ADHD Drugs Linked to Long-term Brain Dysfunction

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been on a tremendous upswing in children over the past decade. The conventional method of caring for these kids has been the long-term use of stimulant drugs. For years, the pharmaceutical...

ADHD Increase Linked to Modern Diet

A study published in the January 2010 issue of Pediatrics now estimates that 8.6 percent of American children and adolescents have attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The survey also found that boys are more than twice as likely as girls to...

C-Sections and Premature Deliveries

A New England Journal of Medicine article from March 2009 highlights the importance of a natural course of birth. The study examined women who elected to have cesarean sections, a classification that means there was no reason for the surgery beyond...

C-Sections Linked to Asthma

A study from the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in Bilthoven, Holland, has found that children who were born with a cesarean section are 79 percent more likely to have asthma. The study examined almost 3,000 8-year-olds...

Can Birth Injuries Cause ADHD?

Among the causes of ADHD are brain injuries due to birth trauma or pre-birth problems. During birth, the brain structures believed to be linked to the development of ADHD are vulnerable to hypoxic damage. The damage is caused by inadequate amounts...

Childhood Mental Disorders Top Pediatric Expenses

A recent Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality report has named depression and mental disorders as the pediatric conditions most expensive to treat. In 2006 alone, 4.6 million children were treated for mental disorders, at a cost of $8.9...

Chiropractic for Dystocia in Labor

A recent chiropractic study was published that gives hope to mothers wishing to give birth at home. At 23 hours into labor, chiropractic care was initiated on a 26-year-old woman who had a lack of cervical dilation, diminished contractions and...

Conflict of Interest Jeopardizes Children’s Health

For years, psychiatrist Joseph Biederman has investigated, researched and promoted the use of amphetamines or amphetamine- like drugs for kids. Recently, however, a Congressional investigation and revelations in the media have brought to light that...

Improve Maternity Care

The International Mother Baby Childbirth Initiative has compiled 10 Steps to Optimal Mother/Baby Maternity Services. Here is their summary. Step 1. Treat every woman with...

Mother’s Health Before Conception Linked to Fetal Development

Parents-to-be have many things to consider about diet and health over the course of a pregnancy, but science has shown a strong link between early fetal development and maternal lifestyle during the very first days after conception. Essentially, a...

New Report on Evidence-Based Maternity Care

As low birth weight and pre-term births continue their decade-long increase in the United States, dedicated health professionals are pushing back against these spiraling trends. In an effort to identify where improvements can be made, studying...

New Study Finds Steep Autism Increase

Once again, the incidence of autism has risen. With data released about children born between 1994 and 1996, a 50 percent increase in the autism rate has been reported, with 1 in 91 children affected by the condition, including 1 in 58 boys. In...

Oxytocin Helps Treat Autism in Young Adults

Oxytocin, sometimes called “nature’s love potion,” is being used in a promising new way. The hormone, produced in high amounts during childbirth and sex, is a powerful stimulator of love, connection and relaxation. Oxytocin has long been known to...

Pediatric Journal Issues New ADHD Drug Warning

The National Institute of Mental Health has released a study highlighting risks to children taking stimulant drugs for treating ADHD. In the United States, 2.5 million kids currently take stimulant or stimulant-like drugs (e.g. Ritalin). The NIMH...

Phthalate Exposure Tied to ADHD

Research into ADHD has found a strong correlation between severe ADHD symptoms and chemical compounds known as phthalates. Phthalates are industrial chemicals known for shaping plastics in bottles and toys, and are also a key component in many...

Pregnant Women and Exercise

Exercise for pregnant women has been a controversial issue in the past, but no longer. Research once again agrees that pregnant moms should engage in low to moderate levels of exercise every day of the week. As recently as the 1990’s, some doctors...

Prenatal Ultrasounds

With autism appearing rapidly on a national and international level, many theories have been made about how such a devastating condition can emerge so quickly. Due to the widespread prevalence, many “normal” procedures for pregnancy are being exa...

Purposely Breaking Water Doesn’t Speed Delivery

A large review of 14 randomized controlled studies involving more than 5,000 women suggests that a common procedure in labor, intentionally breaking the water, has no effect in reducing the length of labor and no health benefit to the baby. It was...

Research to Remember

The most common risk factor for shoulder dystocia is the use of a vacuum extractor or forceps during delivery. Dystocia occurs to varying degrees in infants with a birth weight of 2500 grams (0.6% to 1.4% increased risk) and in infants weighing...

Safer Childbirth

Consumer Reports has supported the findings of a striking new review of maternity care. Several costly, unproven techniques are rising in the United States without a similar increase in positive outcomes. Some of the most troubling methods being...