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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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Fentanyl Poisonings Among U.S. Children Increase Sharply Over Eight Years

The AHA! Team — Mon, 05 May 2025 05:30:14 +0000

Taylor & Francis Group via News-Medical – Incidents of children in the U.S. being poisoned by the synthetic opioid fentanyl “increased and became more severe”, a new study reveals. Launched today as Congress continues to review the HALT Fentanyl Act, the research follows an analysis of nonfatal fentanyl pediatric (aged 0-19) exposures reported to poison centers in 49 U.S. states from 2015 through to 2023. In total, some 3,009 cases were detailed across the eight-year period. In 2023 alone, 44.6% were life-threatening incidents in which there was extreme harm that could have resulted in death if not treated – an increase of these severe cases from 15.9% in 2015. The majority (81.7%) of patients aged 0–12 were exposed unintentionally. Most patients (65.7%) aged 13–19 were noted as having used fentanyl intentionally for nonmedical purposes. Most incidents (1,771) were in youth aged 13–19 (58.9%), compared with 1,238 cases (41.1%) involving children aged 0-12. Males accounted for 58.5% (1,754) of all cases and females 41.5% (1,244). The peer-reviewed findings are published in The American Journal of Drug And Alcohol Abuse, as the U.S. continues to battle a severe opioid crisis “driven by fentanyl use”. Fentanyl with co-use of psychostimulants has come to define the “fourth wave” of the opioid crisis. Counterfeit pills containing fentanyl “flood the illicit market”. And in recent years, seven out of every ten counterfeit pills seized contained a potentially deadly amount of fentanyl. Since 2021, there have been over 70,000 synthetic opioid-related deaths per year; although the latest, provisional data shows such deaths are decreasing. It is understood that friends are a major source of prescription pills among adolescents and social media, too, is commonly used to purchase drugs from strangers. Various drugs not directly purchased from a pharmacy can be adulterated with fentanyl. Increased prevention, treatment, and harm reduction Driven by a “lack of focus on nonfatal overdose and how pediatric populations are being affected,” the expert team found exposures increased over the eight years. Among those aged 0-12 this was by 924.3%. For 13- to 19-year-olds there was a 1,506% increase. Lead author Dr. Joseph Palamar, from the Department of Population Health, at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, in New York, says their results demonstrate the need for “increased prevention, treatment, and harm reduction”. “We can’t forget that kids are also at risk during this opioid crisis,” explains Dr. Palamar, who is also Deputy Director of the National Drug Early Warning Network (NDEWS). “Parents need to be aware that teens can purchase pills via apps that are sold as Adderall or Xanax but actually contain fentanyl. “Parents and others, too, need to be careful to not leave fentanyl, whether licit or illicit, out in the open around unsupervised children. “Even second-hand exposure to paraphernalia or baggies can contain small amounts of fentanyl can be lethal to youngsters. “Children may touch or ingest such items out of curiosity, through a lack of a sense of danger, or even imitation of a parent who uses. Even used fentanyl patches can lead to accidental or intentional poisonings among pediatric populations.” Co-author Dr. Joshua Black, Senior Scientist at Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Safety, a Division of Denver Health and Hospital Authority, adds: “Parents and peers need to be able to promptly detect signs and symptoms of opioid overdose-including looking pale, slow or no breathing, coma, sometimes constricted pupils-and know when to seek help. Contact a poison center “We encourage people to contact a poison center if they suspect a poisoning (1-800-222-1222) or call 911 if someone collapses, has a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can’t be awakened following drug use. “Having naloxone available can reverse the potential overdose from opioids. Bystanders are present in about 40% of illicit opioid-related deaths so it is essential for bystanders to be able to respond.” Fellow co-author Dr. Linda Cottler, Director of NDEWS, from the Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, College of Medicine, University of Florida, further recommends for parents and health care providers to “be aware of the importance of receiving training about these drugs and what they do and what they look like, and how to caution teens about the dangers of friends and siblings sharing diverted drugs”. Limitations of the research, includes that the data source used only captures a portion of fentanyl-related poisonings. “There is a lack of systematic collection of data on nonfatal exposures, and a major limitation is that most people who are exposed or overdose do not contact poison centers,” the authors report. Research reported in this press release was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health under award numbers U01DA051126 and R01DA057289. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Source: Taylor & Francis Group Journal reference: Palamar, J. J., et al. (2025). Nonfatal pediatric fentanyl exposures reported to US poison centers, 2015–2023. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. doi.org/10.1080/00952990.2025.245748. To read the original article click here.

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Chest Pain in Children and Adolescents

The AHA! Team — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 06:11:28 +0000

Jennifer S. Li, MD via Duke Health – Chest pain is a common complaint in children and adolescents. Chest pain is often perceived as “heart pain” both to children and their parents, and it can cause a lot of distress. However, chest pain in children is very rarely due to a heart problem and most often arises from a less worrisome source. Jennifer S. Li, MD, a Duke pediatric cardiologist, discusses common causes of chest pain in children What causes chest pain? Chest pain in children and adolescents is common but is generally benign. However, chest pain with exercise or that is associated with fast heart beat, dizziness, or fainting can indicate a heart problem. Many structures located in the chest can cause or contribute to chest pain. Among these are the muscles, tendons, cartilage, or bones of the chest, lungs, heart, gastrointestinal system, and nerves. A problem in any one of these areas can cause chest pain. How often is chest pain due to a heart problem? In older adults, chest pain is frequently due to a heart problem. This is because heart disease mostly strikes older people. In kids, chest pain is very rarely due to a heart problem. A prospective study in 50 children referred to a cardiology clinic showed that 76% had pain from the muscles, bones, or cartilage; 12% had exercise-induced asthma; 8% had pain from gastrointestinal causes; and 4% had pain due to psychogenic causes. Another study of 3700 children without previously known heart problems found a low incidence of heart problems (1%). What about the kid who dies on the playing field? While a lot of media attention is given to cases of sudden cardiac death in kids playing sports, these are extremely rare events among the millions of children and adolescents who participate in athletics. Many instances are related to previously undiagnosed underlying heart conditions. Because of this, it’s important and necessary to have your child complete a sports physical before participating in competitive athletics. Sometimes underlying conditions related to sudden cardiac death have genetic factors, so a careful family history is also an important part of the pre-sports evaluation. What are some common causes of chest pain? Some common causes include: Musculoskeletal: This is usually related to muscle strain or heavy lifting. Costrochondritis: Inflammation of the cartilage around the junction of the ribs to the breastbone. Precordial Catch Syndrome: Sharp stabbing chest pain below the breast that lasts a few seconds and is worsened by taking a deep breath. It may be due to a pinched nerve. Asthma: This is frequently a cause of exercise-induced chest pain. Gastroesophageal Reflux: Usually burning pain worsened while lying down after eating. Anxiety: Typically related to stress or excessive worry. What are some heart-related causes of chest pain? Several cardiac problems have the potential to cause chest pain. Some of these include: Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (blockage of the outflow of the heart to the body): a heart murmur is present. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: usually an inherited condition causing a thickened heart muscle. Anomalous coronary arteries: coronary artery arising off of the wrong sinus, causing chest pain with exercise. Rhythm disturbances: chest pain is typically associated with the feeling of the heart beating too fast. Pericarditis: inflammation of the lining of the heart often preceded by a viral illness. What are some worrisome symptoms of a heart-related cause of chest pain? Chest pain with exercise, associated with irregular or fast heart beat, or associated with dizziness or syncope (fainting) are symptoms that can indicate a serious heart problem. Chest pain in someone with a first-degree relative who has a history of sudden death or cardiomyopathy should be evaluated. Chest pain that occurs at rest without other associated symptoms is not typically due to a heart problem. What is the usual evaluation that is performed? A careful history and physical examination are necessary and can usually identify the cause for the chest pain. Sometimes laboratory studies may be needed such as an electrocardiogram, an echocardiogram, or an exercise stress test. To read the original article click here.

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White, Pink Noise Improve Focus for Children with ADHD

The AHA! Team — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 06:22:56 +0000

Oregon Health & Science University via EurekAlert! – In the United States and worldwide, cardiovascular disease is the leading avoidable cause of premature death and disability. Oregon Health & Science University researchers are uncovering the potential benefits of color noise exposure for young people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. A study published in this month’s issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry found a small but statistically significant benefit of white and pink noise on task performance among children and college-age young adults with ADHD. Color noises represent a different combination of frequencies and volumes along the spectrum of sound, each with their own distinct characteristics and effect on the brain. Just as white light includes all the colors of the rainbow, white noise contains all frequencies of noise and sounds like static. Pink and brown noise are similar, but with a higher proportion of low frequencies; they may sound like rain or a waterfall. White noise contains all frequencies of noise and sounds like static As clinical understanding of ADHD continues to broaden, interest in identifying novel, low-cost supports for those diagnosed with the condition has grown. One such support that has recently sparked great interest is the potential use of color noise exposure — including white, pink and brown noise — to enhance focused performance during attention-demanding tasks. “Although outcomes are much improved with current treatments, ADHD still can dramatically increase the risk of serious and complex long-term health outcomes, because treatments are only partially effective, and adherence is difficult,” said Joel Nigg, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry in the OHSU School of Medicine, co-director of the OHSU Center for Mental Health Innovation and lead author of the study. “It is critical that we continue to investigate complementary and alternative supports for those living with ADHD. “Our priority is identifying new and improved tools to empower each individual to live their healthiest and most productive life, as well as providing evidence-based guidance on popular ideas in the public domain such as white or brown noise.” Exploring color noise The systematic review and meta-analysis included 13 studies with 335 participants. It found that either white or pink noise improved cognitive performance for children and young adults with ADHD or significant ADHD symptoms. In contrast, either white or pink noise slightly reduced cognitive performance for individuals without ADHD or with normal attention. Researchers say these results point to a possible low-cost, low-risk intervention that may benefit youths with ADHD. Leveraging white and pink noise is relatively safe, easy to implement and accessible, Nigg said. Additionally, color noise therapies can be used inexpensively at home and in concert with other interventions, like medications, with relatively low concern for side effects. At the same time, however, use of color noise to enhance attention is not without hazard, Nigg cautioned. Damage to hearing is a significant risk if noise volumes are not carefully monitored, and other studies have shown that youth tend to use headphones at excessive volumes for other activities. Effects of frequent use on children’s attention development are also unknown. Color noise therapies can be used inexpensively at home With these unknowns, creation of clinical guidelines would require additional data, Nigg said. Looking ahead, researchers will need to prioritize additional studies that compare white or pink noise with other environmental stimulation — such as brighter light or other kinds of noise — and test the range of effect across task types and with varying types and durations of auditory stimulation. Additionally, study populations should be expanded and diversified to ensure accurate data is collected on race, ethnicity, and other characteristics that may influence effects, Nigg said, noting that the lack of a large, diverse sample population was a major limitation of the study. “While additional research is needed to translate the findings to clinical practices, these initial results should be seen as encouraging,” Nigg said. “The results should stimulate further work to clarify who can benefit and what dosages and amounts are safe and appropriate. Supportive interventions continue to be needed for ADHD, which affects millions of kids and adolescents around the world.” Journal Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry DOI 10.1016/j.jaac.2023.12.014 To read the original article click here.

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How to Teach Your Kids About Boundaries

The AHA! Team — Fri, 31 May 2024 05:33:24 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – In this podcast (episode #504) and blog, I talk about the importance of teaching your child about boundaries. This is part 1 of a 2-part series on parenting, boundaries, and mental health. From the moment children are born, they are tied to their environment and the people within their environment. They are born into a community which they both shape and are shaped by. A child’s identity is closely tied to their community – their family, friends, and other acquaintances. Children develop a sense of who they are in relation to who they are with. This has both a huge potential for growth and connection and a huge potential for harm, which is why teaching your child how to have healthy relationships from a young age is so important for their mental and physical wellbeing. One of the best ways to teach your child about healthy relationships is to teach them how to set boundaries and model what healthy boundaries look like in your own life and with your child. Explain to your child that boundaries are rooted in respect for oneself and respect for others, and show them what this looks like in your own life. Explain to your child that boundaries are rooted in respect for oneself and respect for others A great way of showing your child what boundaries are is by using everyday explanations and examples so that they can grasp the idea better. Give your child different options for events that happen daily, where they have to make a decision based on how they feel in the moment. For example, when a child wants to play with something that may not be safe for them to play with, tell them they cannot play with that object, but don’t just leave the matter there. Explain to them why that object is not a toy, then give them a few options of things that they can play with and have them decide what they want to do. In this case, you set a boundary for something the child is not allowed to do, you explain why, and then you let them decide what they feel they want to do with the other options available. It is also important to remember that boundaries are not just for older children or adults. They are a set of rules someone creates that identifies them as an individual and sets out what they emotionally and physically like or dislike. It is a way someone, regardless of their age, can let the people in their life know what makes them feel comfortable in their own environment, and, as such, boundaries can help build and develop stronger connections with other people. A great way to teach our children about healthy boundaries is to respect their space, time, privacy and emotions, even when they are young (depending on their age and developmental level, and considering your child’s safety). If we want our children to be able to set healthy boundaries with others, they should be able to “practice” this by setting boundaries with the people they feel the safest with—their parents or caregivers. Let them know that if they are uncomfortable with something, then it is okay to tell us. We can do this by truly listening to what our children say, observing how they react, and creating space to let them know that if they are uncomfortable with something, then it is okay to tell us. For example, if your child does not want to be hugged by other people (even a close family member like a grandmother), letting them know their feelings are okay teaches them how to navigate relationship challenges from a young age. I want to stress this point because we usually hear about how important it is to set boundaries with your children and how to tell them no, but not enough about acknowledging and accepting our children’s own need for boundaries. Even though children may not fully grasp the concept of boundaries, they are very aware that there are certain things that they do not enjoy or feel comfortable with. When we as parents and guardians acknowledge this, we give our children the confidence to voice their needs and desires, as well as teaching them from youth the importance of saying “no” and the value of consent. Of course, this doesn’t mean that we just let our children do what they want in the name of “boundaries”. Rather, it means that, as parents and caregivers, we need to distinguish between enforcing the necessary parts of parenting (for example, like brushing their teeth or going to bed at a certain time), while also understanding that our children also need space to learn establish their own boundaries, desires and shape their own identity (within the comfort of their home, knowing that we as parents are there as a “safety net” to help and guide them). This will look different for different ages and situations, but includes things like not sharing information about your child’s personal struggles on social media without their permission, or, when they are older, not sharing anything that they have told you in confidence with others unless it is a matter of their safety. Some parents may think they have a right to do this, but it shows their child that their personal privacy is not respected, and this can quickly backfire, often encouraging your child to hide more of their life from you. For more on teaching your child about boundaries, listen to my podcast (episode #504). Podcast Highlights 2:00 How to help your child clean up their mental mess 8:20 Why it is important to teach your child about boundaries 11:20 Why we need to model boundaries for our children & teach them what boundaries look like in their own lives 14:20 Why it is important to create a safe space at home for our children 15:45 What boundaries are & why they are an important part of raising resilient children 18:16 Boundaries are for everyone, even young children! 22:40, 25:14 What it means to respect your child’s boundaries This podcast and blog are for educational purposes only and are not intended as medical advice. We always encourage each person to make the decision that seems best for their situation with the guidance of a medical professional. To read the original article click here.

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How to Train Your Child to Understand, Process & Verbalize Intense Emotions

AHA Publisher — Wed, 12 May 2021 07:00:13 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – In this podcast (episode #275) and blog, I speak with clinical psychologist Dr. Becky Kennedy about rethinking the way we raise our children, the importance of saying sorry to our kids, why it is never too late to fix the mistakes we make as parents, how to explain our own emotions to our children, and so much more! As Dr. Becky wrote in a recent Instagram post, we need to learn how to explain our emotions to our children. On their own,our emotional displays as parents or guardians, do not overwhelm our children. It is okay to have emotions as parents! Every parent has feelings, and our kids see these feelings. This is a good thing, because our children learn from us that emotions are part of being human. Children often feel overwhelmed, anxious and unsafe when our big emotional displays are partnered with the “aloneness” that comes with not having an adult explain or connect with them and let them know how they are feeling. As parents and guardians, we need to own our feelings and assert our permanence. We should do this by saying something like, “Just like we talk about your big feelings, adults have big feelings too. Sometimes I need a bit of time to myself to care for these feelings in my body. In these moments, I’m not leaving you, I’m not mad, and you didn’t do anything wrong. I’m still your strong papa/mama who loves you.” When it comes to our emotions, the most important thing is not what we do in the moment when we break down in front of our kids, but the before and after. We need to prep our children and let them know what we are going through and what we are feeling. As Dr. Becky points out, it is not information that scares children, it is the absence of information that scares them. If we don’t say anything to our children when we are struggling, they assume the world is crumbling around them and often blame themselves to regain a sense of control. The goal as parents is not to not have emotions. Rather, it is about teaching our children about emotions in a healthy and constructive way. When we do this, then the feeling gets stored next to the story in the child’s mind and body, and they start to understand that they are not a bad kid, and it is not their fault that dad is angry or mom is shouting or crying. We turn an unformulated experience into a coherent narrative (which is actually the process underlying therapy!). This helps the child better understand themselves and their environment. We need to remember that our children do what we do, not what we say. We treat others the way we treat ourselves. The more we practice facing and dealing with our own feelings, the more we can model this for our children and help them process their own experiences. This also includes apologizing, no matter how old we are or how grown up our children are. When it comes to apologizing, the “sorry” means less in the moment than your tone and intention. When we pair a sorry with a reflection, then we show our children we have a plan to be better—we repair, not just react. Repair is in fact a marker of secure attachment; as parents you will mess up, and if you can work from this, then that is a healthy sign that your relationship with your children is in a good place. Being a parent doesn’t mean that you can never mess up! Now, you may be feeling like, as a parent, you did everything wrong, especially after listening to this podcast or reading this blog. Remember, these two things are BOTH true: the early years of childhood matter, but it is never too late to help your child heal or change the way you relate to your children. It is never too late to say sorry to yourself and to your children. The inner child is always waiting for repair! We all do the best we can with the resources we have in that moment, but this doesn’t mean we don’t make mistakes. We can learn, shift, repair, change and grow—no matter how old we are or how old our children are. We should try do the best we can in the moment AND we should always try to be better. It is also incredibly important that we teach our children from young about consent. As Dr. Becky noted in a recent Instagram post, if we want our kids to be capable of saying NO, STOP IT, I DON’T WANT TO & I DON’T LIKE THAT, we have to build early circuitry that supports self-trust, body sovereignty, and consent. For example, if your child wants to stay by your side at a party, tell them: “I’m here. You can stay by me for as long as you want. You’ll know when you feel ready to join.” When you say something like this, your child learns that they can trust their own pace and sense of readiness—they don’t have to be pressured into doing what they don’t want to do. Or, say your child is playing with a toy and her younger sister starts crying and demands the toy. Tell your older child that “You are allowed to have that toy. Those are your sister’s sad feelings, and I can help her with them. It’s not your job to make her feel happy.” Your older child will learn that they don’t have to suppress their wants to satisfy others. They will learn how to recognize someone else’s disappointment without feeling responsible for causing it or making it go away. When we doubt our kids’ feelings, they learn to doubt their own feelings. Essentially, they learn how to gaslight themselves, which makes it harder for them to validate to their own thoughts, feelings and experiences and say NO when someone pressures them to do or say something that makes them uncomfortable. Indeed, Dr. Becky notes how the attachment patterns we develop when we are kids affect us when we grow up. We SEEK OUT people who allow our most-practiced circuits to kick into gear. For example, if a child grows up in a home with constant emotional invalidation, with words like “dramatic” and “too sensitive” and “disproportionate reactions”, years later, they will be naturally attracted to adults who confirm the same stories. The body seeks what it is accustomed to. These are like parts of us that get frozen in time. Teaching our kids to look in and trust what is happening to them is critical to their confidence and ability to take care of their own needs. Children should be taught about self-care from youth, not just when they are entering into adulthood. We should tell our children that they are the only one in their body— they are the only one who knows how they feel and what is right for them. We need to validate their unique experiences and feelings and let them know that they can express these feelings and trust themselves. We need to let them know that they have sovereignty over their own body. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Leaf click here.

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Pre-Existing Coronavirus Antibodies Could Help Protect Children Against New Pandemic Strain

AHA Publisher — Mon, 09 Nov 2020 08:00:22 +0000

The Francis Crick Institute via EurekAlert – Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute and University College London have found that some antibodies, created by the immune system during infection with common cold coronaviruses, can also target SARS-CoV-2 and may confer a degree of protection against the new viral strain. In response to infection with a virus, the immune system creates antibodies to help fight it. These antibodies remain in the blood for a period after infection, and in the case of re-infection, they are able to tackle the virus again. In their paper, published in Science today (Friday 6 November), the scientists found that some people, notably children, have antibodies reactive to SARS-CoV-2 in their blood, despite not ever having being infected with the virus. These antibodies are likely the result of exposure to other coronaviruses, which cause a common cold and which have structural similarities with SARS-CoV-2. The researchers made this discovery while developing highly sensitive antibody tests for COVID-19. To see how well their assay tests were performing, they compared the blood of patients with COVID-19 to patients who had not had the disease. Surprisingly, they found that some people who had not been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 had antibodies in their blood which would recognise the virus. To confirm their findings, they analysed over 300 blood samples collected before the pandemic, between 2011 and 2018. Nearly all samples had antibodies that reacted with common cold coronaviruses, which was expected given how everyone has been exposed to these viruses at some point in their lives. However, a small fraction of adult donors, about 1 in 20, also had antibodies that cross-reacted with SARS-CoV-2, and this was not dependent on recent infection with a common cold coronavirus.* Notably, such cross-reactive antibodies were found much more frequently in blood samples taken from children aged 6 to 16. Kevin Ng, lead author and post-graduate student in the Retroviral Immunology Laboratory at the Crick says: “Our results show that children are much more likely to have these cross-reactive antibodies than adults. More research is needed to understand why this is, but it could be down to children being more regularly exposed to other coronaviruses. “These higher levels we observed in children could also help explain why they are less likely to become severely ill with COVID-19. There is no evidence yet, however, that these antibodies prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection or spread.” In the lab, the researchers tested the antibodies they found in blood from uninfected people to confirm they are able to neutralise SARS-CoV-2. They found the cross-reactive antibodies target the S2 subunit of the spike protein on the surface of the virus. George Kassiotis, senior author and group leader of the Retroviral Immunology Laboratory at the Crick says: “The spike of this coronavirus is made of two parts or subunits, performing different jobs. The S1 subunit allows the virus to latch onto cells and is relatively diverse among coronaviruses, whereas the S2 subunit lets the virus into cells and is more similar among these viruses. Our work shows that the S2 subunit is sufficiently similar between common cold coronaviruses and SARS-CoV-2 for some antibodies to work against both. “It was previously thought that only antibodies to the S1 could block infection, but there is now good evidence that some antibodies to S2 can be just as effective. This is exciting as understanding the basis for this activity could lead to vaccines that work against a range of coronaviruses, including the common cold strains, as well as SARS-CoV-2 and any future pandemic strains. “But it is important to stress that there are still many unknowns which require further research. For example, exactly how is immunity to one coronavirus modified by exposure to another? Or why does this activity decline with age? It is not the case that people who have recently had a cold should think they are immune to COVID-19.” A large study is now underway, in partnership with researchers at Imperial College London and University College London, to uncover the role that different antibodies and other immune defences play in protection against COVID-19 and how severely ill people become. To read the original article click here.

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Study Reveals Birth Defects Caused by Flame Retardant

AHA Publisher — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 07:00:01 +0000

University of Georgia via Newswise – *Research focuses on man’s exposure prior to conception. A new study from the University of Georgia has shown that exposure to a now-banned flame retardant can alter the genetic code in sperm, leading to major health defects in children of exposed parents. Published recently in Scientific Reports, the study is the first to investigate how polybrominated biphenyl-153 (PBB153), the primary chemical component of the flame retardant FireMaster, impacts paternal reproduction. In 1973, an estimated 6.5 million Michigan residents were exposed to PBB153 when FireMaster was accidentally sent to state grain mills where it made its way into the food supply. In the decades since, a range of health problems including skin discoloration, headache, dizziness, joint pain and even some cancers have been linked to the exposure. More striking, the children of those who were exposed seemed to experience a host of health issues as well, including reports of hernia or buildup in the scrotum for newborn sons and a higher chance of stillbirth or miscarriage among adult daughters. Yet, little work has been done to understand how the chemical exposure could have impacted genes passed from an exposed father, said study author Katherine Greeson. Relatively new idea “It is still a relatively new idea that a man’s exposures prior to conception can impact the health of his children,” said Greeson, an environmental health science doctoral student in Charles Easley’s lab at UGA’s College of Public Health and Regenerative Bioscience Center. “Most studies where a toxic effect is observed in children look only to the mothers and the same has been true of studies conducted on PBB153,” she said. Greeson and a team of researchers from UGA and Emory University used a unique combination of observational and laboratory approaches to demonstrate how PBB153 acted on sperm cells. “Typically, scientific studies are either epidemiological in nature and inherently observational or focus on bench science, but in this study, we did both,” said Greeson. This approach allowed the researchers to mimic the known blood exposure levels of PBB153 in a lab environment. “We were uniquely able to recreate this effect using our previously characterized human stem cell model for spermatogenesis,” she said, “which allowed us to study the mechanism that causes this effect in humans.” The team looked at the expression of different genes in their human spermatogenesis model after dosing with PBB153 and found marked alterations in gene expression between dosed and undosed cells, specifically at genes important to development, such as embryonic organ, limb, muscle, and nervous system development. Changes to the DNA “PBB153 causes changes to the DNA in sperm in a way that changes how the genes are turned on and off,” said Greeson. “PBB153 seems to turn on these genes in sperm which should be turned off,” said Greeson, which may explain some of the endocrine-related health issues observed in the children of exposed parents. Though the study used this model to directly replicate exposure to PBB153, Greeson says this approach could be used to better understand the impact of other environmental exposures on reproduction, including large-scale accidental exposures to toxic chemicals or everyday exposures. More studies combining epidemiology “Hopefully this work will lead to more studies combining epidemiology and bench science in the future, which will tell us more about why we’re seeing an effect from an environmental exposure in human populations and encourage experimental studies to more closely mimic human exposures,” she said. To read the original article click here.

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Family Environment Affects Adolescent Brain Development

AHA Publisher — Fri, 22 May 2020 07:00:30 +0000

Karolinska Institutet via EurekAlert – Childhood environment and socioeconomic status affect cognitive ability and brain development during adolescence independently of genetic factors, researchers at Karolinska Institutet report in a new study published in the journal PNAS. The study demonstrates how important the family environment is, not just during early infancy but also throughout adolescence. While the way in which genes and environment affect the brain and cognitive faculties is a hotly debated topic, previous studies have not taken genes into account when describing environmental effects. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have therefore studied both environmental factors and a new genetic measure – an index value based on an aggregation of the 5,000 or so DNA locations that are most strongly associated with educational attainment. The study involved 551 adolescents from different socioeconomic environments around Europe. At the age of 14, the participants gave DNA samples, performed cognitive tests and had their brain imaged in a MR scanner, a process that was repeated five years later. At the age of 14, genes and environment were independently associated with cognitive ability (measured using working memory tests) and brain structure. The environmental effects were, however, 50 to 100 per cent stronger than the genetic. Differences in socioeconomic status were related to differences in the total surface area of the neocortex. “The previous debate was whether there is a special area that is affected by the environment, such as long-term memory or language,” says Nicholas Judd, doctoral student at the Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet and co-first author of the study along with his departmental colleague Bruno Sauce. “However, we’ve been able to show that the effect occurs across the neocortex and so probably affects a whole host of functions.” Genetic differences were also linked to brain structure, affecting not only the brain’s total area but also specifically an area of the right parietal lobe known to be important for mathematical skills, reasoning and working memory. This is the first time a brain area has been identified that is linked to this genetic index. When the researchers followed up on the teenagers five years later, they were able to examine how genes and environment had affected the brain’s development during adolescence. What they discovered was that while the genes did not explain any of the cerebral changes, the environment did. However, it is unknown which aspect of the environment is responsible for this. “There are a number of possible explanations, such as chronic stress, diet or intellectual stimulation, but the study shows just how important the environment is, not only during early childhood,” says principal investigator Torkel Klingberg, professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet. “Finding the most important environmental factors for optimising childhood and adolescent development is a matter for future research.” To read the original article click here.

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