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Not all parenting tasks are fun. Now researchers have found the context in which parents do childcare activities could impact happiness and stress levels. [More]

A new study published in the Journal of Child Development looked at whether the age of parents at the time of their children’s birth could result in behavior problems. Couples who have children at later ages are often counselled about risks of increased maternal age (e.g. Down syndrome) but increasingly a risk has been documented for increased paternal age and autism and schizophrenia. [More]

“We believe that these results highlight the importance of maternal mental health care among preterm infants´ mothers,” study author, Juliana Figueiredo told us. “Preterm birth is a global public health issue and we are usually aware of the challenges that this condition brings to the babies, as rates of morbidities and mortality among preterm babies are high. However, there is a growing literature of the impacts of preterm birth for parents and our findings reinforce the need of maternal mental health care among mothers of preterm infants.” [More]

Bullying is something parents worry about throughout the school year. You don't want your cyild to be bullied or have your child do any kind of bullying. Now, a new study, titled, Understanding the relationship between youths’ belonging and bullying behavior: An SEM Model, recently published in the journal of Educational and Child Psychology, showed that school belonging and family belonging have a significant direct and indirect relationship with student bullying behavior. [More]

Over 70 per cent of cases of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in children of all ages involved products regulated by the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission. Ten per cent of TBIs in children aged 0-4 were caused by bunk beds as well as another 10 per cent by stairs, and 10 per cent by floors. In children aged 5-9, the leading causes of TBI are floors and bike accidents. Football, basketball, soccer and bike accidents were the leading causes of TBI in children and adolescents aged 10-14. [More]

Why would it matter if infants displayed empathy? “Empathy is defined as the ability to understand the emotion of others, and share in those emotions, while maintaining a self-other distinction,” Florina Uzefovsky, of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, told us. “As can be understood from the definition, empathy is basic and central in all social communication. This ability allows us to interact with others, to better understand their motives and actions, and to engage in meaningful social relationships.” [More]

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, as it's commonly known, is on the rise. But why? Is it just that we’re becoming more aware and accepting of the disorder or is something else causing the increase? “It was already known that children with ADHD have higher omega-6 to omega-3 ratios,” researcher Monica Lopez told us, “so we wanted to test whether these higher omega-6 to omega-3 ratios were involved in the origin of the symptoms.” [More]

Researchers have found the kind of time fathers spend with their children influences the strength of their relationship in the early years. [More]

Recently there was an item in the news about a young boy who was with his drug-addicted mother and her boyfriend on a bus. They were in Camden, New Jersey. When they reached their stop the boy tried, unsuccessfully, to arouse the two adults. The man was unable to stand. The mother was unresponsive and appeared to snort something off of her wrist. One of the astonished passengers filmed the event and informed the child welfare authorities that this child was at risk. [More]

A new study from the University of East Anglia, published in the Journal of Psychology and Psychiatry looked at how common post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is in children and adolescents in the initial weeks and months following a trauma. “Why do some young people show no clinically significant PTSD symptoms early on,” study lead researcher, Dr. Richard Meiser-Stedman told us, “while others show a significant reaction?” [More]