child development

State and federal policies now limit the use of lead in gasoline, paint and plumbing, but children can still ingest the metal through contaminated soil. The effects of even fairly small amounts can be long-lasting, the evidence suggests.

Health & Safety

Childhood Exposure To Lead Can Blunt IQ For Decades, Study Suggests

12:36pm March 28, 2017

by Rae Ellen Bichell

Researchers following a group of New Zealanders over the course of 40 years found an association between childhood lead exposure and declines in intelligence and socioeconomic status later in life.

Giving dads a task — in this case, reading — seemed to suit them better than the kind of parenting classes favored by moms.

How To Get Dads To A Parenting Class? Ask Them To Read To Their Kid

2:54pm January 23, 2017

by Jessica Boddy

In a world of mom-focused parenting classes, this class got low-income Latino dads engaged by focusing on a tangible skill: reading to their preschoolers. It ended up helping dads and kids alike.

Young human brains need loads of stimulation to learn and grow, pediatricians have long known. But a mouse study shows overstimulation also rewires the brain in ways that can interfere with learning.

Heavy Screen Time Rewires Young Brains, For Better And Worse

8:12am November 19, 2016

by Jon Hamilton

Bombarding young mice with video and audio stimulation changes the way the brain develops. But some scientists think those sorts of brain changes could protect kids from stressing out in a busy world.

Parents say they're getting excellent child care. Researchers aren't convinced.

What Makes For Quality Child Care? It Depends Whom You Ask

12:12pm October 18, 2016

by Alison Kodjak

Parents look for a place where their child will be loved and happy, but often have to make decisions based on cost and location. Researchers are looking for a rich developmental experience.

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Learning to get along with others is critical for kids to succeed as adults. These youngsters are working hard at the skill on a playground in Manila.

Why Countries Need To Make Sure Their Kids Learn To Play Nice

6:13pm June 09, 2016

by Nurith Aizenman

A study offers a rare look at how well toddlers are doing in low- and middle-income countries.

News

The Children's Home Merges With The Crossnore School

5:16pm February 09, 2016

by Sean Bueter

A longtime Winston-Salem center that helps children in crisis is merging with a foster care organization in Western North Carolina.

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Health & Safety

North Carolina Youth Suicides Double Since 2010

3:57am October 20, 2015

by Associated Press and Michael Burke

Youth suicides in North Carolina have doubled since the start of the decade and increased by more than one-third between 2013 and 2014. Child safety advocates are worried that the increase wi

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Joy (left, voiced by Amy Poehler) and Sadness (voiced by Phyllis Smith) catch a ride on the Train of Thought in Pixar's Inside Out. The movie opens in theaters nationwide June 19.

Science Of Sadness And Joy: 'Inside Out' Gets Childhood Emotions Right

2:26pm June 15, 2015

by Jon Hamilton

Pixar's animated fantasy takes viewers inside the mind of an 11-year-old girl named Riley. Psychologists say the film offers an accurate picture of how emotions and memories help make us who we are.

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Science

Early Childhood Brain Development

12:28pm May 01, 2015

by Shawn Fitzmaurice

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Some doctors aren't up to date on how to assess autism symptoms in very young children.

Some Doctors Still Dismiss Parents' Concerns About Autism

8:54am April 16, 2015

by Poncie Rutsch

Most children don't get diagnosed with autism until they start school, a study finds, though the signs may be visible much earlier. Earlier diagnosis means more time to get therapy.