Children's Health

Given supportive, nurturing conditions, highly reactive "orchid" children can thrive when tackling challenges, pediatrician and author Thomas Boyce says, especially if they have the comfort of a regular routine.

Is Your Child An Orchid Or A Dandelion? Unlocking The Science Of Sensitive Kids

7:34pm March 04, 2019

by Dave Davies

Some kids seem resilient from the start — readily able, like dandelions, to cope with stress and adversity. But pediatrician Thomas Boyce says biologically reactive kids need more support to thrive.

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An MMR vaccination, immunizing against measles, mumps and rubella, is seen in the Health and Prevention Centre in Lyon, France.

Health & Safety

A Large Study Provides More Evidence That MMR Vaccines Don't Cause Autism

5:01pm March 04, 2019

by Rob Stein

A study of more than 600,000 Danish children finds no evidence of any link between autism and the vaccine that protects against mumps, measles and rubella.

It's well-known that junk food ads on TV can strongly influence what kids want to eat. A study finds social media influencers can have the same effect on kids --but not when it comes to healthy foods.

Social Media May Sway Kids To Eat More Cookies — And More Calories

1:00pm March 04, 2019

by Patti Neighmond

It's well-known that junk food ads on TV can strongly influence what kids want to eat. A study finds social media influencers can have the same effect on kids, but not when it comes to healthy foods.

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A combination vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella protects kids against all three illnesses with one shot.

States Move To Restrict Parents' Refusal To Vaccinate Their Kids

4:21pm March 01, 2019

by Patti Neighmond

Following several measles outbreaks this winter, there is a movement among some states to make it more difficult for people to claim nonmedical exemptions to vaccine laws.

A pesticide warning sign in an orange grove warns in English and Spanish that the pesticide chlorpyrifos, or Lorsban, has been applied to these orange trees.

Will An Appeals Court Make The EPA Ban A Pesticide Linked To Serious Health Risks?

5:26pm February 26, 2019

by Eilís O'Neill

Chlorpyrifos has been linked to developmental delays in kids and other health problems. The EPA is fighting a lower court's ruling that it must ban the pesticide, which farmers say they need.

A child takes in the sights under blooming Japanese cherry trees at the Bispebjerg Cemetery in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Greener Childhood Associated With Happier Adulthood

5:03pm February 25, 2019

by Jonathan Lambert

Research suggests the more of your childhood that is spent surrounded by green spaces, the lower your risk of developing mental illness in adulthood, whether in the city or the country.

A Democratic Case For Universal Child Care

5:15pm February 24, 2019

Sen. Elizabeth Warren recently announced her plan for affordable, universal childcare. Columnist Katha Pollit tells NPR's Michel Martin why universal childcare should top the Democratic agenda.

Some patients have started to seek out an oral treatment for food allergies that's not yet widely offered by clinicians.

Health & Safety

A New Treatment Can Relieve Food Allergies, But Few Doctors Offer It

6:11pm February 21, 2019

by Esther Landhuis

Many parents of kids with life-threatening food allergies live with fear, EpiPen in hand. Some are trying oral immunotherapy, a treatment that can help patients build tolerance to foods like peanuts.

Thirty-three-year-old mother Kim Nelson started a vaccine advocacy group in Greenville, S.C., to help reach vaccine-hesitant families. Here, she prepares vaccine information flyers for public school students.

Health & Safety

A Parent-To-Parent Campaign To Get Vaccine Rates Up

6:57pm February 20, 2019

by Alex Olgin

A mother in Greenville, S.C., was startled by how many parents were opting not to immunize their kids, so she started her own group to counter misinformation about childhood vaccinations.

Their research is still in early stages, but Kristin Myers (left), a mechanical engineer, and Dr. Joy Vink, an OB-GYN, both at Columbia University, have already learned that cervical tissue is a more complicated mix of material than doctors ever realized.

Scientific Duo Gets Back To Basics To Make Childbirth Safer

7:30am February 18, 2019

by Alison Kodjak

Remarkably little is known about the fundamentals of how a woman carries a baby inside her. Two Columbia University researchers aim to change that, to reduce the number of kids born too soon.

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