Thursday, January 30, 2014

Fish oils linked to brain health

Fish oils linked to brain health: New research suggests that fish oil helps with brain development, not just at childhood but through adult life. The latest study charts improvements in the brain function of post-menopausal women.

Good Parenting Heals Your Child's Brain | hitched

Good Parenting Heals Your Child's Brain | hitched: Scientists have known for a long time that low-income children have smaller brains than their more economically secure peers. They’ve suspected that limited access to health care is at least partially responsible. But according to new research, the culprit may actually be excess stress that interferes with immune system function, damages cells and DNA, and causes inflammation (which, generally speaking, is never a good thing).

Cannabis during pregnancy endangers fetal brain development | Science Codex

Cannabis during pregnancy endangers fetal brain development | Science Codex: An increasing number of children suffer from the consequences of maternal drug exposure during pregnancy, and Cannabis is one of the most frequently used substances. This motivated the study, published in the EMBO Journal, cunducted in mice and human brain tissue, to decipher the molecular basis of how the major psychoactive component from Cannabis called delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC affects brain development of the unborn foetus.

Maternal obesity can cause problems later in baby's life | members.jacksonville.com

Maternal obesity can cause problems later in baby's life | members.jacksonville.com: Every pregnant mom and expectant dad wants a healthy baby that grows into a strong, healthy adult. By far, most moms give up smoking and drinking for just this reason. A daily prenatal vitamin, frequent prenatal visits to the doctor, regular exercise and diet count as well.

But new research shows there may be another critical factor that counts, too — maternal obesity. Here’s the story.

Sibling relationships may influence younger child's development, study says | Fox News

Sibling relationships may influence younger child's development, study says | Fox News: In large families, young kids can't always get a lot of individual attention from parents - but healthy interactions with an older sibling might help compensate for that, a new study suggests.

How older children interact with their siblings is tied to the younger children's development, Canadian researchers found.

Lack of play hurting child development, especially in poor countries | News.com.au

Lack of play hurting child development, especially in poor countries | News.com.au: FIVE-year-old Hennock loves to run and has dreams of being a helicopter pilot. And despite living in one of the poorest countries on earth, he's got one advantage over many kids in similar situations.

He has time to run and play outside.

A lack of quality time and space for children to be able to play is severely impacting their development, according to international aid agency Plan Australia.

The situation is made worse in the developing world through war, poverty and natural disasters.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

It's not the fast food making our kids fat (hint: it's the rest of their diet) - latimes.com#axzz2r31uP359#axzz2r31uP359#axzz2r31uP359

It's not the fast food making our kids fat (hint: it's the rest of their diet) - latimes.com#axzz2r31uP359#axzz2r31uP359#axzz2r31uP359: Imagine for a moment that all of the nation's fast-food establishments--all the striped awnings and golden arches, the drive-thru windows, the beckoning dollar deals and wafting odor of French fries--were to vanish overnight. Would the number of our kids who carry an unhealthful amount of extra weight plummet?

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Even baby's 'fake' crying builds relationship with mom | Fox News

Even baby's 'fake' crying builds relationship with mom | Fox News: The children were nearly always unhappy just before they started crying, and after crying stopped. But in one instance, an 11-month-old infant showed positive emotions in the last few seconds before crying which occurred when the mother moved away during playtime and smiled again soon after the mother returned. [11 Facts Every Parent Should Know About Their Baby's Brain]

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Genetic brain development 'peaks before birth and in adolescence' - Medical News Today

Genetic brain development 'peaks before birth and in adolescence' - Medical News Today: Genetic expression behind the development of our brains is most active before birth, in the early months of pregnancy, and during our teenage years, scientists have found.

There is a quieter intervening "movement" in the three-part "symphony" of human brain development, but one that is more sensitive to environmental factors, say the researchers publishing in the journal Neuron.

Higher Vitamin D Levels During Pregnancy Linked To Stronger Babies : News : Headlines & Global News

Higher Vitamin D Levels During Pregnancy Linked To Stronger Babies : News : Headlines & Global News: new study found that babies can be born with stronger muscles if their mothers have higher levels of vitamin D while pregnant, according to University of Southampton researchers.


Though many studies have linked low levels of Vitamin D to reduced muscle strength, this is one of the few studies that looks into how a mother's level of vitamin D while pregnant affects the new-born child, according to a press release.

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Good night's sleep good for brain health - Medical News Today

Good night's sleep good for brain health - Medical News Today: A good night's sleep may be essential to brain health, say Swedish researchers who found depriving healthy young men of a night's sleep increased blood concentrations of brain molecules to levels seen in brain damage.