Cincinnati – Sarah Habib
Alex is an 8-year-old who attends a local elementary school. At school, recess is often canceled because of time or weather. Physical education is only offered once a week. On a good day, Alex gets about 15 minutes of physical exercise. At home, Alex’s parents do not let him play outside because they feel that the neighborhood is unsafe, so he usually plays video games instead. (more)
Medical X-Press – Len Canter
Many children are picky eaters, making every meal a challenge. But for some, the problem goes deeper than not liking vegetables or whole-wheat bread. According to a study in the journal Pediatrics, more than one in five kids between the ages of 2 and 6 are considered “selective eaters.” Most of them are moderately picky, but about 3 percent restrict their food intake so much that it turns the dinner table into a war zone. (more)
Medical X-Press – Steven Reinberg
U.S. kids are drinking far more water than sodas and fruit drinks, health officials say. A new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that water accounts for almost half of kids’ total beverage consumption. (more)
Medical X-Press – Staff Writer
Michael Yogman, M.D., from Harvard University and Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Mass., and colleagues address the role of pediatricians in encouraging developmentally appropriate play with parents and peers, which is a unique opportunity to promote the social-emotional, cognitive, language, and self-regulation skills that build executive function and a prosocial brain. (more)
Medical X-Press – Staff Writer
The proportion of children and young people saying they have a mental health condition has grown six fold in England over two decades and has increased significantly across the whole of Britain in recent years, new research reveals. In 1995, just 0.8 percent of 4-24 year olds in England reported a long-standing mental health condition. By 2014 this had increased to 4.8 percent. Looking across England, Scotland and Wales using data between 2008 and 2014, reports of a mental health condition in England and Scotland, and reports of treatment for one in Wales, grew by 60 percent, 75 percent and 41 percent respectively. (more)