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Posted: 17 October 2011 WASHINGTON : Babies who are born early and small are five times as likely as normal infants to develop autism , according to a two-decade-long US study released Monday. Premature babies have long been known to risk a host of health problems and cognitive delays, but the study in the journal Pediatrics is the first to establish a link between low birth weight and autism. US researchers tracked 862 children from birth to young adulthood. Those in the study were born between 1984 and 1987 in three counties in New Jersey . The children weighed between 500 and 2,000 grams (1.1 to 4.4 pounds) at birth. Over time, five percent of the low-birth weight babies were diagnosed with autism, compared to the one percent prevalence in the general population. "As survival of the smallest and most immature babies improves, impaired survivors represent an increasing public health challenge," said lead author Jennifer Pinto-Martin, director of the Center f...

Image by MoonSoleil via Flickr NEW YORK   |   Thu Mar 3, 2011 ( Reuters Health ) - Parents who have a hard time getting their babies and toddlers to sleep at night may also often have trouble at mealtime, new study findings suggest. So-called behavioral insomnia , where a young child regularly resists bedtime or has trouble staying asleep, is common -- seen in up to 30 percent of children between the ages of 6 months and 3 years. A similar percentage have problems at mealtime, ranging from being an overly "fussy" eater to having a full-fledged " feeding disorder" - in which, for instance, parents can't get their child to follow any regular eating schedule, or the food refusal affects a child's weight. It might not be surprising to many parents that sleeping and eating issues often go hand-in-hand. But the new study, published in the journal Pediatrics , is the first to show this may be true. Among parents of 681 healthy kids 6 months to 3 years old, I...

Are we talking about anger management here? ----- SINGAPORE - Eight people, all who have trouble controlling their temper, are attending an anger management class. A counsellor is conducting the session. In a typical setting, this would not seem out of place. At the Institute of Mental Health 's (IMH) Child Guidance Clinic (CGC), however, such sessions are attended by children aged seven to 12 years old. In spite of their young age, all of them have anger issues that are serious enough to warrant special attention. There are no exact figures on children and teenagers in Singapore with anger issues. Dr Ong Say How, Consultant and Deputy Chief at IMH's Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry , explained that this is because "anger" is not considered a clinical diagnosis. At the CGC, children and teens with such problems are usually referred to anger management groups, which run for about eight sessions. Each year, about 16 youth attend these sessions...

From Focus on the Family For decades, behavioural scientists have been arguing over whether environment or genetics plays the bigger role in shaping the human personality. In the early 20th century , child developmentalists were convinced that babies were born devoid of personality and that experience set the course for human behaviour . One of the most influential proponents of that view was Dr JB Watson. He told mothers that they could produce any kind of child they wanted, simply by manipulating his or her environment. Dr Watson said: “Never hug or kiss your children and never let them sit on your lap. If you must, kiss them once on the forehead when you say ‘goodnight’, shake hands with them in the morning, and remember that when you’re tempted to pet your child, that a mother’s love is a dangerous instrument.” Millions of parents accepted those notions. But we now know hereditary factors play a greater role. In fact, recent studies indicate that 70 per cent of the perso...

From Focus on the Family If you appreciate all your husband does for the family , then make sure you tell him. Men may come across as tough as nails, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need to hear how much we mean to our wives and children . It’s nice to know that our families value the things we do. Tell your husband how much you appreciate the way he provides for the family. And be specific. Let him know that you notice the sacrifices he makes by putting his family first, instead of his own interests. Thank him for being such a good leader in the home and an example for your kids. Above all, support him in all he does. You may not always agree with the decisions he makes, but he needs to know that you trust his judgment. From TODAY, Voices - Thursday, 09-Sep-2010 ----- Related articles by Zemanta RICHARD HIMMER | Two Parenting Tools That Say "I Love You" More Effectively Than Words (kitsapsun.com) Five Basic Needs of Children (brighthub.com)

From Focus on the Family All children whine when they get tired or bored. Adults do it, too. But some children whine so much that it becomes like fingernails on a chalkboard. Children who whine constantly are not always doing it to annoy you. They are usually just looking for a way to get attention, or to get what they want. Crying and whining worked when they were little, so they still do it. Parents are often so annoyed by it that they give in — which only adds to the problem later. When children whine, say to them firmly: “You know that’s not how we ask for things. If you want something, speak in your nice voice. Then I can understand you.” When they do, praise them for speaking clearly. Above all, keep your own whining in check, since children learn by example. With a little time, every home can be a whine-free zone. From TODAY, Voices - Wednesday, 08-Sep-2010 ----- Related articles by Zemanta How to Help With Homework: Ending the Daily Homework Hassle (brighthub.com)...

From Focus on the Family Some children are just born clingy. No matter where mom is, they have to be right there by her side, usually hanging on for dear life. Over time it can get pretty frustrating – especially if they show no signs of letting up. Children who cling tend to be more shy and insecure. When they get into a new situation or feel cranky, clinging is their way of communicating that they’re uncomfortable. The worst thing you can do is to get frustrated and pry them away. Instead, take a few minutes to hug and reassure them and then talk to them about what they’re feeling. Tell them they can stay close but they can’t cling. You might promise a special time together later if they’ll let you get your work done. Above all, don’t worry. “Clinginess” is a phase that almost always passes in time. From TODAY, Voices - Friday, 03-Sep-2010 ----- Related articles by Zemanta Living with children: The clingy phase (seattletimes.nwsource.com) Some parents analyze too...

From Focus on the Family Having trouble remembering what your teenager looks like? Maybe it’s time to rein in their busy schedules and preserve a little family time. With all the activities available to children these days it’s easy for families to lose touch. Children are so busy with sports , art lessons, ballet and dozens of other extracurricular activities that many families can’t remember the last time they sat down for a meal together. But family times are important to a child’s development and as parents, it’s our job to see that they get scheduled. Why not pick one night of the week as a regular family night? Maybe you could go out to dinner — somewhere away from phones and other distractions — and use the time to relax and reconnect. Try going on a hike or a picnic together. Or maybe you could just set up chairs in the park. Whatever it takes to keep the family unit together and well connected. But if you don’t put it on the schedule, it may never happen. Put a fa...

From Focus on the Family Have your children learned to take responsibility for their actions? Better yet, have you learned it? It is amazing how often we blame others for the things that happen to us. And it is not just a problem with children — I know a lot of adults who can’t seem to accept guilt when things go wrong. But part of growing is learning these five key principles of responsibility. We’ll call them the five “As” of accepting blame. First, admit when you do something wrong. Everyone makes bad choices and the first step in overcoming them is being honest about it. Second, apologise for how your transgression affected others. Make it right if you can. Third, accept the consequences of your actions. And don’t expect others to pay for your mistake. Fourth, ask for forgiveness. Just because you’ve apologised, don’t assume that others have forgotten how you hurt them. Fifth, alter your choices in the future. Decide now how you plan to do things differently the next time...

From Focus on the Family If you want to raise drug and alcohol -free children , make sure they have the right attitudes. If they’ve seen their parents abuse substances like tobacco , alcohol or other drugs , they will likely see it as pretty harmless. They will think to themselves: “If mum or dad drink, or use sleeping pills to get to sleep every night, then how dangerous could it be?“ Their attitude towards drugs, alcohol and tobacco will usually reflect what you have modelled for them at home. How their friends feel about drugs will make a big impact as well. If they hang out with children who see nothing wrong with it, they’re much more likely to give in and try it. When it comes to keeping children off drugs, alcohol and tobacco, a healthy attitude is your greatest ally. From TODAY, Voices - Wednesday, 25-Aug-2010 ----- Related articles by Zemanta Hoke County school official arrested on drug, alcohol charges (charlotte.news14.com) Is It Risky to Drink Alcohol on A...

By Dr Bill Maier It’s the little things that make children feel special. Things that take almost no time and effort but add up to great memories for their future. Give thanks for every member of the family, for each child by name. Say something like, “Thank you Jinghui, for the way you light up a room when you walk in. We’re so blessed to have such a bright and joyful child.” Speak blessings into your children’s lives through your words and see how it affects their self-worth. The next time you take a trip in the car or walk to the MRT station, ask each child to share their favourite things about their brothers or sisters. Take turns talking about what makes each child unique and special. You’ll be doing more than building your children’s self-image; you’ll be teaching your children how to love and appreciate each other. It isn’t difficult to make children feel special. It just takes a little extra creativity. From TODAY, Voices - Tuesday, 27-July-2010 ----- Related ...

By Dr Bill Maier Looking for some creative ways to make your kids feel special? Here are some ideas to consider. Every year on your child’s birthday, write a letter telling them how much they mean to you. Mention specific ways that they bring joy and laughter into the world. Write about their gifts and talents, and how you believe that they have a bright future. Then keep all the letters in an album and present it to them on their 13th birthday. How about keeping a journal for each child? Write down those funny or bright things they say each day. Make sure you include long passages explaining how much you love them. Then pass the journal on to them when they leave for university or move out of the house. These are just two great ways to bless your children . And you’ll be giving them memories that they’ll treasure forever. From TODAY, Voices - Monday, 26-July-2010 ----- Related articles by Zemanta Children Who Need Help - Two - (socyberty.com) Praise You In This Sto...

By Dr James Dobson One of our volunteers at Focus on the Family US tells us about what he saw at a dog show. As part of the competition, about a dozen dogs were commanded to “Stay!” for eight minutes while their owners left the ring. About four minutes into the exercise, our volunteer noticed the dog on the end, a magnificent German Shepherd named Jake. By the time his trainer returned, Jake was lying flat on its stomach with its head on its paws. Everyone expected the trainer to scold the dog but, instead, he bent down, cupped its head in his hands and said with a smile: “That’s okay, Jake. We’ll do better next time.” There’s a lesson here for parents, too. Children are going to disappoint us. It’s an inevitable part of child-rearing . And when they do, our natural reaction is to bark at them and scold them. If we are wise, however, we’ll remember that they’re only children, just like we used to be, and simply say with warmth: “That’s okay. You’ll do better next time.” ...

Image via Wikipedia By Dr James Dobson When our children were young, my wife and I were just intent on seeing that they got a good education . But we only had two real options to choose from in those days — public schools or private schools . Today, there’s a third alternative, and it’s more than a little intriguing to me. The fastest-growing educational movement in the world today is the “Home Schools” phenomenon. More than 1.5 million American parents and multiple millions more in other countries have opted to teach their children at home. Most do it for just two or three years, but for some, as long as 12. The movement is now old enough to allow for comparisons, but the results, in most cases, have been remarkable. Universities are now enrolling their first big wave of home-schooled children, some of whom are the brightest and most well-adjusted students on campus . And standardised tests are verifying the efficiency of home-style learning. Some critics have worried a...

Image via Wikipedia By Dr Bill Maier Having another blue day today? Don’t worry, you’ll feel better. But don’t be surprised if your child misbehaves tomorrow. A new study has found that the day after mum acts sad or angry in front of her children , they are more likely to be defiant and inattentive. Children pick up on our mood and it affects how they feel. When they act out, often they are just reacting to what they have seen from us. Everyone gets sad from time to time but moping around does not make things any better. Try getting yourself out of the house for a while. A walk around the block is a great way to relieve stress or anxiety . Or take the children to the park and let them play while you relax in the shade with a good book. You might even surprise them by chasing them around the playground. It is difficult to stay sad when you are playing and having fun. From TODAY, Voices - Friday, 16-July-2010 ----- Related articles by Zemanta When Anxiety Hits, Do...