Child Development News

October 7, 2023

Top Headlines

Thalamus Regulates Adaptability of the Adult Brain

Oct. 6, 2023 — It is generally believed that the adaptability of the adult brain mainly takes place in the cortex. However, a new study shows that the thalamus, a relay station for incoming motor and sensory information, plays an unexpectedly important role in ...

Brain Is 'Rewired' During Pregnancy to Prepare for Motherhood

Oct. 5, 2023 — Researchers have shown that pregnancy hormones ‘rewire’ the brain to prepare mice for motherhood. The findings show that both estrogen and progesterone act on a small population of neurons in the brain to switch on parental behavior even before ...

Female Chess Players May Experience Gender Bias from Parents, Mentors

Oct. 5, 2023 — Young female chess players often face gender bias both in the male-dominated chess world and among parents and mentors who believe girls have less potential to succeed in chess than boys, according to research published by the American Psychological ...

Language Recognition Is as Much About Brains as It Is About Hearing

Oct. 3, 2023 — Researchers have learned the efficiency by which people recognize spoken words depends as much on the mind as on hearing ability. In a new study, the researchers examined how well adults across the life span process spoken ...

Latest Headlines

updated 9:03pm EDT

Strong Link Between ADHD and Car Crashes in Older Adult Drivers

Oct. 4, 2023 — In a study on the prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and its association with crash risk among older adult drivers, researchers found that older adult drivers with ADHD are ...

Should Fathers Be Screened for Postpartum Depression? Pilot Study

Oct. 4, 2023 — Pilot study shows 30% of dads screened had postpartum ...

Calls for Verbal Abuse of Children by Adults to Be Formally Recognized as Form of Child Maltreatment

Oct. 2, 2023 — A new systematic review has highlighted the importance of identifying childhood verbal abuse by adults as a standalone subtype of child maltreatment, ...

Origin of Cultural Learning: Babies Imitate Because They Are Imitated

Sep. 27, 2023 — A new study shows that babies learn to imitate others because they themselves are imitated by ...

New Insights Into How the Human Brain Organizes Language

Sep. 29, 2023 — A new study has provided the first clear picture of where language processes are located in the brain. The findings may be useful in clinical trials involving language recovery after brain ...

Grandparent Childcare May Not Help the Wellbeing of Mums or Reduce Mother-Child Conflict, Study Suggests

Sep. 28, 2023 — Grandparent childcare for toddlers doesn’t have an impact on the wellbeing of their mothers, a new study ...

Family Planning and the Fear of Missing out

Sep. 25, 2023 — Among regretful parents, fear of missing out is a key motivator for having ...

Young Children Do Better at School If Their Dads Read and Play With Them

Sep. 20, 2023 — Fathers can give their children an educational advantage at primary school by reading, drawing and playing with them, according to a newly published ...

Exposure to Plasticizers in Pregnancy Associated With Smaller Volumetric Measures in the Brain and Lower IQ in Children

Sep. 20, 2023 — A study with 775 mother-child pairs in Rotterdam (The Netherlands) finds an association with maternal exposure to certain plasticizers (phthalates) ...

Eureka Baby! Groundbreaking Study Uncovers Origin of 'Conscious Awareness'

Sep. 18, 2023 — Fundamental questions of agency -- acting with purpose -- have perplexed some of the greatest minds in history including Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. Now, human babies provide groundbreaking ...

Earlier Headlines

Summaries
Headlines

Fathers' Parental Leave Might Protect Men Against Alcohol-Related Morbidity

Oct. 6, 2023 — Men who have been on parental leave have a significantly reduced risk of being hospitalized due to alcohol consumption, according to a new study from ...

Software Can Detect Hidden and Complex Emotions in Parents

Oct. 4, 2023 — Researchers have conducted trials using a software capable of detecting intricate details of emotions that remain hidden to the human ...

Increased Risk of Depression and Anxiety When in Higher Education, Study Finds

Sep. 29, 2023 — Young people who are in higher education in England face a small increased risk of depression and anxiety, compared to their peers who are not attending higher education, finds a new ...

How Parents' Work Stress Affects Family Mealtimes and Children's Development

Sep. 29, 2023 — Family mealtimes are important for parents and children as a space to communicate, socialize, and build attachment relationships. But it can be difficult for busy parents to balance family and work ...

Early Treatment of Child Obesity Is Effective

Sep. 17, 2023 — The early treatment of obesity in children is effective in both the short and long term, researchers ...

Researchers Develop New Method for Mapping the Auditory Pathway

Sep. 12, 2023 — Researchers have developed a non-invasive method for mapping the human auditory pathway, which could potentially be used as a tool to help clinicians decide the best surgical strategy for patients ...

Benefits, Risks in State-Mandated School-Based BMI Assessments

Sep. 12, 2023 — A resource economist finds mandated in-school Body Mass Index assessments adopted in varying forms by 24 states to combat childhood obesity have the potential to improve the health of some students ...

Sleep-Wake Therapy Gives New Hope for Teens With Depression

Sep. 8, 2023 — School systems aren't built for kids who fall asleep and wake up late, the so-called 'night owls,' which may help explain why this group of teens is more prone to ...

Where Is the Love? Musical Recognition Crosses Cultures — With an Exception

Sep. 7, 2023 — Music can take on many forms in cultures across the globe, but researchers have found in a new study that some themes are universally recognizable by people everywhere with one notable exception -- ...

Intellectual Disability More Common in Families With Substance Use Disorder

Sep. 7, 2023 — Children of a parent with alcohol or drug use disorder have a greater risk of intellectual disability, even if the problem only lies with the father, researchers report. According to the study, ...

Toddlers Learn to Reason Logically Before They Learn to Speak, Study Finds

Sep. 5, 2023 — Nineteen-month-old toddlers already use natural logical thinking, even before they learn to speak, to deal with uncertainties about the world. This natural logic contributes to their learning ...

Adding Complex Component of Milk to Infant Formula Confers Long-Term Cognitive Benefits for Bottle-Fed Babies

Aug. 31, 2023 — New research has shown how a complex component of milk that can be added to infant formula has been shown to confer long-term cognitive benefits, including measures of intelligence and executive ...

Is Digital Media Use a Risk Factor for Psychosis in Young Adults?

Aug. 31, 2023 — A recent study of 425 Quebecers between the ages of 18 and 25 has found that young adults who have more frequent psychotic experiences also tend to spend more time using digital media. Interestingly, ...

How to Help Prevent Childhood Stunting

Aug. 30, 2023 — A new study shows that adding zinc to farmland soil can help prevent childhood stunting, a condition due to chronic undernutrition that is associated with poor brain development and long-lasting ...

First-Time Fathers Seem to Experience a Steeper Decline in Relationship Satisfaction in the First Two Years Post-Partum Than Second-Time Fathers

Aug. 30, 2023 — First-time fathers seem to experience a steeper decline in relationship satisfaction in the first two years post-partum than second-time fathers, who appear to recover lost relationship satisfaction ...

Boys' Snooze Patterns Remain Stable Before Their Teenage Years

Aug. 30, 2023 — The time it takes for boys to fall asleep remains the same between 10 and 12 years of age, according to new research. With these new findings, families and clinicians can expect that before the age ...

More Sleep Could Reduce Impulsive Behavior in Children

Aug. 29, 2023 — Sleep is a critical part of a child's overall health, but it can also be an important factor in the way they behave. According to a new study, getting enough sleep can help children combat the ...

Brain Signals Transformed Into Speech Through Implants and AI

Aug. 28, 2023 — Researchers have succeeded in transforming brain signals into audible speech. By decoding signals from the brain through a combination of implants and AI, they were able to predict the words people ...

The Pressure Is Real for Mums Managing Their Children's Digital Use

Aug. 24, 2023 — Parents are spending considerable amounts of energy thinking about and mitigating the risks associated with their kids using mobile phones and the ...

Knowledge of Building Blocks of Words Plays an Important Role When Deaf Children Learn to Read, Analysis Shows

Aug. 23, 2023 — An understanding of how words can be broken down into smaller units of meaning plays a key role when deaf and hard of hearing children learn to read, analysis ...

Friday, October 6, 2023