Child & Teen Health Archive

The number of pregnant women who use marijuana has risen in recent years, but the effects of THC on a child’s developing brain make it much safer for women to avoid marijuana use entirely during pregnancy and while nursing.

Researchers found that teenagers who engaged in high-frequency use of various digital media activities were more likely to have symptoms of ADHD. While this is not conclusive, it raises questions about whether too much smartphone use can affect teens’ development and behavior.

It might be surprising to learn that parents can help fight childhood obesity by taking good care of themselves. A new study found that when mothers follow five healthy lifestyle habits, their kids are much less likely to become obese.

Teens are getting less sleep than ever. This leaves them prone to conditions like high blood pressure and insulin resistance which increased the risk for heart disease and diabetes later on.

Separating children and parents at the border can permanently affect a child’s brain development and even risk his or her future health thanks to the “toxic” stress caused by the experience and the loss of parental nurturing and support.

Marijuana smoking around children under 18 has increased and is likely to continue going up. As legal marijuana use becomes more common, parents need to be aware of the risks to children from secondhand marijuana smoke.

Ongoing research on the effects of repeated head injury on the brains of football players raises the question of whether preteen football players should be prohibited from tackling.

Parents can use Screen-Free Week as an opportunity to evaluate their children’s relationship to their electronic devices as well as their own, and try to be more thoughtful about using them.