Health News
Ecstasy During Pregnancy a Bad Idea
A study on how ecstasy during pregnancy might affect babies at 4 months old was published early this year. Now those babies are a year old. They're still developing slowly.
Smoking While Pregnant Linked to Asthma
Past research has already shown links between mothers who smoke and asthma in their children. But what if a mom only smokes while pregnant and quits before giving birth?
Do Children Become What They Eat?
Looking forward to another fight with your toddler over what they'll eat for dinner? Take heart - the fight is worth it for your child’s smarts down the line.
Dads Pass “Trust Hormone” to Kids
Often called the "love hormone" or "trust hormone," oxytocin is a chemical that helps parents and children bond to one another and works on children's emotional development.
Too Much Alcohol, Too Little Growth
The risks related to drinking during pregnancy are not limited to fetal alcohol syndrome. A baby's exposure to alcohol before birth can also mean poor growth.
Teen Steroid Abuse
Steroid abuse is always bad, but for teens the damage can be more serious and last longer. Steroids can change the way an adolescent’s brain develops and vital organs function.
Subtle Long-Term Impacts of Child Abuse
Experiencing abuse as a child means more than a higher risk of mental illness. Researchers are learning that abused children are at risk for various long-term physical issues as well.
Thankful Teens Are Happier
Saying "thank you" is likely one of the earliest behaviors parents teach their children. If kids can maintain gratitude through adolescence, they may have better overall mental health.
Mama's Meds and Her Baby's Lungs
Pregnancy is an emotional time. As such, depression is a common problem during and after pregnancy. When pregnant women take depression medications, there can still be risks for their unborn children.
Babies' Brains Hindered by Alcohol
Fetal alcohol syndrome results when babies are exposed to high amounts of alcohol in the womb. It usually involves distinctive facial features - but not always.
A recent study has found that children may have problems with brain development or behavioral development as a result of fetal alcohol syndrome even if their outward appearance doesn't show the symptoms of the disorder.
Don't drink while pregnant.
The study, led by Devon Kuehn, MD, of the Epidemiology Branch of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), was part of a long-term...