condition eczema, a new study finds. More...

• 2 of 3 Parents Read Texts While Driving

  

  Despite countless public service messages warning against texting and driving, more than two-thirds of parents have read a text while behind the wheel and roughly half have written a text while driving, a new survey finds. More...

• How to Tame Morning Chaos

  

  Are your mornings always chaotic? Between making breakfast, packing lunches, getting everyone dressed and hunting for homework assignments, it's easy to feel like you've put in a day's worth of work before 9 a.m. More...

• 3 Parenting Essentials to Safeguard Kids' Well-Being

  

  Besides serving healthy food and encouraging daily exercise, three other lifestyle habits can have a huge impact on your child's mental and physical well-being and development. More...

• Can Games and Apps Help Your Kids Learn?

  

  Leading health organizations are warning about the possibility of video game addiction. More...

• Teaching Kids the Importance of an Apology

  

  At what age do kids really understand the meaning of an apology, and should you make a child repeat the words if they don't yet have real meaning? More...

• How to Stay Close as a Couple Now That Baby Is Here

  

  There's no doubt that a first baby changes the dynamic between spouses. Here are steps you can take to stay close. More...

• Single Moms Often Put Kids' Health Care First, Study Finds

  

  When times are tough, single moms tend to spend more on their children's health care than on their own, a new study finds. More...

• Taking a Bite Out of Food Ads Targeted to Kids

  

  Kids can be as strongly influenced by TV commercials as by the shows themselves, and many studies have found that tempting food ads have a particularly harmful effect, contributing to childhood obesity. More...

• Head Off the Blues When Your Teen Heads to College

  

  As excited as you are that your teen's going to college, it's normal to have mixed emotions, such as anxiety, sadness and possibly depression. It's even normal to feel envious that his or her life is just beginning while yours is on the wane. More...

• Health Tip: Becoming a Step Parent

  If step-parenthood is in your future, there may be pending bumps in the road between you and your new spouse, your younger children and the children's other parent. More...

• Health Tip: Talk to Your Kids Early About Alcohol Use

  You should speak with your children while they're younger about the dangers of alcohol use and abuse, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests. More...

• The Reality of Watching Reality TV

  

  When it comes to analyzing the effects of watching reality TV, well, it's complicated. While some see these shows as a brief escape from daily life, they can have negative effects on some viewers, including impressionable teens. More...

• Almost All U.S. Teens Falling Short on Sleep, Exercise

  

  Too little sleep. Not enough exercise. Far too much "screen time." More...

• Movie Violence Doesn't Make Kids Violent, Study Finds

  

  Parents often worry that violent movies can trigger violence in their kids, but a new study suggests PG-13-rated movies won't turn your kids into criminals. More...

• Gay Dads and Their Kids Still Face Social Shaming

  

  Two-thirds of gay fathers have felt the pain of social stigma, and they have encountered that stigma most often in religious settings, a new survey shows. More...

• Parents, Think Before You Drink This Holiday

  

  One in 4 American parents who drink over the holidays don't think about whether they'll be able to take care of their children the day after, a new survey shows. More...

• When You Go From a Family of 3 to a Family of 4

  

  Wondering if having a second child will affect your marriage even more than baby number one did? More...

• Navigating New Parent Nerves

  

  A newborn can bring a sense of fulfillment to your life … and an equal amount of stress over everything from baby's health to your own parenting skills. More...

• Pediatricians Renew Call to Abandon Spanking

  

  The American Academy of Pediatrics is strengthening its recommendation to ban spanking and other forms of corporal punishment, citing new research that says that type of discipline can affect normal brain development. More...

• Try Small 'Bites' to Get Kids to Exercise

  

  Kids take their cues from mom and dad, so it only makes sense to participate with them when teaching them the merits of exercise. More...

• Health Tip: Connect With Your Child

  By being sensitive and responsive to your child's needs, you can forge a positive, healthy relationship, the National Institutes of Health says. More...

• Health Tip: Manage the Terrible 3's

  Three-year-old children may be among the most difficult to manage as they become more independent and talkative. More...

• How to Prevent Your Child From Getting Bullied -- or Being a Bully

  

  With the start of a new school year, bullying will become an issue for many children and their parents. More...

• Young Adults Favor Family Over Friends If Forced to Choose

  

  If pressed, young adults will put their parents ahead of their close friends, a new study shows. More...

• To Combat Childhood Obesity, Start at Birth … or Even Before

  

  Efforts to prevent childhood obesity probably should begin at birth to have any hope of success, according to new results from a pair of clinical trials. More...

• Longest Study Yet Finds Adult Kids of Lesbian Moms Are Doing Fine

  

  Young adults raised by lesbian moms show the same mental well-being as those who grew up with heterosexual parents, a new study suggests. More...

• Parent's Tough Childhood Can Cast Shadow Across Generations

  

  When a parent has suffered abuse or other adversities as a child, their children may be more prone to mood and behavior problems, a new study suggests. More...

• To Fight Childhood Obesity, Moms to the Rescue

  

  The key: kids are less likely to be obese if their mothers follow five healthy habits, according to the report from Harvard. More...

• Many Parents Say Sports Can Be Too Dangerous for Kids

  

  More than half of American parents say they've considered keeping their children out of sports over concerns about injuries, a new survey finds. More...

• Health Tip: Rules for the Pool

  Don't let anyone swim alone. More...

• Parents Ill-Informed About Kids' Concussion Risks

  

  But most support strict head injury guidelines for school sports, survey shows. More...

• Health Tip: When Kids Have Separation Anxiety

  Here's a list of classic symptoms More...

• Health Tip: Why People Get Ear Infections

  Some possible causes More...

• Health Tip: Buy a Bike That Suits Your Child

  Make sure it's a good fit More...

• Clear Rules, Physical Activity Cut Children's Screen Time

  In households where parents set clear and consistent limits on screen time and where children have plenty of physical activity, children have lower odds of exceeding the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommended two-hour daily screen-time limit, according to research published online June 14 in Pediatrics. More...

• Vaccination Ends Disparities in Pneumococcal Disease

  The vaccination of young children with seven-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in recent years has eliminated disparities in risk for vaccine-type invasive pneumococcal disease associated with race and group child care attendance, according to a case-control study published online June 14 in Pediatrics. More...

• Preventive Intervention for Premature Infants Effective

  A home preventive care program for very premature infants and their caregivers results in improved behavioral and emotional regulation at age 2, as well as less depression and anxiety among caregivers, according to research published online June 14 in Pediatrics. More...