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Tag: children

  • No ‘one size fits all’ solution to treating early-onset psychosis

    No ‘one size fits all’ solution to treating early-onset psychosis

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    Newswise — Gold standard treatment plans for people with early psychosis have a patchy success rate, suggesting the need to develop more tailored approaches.

    A new paper by researchers at the University of Birmingham shows that a ‘one size fits all’ approach may not be addressing the needs of all young people in the early stages of psychosis. Instead, in the paper, published in Translational Psychiatry, the researchers argue that machine learning techniques could be employed to deliver treatment plans that are specifically targeted at groups or even individuals.

    This approach could mean greater precision in designing treatment plans and also a better success rate in identifying patients who are on the wrong treatment pathway.

    Early Intervention in Psychosis Services were first established in the 1990s and became recognised as offering the best chance of recovery for young people with a first episode of psychosis. Available treatments currently include antipsychotic medication, intensive community-based care, and social and psychological interventions.

    Lead researcher, Dr Lowri Griffiths, who was invited by the Editor-In-Chief of Translational Psychiatry to contribute this review, said: “It is well known that early intervention leads to better outcomes, particularly among young people. However, despite receiving gold standard treatment, a significant number of people are not benefitting from these interventions.

    “We need to consider a range of factors from psychological, biological, and social circumstances to find the right treatments, for the right people, at the right time, to maximise a young person’s life chances. But in the first instance, this requires doing more to reach out to diverse and representative groups to ensure care is equitable for all”.

    A machine learning approach, the researchers argue, could serve as a ‘guide’ for clinical decision-making, identifying with increasing accuracy the key markers in patient data that would indicate the likely success or failure of any particular pathway.

    This approach would also help to ensure that more patients were able to access the treatments most likely to benefit them, regardless of environmental and social circumstances which might otherwise lead to inequality in healthcare.

    Co-lead author Dr Paris Lalousis said: “The technology needed to devise treatment plans for individual patients, or groups of patients, already exists. We see machine learning already in use in a number of clinical areas, such as predicting responses to cancer treatment, or identifying individuals at risk of needing intensive care. What we need is a framework that will enable us to investigate and test these technologies so we can harness them to improve outcomes for patients with psychosis.”

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    University of Birmingham

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  • 40% Indian parents of kids aged 9-17 admit their children are addicted to smartphones: Survey

    40% Indian parents of kids aged 9-17 admit their children are addicted to smartphones: Survey

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    More than 40 per cent of urban Indian parents acknowledge that their kids between the ages of 9 and 17 are dependent on social media, videos, and online gaming, according to a survey by LocalCircles.

    The percentage is higher for kids between the ages of 13 and 17, though 40 per cent of respondents acknowledged that their children spend that much time online every day watching videos, using social media, and playing games.

    Nearly 62 per cent admit that their children aged 13 to 17 spend 3 hours or more per day on their smartphones, browsing social media, checking videos, or playing games, and 44 per cent say they are addicted to it.

    According to the survey, nearly 55 per cent of parents admit that their children aged 9 to 13 have access to a smartphone for almost the whole day, while 71 per cent of respondents with children aged 13 to 17 say their children have smartphones for almost the whole day.

    From January to November 2022, the survey received over 65,000 responses from citizens living in 287 districts across India, with the number of responses varying by question.

    According to the survey, parents also concur that their excessive use of gadgets, early access to children, and school activities moving online during the pandemic are factors that fuel their children’s addiction.

    68 per cent of parents believe the minimum age for creating a social media account should be raised from 13 to 15 years, the survey revealed.

    According to the survey, the government should ensure that appropriate controls are in place for platforms so that no child account, with or without consent, can be created on social media platforms under the age of 15.

    The study was divided into two sections: one for children aged 9 to 13, and another for children aged 13 to 17.

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  • Children with type 1 diabetes miss more school, study suggests

    Children with type 1 diabetes miss more school, study suggests

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    Newswise — Children living with type 1 diabetes miss an average of nine more sessions of school a year compared to children without the condition, a new study led by Cardiff University has found.

    Published today in the Journal for Diabetes Care, the research found that children with type 1 diabetes who have the healthiest blood glucose levels miss seven more sessions per year, while those who experience challenges in managing their diabetes are absent for 15 more sessions a year. Absence is measured in sessions, which is half a day.

    The team found that while many children with diabetes still perform well in their education both at age 16 and university participation, those facing struggles to manage their blood glucose levels achieved results that are five grades lower in GCSEs than children without the condition – for example 3Bs and 5Cs vs 8 Bs.

    They are also less than half as likely to attend university as children without type 1 diabetes.

    The team’s research – a quantitative study which used data from schoolchildren (aged six to 18) in Wales between 2009 and 2016 – also took into account factors such as a child’s household socioeconomic status, neighbourhood deprivation, gender, and age.

    They found that these personal and family characteristics are likely to be associated with effective self-management of diabetes and in turn, have an effect on educational attainment.

    “Our research suggests children living with type 1 diabetes face many additional challenges in school, including higher absences,” said lead author Dr Robert French, a senior research fellow at Cardiff University’s School of Medicine.

    “Children living with diabetes and managing the condition achieve the same grades at age 16 as their peers without diabetes – and are equally as likely to progress to higher education. This is quite remarkable, given that they miss more school sessions than those without the condition.

    “Where we do see large differences in educational outcomes is for those children facing struggles in managing their diabetes.

    “However, our data suggests that this is most likely the result of social rather than biological factors and something that schools have the capacity to improve.”

    Type 1 diabetes is one of the most common chronic childhood conditions in the UK, affecting one in 250 children,– although it can be diagnosed later in life. An autoimmune condition, it is not the result of lifestyle factors and requires self-injections of insulin regularly, or the use of an insulin pump to control blood sugar levels.

    Shelby Sangha was 17 when she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Now aged 23, she works for West Midlands Ambulance Service as an Emergency Medical Dispatcher.

    “I absolutely hated school at the best of times and then my whole world quite literally came crashing down when I discovered that I was diabetic. 

    “I didn’t want to believe I had diabetes or need treatment because my friends didn’t – so why should I? I kind of pushed it to the back of my mind and tried to forget about it.  

    “School and exams were a whirlwind, a very big emotional roller coaster. No-one really had a clue what diabetes was or what it entailed, me included. I don’t even think I had any support from my school, if I remember correctly. 

    “I think much more needs to be done to raise awareness of the impact of diabetes on children and young people. As well as support for them, talks in schools or patient referral groups would be a huge benefit.”

    Rebecca Barlow-Noone was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was 18. Now aged 26, she has recently completed a masters degree and has been part of the research project’s advisory group.

    “Unstable blood sugar levels have a significant impact on your well-being, concentration levels and day-to-day life, so I am not surprised by the findings in this study” she says.

    “I was lucky to have support at home when I was diagnosed, but even so, Type 1 diabetes can be an isolating condition and there are real barriers that children and young people face. 

    “Worryingly, In the current cost of living crisis, even support is not enough – particularly if children with diabetes are missing school meals. It makes this complex condition even more difficult to manage.

    “It’s really important that we understand how these extra factors – the social determinants such as where we grow up and the education we receive – impact health.”

    Dr French added: “Living with diabetes can affect every aspect of a child’s life, from family, friendships and their self-esteem, and it is complex to manage with many factors at play.”

    “It also places a huge burden on the NHS in terms of costly interventions. Type 1 diabetes is estimated to account for £1bn in direct costs for the NHS, including diabetes-related heart disease, kidney failure and foot amputations) and £0.9bn in indirect costs, for example, absence from work due to ill health and impact on mental health.

    “This study is important for how we address the health and education challenges for young people with diabetes in the future. Schools and healthcare teams need to work together to provide more support to children and their families. This will ensure that children living with diabetes can thrive and reach their full academic potential.”

    Dr Faye Riley, Research Communications Manager at Diabetes UK, added: “Every child with diabetes deserves the same education, experiences and opportunities as their peers. This study encouragingly indicates that although children with type 1 diabetes tend to miss more school than those without the condition, their condition does not negatively impact their educational attainment and likelihood of progressing to higher education at the age of 16.

    “While the research found that those with higher blood sugar levels achieved lower grades than those with levels in a target range, it does not show that high blood sugar levels are the direct cause of this. Instead, it is likely that this link is explained by other factors, such as family support and socioeconomic factors that are associated with both higher blood sugars and poorer educational outcomes. Health inequalities exist across diabetes care, and these findings are an important reminder that schools and healthcare professionals must work together to ensure that all children with type 1 diabetes and their families have the support they need to manage the condition, and to thrive.”

    The study was funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and Administrative Data Research UK (ADR UK). Research partners included Diabetes UK, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, NHS Digital, Health Quality Improvement Partnership, University College London and Swansea University.

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    Cardiff University

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  • Kidsy Expands Its Online Marketplace of Secondhand Baby and Kids Products Ahead of Holiday Gift Season

    Kidsy Expands Its Online Marketplace of Secondhand Baby and Kids Products Ahead of Holiday Gift Season

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    The gently used and open box children’s goods reseller launches over 7,000 items for sale, including clothes, furniture, and toys, providing affordable options to combat inflation concerns.

    Press Release
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    Dec 1, 2022 13:03 EST


    CHICAGO, December 1, 2022 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Kidsy, an online marketplace for parents to buy and sell gently used kids’ items across all categories in the U.S., announces a major growth milestone, with over 7,000 products now for sale since its April 2022 launch. This milestone makes Kidsy one of the fastest-growing resellers for products in its category, indicative of a rapidly growing secondhand shopping market as parents seek out cost-effective options as inflation hits a 40-year high.

    The U.S. secondhand baby and kids products market is expected to reach $12.8 billion by 2030, driven by advancements in technology and a surge in popularity of secondhand marketplaces.

    “Over the past few years, I’ve witnessed a seismic shift among my peers in the way they shop,” said Shraysi Tandon, CEO and co-founder of Kidsy. “Gone are the days of clamoring for every item from the hottest new designer collection; that seems so passé today. Parents are now showing off their secondhand purchases and building closets and nurseries out of their lucky finds. There’s an appreciation for the nostalgia and history attached to secondhand goods. It’s so much more enchanting.”

    Kidsy offers a wide selection of products by eliminating the geographic limitations of a social media marketplace or a local secondhand store. Users can browse through items, including clothes, toys, books, bath items, diapering, travel gear and nursery essentials, and filter their search to find what they are looking for from sellers across the U.S. They are able to message sellers directly, ask questions about an item and even make them an offer, all through the Kidsy platform.

    “At Kidsy, we believe the closets and nurseries of the future are circular. The rapid growth of Kidsy is testament to the boom of secondhand shopping, and we expect this trend to continue as more people recognize resale as a powerful solution to wastefulness, not to mention a solution to high prices and inflation,” said Sinan Sari, co-founder and CTO of Kidsy. “With the holiday season here, we’re excited to provide a resource for parents to find affordable options during an often cash-strapped time of year, and resell some of the gently used items they no longer have a use for.”

    For the holiday season, Kidsy is offering all customers a $5 coupon redeemable on the Kidsy marketplace between now and Dec. 31, 2022. To take advantage of the promotion, use HOLIDAY5 at checkout. 

    Kidsy’s parenting blog, answering Google’s most frequently asked questions about kids, from feeding and sleep training to educational activities, is now live. 

    For the latest news and information on Kidsy’s growing online marketplace, visit our website at https://www.kidsy.co/ and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

    About Kidsy

    Kidsy is an online marketplace for parents to buy and sell gently used and open box kids’ items, across all categories, nationally. It is co-founded by journalist Shraysi Tandon and software engineer Sinan Sari, born out of a pain point to solve the issue of finding an affordable and reliable source of secondhand kids’ items off of social media platforms. Kidsy launched in April 2022 and has already collected over 7,000 baby and kids items for sale, unlocking access to thousands of children’s wardrobes and nurseries across the country and giving parents more choice and affordability when it comes to buying secondhand.

    Source: Kidsy

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  • New Genetic Mutation Behind Childhood Glaucoma Identified

    New Genetic Mutation Behind Childhood Glaucoma Identified

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    Newswise — An international team of scientists led by Mass Eye and Ear, a member of Mass General Brigham, and Boston Children’s Hospital, has discovered a new genetic mutation that may be a root cause of severe cases of childhood glaucoma, a devastating condition that runs in families and can rob children of their vision by 3 years of age.

    Through advanced genome-sequencing technology, the researchers found a mutation in the thrombospondin-1 (THBS1) gene in three ethnically and geographically diverse families with childhood glaucoma histories. The researchers then confirmed their findings in a mouse model that possessed the genetic mutation and went on to develop symptoms of glaucoma driven by a previously unknown disease mechanism.

    The new findings, published December 1 in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, could lead to improved screening for childhood glaucoma and earlier and more targeted treatments to prevent vision loss in children with the mutation, according to the study’s authors.

    “This is a very exciting finding for families affected by childhood glaucoma,” said Janey L. Wiggs, MD, PhD, Associate Chief of Ophthalmology Clinical Research at Mass Eye and Ear and the Vice Chair for Ophthalmology Clinical Research and Paul Austin Chandler Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School. “With this new knowledge, we can offer genetic testing to identify children in a family who may be at risk for the disease and start disease surveillance and conventional treatments earlier to preserve their vision. In the future, we would look to develop new therapies to target this genetic mutation.”

    Leading cause of childhood blindness

    Childhood, or congenital, glaucoma is a rare but serious disease that presents in children as early as birth and as late as 3 years of age. Despite its rarity, childhood glaucoma is responsible for 5 percent of cases of child blindness worldwide.

    Glaucoma causes irreversible damage to the eye’s optic nerve, often due to buildup of pressure inside the eye (intraocular pressure, or IOP). In adults, this damage can occur over time without symptoms, which is why the disease is often referred to as a “sneak thief of sight.”

    Children and babies with childhood glaucoma, however, can be born with severe disease and vision loss or lose their vision later in childhood due to elevated IOP. This increase in pressure not only damages the optic nerve but can also affect other structures in a child’s eye like the cornea. Children with childhood glaucoma typically require surgeries as early as the first three to six months of life, followed by several more operations throughout their childhood.

    With childhood glaucoma, there is typically a strong hereditary component often with multiple members of a family affected by the condition. According to Dr. Wiggs, by better understanding the genes involved, genetic testing can give affected families peace of mind to learn whether their child might be at risk for developing the disease.

    Uncovering the genetic underpinnings of disease

    For decades, researchers have turned towards genetics to better understand the cause of glaucoma. When Dr. Wiggs first began this line of research 30 years ago, scientists were only able to identify regions of the genome affected in glaucoma. Thanks to advances in genomic technology, researchers gained the ability to review the complete genetic makeup of individuals with and without glaucoma to determine which specific genetic mutations play a role in the disease. Research led by Dr. Wiggs in 2021 used a dataset of more than 34,000 adults with glaucoma to identify 127 genes associated with the condition.

    To better study the genetic mutations in childhood glaucoma, Dr. Wiggs and her Mass Eye and Ear team first looked at exome sequences from an American family of European-Caucasian descent who had been part of an earlier research project and found a striking and novel variant in thrombospondin-1, a well-known protein in the body involved in a number of important biological processes, such as the formation of new vessels (angiogenesis) and tissues. This mutated gene was not found in people without childhood glaucoma, nor in large population genetic databases. The amino acid altered by the mutation was evolutionarily conserved, indicating an important role in the protein function. This finding led Dr. Wiggs to connect with colleagues at Flinders University in Australia to see if they had any childhood glaucoma families with thrombospondin mutations. They surprisingly found two families with an alteration at the same amino acid: one of mixed European and Indian descent, and one Sudanese family originally from Africa.

    “What was really striking about this finding is that these families all possessed this genetic variant, and it was not possible for them to be related because they were from such diverse backgrounds,” said Dr. Wiggs. “That meant there was something really important about this mutation.”

    To further test this hypothesis, the researchers collaborated with Robert J. D’Amato, MD, PhD, the Judah Folkman Chair in Surgery in the Vascular Biology Program at Boston Children’s Hospital, and a professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School. Dr. D’Amato’s team developed a mouse model with the THBS1 mutation and found that the mouse also had features of glaucoma.

    “Thrombospondin-1 is well known as a potent inhibitor of blood vessel growth, or angiogenesis,” said Dr. D’Amato, who has studied angiogenesis for more than three decades. “I assumed at first that THBS1 mutations were disrupting blood vessel formation in the eye, but our animal models showed normal angiogenesis. We realized that there must be another mechanism.”

    Specifically, D’Amato’s lab showed that the mutation caused abnormal thrombospondin proteins to accumulate in the intraocular drainage structures of the eye involved with regulating IOP, which in turn, led to a buildup of pressure that damaged the optic nerve and led to the loss of retinal ganglion cells, thereby causing vision loss.

    This was the first time that researchers identified this kind of disease mechanism for causing childhood glaucoma.

    “This work highlights the power of international collaborations,” said study co-author Owen M. Siggs MD, DPhil, associate professor at Flinders University and the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Australia. “There’s such incredible genetic diversity across the globe, and comparing this information is becoming more and more critical for discoveries like this.”

    Personalizing care for families with future study

    The new study has significant clinical implications, according to the researchers. While more work remains before comprehensive genetic testing can be offered, every gene that is found presents another opportunity to be able to identify causative mutations in these families through screening, according to the authors.

    Therapeutically, knowledge of this gene mutation can lead to earlier treatments with conventional therapies. For example, if a baby is born with this mutation, their eye care specialist can better inform the parents of the risks and develop an appropriate disease-monitoring and treatment plan.

    Identifying this new mechanism and gene at the root of childhood glaucoma could also lead to new therapies that would target the accumulation of abnormal proteins. The researchers also aim to determine if other THBS1 mutations are involved in adult-onset disease, like primary open-angle glaucoma, or milder forms of the disease if the mutation is not as pronounced.

    The researchers will also continue to look for new genes associated with childhood glaucoma in the hopes of one day developing very comprehensive screening.

    “Dr. Wiggs is an international expert in glaucoma genetics and has worked tirelessly to unravel the genetic contributions to these blinding diseases. These findings provide important insights into the causes of childhood glaucoma and offer the prospect of targeted therapy,” said Joan W. Miller, MD, Chair of Ophthalmology at Mass Eye and Ear and Massachusetts General Hospital, Ophthalmologist-in-Chief at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Chair of Ophthalmology and the David Glendenning Cogan Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School. “The collaboration is a powerful demonstration of the strength of bedside-to-bench-to-bedside translational research, in uncovering disease pathogenesis and developing therapies for patients.”

    In addition to Drs. Wiggs, D’Amato and Siggs, co-authors of the study included Haojie Fu, Lachlan S.W. Knight, Sandra E. Staffieri, Jonathan B. Ruddle, Amy E. Birsner, E. Ryan Collantes and Jamie E. Craig.

    This study was funded in part by the March of Dimes foundation, the National Institutes of Health (grants R01EY031820 and P30EY014104), the Ophthalmic Research Institute of Australia, the Channel Seven Children’s Research Foundation, the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (Australia) and the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. In addition, this work was supported by the Boston Children’s Hospital Mouse Gene Manipulation Core funded by NIH/NICHD U54 HD090255 and NIH R01 NS38253.

    About Mass Eye and Ear

    Massachusetts Eye and Ear, founded in 1824, is an international center for treatment and research and a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. A member of Mass General Brigham, Mass Eye and Ear specializes in ophthalmology (eye care) and otolaryngology–head and neck surgery (ear, nose and throat care). Mass Eye and Ear clinicians provide care ranging from the routine to the very complex. Also home to the world’s largest community of hearing and vision researchers, Mass Eye and Ear scientists are driven by a mission to discover the basic biology underlying conditions affecting the eyes, ears, nose, throat, head and neck and to develop new treatments and cures. In the 2022–2023 “Best Hospitals Survey,” U.S. News & World Report ranked Mass Eye and Ear #4 in the nation for eye care and #4 for ear, nose and throat care. For more information about life-changing care and research at Mass Eye and Ear, visit our blog, Focus, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. 

    About Harvard Medical School Department of Ophthalmology

    The Harvard Medical School Department of Ophthalmology is one of the leading and largest academic departments of ophthalmology in the nation. Composed of nine affiliates (Massachusetts Eye and Ear, which is home to Schepens Eye Research Institute; Massachusetts General Hospital; Brigham and Women’s Hospital; Boston Children’s Hospital; Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Joslin Diabetes Center/Beetham Eye Institute; Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System; Veterans Affairs Maine Healthcare System; and Cambridge Health Alliance) and several international partners, the department draws upon the resources of a global team to pursue a singular goal—eradicate blinding diseases so that all children born today will see throughout their lifetimes. Formally established in 1871, the department is committed to its three-fold mission of providing premier clinical care, conducting transformational research, and providing world-class training for tomorrow’s leaders in ophthalmology.

     

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    Massachusetts Eye and Ear

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  • TABLE FOR TWO’s 2022 ONIGIRI ACTION Campaign Provides 1.5 Million School Meals with 283,461 ‘Onigiri’ Rice Ball Photo Posts in 32 Days

    TABLE FOR TWO’s 2022 ONIGIRI ACTION Campaign Provides 1.5 Million School Meals with 283,461 ‘Onigiri’ Rice Ball Photo Posts in 32 Days

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    Press Release
    –

    Nov 29, 2022


    NEW YORK, November 29, 2022 (Newswire.com)
    –
    TABLE FOR TWO (TFT) USA, a non-profit organization that aims to tackle obesity and worldwide hunger, organized its 8th annual social action campaign called ONIGIRI ACTION to commemorate World Food Day. This year we were able to provide 1,560,260 school meals to children and far surpassed our goal of 280,000 total photos with 283,461. During the campaign, every photo of onigiri posted to the campaign website or social media with #OnigiriAction helped provide five school meals to children in need. For TFT USA, a 25-cent donation is used to upgrade meals by adding nutritious elements such as fruits and vegetables in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods. TFT funds one school meal to a child in East Africa and Southeast Asia with the same 25-cent donation. This year we saw many beautiful Onigiri photos posted from 37 countries around the world. We continued the theme – Unite the States with Onigiri – into 2022 as well and had participation from 43 states. Our global effort to help children connects us and continues to grow every year. Nine “Best Onigiri Awards 2022” were selected to commemorate this success and announced on the campaign website. 

    The ONIGIRI ACTION 2022 campaign is generously supported by our partner organizations in the U.S.: 

    J.C.C. Fund/Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of New York, JFC International/Nishiki, JCAW Foundation, Zojirushi America, San-J, ITOCHU International, SMBC Global Foundation, Misuzu Corporation, MUFG Union Bank, N.A., Zensho Employees Association Network (ZEAN), Mishima Foods U.S.A., BentOn, Onigilly, Sunny Blue, Omusubee, Onigiri Kororin, Obon Shokudo.

    The ONIGIRI ACTION Events United the States! 

    Kids to adults from 43 States supported Onigiri Action and made great contributions to the cause through their efforts. By posting photos of onigiri, elementary students through the university level were able to help children in need. JFC International generously provided Nishiki rice and Mishima Foods USA provided rice seasoning, while MUFG Union Bank, N.A. and JCAW Foundation participated in in-person events at schools. Thank you to all partner organizations for supporting the events.

    This year, a “Creative Onigiri Competition” took place between students from universities in Japan and the United States with Halloween onigiri. For students at partner schools, we offered a special Mini Wa-Shokuiku -Learn. Cook. Eat Japanese!- lessons that focused on making onigiri and bento. “Onigiri Action Kits” were provided to organizations again this year that included basic ingredients and materials to make onigiri as part of our Japanese inspired food education class for students. Kits were provided through the partnership between TFT USA, The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of JAPAN (MAFF) and The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Los Angeles. 

    TFT USA is grateful to partner donor organizations and all the schools, organizations, individuals, restaurants, onigiri shops, and more that came together with onigiri to make a big impact in providing meals for children in need. 

    Source: TABLE FOR TWO USA

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  • 5-year-old boy with autism found dead in pond near Orange County home

    5-year-old boy with autism found dead in pond near Orange County home

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    ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A missing child search ended in tragedy Thanksgiving morning after the body of 5-year-old Aaron Peña was recovered from a pond near his Orange County home, according to deputies.

    Peña’s mother, Melissa Stanton, said the 5-year-old was non-verbal with autism and wandered away from his home Wednesday.

    The boy’s home is located near Moss Park Road and State Road 417, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

    [TRENDING: TSA officer finds feline fare-dodger in checked bag headed to Central Florida | Labor shortages force 2 Orlando restaurants to close up shop | Become a News 6 Insider]

    Stanton told News 6 that he walked out of the back door of the house at about 12:45 p.m.

    According to Stanton, she had been working from home when she realized she couldn’t hear Peña in the background, which is when she realized something was wrong.

    “I wasn’t hearing any type of laughing sounds or him singing over and over — like, repetitive songs — he does that, or he’ll usually create a scenario where he’ll talk to himself about the birds and colors and songs that he watches on YouTube,” she said.

    Aaron Pena, 5 (Copyright 2022 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.)

    Stanton said she then went to check her children’s rooms, and after finding that he wasn’t there, she saw that the back door had been opened. While the door is usually locked, she told News 6 that she believes Peña figured out how to unlock it.

    Stanton reported the child missing, leading deputies and neighbors to initiate a search near the home.

    Just before 1 a.m. Thursday, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office reported the boy was found dead.

    “It’s with a heavy heart that we must report that Aaron Pena was found, deceased, in a body of water not far from his home. We are grieving his loss and our prayers are with his family,” the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post.

    No other details have been released.

    Stanton said that Peña was the youngest of her three children.

    Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily:

    Copyright 2022 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.

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  • Parents who raise highly successful kids have these 3 things in common

    Parents who raise highly successful kids have these 3 things in common

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    The path to raising successful kids can seem nebulous. The avalanche of advice, some science-based and some not, can end up being more overwhelming than guiding. 

    But there are common threads among parents who raise resilient, confident, well-adjusted children.

    Here are three things parents of highly successful kids have in common. 

    They teach empathy

    Michele Borba is an educational psychologist, parenting expert, and author of “Thrivers: The Surprising Reasons Why Some Kids Struggle and Others Shine”

    One of the traits that separate successful kids from the herd is that their parents regularly modeled empathy for them, she wrote for CNBC Make It. There are a few ways you can do that:

    • Help your child build an emotional vocabulary by naming emotions in real time. It can be as easy as saying “You’re happy” or “You seem bothered” 
    • Ask your child about their emotions. This can help them recognize how they are feeling and express themselves without shame. Try saying “How did that make you feel?” or “You seem scared. Am I right?”
    • Share you own emotions so your kid feels safe sharing theirs.
    • Ask your kids to notice the feelings of people around them. If you’re at the park, point to a person and ask “How do you think that person is feeling?” 

    They show an interest in their child’s interests 

    Every child of the parents I spoke to had a passion outside of the classroom.

    Margot Machol Bisnow

    author of “Raising an Entrepreneur: How to Help Your Children Achieve Their Dream.”

    Even if it’s not a hobby, showing interest in what your child is doing or seeing from daily can have a monumental impact, says Dr. Dana Suskind, a professor of surgery and pediatrics at the University of Chicago Medical Center. 

    It helps build cognitive skills, like reading and memory, and non-cognitive skills, like resilience and grit, 

    Suskind also authored the book “Parent Nation: Unlocking Every Child’s Potential, Fulfilling Society’s Promise.”

    She endorses the 3T strategy which consists of three steps: 

    1. Tune in: Make a conscious effort to notice what your child is focusing on. “Let’s say you’re sitting at the table with your child eating a snack, and you see them looking out the window,” she wrote for CNBC Make It. “Try to follow their line of sight and tune in to what they’re focusing on. Then, ask them a question that prompts them to talk about it.”
    2. Talk more: Chat with them about what they find captivating. “The more words put into the bank, the more brain connections a child builds and the bigger their vocabulary becomes,” she wrote.
    3. Take turns: Make sure you’re both participating in the conversation equally. “Engage in back-and-forth conversation patterns by asking questions that encourage your child to describe the world around them or how they’re feeling,” she wrote. 

    They are optimistic 

    Roni Cohen-Sandler is a psychologist who specializes in mother-daughter relationships, adolescent development, and parent guidance. She also authored “Anything But My Phone, Mom: Raising Emotionally Resilient Daughters in the Digital Age.” 

    To raise resilient, socially intelligent kids you need to teach them to look a the positive, she says. This can be hard as kids tend to dwell on negative experiences or emotions. 

    “While empathizing with your child’s distress, refocusing their attention on their most recent triumphs and pleasures lets them appreciate the bigger and brighter picture,” she wrote for CNBC Make It. 

    Borba agrees that optimism is a key factor in success. 

    “Optimistic kids view challenges and obstacles as temporary and able to be overcome, so they are more likely to succeed,” she wrote. 

    Be more mindful of your own behaviors. Do you describe situations in a negative or positive way? Would your friends say you are a glass-half-full of glass-half-empty kind of person?

    “If you see that you’re tilting to the half-empty side, remember that change starts by looking in the mirror,” she wrote.

    Want to earn more and work less? Register for the free CNBC Make It: Your Money virtual event on Dec. 13 at 12 p.m. ET to learn from money masters how you can increase your earning power.

    Sign up now: Get smarter about your money and career with our weekly newsletter

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  • Aaron Carter’s son turns 1 just weeks after dad’s death | CNN

    Aaron Carter’s son turns 1 just weeks after dad’s death | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Melanie Martin celebrated her son Prince’s first birthday, while also honoring her child’s late father, singer Aaron Carter.

    The boy celebrated his first birthday just three weeks after his dad was found dead in the bathtub at his Lancaster, California home. Carter was 34.

    Martin, who had been engaged to Carter, shared a video compilation on her verified Instagram account of their time as a family.

    “Happy birthday to my baby boy Prince Lyric Carter,” the caption read. “Today is going to be a tough one for me but I know your daddy is playing birthday songs for you up in heaven I love you baby boy!!!”

    The LA County Coroner is still working to determine the cause of Carter’s death.

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  • National Poll: 1 in 7 parents haven’t discussed vaccines with their child’s primary care provider during pandemic period

    National Poll: 1 in 7 parents haven’t discussed vaccines with their child’s primary care provider during pandemic period

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    TV/RADIO: Click link for broadcast-quality sound bites & b-roll, visuals and script suggestions (Full report and accompanying graphics also included.)

    Newswise — Parents may not always turn to health professionals for vaccine advice – and a small subset could even be avoiding the conversation – a new national poll suggests.

    One in seven parents haven’t had any discussions about vaccines with their child’s regular provider over the last two years, according to the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health at University of Michigan Health.

    And while 80% of parents have talked about vaccines required for school with their child’s provider, fewer have discussed immunizations for influenza (68%) and COVID-19 (57%).

    “Historically, parents have relied on their child’s pediatrician or other primary care provider to guide them in decisions about their child’s health, including recommendations about vaccines,” said Mott Poll co-director Sarah Clark, M.P.H.

    “With a new vaccine like COVID, we would expect parents to have a lot of questions and concerns, and we would expect parents to turn to that trusted primary care provider who has guided them through other vaccine decisions for their child. The lower rates of discussions for the COVID vaccine may suggest a downturn in the role of the primary care provider as the go-to source on this topic.”

    The nationally representative report is based on responses from 1,483 parents with at least one child aged 6-18.  

    Vaccines are a frequent topic of discussion during children’s check-ups, Clark says, as parents often have questions about vaccine timing, benefits, risks and side effects.

    “Different vaccines are recommended for different age groups and as new vaccines are developed, well visits provide an important opportunity to ask questions about them,” Clark said.

    “During the pandemic we saw a lot of misinformation and division over vaccines, as well as disruptions in care because of COVID precautions. This may have affected how often parents were talking with their child’s regular provider. Without that trusted source of vaccine information and guidance, families may turn to other sources that may be less accurate.”

    Parents who have talked with their child’s regular doctor about flu or COVID vaccines report positive experiences. The majority polled described providers as being open to their questions and concerns, and more than 70% said they learned information that was helpful to their decision making.

    Those who discussed vaccines with their child’s regular provider were also more likely to get their child vaccinated.

    However, a quarter of parents polled also described problems getting vaccines for their child over the past two years, such as having to go to another location or problems scheduling appointments.

    Clark notes some of these challenges could be related to pandemic precautions, including limited in-person visits, when pediatricians may have felt more rushed during check-ups and not covered all recommended topics, including vaccines.

    Providers may also be less likely to discuss vaccines that are not offered at their own site. While school vaccines are often in stock and ready to be administered at any time, flu and COVID shots mat not be consistently available in child health practices.

    “This situation disrupts the parent-provider discussion around those vaccines,” Clark said. “Even when parents bring the child in for a visit, they may be told that they need to go elsewhere to get flu and COVID vaccines, requiring extra time and hassle for families.”

    Among the most concerning findings: a subset of parents who opt out of any vaccines for their child may be avoiding crucial health conversations with health professionals.

    Six percent of parents say their child does not get any vaccines. Among this group, 43% report no vaccine discussions with any healthcare provider in the past two years.

    Another 3% of parents say they delayed or skipped a healthcare visit for their child to avoid talking about vaccines. While that number seems small, “3% translates to a lot of children across America,” Clark notes.

    “Avoiding conversations about vaccines with a child’s health provider prevents caretakers from learning about and considering new information that might influence their decision,” Clark said.

    “When parents delay or skip visits altogether, they are not prioritizing their child’s well-being,” she added. “Children won’t receive screening for medical or mental health problems, and parents will not receive information or guidance about how to keep their child healthy and safe.”

     

     

     

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  • Children’s deaths ‘must stop’ in Iran, says UNICEF, as protests continue | CNN

    Children’s deaths ‘must stop’ in Iran, says UNICEF, as protests continue | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    The United Nations children’s agency, UNICEF, said it remains deeply concerned by reports of children being killed, injured, and detained in Iran, it said in a statement on Friday, adding that the reported deaths of children at anti-government protests “must stop.”

    An “estimated 50 children have reportedly lost their lives in the public unrest in Iran,” UNICEF said in the statement.

    This comes as the unrest in Iran has continued for more than two months, and amid increasing calls from protesters and activists online to UNICEF, Amnesty International and other human rights organizations to take action on human rights violations and crimes against children taking plane in Iran.

    Many tell CNN that they feel their voices have not been heard. “They just say, hey, Islamic Republic, what are you doing is bad,” one protester in Iran told CNN. “Yes, everybody knows it’s bad. Three-year-old children know it’s bad, but we need actual action. Do something. I don’t know. I believe they know better than us what they can do.”

    “In Iran, UNICEF remains deeply concerned by reports of children being killed, injured, and detained,” the statement read, citing the death of a young boy named Kian Pirfalak, one of seven people killed during Wednesday’s protests in the southwestern city of Izeh. “This is terrifying and must stop,” the organization added.

    UNICEF reported Pirfalak’s age as 10-years-old. Iranian state media has reported his age as nine.

    The child was traveling in a car on Wednesday with his family when he was shot dead and his father injured by gunfire, his mother told state media in an interview with Tasnim Friday.

    According to Iran’s state-aligned news agency ISNA, protesters set a seminary on fire around the same time as people were shot and killed in Izeh in what state media outlets are calling a “terror attack.”

    Activists are accusing the Iranian regime of killing Kian and others in Izeh.

    The Islamic Republic is facing one of the biggest and unprecedented shows of dissent in recent history following the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman detained by the morality police allegedly for not wearing her hijab properly.

    At least 378 people have been killed since demonstrations began, according to an Iranian human rights group, as the country’s Supreme Leader issued a warning that the protest movement is “doomed to failure.”

    The organization Iran Human Rights published the estimated death toll Saturday, adding that it includes 47 children killed by security forces.

    CNN cannot independently verify arrest figures, death tolls, and many of the accounts of those killed due to the Iranian government’s suppression of independent media, and internet shutdowns which decrease transparency in reporting on the ground. Nor can media directly access the government for their account on such cases, unless there is reporting on state media, the mouthpiece of the government.

    Video shared by activist group 1500 Tasvir and others showed a large crowd gathered for Pirfalak funeral in his hometown in Izeh Friday.

    Surrounded by mourners, his mother Zeynab Molaeirad is heard singing a children’s song, replacing the lyrics with words against Ayatollah Khamenei and the regime. She then reveals new details about the fatal incident, according to a video shared on social media.

    “Hear it from my mouth what really happened to Kian,” she told the crowd, “So the regime doesn’t lie and say it was a terrorist.”

    Molaeirad, who was traveling with her family in their car, said people on the street yelled at the vehicle to turn back and that her son told his father not to worry.

    “Kian said: ‘Baba trust the police for once and turn around, they are looking out for us,’” she said.

    His father made a U-turn and drove towards the police, his mother said. But “because the car windows were rolled up, the police thought we may have wanted to shoot at them,” she said.

    “They opened a barrage of fire on the car.”

    Kian’s mother also posted a photo with her son in her Instagram post. “My broken flower. Curse on the Islamic Republic,” she wrote.

    Human rights groups have accused Iranian authorities of scaring victims’ families to silence. Iranian authorities are “systematically harassing and intimidating victims’ families to hide the truth” of their deaths, as Amnesty International’s Heba Morayef said in a recent report.

    The United Nations on Friday said it was “deeply worried about growing violence related to the ongoing popular protests in Iran,” said deputy spokesman for the UN Secretary-General Farhan Haq.

    “We condemn all incidents that have resulted in death or serious injury, including the shooting in the city of Izeh on 16 November 2022. We are also concerned about the reported issuance of death sentences against five unnamed individuals in the context of the latest protests,” Haq said.

    Haq urged Iranian authorities to respect international human rights law and avoid the use of excessive force against peaceful protesters.

    Despite the UN’s condemnation, Iranians have been highly critical of the global organization and its agencies, saying the its words are not enough and that there is a lack of action against human rights violations taking place in Iran.

    Stories like Parfalik’s “have led Iranians inside and outside the country to really be demanding justice asking what UNICEF is doing on the ground to stop this,” said Iranian American human rights lawyer Gissou Nia said in an interview with CNN’s Isa Soares Friday.

    Nia, who is also director of the Strategic Litigation Project at the Atlantic Council went on to say that the UN Human Rights Council is meeting in Geneva on Thursday in a special session to address “the deteriorating human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

    “The outcome of that special session will likely be an investigative mechanism or some kind of independent body that can collect, preserve and analyze evidence of what’s happening here for accountability purposes,” Nia said.

    “What would be absolutely shameful is if that 47-member body votes no” to creating such a mechanism, she added.

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  • Lab grown ‘mini eyes’ unlock understanding of blindness in rare genetic condition

    Lab grown ‘mini eyes’ unlock understanding of blindness in rare genetic condition

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    Newswise — Researchers at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (UCL GOS ICH) have grown ‘mini eyes’, which make it possible to study and better understand the development of blindness in a rare genetic disease called Usher syndrome for the first time.

    The 3D ‘mini eyes’, known as organoids, were grown from stem cells generated from skin samples donated by patients at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (GOSH). In a healthy eye, rod cells – the cells which detect light – are arranged in the back of the eye in an important region responsible for processing images called the retina. In this research, published in Stem Cell Reports1, the team found that they could get rod cells to organise themselves into layers that mimic their organisation in the retina, producing a ‘mini eye’.

    These ‘mini eyes’ are an important step forward because previous research using animal cells couldn’t mimic the same sort of sight loss as that seen in Usher syndrome.

    Usher syndrome is the most common genetic cause of combined deafness and blindness, affecting approximately three to ten in 100,000 people worldwide. Children with Type 1 Usher syndrome are often born profoundly deaf, while their sight slowly deteriorates until they are blind by adulthood.

    Although cochlear implants can help with hearing loss, there are currently no treatments for retinitis pigmentosa, which causes vision loss in Usher syndrome. While this research is in early stages, these steps towards understanding the condition and how to design a future treatment could give hope to those who are due to lose their sight.

    The ‘mini eyes’ developed in this research allow scientists to study light-sensing cells from the human eye at an individual level, and in more detail than ever before. For example, using powerful single cell RNA-sequencing, it is the first time researchers have been able to view the tiny molecular changes in rod cells before they die. Using the ‘mini eyes’, the team discovered that Müller cells, responsible for metabolic and structural support of the retina, are also involved in Usher syndrome. They found that cells from people with Usher syndrome abnormally have genes turned on for stress responses and protein breakdown. Reversing these could be the key to preventing how the disease progresses and worsens.

    As the ‘mini eyes’ are grown from cells donated by patients with and without the genetic ‘fault’ that causes Usher syndrome, the team can compare healthy cells and those that will lead to blindness.

    Understanding these differences could provide clues to changes that happen in the eye before a child’s vision begins to deteriorate. In turn, this could provide clues to the best targets for early treatment – crucial to providing the best outcome.

    Dr Yeh Chwan Leong, Research Associate at UCL GOS ICH and first author said: “It’s difficult to study the inaccessible tiny nerve cells of the patient’s retina as they are so intricately connected and delicately positioned at the back of the eye. By using a small biopsy of skin, we now have the technology to reprogramme the cells into stem cells and then create lab-grown retina with the same DNA, and therefore same genetic conditions, as our patients.”

    Professor Jane Sowden, Professor of Developmental Biology & Genetics at UCL, and senior author, said: “We are very grateful to patients and families who donate these samples to research so that, together, we can further our understanding of genetic eye conditions, like Usher syndrome.

    Although a while off, we hope that these models can help us to one day develop treatments that could save the sight of children and young people with Usher syndrome.”

    The ‘mini eye’ model for eye diseases could also help teams understand other inherited conditions in which there is the death of rod cells in the eye, such as forms of retinitis pigmentosa without deafness. Additionally, the technology used to grow faithful models of disease from human skin cells can be used for a number of other diseases – this is an area of expertise at the Zayed Centre for Research into Rare Disease in Children at UCL GOS ICH.

    Future research will create ‘mini eyes’ from more patient samples, and use them to identify treatments, for example by testing different drugs. In the future, it may be possible to edit a patient’s DNA in specific cells in their eyes to avoid blindness.

    This research was funded by National Institute for Health and Care Research Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, Medical Research Council, GOSH Children’s Charity and Newlife the Charity for Disabled Children.

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    University College London

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  • Schools Teaching Mindfulness, Meditation to Help Lower Stress

    Schools Teaching Mindfulness, Meditation to Help Lower Stress

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    Nov. 18, 2022 – On a recent Thursday afternoon, Connie Clotworthy greets a roomful of energetic fourth graders at Valor Academy Elementary School in Arleta, CA, about 20 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. 

    She starts by leading them in a mindfulness exercise, reminding the 19 students they have to give their brain a break “on purpose.” In a calm voice, she says, “for 30 seconds we are going to close our eyes.” She tells them to just breathe in, breathe out. Nothing else. They all do that.

    After the 30 seconds, she asks: “Who was able to only breathe in, breathe out? Who had a million other thoughts?” That draws laughs and some raised hands, both in response to the success question and the bit about “a million other thoughts.” 

    Then, Clotworthy brings out her teaching assistants: A stuffed bulldog named Billy and a stuffed owl named Hoots.

    She talks about “big emotions.” Holding up Billy, she says: “When you get angry, you’ve let our dog start barking and biting,” waving the stuffed dog around. “And how do we calm down our dog? Breathe. Who helps? Hoots.” 

    But Hoots can only help after Billy calms down, she reminds them. “Do you think Hoots will come out if Billy is barking and screaming?” The kids know the answer to that, shaking their heads “No” in unison.

    The session ends with a 5-minute meditation and “body scan,” a guided exercise of noticing body sensations without judgment, done with eyes closed.

    Clotworthy is executive director and founder of Worthy Beyond Purpose, a Los Angeles nonprofit launched in 2018. She leads the once-a-week, 30-minute mindfulness and meditation program at Valor Academy Elementary and at five other area schools.

    After the session, she says proudly, the kids know that Billy represents the amygdala, the brain region associated with emotional processing, and Hoots is the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s control center involved in emotion regulation. 

    Clotworthy and other practitioners like her are increasingly taking to classrooms to use mindfulness and meditation to try to help ease pervasive mental health issues from pandemic trauma, isolation, school closures, school shootings, and other issues constantly plaguing students of all ages. Study after study has found many negative mental health effects of COVID-19 safety measures on children and adolescents.

    While the terms mindfulness and meditation are often interchanged, experts say that mindfulness is the quality of “being in the present moment, without judgment,” while meditation describes a more formal practice of quieting the body and mind. 

    Mindfulness is not religious, Clotworthy says, but a way to “stay in the present.” The word, put most simply, “just means paying attention. We teach kids to be in the present.” 

    Besides helping students deal with stressors, it can be good for society, as the Dalai Lama promised in his famous quote: “If every 8-year-old in the world is taught meditation, we will eliminate violence from the world within one generation.”

    School Mindfulness Programs

    Some school mindfulness programs, like Clotworthy’s, are small nonprofit efforts. Others tap into existing national commercial programs.

    For instance, Headspace, the mindfulness and meditation app, recently partnered with Vivi, a classroom communication platform for kindergarten through 12th grade. Teachers can play Headspace content through Vivi, says Simon Holland, co-founder of Vivi, to access mindfulness and meditation content designed for children and teens. 

    Rosamaria Segura is director of Insight LA’s Insight in Action program, which provides mindfulness and meditation practices to areas that would otherwise be unable to afford them. The program is offered to students at three schools and to teachers and parents at six others.

    “We offer it at no cost,” she says. Sometimes it is a 6-week program, other times a year. Community members fund it with donations.

    Students served are “recent arrivals, Spanish-speaking,” Segura says, and “there is a lot of anxiety and trauma, from their journey. We train students to stay in the present,” with the mindfulness exercises. 

    “Last year, we had a mindfulness garden, outdoors, with elementary students,” she says. The students would enter the garden and choose a sticker to match their mood. At the beginning, most chose stickers reflecting worry or anxiety. “At the end of the session, the stickers would move up to the joyful, relaxed state. It was incredibly dramatic to see.”

    What the Research Suggests

    Mediation and mindfulness for adults have long had a list of known benefits, such as stress reduction and mood improvement. Recently, a well-publicized study found a program called mindfulness-based stress reduction rivals a prescription medication in how well it treats anxiety disorders.

    Recent research also has found benefits for children and teens, although some experts argue that enthusiasm is outpacing the evidence and that the studies need to be more scientific. 

    Among the recent studies:

    • Eight teachers who led 124 students in a pre- and early elementary low-income school in mindfulness practices for 10-15 minutes a day (3 or more days a week for 6 weeks) found students calmer and more relaxed at the end of the program.
    • In an analysis of mindfulness programs for children and teens, researchers claimed most evaluations are not scientific enough, lacking randomization or control groups. In a review of 33 studies and nearly 3,700 children and teens, researchers found positive effects of the practice for mindfulness, attention, depression, anxiety and stress, and negative behaviors, but the effects were small. The positive effects were limited to mindfulness, depression, and anxiety and stress when the researchers only looked at the studies with active control groups.   

    Does It Work at School?

    Some results from the school programs are anecdotal, some survey-based. 

    At Valor Academy Elementary, a public charter school in the LA Unified School District, the differences in behavior are noticeable, says Talar Samuelian, assistant principal of culture. She launched the program there in late 2021 with her third and fourth graders, concerned about their behavior after the pandemic brought remote learning. 

    “We had a lot of students with behavioral challenges and self-regulation issues,” she says. “The third graders had missed out on all of [in-person] first and second grade. There was catty behavior among the girls, and the boys were very handsy out in the yards. They had missed out on [developing] a lot of play skills.”

    This year, the students are much calmer, she says. Among the benefits, she believes, are that “it helps with increasing the sense of belonging.” 

    One thing surprised Samuelian. She had assumed some of the third and fourth graders would be “too cool” to take part and push back. “Not one did,” she says. “They were all transfixed; they are all into it.”

    At the end of the 2021-2022 school year, Clotworthy surveyed 400 students who had taken part in her program at four schools. Her findings: “91% of the students can correctly identify and describe the functions of the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex,” up from 10% before the sessions began. 

    “We begin with these teachings so kids will know where their emotions live, how to identify them, and how to stay ahead of the outbursts,” she says. 

    A vast majority of the kids – 88% – say they have new ways to handle these big emotions, such as breathing techniques. And 85% say they know to listen to the body and feel the emotion coming before it erupts. Nearly 60% told Clotworthy they get in trouble less since starting her classes. Teachers told her that kids have a longer attention span in classes and more emotional maturity.

    Headspace’s own research found that 30 days of Headspace led to a 32% decrease in stress, while 8 weeks of use led to a 19% decrease in anxiety symptoms and improved focus by 14%. 

    Indira Esparza Galeana teaches at the Preuss School on the campus of the University of California, San Diego. The charter middle and high school is for low-income students who strive to become first in their families to graduate from college. The daughter of immigrants, she graduated from the school, returned to teach there, and now works as a member of the Vivi Educator Council, an unpaid position, to roll out the VIvi partnership. 

    Galeana’s testing the Vivi-Headspace program in one of her Advanced Placement 12th grade government classes and one ninth grade ethnic studies class. Feedback has been positive, she says. Students are receptive to learning to meditate; one says it was relaxing and another says it made him think a lot. “I think that’s just showing they have a lot on their minds right now.”

    An Educator’s View

    “Mindfulness is a normal human state,” says Patricia (Tish) Jennings, PhD, a professor of education at the University of Virginia. “Young children tend to be very mindful,” naturally capable of focusing on the present moment. 

    Jennings is internationally recognized as a leader in mindfulness in education and has taught mindful awareness practices to children and adults for more than 40 years. 

    “I started doing this with kids in my Montessori class in 1981,” she says. At the time, “I didn’t call it mindfulness or meditation. I would say, ‘We are learning to calm down, to focus our attention.’”

    Basically, Jennings says, what’s known is the practice really helps kids to self-regulate. “It does help them pay attention, and it does help them calm down. Self-awareness and self-management are really important.”

    She led a team that developed a mindfulness-based professional development program for improving teacher well-being and student engagement and has written or edited books on mindfulness in schools. 

    Students Take to Mindfulness

    As the mindfulness and meditation session at Valor Academy wraps up, Clotworthy asks the students for some thoughts on mindfulness and meditation, including how it helps them. 

    Kylie Garcia, a 9-year-old with dark brown eyes and hair, who had listened intently during the session and took part fully, says: “I like meditation because my body felt calm when meditating.” She compares it to a recess break. 

    Jaden Martinez, also 9, says he views mindfulness somewhat like subtraction. When you just breathe during mindfulness, he says, it can help you get rid of all those random thoughts – subtract them, basically – and just be in the moment. 

    Clotworthy says some students say they have taught the techniques to their parents.

    At Valor Elementary, mindfulness class is on Thursdays; one girl offered: “I wake up and realize it is mindfulness day and I’m excited to come to school.”

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  • Research suggests that children who doubt their gender identity enter puberty earlier

    Research suggests that children who doubt their gender identity enter puberty earlier

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    Newswise — A new study from Aarhus University shows that children who have expressed a desire at the age of 11 to be a different gender enter puberty earlier than their peers. However, more research is required, says the researchers behind the study.

    The transition to puberty can be difficult for children who are afflicted by doubt about their own gender identity. New research from the Department of Public Health at Aarhus University suggests that these children also enter puberty earlier than children who are not in doubt about their gender identity. Master’s programme student Anne Hjorth Thomsen and Professor Cecilia Ramlau-Hansen are behind the study.

    The study, which is one of the first in the world to examine the correlation between children’s desire to be the opposite gender and their development in puberty, was undertaken as part of the research project “Better Health for Generations” (BSIG), which has monitored 100,000 Danish women’s pregnancies and births, as well as the growth and development of their children, since 1996.

    In the study, the children were asked at the age of 11 about a possible desire to be the opposite gender. This information was then combined with data in which, every six months, the children reported their current stage in various puberty milestones. At age 11, around 5% of the children in the study reported either a partial or a full desire to be the opposite gender.

    “The results indicate that children who at age 11 reported a desire to be the opposite gender tended to go into puberty before children who had not expressed a desire to change their gender. In the study, both birth-assigned boys and girls with a previous expressed desire to change gender entered puberty around two months earlier than their peers,” says Anne Hjorth Thomsen.

    Anne Hjorth Thomsen stresses that more research is needed before any final conclusions can be drawn, but that it is important that health staff are aware of children’s previous puberty development.

    “Health professionals may encounter a desire to slow down puberty, because the child may not feel comfortable in their own body, or able to identify with it. It is therefore important that the healthcare professionals possess basic knowledge about the puberty development of the children, so that treatment can be applied at the right time.”

    Anne Hjorth Thomsen and Professor Cecilia Ramlau-Hansen recommend that the research results be followed up by new studies.

    “In this study, we see earlier puberty development among children who wish to be the opposite gender, compared to children who do not wish to be the opposite gender. But we do not know whether the children’s own gender perception affects their puberty development, or whether there may be other explanations. We do not know the underlying causes,” says Anne Hjorth Thomsen.

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    Aarhus University

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  • Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt welcome second child | CNN

    Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt welcome second child | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Heidi Montag Pratt and husband Spencer Pratt have welcomed their second child.

    “The Hills” couple introduced their new baby boy on Thursday, with Montag posting to Snapchat from the hospital. She shared that he was born at 11:31 a.m., weighing 7 lbs. and 9 oz., but did not reveal a name.

    Earlier, Montag had posted herself doing breathing exercises and rubbing her baby bump as Pratt drove her to the hospital.

    “Okay, this is the real deal. Oh yeah, definitely gonna have this baby very quickly. Oh my gosh, this is the real thing. I couldn’t tell if my water broke or not because it’s just a little at first, I mean, not a little, and these contractions are just nonstop now,” she said in the video.

    Montag and Pratt also share 5-year-old son, Gunner. The duo announced they were expanding their family in June.

    “I have been hoping and praying for this moment for so long!” Montag said on social media at the time. “Once I saw the word ‘pregnant’ I started hysterically crying, overwhelmed with joy and shock and I sprinted upstairs to show Spencer.”

    Montag and Pratt eloped in 2008 and had another ceremony in 2009.

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  • Deprivation in childhood linked to impulsive behaviour in adulthood – research

    Deprivation in childhood linked to impulsive behaviour in adulthood – research

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    Newswise — Children who have experienced deprivation are more likely to make more impulsive choices than those who don’t and can lead to addictions in later life – research has shown.

    ‘Trait impulsivity’, the preference for immediate gratification, has been linked to spending more on food, especially unhealthy, highly calorific food. Studies have shown that children who experience poverty and food insecurity tend to have a higher body-mass index as adults than those who do not.

    Researchers from the School of Psychology at Aston University found a link between deprivation in childhood and impulsive behaviour – leading to addictions later in life. The findings, which are a culmination of six years of research, also found a further link between impulsivity, obesity and the cost of living crisis.

    Professor Richard Tunney, head of the School of Psychology at Aston University, published a study in Scientific Reports earlier this year where he showed that children who experience deprivation make more impulsive choices than children who don’t.

    The research team studied 146 children, with an average age of eight, living in some of the most deprived areas of England and compared them with children living in some of the most affluent neighbourhoods.

    Children were given a choice between taking home a small amount of money (for example, £1) or getting £10 a week, or even more a year later. How long a person is willing to wait for the larger amount of money can be used to calculate a ‘discount rate’ that shows how much the waiting time reduces the value of the money.

    An impulsive person might prefer £1 now because the value of £10 in six months is ‘discounted’ to less than £1 right now. This means that, for them, the £10, is discounted by £9 over the six-month wait.

    A less impulsive person might be willing to wait six months for £10, but not wait for a whole year for £15. This means that, for them, the value of the £15 is discounted by £5 over the additional six-month wait. This discount rate is a measure of how impulsive someone is.

    Commenting on the findings, Professor Tunney said: “The results showed that children living in the most deprived areas had significantly higher discount rates than children living in the least deprived areas, regardless of age or intelligence, indicating that deprivation was the causal factor in the children’s choice.

    “This preference for immediate outcomes is a stable personality trait that remains constant throughout a person’s life.”

    However, in the research team’s most recent study published by the Royal Society, they investigated impulsivity in over 1,000 older adults aged between 50 and 90.

    The study found that older adults living in the most deprived areas showed the same preference for smaller-sooner financial outcomes as the children in the first study.

    It also found that a person’s job predicted the choices they made. Adults working in technical or routine occupations, such as mechanics or cleaners, chose to receive smaller amounts of money than wait for larger amounts compared with people in professional occupations, such as engineers or scientists.

    Professor Tunney added: “These findings are concerning because impulsivity doesn’t just predict obesity. These findings tell us a lot about why people living in poorer areas tend to be unhealthier than people living in wealthy areas.

    “People who experience deprivation as children are more likely to choose to do things that, although they might be pleasurable in the short term, are unhealthy in the long run. This includes overeating, taking drugs, smoking cigarettes and gambling.

    “We know too, that impulsivity can help to explain why some people go on to become addicts, while other people can avoid some of the more harmful effects of drugs and alcohol.

    “Deprivation is one of many factors that can lead to impulsive behaviour throughout a person’s lifetime. Genetics also plays a role in impulsivity. Policymakers can’t do anything about a person’s genes but they can influence the nation’s long-term mental and physical health by minimising child poverty. Failing to do so will have long-term implications for the children living through today’s cost of living crisis.”

    For more information about the School of Psychology at Aston University, please visit our website.

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  • Air pollution high at US public schools with kids from marginalized groups

    Air pollution high at US public schools with kids from marginalized groups

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    Newswise — WASHINGTON — Race- and ethnicity-based discrepancies in exposure to air pollution, especially regarding proximity to roadways and industrial zones, are well-established. A new study reports the first nationwide patterns in atmospheric fine particulate pollution and nitrogen dioxide exposure at U.S. public schools.

    On both national and local scales, schools with more students of color and students who receive free or reduced-price lunches, a proxy for poverty, are located in areas with higher concentrations of the pollutants, the study found. The study, led by members of NASA’s Health and Air Quality Applied Science team, was published in GeoHealth, AGU’s journal for research that investigates the intersection of human and planetary health for a sustainable future. 

    The study analyzed the distribution of two pollutants, particulate matter of 2.5 microns in diameter and smaller (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide, and compared pollutants to students’ racial or ethnic identity and income status. PM2.5 can cause short-term irritation and exacerbate chronic conditions such as asthma and heart disease. Nitrogen dioxide can also cause irritation and either bring about or worsen respiratory conditions. Long-term exposure to both pollutants can result in increased risk of hospitalization or death.

    “School kids are a really vulnerable population,” said Michael Cheeseman, an atmospheric scientist at Colorado State University and lead author of the new study. “They’re really sensitive to air pollution, and they spend a lot of their time at school.”

    In the U.S., children spend an average of nearly 7 hours per day at school for 180 days of the year. School-aged children are also still developing, and studies have found exposure to air pollution may hurt children’s health, including their brain development, lung health, and ability to learn, Cheeseman said.

    The study used existing datasets* of student populations across the continental U.S. and satellite-derived concentrations of the pollutants from 2017 through 2019, with pollutant estimations verified by established EPA monitoring networks. One of the pollutant models explicitly accounts for nitrogen dioxide derived from traffic, which is especially relevant for low-income schools because they tend to be located near busy roadways. The pollutants reflect ambient air pollution, not air pollution inside school buildings.

    “The biggest takeaway is that schools with higher proportions of students in racial or ethnic minorities, or that have higher poverty levels, tend to be associated with higher concentrations of PM2.5 and nitrogen dioxide,” Cheeseman said. “These disparities exist from the national and state level even to local levels, with discrepancies and segregation within one city.”

    Regional differences in exposure

    Schools with higher proportions of minority students had about 30% higher peak concentrations of both nitrogen dioxide and PM2.5. The highest concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and PM2.5 are at schools where more than 80% of students are eligible for free or reduced lunch. The findings are consistent with previous studies that examined pollution and schools at smaller scales, such as school districts.

    The researchers examined how air pollution discrepancies varied between states and between urban and rural areas. To link pollution to population discrepancies, they considered how race/ethnicity and poverty varied by state and urbanicity. Urban schools experienced higher concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, likely due to proximity to high-traffic roads. Rural schools often had low nitrogen dioxide pollution, likely due to a lack of development, but PM2.5 exposure did not change much between rural and urban settings.

    Regional differences in race and pollution exist. For example, in states in the South, schools tended to be more rural and have more Black and African American students, so students at those schools are exposed to less nitrogen dioxide.

    Because PM2.5 has a longer lifespan in the atmosphere, it is more widely distributed and is therefore “smoothed out” over space and time, Cheeseman said, which could explain why stronger discrepancies exist for nitrogen dioxide than particulate pollution.

    The factors included in the study — race or ethnicity, poverty and population density — are often related and influence each other. For instance, schools with higher proportions of racial or ethnic minorities tend to be in urban areas and have higher rates of poverty.

    Although the EPA provides non-mandatory guidance on how to choose an appropriate location for a new school, there are currently no mandatory federal guidelines that protect students from attending schools in heavily polluted areas, the authors said.

    “I do think more attention should be paid to this,” said Cheeseman. “Placing a new school is probably a balancing act too, though. If you place schools in less polluted areas that are maybe farther out, students might need to commute through heavily trafficked areas longer, and they could be exposed to more pollution from traffic that way.”

    # # #

    AGU (www.agu.org) is a global community supporting more than half a million advocates and professionals in Earth and space sciences. Through broad and inclusive partnerships, we advance discovery and solution science that accelerate knowledge and create solutions that are ethical, unbiased and respectful of communities and their values. Our programs include serving as a scholarly publisher, convening virtual and in-person events and providing career support. We live our values in everything we do, such as our net zero energy renovated building in Washington, D.C. and our Ethics and Equity Center, which fosters a diverse and inclusive geoscience community to ensure responsible conduct.  

    *****

    Notes for Journalists:

    GeoHealth is an open access journal. Download a PDF copy of the paper here. Neither the paper nor this press release is under embargo.

    Paper title:

    “Disparities in air pollutants across racial, ethnic, and poverty groups at US public schools”

    Authors:

    • Michael Cheeseman (corresponding author), Bonne Ford, Emily V. Fischer, Jeffrey R. Pierce, Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, CO, USA
    • Susan Anenberg, George Washington University, Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, District  of Columbia, USA
    • Matthew J. Cooper, Air Emission Priorities Division, Environment Climate Change Canada, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
    • Melanie S. Hammer, Randall V. Martin, Aaron van Donkelaar, Washington University in St. Louis, Department of Energy, Environmental, and Chemical Engineering, St. Louis, MO, USA
    • Sheryl Magzamen, Colorado State University, Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Fort Collins, CO, USA
    • John Volckens, Colorado State University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Fort Collins, CO, USA

    *Sources for the data:
    https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.8b06392

    https://www.essoar.org/doi/10.1002/essoar.10506660.1

    https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/aba3a5

    Recent related papers from AGU:

    “Barking up the Right Tree: Using Tree Bark to Track Airborne Particles in School Environment and Link Science to Society“

    “Mediating Role of Fine Particles Abatement on Pediatric Respiratory Health During COVID-19 Stay-at-Home Order in San Diego County, California“

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  • Screen Time May Help Concussion Recovery

    Screen Time May Help Concussion Recovery

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    Nov. 17, 2022 – Experts recommend that children and adolescents who have had a concussion rest for a day or 2 before returning to light physical activity. Slowly getting back to normal helps young patients recover faster than strict rest, research shows. 

    Now a new study suggests that getting back on TikTok and Snapchat may help, too. 

    After surveying 700 patients ages 8 to 16 following an injury, researchers from the University of British Columbia and the University of Calgary, in Canada, found that children and adolescents who had a concussion recovered faster if they engaged in a moderate amount of screen time. 

    A “moderate” amount was between 2 and 7 hours per day on various screens. “That includes their phones, computers, and televisions,” says Molly Cairncross, PhD, an assistant professor at Simon Fraser University who did the research. 

    People in the study who reported either less or more screen time than that in the 7 to 10 days after injury also reported more symptoms, such as headaches and fatigue, during the first month. After that month, all the participants reported similar symptoms, regardless of their early screen use – suggesting that screen time makes little difference long-term in pediatric concussion recovery. 

    The findings differ from a 2021 study by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School that found screen time slowed recovery. Why the clashing results? “I think what it comes down to are differences in study design,” says Cairncross. While the earlier study measured screen use in the first 48 hours, and recovery over 10 days, “we focused on screen time use over the first 7 to 10 days, and tracked recovery over 6 months,” she says. 

    “Taken together, the studies suggest a need to find balance — not too little and not too much time on screens for kids and teens following a concussion,” Cairncross says. 

    Ultimately, the findings support moderation rather than blanket restrictions on screen time as the best way to manage pediatric concussion, especially after the first 48 hours. 

    “It’s actually unsurprising,” says Sarah Brittain, a speech-language pathologist and founder of Colorado Brain Recovery in Wheat Ridge, CO, who was not involved in the study. “An early return to both cognitive and physical activity in a controlled fashion is really important. Sitting in a dark room and resting is not the answer and has been disproven in the literature.”

    Old advice involved lying in a quiet, dark room for days, but recent evidence reveals that such “cocoon therapy” may actually prolong symptoms. 

    “With time, we have found this can negatively impact quality of life and depression scores, especially in teenagers,” says Katherine Labiner, MD, a child neurologist at Pediatrix Child Neurology Consultants of Austin, TX, who was not involved in the study. 

    So, how might screens help? Labiner, Brittain, and Cairncross all point to the importance of connection – not the internet kind, but the social kind. Children and teens use smartphones and computers to stay connected with peers, so banning screen time could have a negative impact on mental health by leading to loneliness, separation, and lack of social support.

    “Depression can prolong the course of recovery,” says Brittain.

    It’s worth noting that screen time could trigger visual symptoms in some patients, she says. “If someone feels worse within 2 minutes of being on a screen, that’s a good indicator that screens aren’t working for them,” Brittain says. “If being on a screen makes them dizzy or wiped out, or the words on the screen look like they’re moving when they’re not, that means it’s time to back off.”

    She advises parents to watch for behavior changes like increased crankiness, impatience, and/or fatigue, which could mean that the child has returned to screen time — or any activity — too soon and should scale back until symptoms subside. 

    “The most important thing to stress with concussion is full recovery before complete return to activity,” Labiner says.

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  • Corporal punishment affects brain activity, anxiety, and depression

    Corporal punishment affects brain activity, anxiety, and depression

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    Newswise — Don’t spank your kids. That’s the conventional wisdom that has emerged from decades of research linking corporal punishment to a decline in adolescent health and negative effects on behavior, including an increased risk for anxiety and depression. Now, a new study explores how corporal punishment might impact neural systems to produce those adverse effects.

    Corporal punishment can be simply defined as the “intentional infliction of physical pain by any means for the purpose of punishment, correction, discipline, instruction, or any other reason.” This violence, particularly when inflicted by a parent, evokes a complex emotional experience. The researchers, led by Kreshnik Burani, MS, and working with Greg Hajcak, PhD, at Florida State University, wanted to understand the neural underpinnings of that experience and its downstream consequences.

    The study appears in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, published by Elsevier.

    The researchers conducted a longitudinal study on 149 boys and girls ages 11 to 14 from the Tallahassee, FL, area. Participants performed a video game-like task and a monetary guessing game while undergoing continuously recorded electroencephalography, or EEG – a noninvasive technique to measure brain-wave activity from the scalp. From the EEG data, the researchers determined two scores for each participant – one reflecting their neural response to error and the other reflecting their neural response to reward.

    Two years later, participants and their parents completed a series of questionnaires to screen for anxiety and depression and to assess parenting style. As expected, kids who had experienced corporal punishment were more likely to develop anxiety and depression.

    “Our paper first replicates the well-known negative effect that corporal punishment has on a child’s wellbeing: we found that corporal punishment is associated with increased anxiety and depressive symptoms in adolescence. However, our study goes further to demonstrate that corporal punishment might impact brain activity and neurodevelopment,” said Burani.

    That was reflected by larger neural response to error and a blunted response to reward in the adolescents who received physical punishments.

    “Specifically,” Burani added, “our paper links corporal punishment to increased neural sensitivity to making errors and decreased neural sensitivity to receiving rewards in adolescence. In previous and ongoing work with Dr. Hajcak, we see that increased neural response to errors is associated with anxiety and risk for anxiety, whereas decreased neural response to rewards is related to depression and risk for depression. Corporal punishment, therefore, might alter specific neurodevelopmental pathways that increase risk for anxiety and depression by making children hypersensitive to their own mistakes and less reactive to rewards and other positive events in their environment.”

    Cameron Carter, MD, Editor of Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, said of the findings, “Using EEG, this study provides new insights into the mechanisms that may underlie the adverse effects of corporal punishment on mental health in children as well as the neural systems that may be affected.”

    The work provides new clues as to the neural underpinnings of depression and anxiety and could help guide interventions for at-risk youth.

    https://www.elsevier.com/about/press-releases/research-and-journals/corporal-punishment-affects-brain-activity-anxiety-and-depression

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  • There is no evidence that “immunity debt” is real, however, the end of COVID-19 mitigation efforts means a higher risk for viral infections

    There is no evidence that “immunity debt” is real, however, the end of COVID-19 mitigation efforts means a higher risk for viral infections

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    Fact Check By:
    Craig Jones, Newswise

    Truthfulness: Half True

    Claim:

    The current rise of pediatric RSV cases suggests children’s immune systems are “catching up” to the typical childhood viruses and so young children, as well as older children who may not have been exposed the past few years, are at risk for infection.

    Claim Publisher and Date: DR. Priya Edward, Opinion Contributor in The Hill (among others) on 2022-11-03

    Hospitals are reporting never-before-seen surges in children with severe viral infections, causing historically long wait times and pushing critical care beyond capacity.  One new phrase that is being widely used (especially by critics of public health measures such as masking and social distancing) is the concept of “immunity debt”. An opinion piece in the publication The Hill attempts to explain this phenomenon. The idea is that the current rise of pediatric RSV cases suggests children’s immune systems are “catching up” to the typical childhood viruses and so young children, as well as older children who may not have been exposed the past few years, are at risk for infection.

    Is there any credence to this theory?

    The phrase “immunity debt” comes from a French position paper published in 2021. No evidence was cited to back up this claim.

    Some people believe that public health measures against COVID-19, including masking and social distancing, have resulted in children getting more sick now because of a weakened immune system. Experts disagree about whether “immunity debt” is a real phenomenon or convenient pseudoscience.

    It’s not that children’s immune systems are weaker, but rather that they are all being exposed to viruses from which they were shielded when public health measures were in place, and they are now falling ill at the same time. 

    William (Billy) Lennarz, MD, System Chair of Pediatrics, Associate Medical Director, Ochsner Health has this to say…

    The surge of sick children we are seeing is a result of our COVID mitigation.  Children have been kept fairly cloistered from all communicable diseases that spread through the respiratory tract throughout the pandemic due to mitigation efforts, social distancing and school closures. Now with schools fully open and other mitigation tactics largely eliminated, the ability for viral infections to transmit through the child population has been restored. A cohort of children who have not seen viral infections for several years are now being exposed. The good news is, children are only nominally affected by these viral infections and hospitalizations from any of them is extremely rare.

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