Health & Parenting News, Features & Updates

July 28, 2025 — Doptelet (avatrombopag) is a prescription medicine that helps the body make more platelets (cells that help stop bleeding). First approved in 2018 for adults, it is now also approved by the FDA for children aged 1 year or older with chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) who haven’t gotten good responses from earlier treatments.

July 8, 2025 — More and more research suggests that the key to protecting your child’s mental health is to promote healthy screen habits, not time limits.

January 30, 2025 — New recommendations say people ages 5 to 18 years old should drink mainly water and pasteurized milk. Basically, if a nutrition label mentions added sugar, they shouldn’t drink it.

January 9, 2025 — New research suggests that greater screen time is linked to greater sleep problems among preschoolers, and the two things are also linked to an increased risk of hyperactive behavior, attention issues, and emotional problems.

New research shows that kids who used tablets at age 3½ tended to express more anger and frustration by age 4½ than they did a year prior.

July 2, 2024 — In real life, households with teens must decide on the policies at home to strike that balance on the side of benefit. Here’s how a half dozen households do it, along with their vote on the warning label.

May 24, 2024 — More than 4,000 people die from unintentional drowning in the U.S. every year, an average of 11 people per day. The problem is especially serious in children between the ages of 1 and 4, in whom drowning is the single leading cause of death.

March 22, 2024 — Researchers found that teens emitted two steroid compounds the little ones did not because they’d entered puberty and their sweat glands had begun working.

December 15, 2023 — An estimated 9.4 million teens ages 15 to 19 years old said they have had sex, compared to 9.6 million who reported in 2002 that they were sexually experienced.

Twin speak, aka cryptophasia, can seem like a language all its own. Learn what this phenomenon really means.

October 3, 2023 — Emotional abuse is now the most common type of child abuse experienced in the U.S., according to CDC data published this summer. About one-third of all U.S. adults reported experiencing emotional abuse during childhood, the CDC data show.

August 29, 2023 — While federal regulators investigate the safety of Prime Energy drinks, which have become quite the rage among children at home and school, parents want to know: Are these beverages OK for my kid to drink? Here's what to know.

August 23, 2023 — One-year-olds who had an hour or more of daily screen time were up to five times more likely to miss milestones for communication skills when they reached 2 years old, according to a new study from Japan.

August 7, 2023 — A study found that videos using motivational behavior often provide misleading information – or medical advice provided by a doctor for the influencer’s specific situation, not the public at large.

August 3, 2023 — Thousands of children are being exposed to the dangers of liquid nicotine in e-cigarettes each year. Contact with the vaping liquid, or liquid nicotine, can cause children to get dizzy, pass out, and suffer drops in blood pressure.

June 27, 2023 — The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act says that employers with at least 15 workers must make “reasonable accommodations” to those who need them because of pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions.

June 20, 2023 — A recent study of parents estranged from adult children found that about a quarter of respondents were estranged from their fathers.

June 6, 2023 — Breastfeeding in infancy could have an effect on academic test scores later in a child’s life, a new study suggests.

What's the best thing parents can tell their children to help prevent myopia, or nearsightedness? "Go outside and play,” a researcher says.

February 5, 2023 — Added sugars in school meals would need to be less than 10% of calories per meal by 2027. Reductions in sodium would be phased in. Salt in school breakfasts would need to be cut by 10% in 2025 and another 10% in 2027. Sodium in lunches would need to be cut 10% in 2025, 2027, and 2029.

January 23, 2023 — The majority of youngsters who play video games do so as a form of entertainment, but about 5% to 6% of video game users do so to the point where it interferes with their lives.

January 13, 2023 — If you only saw the headlines, you might think that when a youngster is a few pounds overweight, their pediatrician will prescribe a weight loss drug or bariatric surgery. The reality is much less alarming. The guidelines take a deep dive into evidence-based treatments at various levels.

Find out what to look for and what to avoid when buying holiday toys that are safe for kids.

Fertility specialists expected to see fewer clients during the pandemic. Instead, they saw a surge – especially among single women.

“The Talk” is a conversation in many Black families about how to deal safely with police. How has it changed over recent years?

The stress of academic pressure can show itself in different ways. Pay attention to big shifts in mood or behavior. Big shifts might be a sign of more serious problems.

What does it take for a child to be resilient after a major setback? Find out what makes a difference.

Your daughter’s first period can be a confusing time for her -- and for you. Here’s how you can make sure you’re both ready.

Drowning is the No. 1 cause of death for children 1 to 4 years old and the No. 2 cause of death for those 5 to 9 years old.

Learn what adultification bias is, what it looks like, and what you can do to stop it.

During the tween years (8 through 12), children may become more independent, experience puberty, and value peer relationships over family ties.

Experts and parents share tips to help you stop yelling at your kids.

A new study shows kids with ADHD, hostility, social phobia, or depression may be more likely to become addicted to the Internet.

Learn about the warning signs of childhood sexual abuse in young children and teens.

Is your child shy? Introversion is perfectly normal. Learn some tips to help you help your child overcome their shyness.

Is your child struggling socially due to shyness? Learn about how to support them more.

Learn what to do when your child has suicidal thoughts.

Obesity leads to health risks during childhood and later in life. Learn tips for encouraging your child who is overweight.

Does your child want to become an activist? Learn how you can support their efforts.

Learn about how to teach your teen to drive, including setting house rules to limit risky behaviors.

Wondering how to bring up the topic of sexual assault with your child? Learn more about tools and strategies you can use.

Many children have phases in which they become picky eaters. Here's how to help.

Learn how you can help your child learn to read by reading together and engaging in activities that help your child look forward to reading time.

Is your child struggling with math anxiety? Learn ways to help your child overcome this issue.

Raising children to value all people is important. Learn how to teach your child to be anti-racist.

There’s no one set way to parent your children. Learn about the pros and cons of various styles.

Many parents turned to home schooling in the wake of pandemic uncertainty. If you’re thinking about it, here’s a look at the pros and cons, plus other things you need to know to get started.

Caring for a newborn is often tiring and overwhelming. Parents share their best advice on how to make it through those first weeks at home.

Curfews for your teens can be tough to enforce, but it’s important that kids have guidelines to keep them safe and healthy.