Parenting Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Scared of Giving Birth? You’re Not Alone, but Stay Positive to Ease the Fear

The AHA! Team — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 05:32:00 +0000

American Physiological Society (APS) via Newswise – Up to 60% of women experience some fear about giving birth, especially for the first time, but a new study shows why some women are more likely to stay calm and confident in the lead-up to childbirth. In a global first, researchers from Robert Gordon University in Scotland and the University of South Australia (UniSA) investigated the factors that help ease childbirth fears, rather than stoke them. They surveyed 88 pregnant women in their third trimester before attending antenatal classes in north-east Scotland. Researchers used the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale to measure the link between mental wellbeing, a woman’s belief in her ability to manage the challenges of labour, and fear of childbirth.While 12% exhibited ‘severe’ fear of childbirth (FOC), those who were more positive, confident and in meaningful relationships reported fewer concerns. The findings are published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynaecology. Lead author Dr Katrina Forbes-McKay says the results provide valuable insights into how antenatal care could be improved to foster confidence, enhance positive emotions and ultimately support healthier births for mothers and babies. “While many studies have explored the negative effects of childbirth fear, including prolonged labour, emergency caesareans and postpartum mental health issues, there has been little research into what protects women from experiencing those fears,” Dr Forbes-McKay says. “Our findings highlight the need for antenatal care that doesn’t just teach women what to do during labour but also empowers them to believe they can do it.” Co-author UniSA Professor Tracy Humphrey says the study found that a woman’s sense of mental wellbeing was the strongest predictor of how fearful she felt about giving birth. “This includes having a sense of purpose, emotional positivity, and meaningful social relationships – all things that are often overlooked in maternity care,” Prof Humphrey says. “The second key predictor was childbirth self-efficacy – particularly whether women believed they could apply coping strategies when the time came.” The study calls for antenatal programs to shift from a solely medical model to one that builds self-belief. Specifically, it recommends that childbirth education: Fosters confidence in the use of labour techniques such as breathing, visualisation and relaxation Enhances psychological wellbeing by supporting social connection, purpose and satisfaction Embraces an approach that focuses on wellness rather than the risks Although this study was restricted to women in the third trimester, further research has been undertaken on the role of antenatal relaxation practices in improving maternal well-being and childbirth experiences. Robert Gordon University midwifery lecturer Dr Mo Tabib led the study as part of her PhD, under the supervision of Dr Forbes-McKay and Professor Humphrey. Significant improvements “Women who incorporated these relaxation techniques reported “significant improvements” in their mental wellbeing and confidence in approaching childbirth; improvements which remained stable until 4-8 weeks after birth,” Dr Tabib says. “The findings align with global priorities from the World Health Organization to promote the mental and physical health of women during pregnancy. “By addressing fear of childbirth through psychological and educational interventions, we not only support women to have more positive birth experiences but potentially reduce medical interventions and improve outcomes for mothers and infants,” she says. The researchers are now calling for larger, multi-site studies to validate these findings across diverse populations. ‘Predicting fear of childbirth during pregnancy, the positive role of self-efficacy and mental wellbeing: a cross-sectional study’ is co-authored by Katrina Forbes McKay, Mo Tabib and Tracy Humphrey. DOI 10.1080/0167482X.2025.2527658 To read the original article click here.

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Poll: Almost Half of U.S. Respondents Demand Reevaluation of CDC Vaccine Schedule

The AHA! Team — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 05:33:15 +0000

Ramon Tomey via Natural News – In a striking shift, nearly half of U.S. respondents in an opinion poll now support reexamining the childhood vaccination schedule recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A poll by Children’s Health Defense reveals 49.4 percent of respondents favor reviewing the CDC’s childhood vaccination schedule, while only 29.6 percent oppose changes. Support rises to nearly 60 percent among parents of young children. While 43 percent still back school vaccine requirements, 39 percent argue public education access should not depend on vaccination status. New CDC appointees, including Martin Kulldorff, are scrutinizing vaccine safety, including cumulative effects of ingredients. Critics accuse the panel of promoting “anti-vaccine” views. Nearly half (48 percent) support legal recourse for vaccine-related harm, challenging the 1986 law shielding manufacturers from liability. The CDC’s review of thimerosal in flu shots revisits past autism concerns. The poll reflects eroded trust in vaccine mandates, signaling a shift away from unquestioned acceptance. In a striking shift, nearly half of U.S. respondents in an opinion poll now support reexamining the childhood vaccination schedule recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The survey, conducted by John Zogby Strategies and commissioned by Children’s Health Defense (CHD), polled 1,006 respondents from June 24 to 25. It found that 49.4 percent – 23.7 percent strongly support, 25.7 percent somehow support – are in favor of a reevaluation of the CDC’s vaccine schedule. In contrast, only 29.6 percent of respondents – 15.1 percent strongly oppose, 14.5 percent somewhat oppose – prefer to keep the vaccination schedule as is. The poll’s results also revealed that support for reviewing the vaccine schedule spikes to almost 60 percent among parents of young children – a demographic directly impacted by the recommendations. Under the current schedule, children must be injected with 70 doses of 15 vaccines by age 18. Meanwhile, 43 percent of respondents still endorse school vaccine mandates. Nevertheless, 39 percent of respondents argue public education access should remain unconditional instead of being contingent on compliance with vaccine mandates. (Related: MASS EXODUS from public schools anticipated after CDC advisory panel unanimously votes to add deadly Covid-19 “vaccines” to childhood immunization schedule.) People want vaccine injury accountability The opinion poll’s results come amid escalating scrutiny of federal vaccine policies, particularly after Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. overhauled the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) with appointees who criticize mainstream vaccine guidance. Central to the controversy is a newly formed CDC work group tasked with studying the cumulative effects of childhood vaccines. “It is important to evaluate interaction effects between different vaccines, cumulative amounts of vaccine ingredients, and relative timing,” said new ACIP Chairman Martin Kulldorff during the panel’s June 25 meeting. His remarks echoed a 2013 National Academy of Medicine report urging deeper research into vaccine safety, a call left unheeded for over a decade. Critics, including mainstream medical groups, accuse the panel of veering toward anti-vaccine ideology. The American Academy of Pediatrics blasted Kulldorff’s suggestion to delay hepatitis B vaccinations as “unscientific” and “dangerous.” Typically given at birth, the new ACIP chairman said the injection can be delayed “unless the mother is hepatitis B positive.” Yet CHD CEO Mary Holland argues the poll reflects a public revolt against institutional dogma. “The constant fearmongering and shaming tactics … are not only ineffective, but backfiring,” she said. “This data clearly shows that the mainstream media, medical establishment and many politicians fail to hear the serious concerns of half of Americans on these vital issues.” Equally contentious is the 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act, which shields manufacturers from liability. Nearly half of respondents – 48 percent – now support legal recourse for vaccine injuries. In contrast, just 34 percent defend the status quo. This debate started in the 1990s, when mercury-based thimerosal first ignited autism concerns. Kennedy has long cited studies linking vaccines to neurological harm, though federal agencies and major medical journals reject those claims. Thimerosal was later removed from most childhood vaccines in 2001. The new ACIP’s review of thimerosal-preserved flu shots reignites that clash. Whether the CDC’s review yields policy changes or further polarization, one truth is clear. The era of unquestioned vaccine mandates is over. Sources include: ChildrensHealthDefense.org 1 ChildrensHealthDefense.org 2 [PDF] NBCNews.com Brighteon.com To read the original article, click here

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Postpartum Female Preference for Cooler Temperatures Linked to Brain Changes

The AHA! Team — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 05:35:50 +0000

Baylor College of Medicine via EurekAlert! – Mothers experience major metabolic adaptations during pregnancy and lactation to support the development and growth of the new life. Although many metabolic changes have been studied, body temperature regulation and environmental temperature preference during and after pregnancy remain poorly understood. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and collaborating institutions show in the journal Molecular Metabolism that postpartum female mice develop new environmental temperature preferences and reveal brain changes mediating these changes. Humans and mice body temperature “In both humans and mice, body temperature increases during early pregnancy, drops to normal temperature during late pregnancy and then goes up again during lactation,” said co-corresponding author Dr. Chunmei Wang, assistant professor of pediatrics at USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center at Baylor. In this study, Wang and her colleagues investigated what changes occurred in the brain that mediated the new temperature preference. “We worked with mice and found that female mice prefer a cooler environment starting from late pregnancy and persisting in long-term postpartum,” Wang said. “For more than four weeks post-weaning female mice had a lower body temperature and preferred cooler environments; they lost their typical preference for warm environments (30 °C/86 °F) but still avoided cold environments (15 °C/59 °F).” To identify the biological underpinnings of these changes, the researchers studied the preoptic area (POA), a brain region important for sensing and regulating body temperature. “We discovered that the change in temperature preference in postpartum female mice was associated with a significant decrease in a particular group of neurons, estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)-expressing neurons in the preoptic area of the brain (ERαPOA neurons),” Wang said. Supporting this finding, the researchers found that virgin females in which the estrogen receptor alpha had been deleted in ERαPOA neurons also preferred lower temperatures and avoided warmer locations, mimicking postpartum females. Looking closely into the ERαPOA neurons, the researchers found that these neurons vary in their ability to sense warm or cold temperatures – one group of ERαPOA neurons can directly respond to warmth, while another group responds to cooler temperatures. “Interestingly, compared to female mice that had not been pregnant, ERαPOA neurons of postpartum females had reduced response to warmth and an enhanced response to cold,” Wang said. Together, the results support that the ability of ERαPOA neurons to sense warmth and cold is regulated by reproductive experience and leads to changes in temperature preferences that alter the animal’s warmth-seeking behavior. Currently, the researchers are exploring the function of each group of ERαPOA neurons on the regulation body temperature and thermal preference. Other contributors to this work include Nan Zhang, Meng Yu, Qianru Zhao, Bing Feng, Yue Deng, Jonathan C. Bean, Qingzhuo Liu, Benjamin P. Eappen, Yang He, Kristine M. Conde, Hailan Liu, Yongjie Yang, Longlong Tu, Mengjie Wang, Yongxiang Li, Na Yin, Hesong Liu, Junying Han, Darah Ave Threat, Nathan Xu, Taylor Smiley, Pingwen Xu, Lulu Chen and co-corresponding authors Tianshu Zeng and Yanlin He. The authors are affiliated with one or more of the following institutions: Baylor College of Medicine, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hubei Branch of National Center for Clinical Medical Research of Metabolic Diseases, Louisiana State University, South-central Minzu University and the University of Illinois. This work was supported by grants from the USDA/CRIS (3092-51000-062-04(B)S), Pennington Biomedical Research Center institutional funding and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. ### Journal Molecular Metabolism DOI 10.1016/j.molmet.2025.102108 To read the original article click here.

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Digital Baby Formula Campaigns Undermine Breastfeeding & Put Child Health at Risk

The AHA! Team — Wed, 06 Aug 2025 05:21:37 +0000

SciDev.Net via News-Medical – Breastfeeding saves lives. It is one of the most powerful, proven investments in child survival, development and health. A global resolution on digital marketing of breast milk substitutes must be rigorously enforced, writes Afshan Khan, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and coordinator of the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement. Breastfeeding saves lives. It is one of the most powerful, proven investments in child survival, development and health. And yet its practice is being undermined — not by science, but by sophisticated and often misleading digital marketing. More than half of new parents are exposed to online promotions for formula milk, often disguised as medical advice or peer support. In some countries, that figure rises to over 90 per cent. What these aggressive campaigns for breast milk substitutes (BMS) do not tell parents is that breast milk is essential for building a child’s immune system — something formula simply cannot do. They also ignore a critical risk: formula must be mixed with water, and in communities without safe water access, this often leads to illness and infection in young children. Digital marketing campaigns are targeting parents at their most vulnerable — when they are seeking guidance, not manipulation. These tactics distort choice by drowning out trusted, evidence-based information with biased, misleading promotion. This not only undermines public health principles and a decade of progress in breastfeeding promotion, it also puts the health and future of entire generations at risk. These digital marketing tactics contravene a longstanding global framework. The International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1981, was designed to protect families from precisely this kind of exploitation. Yet, as a 2022 WHO and UNICEF report revealed, formula companies now spend up to 70 per cent of their marketing budgets on digital tools — from apps and virtual baby clubs to paid influencers and online forums — harvesting personal data and pushing targeted promotions in breach of the Code. In response, WHO member states adopted a landmark resolution at the World Health Assembly in Geneva this week (26 May) to curb digital marketing of breast milk substitutes and protect parents’ right to accurate, transparent information. Led by Mexico and Brazil and supported by nine country members of the UN-hosted Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement, this resolution is a critical step forward. The science on breast milk is long proven. By providing essential nutrition, strengthening immunity, and supporting cognitive development, breastfeeding can radically change the health and economic outcomes of mother and child. Scaling up breastfeeding globally could prevent 823,000 unnecessary child deaths and 20,000 deaths from breast cancer every year. It has been linked to a 20 per cent reduction in the risk of physical and cognitive stunting. These recognised advantages of breast milk had begun to take hold. Since 2012, rates of exclusive breastfeeding have risen from 37 per cent to nearly 48 per cent in 2021. Three quarters of these children live in low- and lower-middle-income countries, which represents important, tangible progress. But digital platforms spreading misleading formula marketing are cutting into this progress, with inadequate breastfeeding responsible for 16 per cent of child deaths each year. The new resolution gives countries a new framework to take action. Translating this into results will, however, require further coordinated efforts across sectors. First, stronger enforcement is essential. Countries need robust monitoring and accountability systems to track violations and respond effectively. Vietnam offers a promising model: with support from the SUN Civil Society Alliance, it has launched the AI-powered Virtual Violations Detector, which identifies breaches of the Code in real time and alerts regulators, enabling swift action and targeted advocacy. Another step will be to align fragmented policies across civil society and health systems. Harmful breast milk substitute marketing flourishes in disconnected systems, such as when health workers lack guidance, civil society is under-resourced, or tech platforms are unregulated. To close these gaps, governments must adopt an approach that brings all actors to the table. Finally, it is equally important to support positive campaigns that champion breastfeeding. It is not enough to restrict harmful marketing — parents need support and encouragement to make informed decisions. El Salvador has shown through its “Nacer con Cariño” (Born with Love) national policy how the promotion of breastfeeding can be integrated into prenatal and delivery care. Since its implementation in 2021, 69,000 babies have been born under this respectful care model and, thanks to the training of more than 1,000 breastfeeding counsellors supported by the SUN Movement, the country has far surpassed the global exclusive breastfeeding targets of 50 per cent for 2025, reaching a rate of more than 65 per cent. Informed parents make empowered choices, and empowered choices give every child the best possible start in life. Together with the resolution on the extension of the World Health Assembly nutrition targets, and the commitments made by countries at the Nutrition for Growth Summit in Paris earlier this year, we have a renewed mandate to act. Let’s make sure we use it and ensure this resolution moves from Geneva into meaningful action and change online and on the ground. Afshan Khan is Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and coordinator of the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement. Source: SciDev.Net To read the original article click here.

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Infant-Directed Singing Shown to Boost Emotional Health

The AHA! Team — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 06:23:15 +0000

Society for Research in Child Development via News-Medical – Many parents know that infants love to be sung to; however, there is limited prior research to show the long-term effects on parental singing. In a new study, researchers explored whether using a music enrichment intervention program to encourage parents to sing more frequently to their babies could improve the health of both infants and caregivers (as with skin-to-contact). This research was featured in a new Child Development article with authors from Yale University (United States), the University of Amsterdam (the Netherlands), the University of Auckland (New Zealand), McGill University (Canada), Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell (United States) and Princeton University (United States). Researchers advertised for study participants through in-person visits to baby fairs, distribution of flyers at local daycare centers, preschools, and delivery hospitals, and an announcement on public radio in New Haven, Connecticut. Online recruitment efforts targeted social media groups for expecting and new parents, along with online communities related to early childhood education. The study requirements mandated that all participants have a smartphone to be able to communicate and complete surveys online in English and be a primary caregiver of the infant. The study was conducted with 110 caregivers and their infants, who were on average nearly 4 months old. Most caregivers were from the United States and New Zealand, predominantly white, educated, and socioeconomically advantaged. Study participants were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. The main portion of the study lasted six weeks, starting with a pre-test in week one, followed by a four-week intervention, and then a post-test in week six. Caregivers in the intervention group completed a brief, smartphone-based music enrichment program to help them sing more often to their babies (through access to instructional videos with children’s songs). Throughout the study, participants completed smartphone surveys one to three times daily, reporting on infant and parent mood, stress, sleep quality, and music use. The findings suggest that simple, low-cost interventions, such as increasing infant-directed singing, have the potential to improve health outcomes for both infants and caregivers. The Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Samuel A. Mehr from Auckland University along with Dr. Eun Cho from Yale University and doctoral student, Lidya Yurdum from the University of Amsterdam to learn more about the research. SRCD: Can you please provide a brief overview of the study? Author team: We conducted a randomized controlled trial to test whether a simple, low-cost music intervention-encouraging caregivers to actively integrate singing into daily routines with their infants-could improve wellbeing for both infants and caregivers. The study included 110 caregiver-infant pairs, primarily from the United States and New Zealand (with infants on average about 4 months old). Participants were randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group. During the 4-week intervention, participants in the intervention group were encouraged to sing more to their infants than usual. We measured how this change in behavior would influence infant mood, stress, sleep, and music behavior, using brief, smartphone based surveys that caregivers completed at random times throughout the day. Our main finding was that the intervention successfully increased the frequency of infant-directed singing, especially in soothing contexts, and led to measurable improvements in infants’ general mood as reported by caregivers. SRCD: Did you learn anything that surprised you? Author team: One interesting finding was how intuitively caregivers incorporated singing into soothing routines for their infants, even though the intervention did not explicitly instruct them to use singing for this purpose. Among a dozen soothing strategies, singing was the only one that showed a significant increase in use following the intervention. From a methodological perspective, a particularly encouraging outcome was the high level of compliance with the study protocol-caregivers completed over 70% of the surveys across the 10-week period, demonstrating the feasibility of this approach for future developmental research. This strong compliance supported our decision to move forward with a longer-term, longitudinal study, which is currently underway. SRCD: Can you please explain how this research might be helpful for parents, caregivers and pediatricians? Author team: Our findings suggest that encouraging parents and caregivers to sing more frequently to their infants can have a positive, causal impact on infant mood. Singing is a universal practice-parents from almost every culture and throughout history have intuitively used singing to soothe and connect with their infants. It’s easy to do, requires no special equipment or training, and is accessible to everyone. Because infant mood is closely linked to parenting stress, caregiver-infant bonding, and later social-emotional development, such a simple intervention could have meaningful downstream benefits. For pediatricians and professionals working with families, recommending increased infant-directed singing is a practical, accessible strategy to support infant well-being. SRCD: Can you please address some of the research limitations? Author team: There are several limitations to note. First, our sample was predominantly white, highly educated, and socioeconomically advantaged and composed mainly of mothers, which limits the generalizability of the findings to more diverse populations. Second, all infant mood data were based on caregiver reports-although these reports were collected in real time to reduce recall bias, they remain subject to potential reporting biases. Third, the intervention was relatively brief and low-intensity; longer and more structured interventions might yield broader effects, including on caregiver mood or other health outcomes. Finally, music was already a regular part of many families’ routines at baseline, which may have limited the observable effect size of the intervention. SRCD: What’s next in this field of research? Author team: Despite the intervention lasting only four weeks, we observed clear benefits for infant mood. This suggests that the positive effects of singing to infants may be even more pronounced with longer-term, higher-intensity interventions-and may also extend to caregiver wellbeing and additional aspects of infant health beyond mood. Building on these findings, we are currently conducting two follow-up studies. The first is a direct replication of our original study, but with professionally developed, higher-quality intervention materials designed to help parents sing more to their infants. This will allow us to determine if improved resources can enhance the intervention’s effectiveness. The second is a longitudinal, randomized trial that follows families over eight months. In this study, we are comparing three active interventions -singing (music plus active parent-infant interaction), music listening (music without active interaction), and reading (no music but active interaction) – as well as a general control group. This design will help us disentangle the unique contributions of music, singing, and interactive activities to infant and caregiver outcomes. More information about this ongoing research can be found at https://www.togetherwegrow.study. This research was funded by the National Institutes of Health (United States), the Royal Society of New Zealand, the University of Auckland (New Zealand) and Princeton University (United States). Source: Society for Research in Child Development Journal reference: Cho, E., et al. (2025) Ecological Momentary Assessment Reveals Causal Effects of Music Enrichment on Infant Mood. Child Development. doi.org/10.1111/cdev.14246. To read the original article click here.

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Digital Pacifiers: How Screens are Rewiring Children’s Brains & Fueling a Mental Health Crisis

The AHA! Team — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 05:16:51 +0000

Lance D Johnson via Natural News – The research, published in Psychological Bulletin, exposes how digital devices act as “emotional escape routes,” soothing children in the moment while eroding their ability to handle real-world challenges. A Groundbreaking Study In an age where screens dominate every aspect of life, parents are unknowingly handing their children a double-edged sword — one that promises temporary calm but delivers long-term chaos. A groundbreaking study tracking nearly 300,000 children reveals a disturbing trend: screens aren’t just harming kids’ development; they’re becoming their only coping mechanism, trapping them in a vicious cycle of emotional dependency. The research, published in Psychological Bulletin, exposes how digital devices act as “emotional escape routes,” soothing children in the moment while eroding their ability to handle real-world challenges. This isn’t just about limiting screen time — it’s about recognizing how Big Tech’s relentless invasion into childhood is creating a generation less capable of resilience, communication, and emotional stability. Key points: Screens create a self-perpetuating cycle: Kids with emotional struggles turn to devices for comfort, but excessive screen time worsens those struggles over time. Gaming poses the highest risk, with stronger negative effects than passive screen use like TV or educational content — especially for children aged 6-10. Older children are more vulnerable than toddlers because they actively seek screens to self-soothe, displacing critical social and emotional development. The solution isn’t total elimination but breaking the habit of using screens as a first response to distress, replacing them with real-world coping strategies. The gaming trap: Why interactive screens hit hardest While many parents carefully monitor YouTube or social media, gaming often slips under the radar as “harmless fun.” The study found that children who played video games were far more likely to develop behavioral issues, and those already struggling turned to gaming more aggressively than other screen activities. Unlike passive viewing, gaming demands constant engagement, rewiring neural pathways to prioritize instant gratification over patience and problem-solving. “Screen use may increase the risk of children developing socioemotional problems, and children with socioemotional problems may be drawn to screens, possibly as a way to manage their distress,” the researchers noted. Historical context amplifies these findings: Where past generations relied on outdoor play or face-to-face interaction, today’s children are handed tablets at the first sign of frustration. The result? A measurable decline in gross motor skills, communication, and emotional regulation — all sacrificed at the altar of digital pacification. Older kids at greater risk: Autonomy becomes a liability Common wisdom suggests toddlers are most vulnerable to screen overuse, but the data tells a darker story. Children aged 6-10, with greater independence, are more likely to use devices as emotional crutches. A 7-year-old can seek out games when anxious; a 3-year-old can’t. This autonomy fuels what researchers call the “displacement effect” — every hour spent gaming is an hour lost to physical activity, family conversation, or learning to process emotions healthily. Gender differences also emerged: Girls reacted more negatively to general screen use, while boys in the older group faced higher risks from gaming. The implications are clear: Unchecked screen time doesn’t just distract children — it stunts their emotional growth during critical developmental windows. The study’s most crucial takeaway isn’t that screens are inherently evil, but that their misuse as emotional Band-Aids has dire consequences. Educational content co-viewed with parents showed minimal harm, proving context matters. The real danger lies in letting screens replace human connection. Parents must ask: Is this device calming my child, or just delaying a meltdown? Solutions include: Modeling healthy behavior: Children mimic parents’ screen habits. Put phones away during meals and conversations. Teaching coping skills: Encourage journaling, outdoor play, or talking through emotions instead of defaulting to screens. Setting intentional limits: Prioritize screen-free zones (bedrooms, cars) to force real-world interaction. The study’s authors stress that small, consistent changes — not draconian bans — can disrupt this cycle. The choice is clear: Let screens raise a generation of emotionally fragile dependents, or fight for their right to develop resilience beyond the glow of a tablet. Sources include: StudyFinds.org APA.org [PDF] Enoch, Brighteon.ai To read the original article, click here

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The Hidden Cost of Entrepreneurship on Parenting

The AHA! Team — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 05:05:15 +0000

Abigail Klein Leichman via Israel21c – New survey reveals CEOs have it hard, CTOs find the balance, and surprise, surprise, it’s the toughest of all for women. Racheli Kogan is a partner at the Symbol VC fund. Her husband, Ohad Bobrov of Palo Alto Networks, is a serial entrepreneur with several successful exits to his credit. This Israeli power couple has two daughters, ages 10 and eight. “In the first years of Ohad’s entrepreneurship, we definitely had a lot of difficulties and disagreements” regarding parenting, Kogan tells ISRAEL21c. Kogan surveyed 98 founder parents Curious about how other entrepreneurs balance family responsibilities, especially in wartime, Kogan surveyed 98 founder parents – men and women, CEOs and non CEOs, early and later stages – to gain a nuanced understanding of the intersection of parenting and entrepreneurship. “Founders sometimes talk about their startup as if it were a child they are raising, which is not surprising given the intensity involved,” says Kogan, who always worked outside the home and currently puts in eight to nine hours per day. “We also know that for many, this intensity is a cause for worry when thinking about raising actual children – will they have time? Will they be able to balance the two? How do others do it?” The survey emerged from research at Symbol on women’s entrepreneurship. “I’ve been busy for some time trying to understand why there are so few women entrepreneurs and how we can increase this number. We saw that many of their stories were intertwined with family considerations,” Kogan says. “So we wanted to understand more deeply the experience of male entrepreneurs who are fathers. We were also very interested in what differences there are between female entrepreneurs who are mothers and male entrepreneurs who are fathers. I couldn’t find any data on this topic — absolutely zero. This was surprising specially in Israel, a country where parenting is such a central thing.” Some of the questions Kogan sought to answer: Is working as an entrepreneur really the most demanding job that requires more hours than any other senior position? Do you improve over time in your ability to juggle between the children and the startup? To what extent is parenting really affected, both in subjective feelings and in calculating the number of hours you spend with the children? “We felt that providing data and detailed information about what is actually happening might help those who are considering embarking on the entrepreneurial path but are concerned that it is difficult to combine it with a family,” says Kogan. She hoped this data “would also provide some normalization for the entrepreneurs who filled out the survey.” CTOs vs. CEOs Perhaps the clearest message from the survey results is that chief technology officers (CTOs) seem to have more balanced lives than do chief executive officers (CEOs). CTOs are more satisfied with their work-life balance than CEOs, with 43% saying that they were very or extremely satisfied compared to 32% of CEOs. No CTOs reported that their work-life balance juggle had gotten worse since founding their startup, compared to 18% of CEOs who felt that way. CTOs are more likely to say that their time with kids stayed the same or increased since becoming a founder (43% vs. 19% for CEOs). CTOs (57%) are more likely than CEOs (45%) to pick up their children from daycare or school at least twice a week. Picking up from gan & school While most founders of both sexes say they make sure to attend their kids’ events (64% get to almost every event; 30% go to around half), 51% of CEOs go to almost every event compared with 71% of CTOs. Whereas 43% of CEO who are parents cited guilt feelings as a challenge, only 29% of CTOs did so. One-third of CTOs reported very little impact of work pressure on their relationship with the kids and none reported that they experienced an extreme impact. In contrast, 25% of CEOs cited the highest level of impact. Men vs. women “There are definitely differences by gender,” says Kogan. “Women are more likely to report feeling guilt about their dual role and pick up the children from school/gan significantly more often. Men are more likely than women to try and avoid late nights and business travel and to worry about time management with their children. Perhaps this is a different version of guilt.” Business trips & late nights While most founders are part of the pickup schedule for their kids, it varies by gender: 60% of female founders pick their kids up at least twice a week vs. 45% of male founders; and 39% of female founders vs. 9% of male founders pick up from school three times a week. Only 14% of females and 23% of males don’t pick up their kids at all, though this may be because their children are older. Women are more likely to prioritize work commitments than their male counterparts (25% of women vs. 4% of men). Among female founder parents, 61% cite guilt as their main challenge and time management as their second-place challenge (43%). For men, the greatest challenge is time management (63%) and tensions with partners is in second place with 41% (women cite this factor 29% of the time). Parent-founder challenges While 65% of male founders reported success in improving their ability to juggle work and family, only 29% of women felt they’d managed an improvement. Only 29% of respondents report dissatisfaction with their work-life balance. However, 36% of female respondents chose the lowest ratings on a five-point scale as compared to 26% of men. Male vs. female findings Kogan says the male vs. female finding that most surprised her was that although entrepreneurial mothers consider themselves “maximally committed to children and also maximally committed to the startup,” their answers revealed that “they would almost always give up things related to children and would not postpone work trips or meetings for things related to children, much more than men.” This might be due to the need many women have to prove their commitment to being a founder, Kogan speculates. Other key findings Founder parents of both sexes are more likely to report a decrease in time spent with their kids since becoming a founder (68%) vs. an increase in time spent (13%). Twenty percent report that their time with their kids didn’t change since becoming a founder. Earlier stage founders (pre seed and seed) are somewhat more likely to take late night calls and go on business trips (19% vs. 29%). The majority of respondents reported that the pressure of being a founder impacted their connection with their kids to some extent. Around 4% of both genders report an extreme negative impact on their relationship with their children and around 30% of each group reported a relatively low impact. Only 19% of respondents feel that they are able to mostly disconnect from work when they are with their kids. Most respondents – 76% – report that they are only able to disconnect a little or somewhat and 11% are not able to disconnect at all. Most respondents report an improvement in their ability to juggle startup and family life over time, with 61% saying it has either somewhat or significantly improved. For 20% there has been no improvement and another 15% report that their ability to juggle has gotten worse since founding their startup. Kogan’s takeaways “The data made me happy and pleasantly surprised to see that more than 50 percent of the entrepreneurs collect their children more than twice a week and also do not give up on significant events for the children,” says Kogan. At the same time, “there is broad agreement that the founder role is more demanding than other executive roles. This holds largely true across roles — CEO vs. CTO — and when analyzed by gender.” To read the original article click here.

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Early Pregnancy Anemia Linked to Higher Risk of Heart Defects in Newborns

The AHA! Team — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 05:37:54 +0000

Wiley via News-Medical – We already know that the risk of congenital heart disease can be raised by a variety of factors, but these results develop our understanding of anemia specifically and take it from lab studies to the clinic. New research published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology found that mothers who are anemic in early pregnancy face a higher likelihood of giving birth to a child with a heart defect. The study assessed the health records of 2,776 women with a child diagnosed with congenital heart disease who were matched to 13,880 women whose children did not have this condition. Investigators found that 4.4% of children with congenital heart disease and 2.8% of children with normal heart function had anemia. After adjusting for potential influencing factors, the odds of giving birth to a child with congenital heart disease was 47% higher among anemic mothers. A variety of factors We already know that the risk of congenital heart disease can be raised by a variety of factors, but these results develop our understanding of anemia specifically and take it from lab studies to the clinic. Knowing that early maternal anemia is so damaging could be a gamechanger worldwide. Because iron deficiency is the root cause of many cases of anemia, widespread iron supplementation for women-both when trying for a baby and when pregnant-could help prevent congenital heart disease in many newborns before it has developed.” – Duncan B. Sparrow, PhD, corresponding author, University of Oxford Source: Wiley Journal reference: Nair, M., et al. (2025) Maternal Anaemia and Congenital Heart Disease in Offspring: A Case–Control Study Using Linked Electronic Health Records in the United Kingdom. BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology. doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.18150. To read the original article click here.

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What Parents Should Know About Newborn Hearing Screenings

The AHA! Team — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 05:09:29 +0000

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles via Newswise – Early detection of hearing loss in children is imperative. Learn what the result of your kid’s hearing test means—and what you need to do about it next. In the United States, approximately 3 out of every 1,000 infants are born with hearing loss. Surprisingly, over 90% of these children are born to parents who themselves have normal hearing. As mandated by state regulations, newborn hearing screenings are performed in all hospitals where babies are delivered. These screenings are essential for early detection, which Kristina Rousso, AuD, an audiologist with the California Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (CA-LEND) training program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, says is crucial for achieving optimal outcomes in a child’s development. Babies’ brains “From birth, babies’ brains are constantly taking in information to support development of listening, language, and reading,” Dr. Rousso says. Dr. Rousso says that she and her colleagues follow the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing Guidelines 1:3:6 model—identification through screening by 1 month of age; diagnosis of hearing level and type with a pediatric audiologist by 3 months of age; and treatment with hearing devices by 6 months of age. What can cause hearing loss at birth? Below are some of the reasons that a baby may be born with hearing loss: Genetic factors Maternal viruses during pregnancy, such as cytomegalovirus (CMV) and rubella Extended stays in neonatal intensive care, due to risk factors such as low birth weight, lack of oxygen, and phototherapy treatment Two types of newborn hearing screenings There are two primary types of newborn hearing screenings: otoacoustic emissions (OAE) and auditory brainstem response (ABR). “Both are painless, fast, and easy to measure,” Dr. Rousso says. Otoacoustic emissions involves playing different sounds into the baby’s ear to detect a response from the inner ear Auditory brainstem response measures the brain’s response to sounds and volume levels through electrodes placed on the baby’s head during sleep. Hearing screenings provide a “pass” or “refer” result. Here is what each means. Pass: A “pass” indicates your baby likely has normal to near-normal hearing. “However,” Dr. Rousso says, “it’s still important to monitor speech and language development and the baby’s responses to different sounds in the environment.” If your baby does not respond to sounds appropriately at home, or their speech and language development is not advancing, schedule a hearing test appointment with a pediatric audiologist, who can evaluate and treat your child for possible hearing loss. Refer: A ”refer” result means that more information is needed to determine if the baby has hearing loss in one or both ears. A second hearing test will be administered before you and your baby are discharged. If the baby does not pass the second time, you will be referred to a pediatric audiologist for a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation. Dr. Rousso emphasizes the importance of promptly taking your baby to a pediatric audiologist for a complete evaluation if the baby does not pass the hearing screen, or if the baby is not developing speech or language. The sooner hearing loss is diagnosed and treated, the faster a baby’s brain can start to develop speech and language. To read the original article click here.

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