Children as young as 3 can suffer bouts of chronic clinical depression, a new study has found. It’s normal for preschoolers to have an occasional temper tantrum or moody day, but they usually bounce back, quickly returning to their normal, happy demeanor. When young children don’t resume normal play and activities or appear sad during […]
Working Night Shift Increases Health Risk
With jobs in short supply and bills to pay, more people are working when they used to be sleeping. Some are working a series of part-time jobs that keep them up past their normal bedtimes or working the night shift and struggling to readjust their body clocks. It’s not easy. Shifting your sleep cycle causes metabolic confusion […]
Sense of Fatalism Encourages Risky Behavior in Teens
A surprising number of teens expect to die young. In a seven-year study of 20,000 teens in grades 7 through 12, 15% felt it was highly likely that they would die before they reached their 35th birthday. Published in the July issue of Pediatrics, the unexpected results have caused researchers at the University of Minnesota to […]
Widening Generation Gap Strains Family Relationships
Not since the 1960s have old and young Americans been so divided on basic social issues. Vietnam, civil rights and women’s liberation created a deep divide between today’s Baby Boomers and their WWII-era parents. Today the flashpoints are morality, religion and relationships. The widening philosophical divide between the generations has the potential to drive an […]
Couch Time Causes Insomnia in Children
Many school-age children experience trouble falling asleep. As many as 16% of parents report having problems getting their children to fall sleep at night. Researchers say the solution could be as simple as getting more physical exercise during the day. The amount of physical activity children receive during the day plays an important role in childhood […]