Children

New research suggests violent or traumatic experiences in childhood can accelerate biological signs of aging. Early puberty, rapid cellular aging, and structural brain changes could all be linked to violent childhood trauma, but not poverty or neglect.

A couple of years ago, Playtime Engineering launched a colorful portable synthesizer on Indiegogo, and now the startup has reworked the hardware and software, and toned down the cuteness, for the Blipblox After Dark.

3Doodler has launched a 3D printing pen specifically designed for pre-schoolers and above. The 3D Build & Play package comes with a low-heat drawing device, character and accessory molds and colorful backdrops to encourage learning through play.

Half of US teenagers sleep less than 7 hours a night, affecting everything from general health to academic performance. A study following students across 5 high schools for 2 years has found later school start times increase overall sleep durations.

A new study led by researchers from the Stanford School of Medicine suggests low levels of a hormone called vasopressin, measured in three-month-old babies, may serve as a predictive biomarker of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in later childhood.

A controversial study is suggesting a link between a baby’s exposure to screens and autism-like symptoms later in childhood. Experts not affiliated with the study have criticized the research, calling it “fatally flawed”, “misleading”, and “harmful”.

New research suggests smartphones, screen-time, and social media have not negatively affected kids’ social skills, and modern concerns over the impact of screen-time recalls past “moral panics” over the effect of new technology on children.

We only just recently heard how scorpion venom could be utilized to kill harmful bacteria, and to reverse inflammation. A new study now indicates that it also may find use in the treatment of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).

A newly published longitudinal study out of Canada has found a strong association between frequent use of household cleaning products and an increased risk of children developing asthma in the first three years of life.

The icky business of spoiled diapers has motivated many to pursue connected nappies that alert carers when they’re in need of changing, but scientists at MIT are now putting forward a more cost effective option.

Scientists have uncovered what they describe as the first “compelling evidence” of the effects of childhood neglect on brain development by tracking the long-term impacts among Romanian orphans who spent time in the country’s institutions.

Much like the gut, skin and mouth, our respiratory system is home to its own unique microbial population. Intriguing new research has now found a link between specific bacterial populations in the upper airways and the severity of asthma symptoms.