msnbc.com: Kids and parenting

CPSC chief: Agency moved too slowly on crib safety

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:10:05 GMT

The head of the Consumer Product Safety Commission conceded Tuesday the agency "hasn't been acting as quickly as it should" on crib safety problems.

Consumer Product Safety Commission - Home - Consumer Information - recall - United States

Largest crib recall in U.S. history announced

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:08:40 GMT

The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the largest crib recall in U.S. history Monday, citing the potential danger of cribs with drop-down sides.

Consumer Product Safety Commission - Home - Consumer Information - Recalls - United States

Kids watching hours of TV at home daycare

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:34:17 GMT

Preschoolers in home-based day cares are sitting as many as two hours a day in front of a TV, according to a study published Monday.
Day care - Childcare - Home - Family - Daycare

Biggest child-killers: pneumonia and diarrhea

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:50:41 GMT

Diarrhea and pneumonia kill an estimated 3.5 million kids under 5 each year globally — more than HIV and malaria combined.

Malaria - HIV - Health - Diseases & Conditions - Infectious disease

1 formerly conjoined twin talking after surgery

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:46:40 GMT

A Bangladeshi toddler separated from her conjoined twin sister was talking and behaving normally Thursday after waking from a medically induced coma, the head of the surgery team said.

Australia - conjoined twin - Surgery - Home - Family

FDA panel OKs new kids’ pneumococcal shot

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:42:12 GMT

Federal health experts say an updated version of Pfizer's best-selling anti-infection vaccine is safe and effective for infants and toddlers, despite company studies that failed to meet certain goals.
Food and Drug Administration - Vaccine - Pfizer - Streptococcus pneumoniae - Health

Toxic toys? Health group finds high lead levels

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:34:00 GMT

Children's toys carrying the Barbie and Disney logos have turned up with high levels of lead in them, according to a California-based advocacy group.

The Walt Disney Company - California - Interest group - Disney - United States

Sex infections still rising, especially in teens

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:44:48 GMT

American squeamishness about talking about sex has helped keep common sexually transmitted infections far too common, especially among vulnerable teens, U.S. researchers reported Monday.
Sexually transmitted disease - United States - Sexuality - Sex education - Health

FDA weighs updated kids’ pneumococcal shot

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:54:31 GMT

The Food and Drug Administration is weighing whether to approve an updated version of Pfizer's best-selling anti-infection vaccine for children, despite company studies that failed to meet certain goals.
Food and Drug Administration - Pfizer - Health - Vaccine - United States

Twins joined at head successfully separated

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:32:44 GMT

Hospital officials say that twin Bangladeshi girls who were joined at the top of their heads and shared brain tissue have successfully been separated after 25 hours of delicate surgery.

Surgery - Australia - Medicine - Health - Conjoined twins

Newsweek: Why grandma may play favorites

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:20:10 GMT

Recent research has found an intriguing connection between the degree to which grandmothers are genetically related to their grandchildren and how much they give their grandkids an evolutionary edge.
Science and Technology - Biotechnology - Genetics - Social Sciences - Psychology

It’s a boy? Disappointment plagues some moms

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:10:07 GMT

Good mothers are supposed to say they are happy with a boy or a girl, as long as the baby is healthy. But gender disappointment is a very real issue that affects many pregnant women.

Pregnancy - Family - Home - Mother - Parenting

Air pollution takes a toll on young lungs

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:34:25 GMT

Chronic exposure to air pollution, the study found, increases a baby's chance of developing a serious lung infection.
Air pollution - Lung - Environment - Air Quality - Products and Services

Lack of exercise not to blame for teen obesity?

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:49:57 GMT

Most American teenagers are not as active as they should be but a lack of exercise does not seem to be to blame for the rising rates of teen obesity, according to a U.S. study.
Obesity - United States - Health - Diseases & Conditions - Adolescence

UN: 200 million kids have stunted growth

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:49:04 GMT

Nearly 200 million children in poor countries have stunted growth because they don't get enough to eat, according to a new report published Wednesday by UNICEF.
UNICEF - Child - Philanthropy - Organizations - Child Welfare

Stroller company announces major safety recall

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 22:02:06 GMT

Maclaren is recalling about 1 million umbrella strollers due to the possiblity of injury to children's fingers.

Sports tied to some bad behaviors in teens

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 20:24:14 GMT

Think that getting high school students involved in team sports will help keep them away from drugs, alcohol and other unhealthy behaviors? Not necessarily.

E. coli risk in school lunches sparks probe

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 14:36:55 GMT

The chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee wants an investigation into the risk of deadly E. coli getting into school lunches.

Newborn babies cry in their native tongue

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 17:27:50 GMT

From their very first days, the cries of newborns already bear the mark of the language their parents speak, scientists now find.

H.S. football concussions may have long reach

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:31:39 GMT

As many as one in 10 high school football players suffer a concussion each year, experts say. But little is known about long-term medical risks.

Kids on psych drugs have alarming weight gain

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:07:37 GMT

Children on widely used psychiatric drugs can quickly gain an alarming amount of weight; many pack on nearly 20 pounds and become obese within just 11 weeks, a study found.

Study: Many tots watch 32 hours of TV a week

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:40:50 GMT

The Nielsen Co. says in a study released Monday that children ages 2 to 5 watch more than 32 hours of television each week.

In reality, some stage parents are very scary

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 03:38:53 GMT

Years ago, children with showbiz inclinations might be pushed too hard by eager parents, but in the reality show realm, children might not want to be in front of cameras at all.

1 in 5 kids get little vitamin D, study says

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:45:37 GMT

At least one in five U.S. children aged 1 to 11 don't get enough vitamin D and could be at risk for a variety of health problems including weak bones, the most recent national analysis suggests.

Kids getting braces younger and younger

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:47:49 GMT

Braces used to be another miserable part of being a teenager, but now some kids start and finish orthodontic treatment long before adolescence. But is that too young?

Mom and dad make scary movies even scarier

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:44:46 GMT

Parents have been told not to let kids watch TV alone, but a study shows that can backfire: Researchers found that kids who watched TV with their folks got even more freaked out.

WHO: Nearly 1 in 5 babies still missed by vaccines

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:22:45 GMT

A record 106 million infants were vaccinated last year against life-threatening diseases, but nearly 1 in 5 babies still aren't fully protected, global health authorities reported Wednesday.

Sperm donor passed on deadly heart defect

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:02:54 GMT

A sperm donor passed on a potentially deadly genetic heart condition to nine of his 24 children, including one who died at age 2 from heart failure, according to a medical journal report.

Baby food recalled for possible botulism

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:14:06 GMT

There's a national baby food recall. Plum Organics is recalling some of its apple and carrot portable pouch baby food because of concerns over possible botulism contamination.

The 20 worst kids’ foods in America

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:39:15 GMT

Restaurants are no more kind to our children's health and well-being than they are to our own. Here's a list to help your family make smarter choices today for a healthier tomorrow.

Report: School lunches fall short on veggies

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:45:46 GMT

School lunches need more fruits, veggies and whole grains and a limit on calories, says a report urging an update of the nation's 14-year-old standards for cafeteria fare.

Study: Pet turtles sickened kids in 34 states

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 06:47:59 GMT

More than 100 people — mostly children — were sickened in the largest salmonella outbreak blamed on turtles nationwide, researchers report. One in three had to be hospitalized.

FDA approves Merck's Gardasil for boys

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:11:19 GMT

Drugmaker Merck said Friday that U.S. regulators cleared its vaccine Gardasil to prevent genital warts in boys, a new use for a product already approved to prevent cervical cancer in women.

Hilary Swank: I let boyfriend’s son see me nude

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:01:13 GMT

The actress's admission in Marie Claire magazine that her boyfriend's 6-year-old son sees her naked has sparked controversy, but "he doesn't look twice," Swank said. "You have to know what's right for you and your family."

Giving babies Tylenol may blunt vaccine effects

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 22:30:18 GMT

Giving babies Tylenol to prevent fever when they get childhood vaccinations may backfire and make the shots a little less effective, surprising new research suggests.

Fat baby can get coverage after all, insurer says

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:43:33 GMT

After drawing national attention for denying coverage to a healthy but heavy 4-month-old boy, a Colorado insurer has changed its policy on hefty infants.

Day care next frontier in fighting kids' obesity

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:51:26 GMT

Grilled chicken replaced the hot dogs. Strawberries instead of cookies at snack time. No more fruit juice — water or low-fat milk only. This is the new menu at a Delaware day care center, part of a fledgling movement to take the fight against obesity to pudgy preschoolers.

6 things you forgot to childproof

Fri, 9 Oct 2009 23:10:22 GMT

When it comes to childproofing your home, here are six things you don't want to overlook.

13 million babies worldwide born prematurely

Sun, 4 Oct 2009 17:32:12 GMT

Nearly one in 10 of the world's babies is born premature, and about 1 million infants die each year as a result, says a startling first attempt to measure a toll that in much of the world is hidden.

Candy-gobbling kids may turn violent as adults

Thu, 1 Oct 2009 20:49:31 GMT

Willy Wonka would be horrified. Children who eat too much candy may be more likely to be arrested for violent behavior as adults, new research suggests.

Family mental history shadows future children

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:02:11 GMT

Mental health professionals have long known that certain mental illnesses can run within families — and that history weighs heavily on some people who are struggling to decide whether to have children and risk passing it on.

U.S. delayed telling schools about food recalls

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 22:08:11 GMT

The federal government failed to inform schools of recalls of suspected tainted food, potentially putting millions of children at risk of food poisoning, a government investigation has concluded.

Tibetan nannies: Parents’ new status symbol?

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:00:15 GMT

In some families, the ethnic background of a nanny carries a certain cachet — and entrenched stereotypes.

Are some women superbreeders?

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:43:52 GMT

Michelle Duggar, 42, just announced she's pregnant with her 19th baby, nowhere close to the world record of 64 children born to one woman. Doctors explain what kind of a toll double digit pregnancies — and births — take on a woman's body.