Feature Channels: Family and Parenting

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Released: 25-Apr-2016 10:05 AM EDT
National Clinical Database to Help Reduce Number of Miscarriages
University of Warwick

A new national database could help relieve the misery of miscarriage for thousands of women. Researchers from the University of Warwick’s Institute of Digital Healthcare (IDH) are using data to help discover why some pregnancies fail.

Released: 20-Apr-2016 11:05 AM EDT
Childhood Obesity, Malnutrition Connected to Mom's Perception of Child's Weight
University of Houston

A new study from the University of Houston Department of Health and Human Performance finds a child's risk for obesity or malnutrition may be tied to the mother's misperception of her child's weight status. A key to understanding this phenomenon may lie in how she regards her own weight status. Researchers say the situation shows that healthcare providers need to broaden their health care screenings.

Released: 19-Apr-2016 3:05 PM EDT
Causes of Childhood Obesity Complex, but Families, Media Play Key Roles
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Children's genetic risks for obesity may be reduced by interventions that strengthen family communication and help children manage their emotions and feelings of satiety, according to a new review of research on the problem.

Released: 19-Apr-2016 11:05 AM EDT
‘Good Cop’ Parent Not Enough to Buffer Some Harmful Effects of ‘Bad Cop’ Parent
Iowa State University

New Iowa State University research shows harsh parenting may increase a child’s risk for poor physical health and obesity as they get older. And attempts by one parent to counterbalance the harsh behavior are not always effective in lessening that risk.

Released: 19-Apr-2016 8:05 AM EDT
States With Punitive Justice Systems Have Higher Rates of Foster Care, Study Finds
American Sociological Association (ASA)

The number of children in foster care across the country is driven not solely by child abuse and neglect, but by states’ varying politics and approaches to social problems, a new University of Washington (UW) study finds.

13-Apr-2016 10:00 AM EDT
Most U.S. Adults Say Today's Children Have Worse Health Than in Past Generations
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

More than half of adults believe children today are more stressed, experience less quality family time and have worse mental and emotional health.

Released: 12-Apr-2016 12:05 AM EDT
Concussion Can Alter Parent-Child Relationships
Universite de Montreal

A study published in the Journal of Neuropsychology, reveals the adverse effects of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) on the quality parent-child relationships. The young brain is particularly vulnerable to injury and one of the first visible signs of social difficulties in young children is a decline in their relationship with their parents.

Released: 11-Apr-2016 2:05 PM EDT
Fathers Plays a Critical Role in Family Values for Mexican-Origin Youth
University of Missouri

Past research has indicated that Latino families, particularly Mexican-origin families, tend to be more family oriented and place a significant emphasis on family time. New research from the University of Missouri found that a father's family values can predict family values held by Mexican-origin youth as well as family time for late adolescents. Research also indicated that the link between family time and young adults' depressive symptoms depended on parental acceptance and warmth.

Released: 11-Apr-2016 1:05 PM EDT
Mothers Say Middle-Class Status Little Protection Against Gendered Racism for Black Boys
Syracuse University

Study reveals how African American mothers parent young sons -- via 'bias-preparation' strategies -- to navigate 'Thug' image and vulnerabilities of African American masculinity.

Released: 8-Apr-2016 9:00 AM EDT
Revealing News to Young Adult Children
National Communication Association

In their new study, Erin Donovan of the University of Texas at Austin and her co-authors Charee M. Thompson of Ohio University, Leah LeFebvre of the University of Wyoming, and Andrew C. Tollison of Merrimack College identified three tips that could help parents communicate big news to their adult kids, while making sure that their relationship grows stronger: providing access to information, relating as peers, and communicating with candor.

Released: 6-Apr-2016 11:05 AM EDT
For Parents of Autistic Children, More Social Support Means Better Health
Concordia University

About one in 68 children in the United States has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Their parents consistently report greater stress levels, caregiving burden and depression than parents of typically developing children. Chronic caregiving stress has also been associated with poorer physical health — more pain, more disruptions from physical-health problems and lower overall health-related quality of life. One powerful way to reduce their stress: social support.

   
Released: 30-Mar-2016 1:05 PM EDT
Longer Maternity Leave Linked to Better Infant Health
McGill University

For each additional month of paid maternity leave offered in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), infant mortality is reduced by 13%, according to a new study by researchers from McGill University and UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.

Released: 28-Mar-2016 1:05 PM EDT
Conspicuous Consumption May Drive Fertility Down
Emory Health Sciences

A new mathematical model shows how fertility goes down as the cost of achieving social status goes up.

Released: 25-Mar-2016 12:05 PM EDT
Preventing Sperm’s ‘Power Kick’ Could Be Key to Unisex Contraceptive
University of California, Berkeley

UC Berkeley biologists have discovered the switch that triggers the power kick sperm use to penetrate and fertilize a human egg, uncovering a possible source of male infertility but also a potential target for contraceptives that work in both men and women.

24-Mar-2016 8:05 AM EDT
Parents Think Life Quality Is Worse for Teens and Adults Born Very Premature
University of Warwick

Parents of very premature babies are more worried about their grown up children’s lives than mothers and fathers whose babies were born full term.

Released: 23-Mar-2016 3:05 PM EDT
DHA Supplement Being Studied to Reduce Preterm Births
University of Cincinnati (UC) Academic Health Center

A new, multicenter National Institutes of Health study to determine whether an over the counter fatty acid supplement, called DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid), can assist with reducing early preterm births.

Released: 23-Mar-2016 10:05 AM EDT
Oxytocin Level in Pregnancy Predicts Postpartum Depression Severity
Northwestern University

Higher oxytocin levels in the third trimester of pregnancy predicts the severity of postpartum depression symptoms in women who previously suffered from depression, reports a new study. The finding indicates the potential for finding biomarkers to predict depressive symptoms postpartum and begin preventive treatment. Depression biomarkers should be screened in pregnancy, just like gestational diabetes, scientists said.

Released: 23-Mar-2016 10:00 AM EDT
UAMS Researcher Advances Family Involvement With Critically Ill Child
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Family presence when a child is undergoing tracheal intubation in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) can safely be implemented as part of a family-centered care model, reported a research team led by a University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) professor in the March 7 issue of JAMA Pediatrics.

Released: 22-Mar-2016 1:05 PM EDT
Dr. Mom and Dr. Dad: Juggling Roles During Residency Training
University of Missouri Health

More and more physicians are becoming parents during their medical residency training. While most residency programs offer support for resident physicians during pregnancy, no formal ways to support parenting residents exist beyond the immediate birth of their children. Following a recent study of conflicts with work and family life, a University of Missouri School of Medicine researcher suggests that supportive residency training programs are needed to assist physicians who are managing demanding work and personal lives.

Released: 22-Mar-2016 10:05 AM EDT
NIH Grant Enables Researchers to Help Improve Outcomes for High-Risk Babies
Corewell Health

Fetal imaging researchers at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, receive $1.7 National Institutes of Health grant that may lead to treatment for growth restricted babies.

Released: 22-Mar-2016 8:30 AM EDT
Depression Study Examines Levels of ‘Love’ Hormone and Its Impacts on Mother-Baby Emotional Bonding
Florida Atlantic University

Widely referred to as the “love” hormone, oxytocin is an indispensable part of childbirth and emotional mother-child bonding. Psychologists are looking at how breast feeding, oxytocin and face-to-face interactions between a mother and her baby are impacted by depression and the mother’s oxytocin levels.

   
Released: 21-Mar-2016 5:05 PM EDT
To Garage Sale, or Not to Garage Sale? That Is the Question (in Spring)
Baylor University

How many events offer you the chance to buy neat stuff at a low price, unload clutter, join forces with neighbors, spend family time together, make money, go green while you spend some green, practice your haggling skills — and be trendy by “upcycling?” Enter that harbinger of spring -- the garage sale.

18-Mar-2016 10:05 AM EDT
Parents Wary of Online Doctor Ratings
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

When it comes to choosing a doctor, the majority of parents aren’t convinced online ratings are reliable – or even real, a new national poll shows.

Released: 16-Mar-2016 2:05 PM EDT
Maternal Instincts
University of California, Santa Barbara

Experimental evolution of a hermaphroditic nematode proves deterministic maternal effects can give offspring a head start in life.

Released: 15-Mar-2016 8:00 AM EDT
Living Lab: Involving Kids, Parents in Real-Time Child Development Research
University of Michigan

During a recent visit to the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, Liz Hill and her daughter found themselves unexpectedly participating in a University of Michigan child development research study

Released: 14-Mar-2016 12:05 PM EDT
Parent-Infant Learning Programs Need to Be Tailored for at-Risk Families
Georgia State University

To more effectively and efficiently meet the needs of at-risk families, a Georgia State University study suggests the introduction of a technological enhancement to improve acquisition of skills developed during parent-infant sessions.

Released: 14-Mar-2016 9:55 AM EDT
Equipping Parents with Learning Activities Helps Close Cognitive Development Gap Between Disadvantaged and High-Resourced Children
RTI International

Home-based interventions that teach parents to engage children in playful interactive learning activities can close the cognitive development gap between disadvantaged children and high-resource peers, according to a new study led by RTI International.

Released: 11-Mar-2016 10:05 AM EST
If You Treat a Parent’s Depression, Will Their Child’s Asthma Improve?
University at Buffalo

Researchers at the University at Buffalo and the University of Texas, Dallas are beginning a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study to determine whether treating a depressed caregiver will improve the child’s asthma.

Released: 11-Mar-2016 9:05 AM EST
Penn Experts Warn That Touting “Naturalness” of Breastfeeding Could Backfire
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Breastfeeding campaigns that extol breastfeeding as the “natural” way to feed infants could result in harmful decision-making by some parents on other important health matters, according to experts from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Writing in a Perspectives column in the April issue of Pediatrics, Jessica Martucci, PhD, and Anne Barnhill, PhD, Medical Ethics and Health Policy researchers at Penn Medicine, warn that “[t]his messaging plays into a powerful perspective that ‘natural’ approaches to health are better.” Promoting breastfeeding in this way may therefore indirectly undercut important health practices not viewed as natural, the authors say, highlighting childhood vaccination in particular.

Released: 9-Mar-2016 1:05 PM EST
Child Care Providers Need More Education & Training on Benefits of Breastfeeding & Human Milk
University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing

A Penn Nursing research team investigated individual child care centers’ attitudes and policies related to breastfeeding in two distinct areas in Philadelphia. Their research concluded that there is much room for improvement in educating and training child care providers and staff on the benefits of breastfeeding and human milk.

Released: 9-Mar-2016 1:05 PM EST
Work Climate Contributes Significantly to Working Moms' Decision to Breastfeed
University of Houston

New study finds supervisor, co-worker attitudes, comments matter more than employer accommodations.

Released: 9-Mar-2016 10:05 AM EST
One-Size-Fits-All Social Support Services Don’t Suit Needs of Younger Grandmothers Raising Grandchildren, Study Suggests
Georgia State University

Younger African-American grandmothers who are the primary caregivers for their grandchildren may have different needs than older grandmothers, possibly requiring different types of support to reduce depression and improve the quality of their mental health, according to researchers at Georgia State University and Emory University.

Released: 8-Mar-2016 9:05 AM EST
Family Technology Rules: What Kids Expect of Parents
University of Washington

A new study on family technology rules is among the first to explore children's expectations for parents' technology use -- revealing kids' feelings about fairness and "oversharing" and the most effective types of household technology rules.

Released: 8-Mar-2016 9:05 AM EST
For Both Men and Women, Pregnancy and Alcohol Are Toxic Mix
Texas A&M University

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) set off a firestorm of controversy this month when they suggested that women stop drinking alcohol if they are trying to get pregnant, or could get pregnant.

Released: 2-Mar-2016 3:05 PM EST
How Parents, Romantic Partners Influence Student Spending
University of Arizona

Romantic partners may be even more important than Mom and Dad in shaping college students' financial habits, according to a new study co-authored by University of Arizona researchers.

29-Feb-2016 11:45 PM EST
A step toward a birth control pill for men
American Chemical Society (ACS)

Women can choose from many birth control methods, including numerous oral contraceptives, but there’s never been an analogous pill for men. That’s not for lack of trying: For many years, scientists have attempted to formulate a male pill. Finally, a group of researchers has taken a step toward that goal by tweaking some experimental compounds that show promise. The researchers present their work at the 251st National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society.

25-Feb-2016 12:30 PM EST
Are Parents of ‘Difficult’ Children More Likely to Use iPads to Calm Kids Down?
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

Some parents may be more tempted than others to hand an iPad or Smartphone to a tantrum-throwing child.

Released: 23-Feb-2016 9:05 AM EST
Alcohol Exposure During Pregnancy Affects Multiple Generations
Binghamton University, State University of New York

When a mother drinks alcohol during pregnancy, even a small dose, she can increase the chances that the next three generations may develop alcoholism, according to a new study from Binghamton University. A research team led by Nicole Cameron, assistant professor of psychology at Binghamton University, was the first to investigate the effects of alcohol consumption during pregnancy on alcohol-related behavior (consumption and sensitivity to the effect of alcohol) on generations that were not directly exposed to alcohol in the uterus during the pregnancy.

   
Released: 22-Feb-2016 11:15 AM EST
One Drug Used to Prevent HIV Transmission During Pregnancy Shows Evidence of Developmental Effects
Wolters Kluwer Health: Lippincott

The antiretroviral (ARV) drug atazanavir—sometimes included in treatments to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission during pregnancy—may have small but significant effects on infant development, reports a study in the journal AIDS, official journal of the International AIDS Society. AIDS is published by Wolters Kluwer.

19-Feb-2016 9:05 AM EST
Parents Rate Flu Vaccine Less Important, Effective, Safe Than Other Childhood Vaccines
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

Parents who do not get their children flu shots rate flu vaccine less favorably than other childhood vaccines, a national poll finds.

Released: 18-Feb-2016 12:05 PM EST
UA Professor Explores the Definition of Family
University of Arizona

That which we call family can be as fluid as we allow it to be. David Sterling Brown says examples abound, from Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" to "The Real Housewives of Orange County."

Released: 18-Feb-2016 9:05 AM EST
SLUCare’s Restorative Fertility Clinic: An Effective Alternative to IVF
Saint Louis University Medical Center

When conceiving a child becomes a struggle, couples face hard decisions about how to make their dreams of a family become reality. While some turn to expensive and invasive procedures, there are other alternatives.

Released: 16-Feb-2016 10:05 AM EST
Predicting if Young Men Will Live with Their Kids
Northwestern University

In one of the first reproductive studies to focus on young men and fatherhood, researchers at Northwestern Medicine found that an adolescent male’s attitude toward risky sex, pregnancy and birth control can predict whether or not he will end up living with his future offspring.

Released: 12-Feb-2016 10:05 AM EST
Nomination Period Now Open for 120 Under 40
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Nominations are now being accepted for 120 Under 40, a new project that highlights the achievements of the next generation of family planning leaders worldwide. The nomination period opened January 1, 2016, and runs through April 2016.

Released: 11-Feb-2016 3:05 PM EST
Mommy and Me
University of Utah

The first study of its kind, “The contributions of maternal sensitivity and maternal depressive symptoms to epigenetic processes and neuroendocrine functioning,” led by University of Utah assistant professor Elisabeth Conradt in the Department of Psychology, found that certain parenting strategies can combat the negative impacts of maternal depression on an infant.

Released: 10-Feb-2016 5:05 AM EST
Pregnancy & PTSD: Surprising Findings Could Help Moms-to-Be at Risk
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

For most women, expecting a baby brings intense joy --and a fair amount of worry. But what about women with post-traumatic stress disorder? Contrary to what researchers expected, a new study shows that pregnancy may actually reduce their PTSD symptoms. Or at the least, it won’t cause a flare-up.

7-Feb-2016 12:00 PM EST
Persistent ADHD Associated with Overly Critical Parents
American Psychological Association (APA)

For many children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, symptoms appear to decrease as they age, but for some they do not and one reason may be persistent parental criticism, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

Released: 4-Feb-2016 9:05 AM EST
UT Study Measures Impact of Removing Planned Parenthood From Texas Women’s Health Program
University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin)

The public defunding of Planned Parenthood in Texas may have led to a decrease in highly effective forms of contraceptive services and an increase in Medicaid-paid childbirths among women who previously used injectable contraception, according to a peer-reviewed study by University of Texas at Austin researchers.

   


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