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- Childhood hypersensitivity linked to OCD Medical researchers have established a direct correlation between sensory processing and ritualistic behaviors in children. A new study suggests that when children experience heightened levels of sensitivity, they develop ritualistic behaviors to better cope with their environment -- one potential pathway to OCD.
- Mommy, what's wrong with that lady? Embrace the embarassment Many people have asked why I decided to write my Parents magazine article, “It’s Okay to Stare: What to Do When Someone is Different.
- Blogging may help teens dealing with social distress Blogging may have psychological benefits for teens suffering from social anxiety, improving their self-esteem and helping them relate better to their friends, according to new research.
- Key to school improvement: Reading, writing, arithmetic ... and character? A study of 20 elementary schools in Hawaii has found that a focused program to build social, emotional and character skills resulted in significantly improved overall quality of education, as evaluated by teachers, parents and students.
- Colorful plates boost a picky eater's appetite Parents of picky eaters can encourage their children to eat more nutritionally diverse diets by introducing more color to their meals, according to new research.
- Quality of mother-toddler relationship linked to teen obesity The quality of the emotional relationship between a mother and her young child could affect the potential for that child to be obese during adolescence, a new study suggests. Researchers analyzed national data detailing relationship characteristics between mothers and their children during their toddler years. The lower the quality of the relationship in terms of the child's emotional security and the mother's sensitivity, the higher the risk that a child would be obese at age 15 years, according to the analysis.
- Video Game Playing Tied to Creativity, Research Shows Both boys and girls who play video games tend to be more creative, regardless of whether the games are violent or nonviolent, according to new research by Michigan State University scholars.
- Large TV sets can injure, kill small children r. Gary Smith, director of Ohio's Center for Injury Research and Policy, co-authored a 2009 study on the problem of TV and furniture tip-over injuries to kids. Smith's study found children 6 and younger accounted for the majority of the injured, and TVs were the most common culprit for children 9 and younger.
- Soda-drinking teens more violent Drinking lots of soda may increase the risk of violent behavior in teens, a new study suggests. Teens in the study who drank more than five cans of non-diet soda per day were significantly more likely to report behaving violently towards others, and more likely to report having carried a gun or knife in the past year, the researchers said.
- Childhood diet lower in fat and higher in fiber may lower risk for chronic disease in adulthood A recent study has found that a childhood behavioral intervention to lower dietary intake of total fat and saturated fat and increase consumption of foods that are good sources of dietary fiber resulted in significantly lower fasting plasma glucose levels and lower systolic blood pressure when study participants were re-evaluated in young adulthood.
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