Children's Health

Demonstrators attend a candlelight vigil Wednesday in Fairfax, Va., for the victims of the Uvalde and Buffalo mass shootings.

Research shows policies that may help prevent mass shootings — and some that don't

4:08pm May 26, 2022

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

The amount of resources devoted to studying gun violence is paltry compared to its public health impact. Still, the evidence shows certain policies might help prevent mass shootings.

Queue Listen Now

Nineteen children and two adults were killed during the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Parents are struggling to cope with the loss and with how to explain it to their children.

What to say to kids about school shootings to ease their stress

10:22am May 26, 2022

by Allison Aubrey

The death of children, shot at school, is hard to comprehend. It can be even harder for kids. Counselors say parents should take cues from their kids, listen to their fears and answer their questions.

Sharon Macharia read in a Kenyan newspaper that baby bottles would be banned. As a working mom, she depends on bottles to feed her youngest baby. She was happy to learn that the report was untrue — although the government is introducing a new law to cla

Health & Safety

There's a baby formula controversy in Kenya, too. But shortages are not the issue

9:16am May 26, 2022

by Thomas Bwire

Some media reports say the government is banning baby bottles. Not true. A new law clamps down on advertising for bottles and infant formula. But bottle users are still concerned.

How schools and the Biden administration are prioritizing student mental health

4:27pm May 24, 2022

Schools and the federal government are trying to provide the kinds of mental health support that many families either can't find, or can't afford.

Low-dose COVID vaccine is safe and effective for young kids and babies, Pfizer says

4:10pm May 23, 2022

by Rob Stein

Pfizer and BioNTech say three shots of their low-dose pediatric COVID vaccine appears to safely stimulate the immune systems of babies, toddlers and young children to protect them against omicron.

Pfizer will submit new data to the FDA this week about trials of its vaccine for kids younger than 5 years old. Here, a girl holds her sister's hand as a nurse prepares to administer the COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic in Los Angeles. Kids 5 and

If Pfizer's data pans out, when will little kids get the COVID-19 vaccine?

11:00am May 23, 2022

by Bill Chappell

Pfizer plans to submit new data to the Food and Drug Administration this week, bringing families with young children one step closer to a long-awaited vaccine.

Health & Safety

Pfizer says children under 5 can get 3 low-dose versions of its COVID-19 vaccine

9:41am May 23, 2022

by Rob Stein

Three shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines for kids 6 months to under 5 prompted a strong immune response. Preliminary data suggests the vaccine is effective and safe.

Empty baby formula shelves at a grocery store in Massachusetts on Friday.

Health & Safety

Abbott CEO apologizes for the formula shortage as the first overseas shipment arrives

12:42pm May 22, 2022

by Becky Sullivan

"We're sorry to every family we've let down," wrote CEO Robert Ford. The shuttered plant at the heart of the shortage will reopen in June, but it may take months before production is back to normal.

A nurse holds a vial of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11, right, and a vial of the vaccine for adults, which has a different colored label, at a vaccination station in Jackson, Miss. on Feb. 8, 2022.

CDC advisers urge Pfizer booster for children ages 5 to 11

5:50pm May 19, 2022

by The Associated Press

If the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agrees, as expected, it would open a third COVID-19 shot to healthy elementary-age kids.

Infant formula made by a subsidiary of Reckitt is stacked on a table during a baby formula drive to help with the shortage on Saturday in Houston. The FDA announced a preliminary agreement with Abbott, a competitor, to restart production at a Michigan fac

FDA head says baby formula factory could reopen in the next week or two

3:49pm May 19, 2022

by The Associated Press

But Abbott has said that, after production resumes, it could take about two months before new formula begins arriving in stores. The company's factory has been closed due to contamination problems.