Children's Health

Diane McMenamin, 14, gets vaccinated against rubella at a high school in Willingboro, N.J., in 1976.

Before Zika Virus, Rubella Was A Pregnant Woman's Nightmare

5:23am January 30, 2016

by Wendy Wolfson

Our experience with the rubella virus, which can cause miscarriages or serious birth defects if a woman gets infected while pregnant, may help scientists figure out how to combat Zika virus.

Ads for junk food significantly increased food consumption in children, but not adults, researchers found in an analysis published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Health & Safety

Scientists Are Building A Case For How Food Ads Make Us Overeat

7:20pm January 29, 2016

by Eliza Barclay

Two new studies find that exposure to food advertising can lead adults and children to eat more and gain weight. The researchers say it's more evidence for why we need policies that restrict the ads.

This is a partial view of the tennis center at Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro. The International Olympic Committee is sending an advisory to participants in the 2016 Summer Games on how to deal with the mosquito-borne Zika virus.

Zika Virus Spurs Concerns Over Summer Olympic Games In Rio

4:18pm January 29, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

The International Olympic Committee is sending an advisory to participants on how to deal with the mosquito-borne virus. The games in Rio de Janeiro begin in 189 days.

China is one of the countries where childhood mortality is dropping. Above, students practice martial arts.

Why You Shouldn't Be Totally Depressed By A Report On Child Mortality

2:08pm January 28, 2016

by Emily Sohn

Statistics on health problems and death are sobering. But an author of the report finds reasons to be hopeful as well.

Teaching Parenting Skills At Doctor Visits Helps Children's Behavior

8:09pm January 27, 2016

by Vanessa Rancaño

Using video to teach good parenting habits when children are babies leads to better behavior in kids later on, a study finds. The program is aimed at helping children in low-income families.

The Aedes aegypti mosquito is one of two types thought to be capable of carrying and transmitting the Zika virus.

Big Zika Virus Outbreak Unlikely In The U.S., Officials Say

3:52pm January 27, 2016

by Rob Stein

The spread of Zika is probably limited by window screens and other mosquito-control measures in common use in the U.S. Also, the primary mosquito that carries Zika has a somewhat limited range.

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The Super Food Express bus travels to schools in Mobile County, Ala., to ensure children are fed healthy meals when school is out of session. The bus is part of the USDA's summer food program, which President Obama says needs additional funding.

President Obama Wants More Funds To Feed Low-Income Kids In Summer

10:52am January 27, 2016

by Pam Fessler

The president will propose in his 2017 budget that families who qualify for subsidized school meals receive benefits to buy an extra $45 in groceries per child each month when school is out.

Untreated depression can harm the health of mothers and their children.

Depression Screening Recommended For All Pregnant Women, New Mothers

4:36pm January 26, 2016

by Joanne Silberner

Depression is common in women during pregnancy and postpartum, posing risks to both mother and child. More effort is needed to get women screened and treated, a federal advisory panel says.

Zika is primarily spread through this mosquito species, Aedes aegypti.

Zika Virus Will Spread Through The Americas, Health Group Says

4:45pm January 25, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

WHO says the virus is moving fast because the mosquito carrying Zika is widespread in the hemisphere, and the population is not immune. Only Canada is likely to be spared.

Health & Safety

Lead Poisoning Dates Back To Roman Times

5:31pm January 22, 2016

Lead was found in Flint's water supply in 2014. Renee Montagne talks to Dr. Howard Markel, director of the Center for the History of Medicine at the University of Michigan about lead's long history.

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