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Kids who enter preschool with good vocabulary and attention skills have a head start on academic success.

That's the takeaway from a new study of nearly 900 4-year-olds and their ability to engage with teachers and peers, as well as their involvement in classroom tasks.

"The levels of vo...

It's well known that exposure to lead can harm young children's brain development. Now a new study suggests that racial segregation may be compounding the detrimental effects of lead on Black children.

The study, of close to 26,000 schoolchildren, found that Black children with elevated blood lead levels had wo...

Children born a little early -- before 39 weeks of pregnancy -- are more likely to have symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), new research suggests.

While birth before 37 weeks' gestation has known links to hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention, this study inve...

While some may think of hearing loss as something that happens with age, it can also happen to kids.

Parents and teachers should consider hearing loss if a child's academic performance declines or he or she develops behavioral issues, lack of focus and depression, the American Academy of Audiology advises.

"Because children often don't realize they are missing information and may no...

For peak performance, school-age children need more than a healthy diet and exercise. They also need plenty of sleep.

A new study finds that elementary school kids who get less than nine hours of sleep each night show significant differences in some brain regions responsible for memory, intelligence and well-being compared to those who get the advised nine to 12 hours' sleep.

"We fo...

Sometimes it's difficult for parents to get their child to take necessary medication.

One expert who spends part of her workday guiding parents through this challenge offers some suggestions to make the ordeal easier.

Emily Glarum, a child life specialist at the Heart Institute at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, offers these tips: Be honest, practice it, provide choices, set a sch...

Inner-city kids are known to be at greater risk for uncontrolled asthma. Now, new research suggests that violent crime and poor school achievement may be two reasons why.

"Experiencing violent crime can result in toxic stress, and decreased educational attainment is associated with lower health literacy,"said study author Dr. Jordan Tyris, a hospitalist at Children's National Hospital in ...

Having friends in childhood may help keep you clean and sober as a young adult, new research suggests.

Researchers from Arizona State University (ASU) interviewed more than 300 college students who participated in assessments that focused on childhood loneliness, stress levels and drinking behaviors. The results determined there was a link between feelings of loneliness in their pre-adole...

Decades of research have shown the power of skin-to-skin contact between preemies and their moms, but would the same technique, dubbed "kangaroo care," work with fathers?

Yes, claims a new Australian study that found when dads held their premature babies close to their bare chest, they reported feeling a "s...

Preterm infants who are breastfed do better in school and are less likely to develop attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), says a new study.

Preemies have a higher risk of doing poorly in math, reading and other academic skills, previous studies have shown. They're also at greater risk for ADHD.

But starting them off with lots of breast milk appears to blunt this risk an...

From the ongoing pandemic and the monkeypox outbreak to the charged political landscape, New York City mom and entrepreneur Lyss Stern has been increasingly anxious.

Stern worries that she will pass all of this fretting down to her 8-year-old daughter, and a new study suggests she just might.

"Children may be more likely to learn anxious behavior if it is being displayed by their s...

Long, restful and - most importantly - regular sleep is key to helping kindergarteners adjust to school, and a new study urges parents to start forming good sleep habits a full year ahead of time.

Researchers found that kids who regularly got 10 hours of sleep or more b...

Poor mental and physical health among older adults may trace back to childhood abuse, a Canadian study suggests.

The study, published online July 7 in the journal Aging and Health Research, found that people who were physically abused during childhood were twice as likely ...

Despite reports that rates of childhood obesity are decreasing, kids seem to be packing on pounds at younger ages.

In 1998, just under 73% of children entering kindergarten in 1998 had a normal body mass index (BMI), while 15.1% were overweight, and 12% were obese.

However, fast forward 12 years and just 69% of kids started kindergarten at a normal BMI, a new study finds.

An...

In yet another report that illustrates the dangers pot poses to the young, developing brain, a new British study finds teenagers are much more likely than adults to develop an addiction to marijuana.

"We found that teenagers are three and a half times more likely to have severe cannabis use disorder, whi...

Most U.S. children and adults have poor scores for heart health, according to a new assessment tool called "Life's Essential 8."

Fewer than 30% of 2- to 19-year-olds had high scores for cardiovascular health on the new American Heart Association scoring tool. And their scores got lower with age. Just 14% of 12- to 19-year-olds had high scores, compared to 33% of 6- to 11-year-olds and 56%...

While kids in a classroom are likely to be familiar with all their classmates after a short time, the children they are assigned to sit near are likely to become their closer friends, a new study suggests.

Researchers from Florida Atlantic University found that after seat assignments changed, students were more likely to become friends with newly near-seated classmates, than with those w...

New research confirms the dangers of too much screen time for kids and teens: Those who play sports, take music lessons, or socialize with friends after school are happier and healthier than children who are glued to a screen during these hours.

"Scr...

The expression "plays well with others" is often tossed around to describe people who are less likely to ruffle feathers, and new research shows these sandbox skills really matter.

It turns out that kids who play well with others in preschool are less likely to experience mental health issues ...

The babies of women infected with COVID-19 during pregnancy may have developmental difficulties during their first year, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that pregnant women with COVID-19 were more likely to have preterm births and infants with developmental problems. The greatest risk was in the third trimester,