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The misconception that girls are less interested than boys in computer science and engineering begins at a young age in the United States.

And it's one reason for the gender gap in those career fields, according to a new study.

In surveys of more than 2,200 U.S. children and teens in grades 1 through 12, researchers found that half -- 51% -- believed girls are less...

As American families sit down to celebrate Thanksgiving, a majority of parents say they want to raise grateful kids but they don't think they're succeeding.

Four out of five respondents to a new nationwide poll said children aren't as thankful as they should be, and half worry that they overindulge their own kids. Two in five also said they're sometimes embarrassed by how selfish their ch...

It's probably fair to say that most people know of the so-called "Freshman 15" -- the weight that college students are often said to gain when they're away from home for the first time.

But in recent decades, matters have gotten much worse in the United States. A new study using national data for people aged 18 to 25 found that while the prevalence of obesity was just over 6% in 1976 to 1...

Gene therapy might soon offer a new option for children with a rare genetic disorder that damages tissues throughout the body, researchers are reporting.

In a study of eight children with the condition, called Hurler syndrome, researchers found that the gene therapy was safe over two years. It also showed potential for beating the current standard treatment, stem cell transplantation.

Grandmothers can have a strong bond with the little children in their families -- and the connection even shows up on brain scans, researchers say.

The investigators embarked on a unique study, looking at the brains of older women -- not for signs of dysfunction, as with dementia, but to study their connections with their grandchildren.

"What really jumps out in the data is the acti...

Marijuana use in pregnancy may increase your child's risk for stress and anxiety, a new study suggests.

Although some moms-to-be use pot hoping to relieve morning sickness and anxiety, they should know it may cause genetic changes in the uterus that result in children becoming anxious, aggressive and hyperactive, researchers say.

"People are saying that cannabis is benign, and take ...

As many parents know, children can be notoriously picky eaters. In some cases, their chronically fearful approach towards food amounts to what is considered a serious psychiatric condition.

But a new survey of adults who were, and continue to be, finicky eaters suggests that rather than forcing a child to eat foods they don't like, parents will probably make more headway by embracing a no...

Sorry, parents, but giving your babies enriched formula won't improve their chances of doing well in school when they're in their teens, a new study shows.

The research was prompted by claims that enriched formula promotes brain development.

To learn more, researchers analyzed data from seven randomized trials of nutritionally modified infant formula conducted at five British hospit...

Feeding eggs to infants could reduce their risk of egg allergy later on, new research suggests.

For the study, researchers at the University at Buffalo in New York, analyzed U.S. government data from more than 2,200 parents who were surveyed about their children's eating habits and food allergies from birth to 6 years of age.

"We found that children who hadn't had egg introduced by ...

When a pregnant woman is infected with COVID-19, the sex of the fetus may influence immune system activity, researchers say.

The new study included 68 mothers-to-be. Thirty-eight developed COVID-19 during their third trimester, while 30 remained virus-free. In both groups, half of the fetuses were male and half were female.

In the infected women, male placentas had significantly hig...

Preschoolers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) rarely receive the gold-standard treatment recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for their condition, a new study reports.

The AAP recommends a behavioral therapy technique called "parent training in behavior management," or PTBM, as first-line treatment for ADHD kids ages 4 and 5.

But only 1 of eve...

When states spend money on programs that reduce poverty, fewer children are abused and neglected, fewer end up in foster care and fewer die, a new study reveals.

Researchers found that for every additional $1,000 that states spent on federal, state and local benefit programs per person living in poverty, there was a 4% reduction in substantiated child abuse, a 2% reduction in foster care ...

Women who were born with heart defects may get some reassurance from a new study that finds they face no heightened risk to health during a pregnancy and delivery.

According to the researchers, doctors may often advise these women against getting pregnant due to the potential risks for them and their babies, but until now those risks have been unclear.

"The most important finding fr...

Child abuse and neglect can do significant and long-lasting damage, according to a six-decade review of British data.

The analysis of records dating to the late 1950s found that children who experienced physical or sexual abuse were more likely to die early as adults.

"Our work shows the long-lasting consequences that specific types of child abuse and neglect can have. The findings ...

The United States has the highest income gap in the developed world, and it's affecting how kids do in school, new research suggests.

A new study reports that 10-year-olds' scores on standardized math tests were lower on average between 1992 and 2019 in states with higher levels of income inequality -- a measure of how unevenly income is distributed through a population.

And the str...

A small fix might make reading a bit easier for kids with dyslexia, as well as their classmates: Increasing the amount of space between printed letters.

That's the finding of a small study that tested the effects of "extra-large" letter spacing on school children's reading speed and accur...

Whether you're a kid or a college student, you'll learn more with interactive activities, discussions, movement and even AI-enhanced technologies than you will just sitting still and listening, a new study suggests.

Learning methods that work best are hands-on, as well as what the researchers called "minds-on" and "hearts-on," using emotional and social support, the findings showed.

Pregnant women who receive an epidural to ease their pain during labor aren't any more likely than others to have kids with autism, two new studies show.

Earlier research suggested this practice may increase autism risk in offspring, but the pair of studies should put this concern to rest for good, experts say.

"Parents can be reassured that there is no link between using epidurals ...

Marijuana use by mothers-to-be may have increased by as much as one-quarter during the pandemic, a new study suggests.

Researchers found a substantial increase in the number of women in Northern California using pot early in their pregnancies after the pandemic emerged compared to the previous year.

"Our previous research has shown that the prevalence and frequency of prenatal canna...

Spend time with babies and you'll see they pick up items, bang them together and, often, chew on them.

That play is key to learning and development, but most research on infant play has taken place in a lab and not on a living room floor -- until now.

"At a time in development when infants must acquire information about what objects are and what they can do with them, massive amount...

Pregnant women at risk for a serious high blood pressure disorder called preeclampsia should take low-dose aspirin after their first trimester, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).

The recommendation, announced Sept. 28, updates and is consistent with the task force's 2014 sta...

The cancer drug cisplatin can save children's lives, but often with the side effect of hearing loss. Now a new study shows that young children are especially vulnerable, and the hearing damage may begin early in the course of treatment.

The researchers said the findings highlight the need to screen kids' hearing during each round of cisplatin treatment, to catch problems early.

Teens who eat lots of fruits and vegetables are likely to enjoy better mental health.

That's the key takeaway from a new study that also tied a nutritious breakfast and lunch to emotional well-being in kids of all ages.

"This study provides the first insights into how fruit and vegetable intake affects children's mental health and contributes to the emerging evidence around 'food an...

Severely obese children who are unable to slim down should be eligible for weight loss surgery, a new study suggests.

The gastric sleeve procedure is safe and effective long-term, said a research team that followed participants as young as 5 for a decade.

"Lack of long-term data and some pediatricians' fears that bariatric [weight loss] surgery might affect children's linear g...

More than 50% of American children have detectable blood lead levels, a new study reveals. And young children who live in places with lots of pre-1950s housing and low incomes have the greatest risk.

"Public health authorities have worked commendably to reduce lead exposure for decades, and yet, substantial risk remains," said study co-author Dr. Harvey Kaufman, head of health trends rese...

Trying to fit soccer or Little League into your son's busy schedule? Canadian researchers offer some compelling reasons to do so.

Little boys who play sports are less apt to be anxious or depressed later in childhood and more likely to be active in their early teens, according to the University of Montreal study.

"We wanted to clarify the long-term and reciprocal relationship in sch...

Eating well and exercising regularly can be a challenge for anyone. But for those with autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disabilities, that challenge is exponentially greater.

Many young men and women with autism and intellectual disabilities face a significantly higher risk for obesity, and all the health complications that follow.

Yet, a small, new pilot study suggests...

Obese boys who lose weight may avoid fertility problems in adulthood, a preliminary study suggests.

Even short-term weight loss might partially reverse weight-related alterations in reproductive function, the researchers said.

Childhood obesity can have serious effects on adulthood health, including a risk of cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Obesity has also been linked to...

If your children are picky eaters, bribing or pressuring them will probably backfire.

But there are other steps you can take to help them get over their fussiness, researchers report.

Australian scientists reviewed 80 studies to find out more about fussy eaters.

They found that pressuring a child to eat, offering rewards for eating and stricter parenting methods didn't help. B...

Metformin, a commonly prescribed diabetes drug, may help stave off preterm birth among women who develop pregnancy-related high blood pressure.

Preeclampsia is marked by a sudden spike in blood pressure, protein in urine, or other problems during pregnancy. Preterm preeclampsia occurs between 26 and 32 weeks of pregnancy and often leads to early delivery, putting babies at risk. Preemies ...

Kids who suffer abuse, neglect or household dysfunction are more likely to have neurological problems like stroke or headaches as adults, researchers report.

"Traumatic events in childhood have been linked in previous studies to a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, riskier health behaviors like smoking and drug use, and decreased life expectancy," said researcher Dr. Adys Mendizabal,...

Seeing a parent abuse a sibling can be as traumatizing as watching a parent hurt another parent, a new study finds.

And it can lead to depression, anxiety and anger, researchers say.

"When we hear about exposure to family violence, we usually think about someone being the victim of direct physical abuse or witnessing spousal assault," said researcher Corinna Tucker. She is a profess...

Infants may show early signs of autism, but a diagnosis usually isn't made until age 3. Now, a new study suggests that jumpstarting therapy might stave off that diagnosis altogether.

Researchers say their preemptive, parent-led intervention could have a significant impact on children's social development and longer-term disabilities.

"What we found is that the babies who received ou...

Living within a few blocks of a shooting increases the risk that a child will end up visiting the emergency department for mental health-related problems, researchers say.

The new study found significant increases in mental health-related ER visits in the two weeks after a neighborhood shooting, especially among kids who lived closest to it and those exposed to multiple shootings.

"...

Childhood obesity was a worrisome issue before the pandemic, and now it's alarmingly worse, new data shows.

A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found a "profound increase in weight gain for kids" that is "substantial and alarming," Dr. Alyson Goodman, one of the study's authors, told the Associated Press.

For the study, researchers reviewed the medical r...

The number of U.S. infants born with syphilis is climbing at an alarming pace, reaching a high not seen since the 1990s, according to new government figures.

Newborn syphilis, a potentially fatal condition, was at one time nearly eliminated in the United States. But the disease has seen a resurgence in recent years -- and 2020 was no exception, say researchers with the U.S. Centers for Di...

Most parents want their children to live carefree lives, so a diagnosis of childhood cancer is devastating. Fortunately, pediatric cancers are rare.

Yet it doesn't hurt to be watchful for the warning signs, suggest experts in childhood cancer from Penn State Health.

The best screening most parents can do is to stay on track with well-child visits, the doctors said.

"For e...

New glasses are helping kids in Baltimore see more success in school.

A three-year clinical study found that students who got new eyeglasses through a school-based program had higher reading and math test scores.

"The glasses offered the biggest benefit to the very kids who needed it the most -- the ones who were really struggling in school," said Dr. Megan Collins, a pediatric opht...

While breathing in secondhand smoke is known to harm kids' lungs, new research suggests that children whose parents smoked are also more prone to developing rheumatoid arthritis later in life.

"Our findings give more depth and gravity to the negative health consequences of smoking in relation to [rheumatoid arthritis], one of the most common autoimmune diseases," said lead author Dr. Kazu...

Struggling with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a child is heart-breaking enough, but now new research confirms what many have long suspected: These patients will often continue to be plagued by ADHD symptoms as adults.

Only about one in 10 kids with the disorder are likely to have a full and lasting remission of their symptoms, according to new data gleaned from tracki...

Children whose mothers had diabetes during pregnancy are at increased risk for severe forms of common eye problems such as far- and near-sightedness and astigmatism, a long-term study suggests.

Collectively, they're known as refractive errors, conditions in which the eye is unable to properly focus images on the retina.

"As many [refractive errors] in young children are treatable, e...

Everyone knows that your metabolism peaks in your teenage years, when you're fit and active and feeling your oats.

And everyone knows that a person's metabolism slows down in middle age, as bodies start to expand and sag, and become less energetic.

But that's all wrong, it now appears -- fake news about how humans age that's gained the currency of truth over the years.

Your me...

Babies born prematurely, even just a couple weeks early, may be at increased risk of autism, a large new study suggests.

It's long been known that autism, a developmental brain disorder, is more common among children who were born preterm -- before the 37th week of pregnancy.

Researchers said the new study, of more than 4 million people, gives a clearer breakdown of the risks associ...

If you think the pandemic hasn't taken a toll on the mental health of young people, ponder these two facts from a new review: one in four are suffering from depression, while one in five are struggling with anxiety.

"Being socially isolated, kept away from their friends, their school routines and extracurricular activities during the pandemic has proven to be difficult on youth," said lea...