Childrens Health:Autistic features linked to prenatal exposure fire retardants ♦ Weight loss surgery can be a safe option for children ♦ Poverty, not the 'teenage brain,' accounts for high rates of teen crime

Autistic features linked to prenatal exposure to commonly found fire retardants, phthalates  Exposure during pregnancy to a combination of fire retardant chemicals and phthalate chemicals -- both present in the average home -- can contribute to autistic-like behaviors in the offspring, according to an animal study. Continue Reading

Family interventions reduce rates in children, adolescents  A global review into the effectiveness of family-based programs has found these programs can be highly effective in stopping children from taking up smoking. "Preventing children from starting to smoke is important to avoid a lifetime of addiction, poor health, and social and economic consequences." Continue Reading

Weight loss surgery can be a safe option for obese children, experts say  Weight loss surgery does not stunt the growth of obese children when applied within a clinical pathway. It is a safe option to use and provides hope for youngsters who are unable to shed pounds through weight management programs that include counseling and lifestyle changes, Continue Reading

Simple sideline test shown effective in diagnosing concussion in student athletes as young as 5 years old  An easy-to-administer vision test has shown effective in diagnosing concussion in student athletes as young as 5 years old..Continue reading

Poverty, not the 'teenage brain,' accounts for high rates of teen crime  While many blame the 'teenage brain' for high rates of teen crime, violence, and driving incidents, an important factor has been ignored: teenagers as a group suffer much higher average poverty rates than do older adults. A new study finds that teenagers are no more naturally crime-prone than any other group with high poverty rates. Continue Reading

Childrens Health:Exploring the teenage brain--Saliva test to diagnose autism--Teens increasingly sleep deprived--Drug exposure to autism-like effects

Exploring the teenage brain, and its drive for immediate reward  Teenage exploration and risk taking could be explained by dramatic brain changes that allow planning and encourage the need for immediate reward, according to a neuroscientist  Continue Reading

Researchers may develop saliva test to diagnose autism  A spit test may one day be able to diagnose autism according to new research. Scientists have published the first study showing that children with autism spectrum disorder have differences in protein levels in their saliva when compared to typically developing children. Continue Reading

Teens increasingly sleep deprived  A new study found that female students, racial/ethnic minorities, and students of lower socioeconomic status are less likely to report regularly getting seven or more hours of sleep each night compared with their male counterparts, non-Hispanic white teenagers, and students of higher socioeconomic status, respectively. The largest decrease in the percentage Continue Reading

Tadpole model links drug exposure to autism-like effects  In utero exposure to the epilepsy drug VPA appears to elevate the risk to babies of developing an autism spectrum disorder. A new study used a tadpole model to investigate VPA's effects on developing neural physiology and behavior. Researchers now hope to use the model to develop an intervention and to learn more about the underlying causes of neurodevelopmental disorders more broadly.  Continue Reading