Children

Screen time is generally considered to be a negative influence on a child’s development but a new study makes a strikingly different case, presenting evidence that playing video games may actually boost a child’s intelligence.

While it may not rate way up there on a list of life's annoyances, measuring a child's height in the traditional wall-marking fashion can be a tad fiddly. That's where the Kiko comes in, as it uses a laser to do the job quickly and easily.

The first real-world data on COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness against Omicron in children aged 5 to 11 has revealed vaccination reduces a child’s risk of severe illness and hospitalization by two-thirds compared to unvaccinated children.

New research published in Nature Communications has found boy and girls can be vulnerable to the negative effects of social media use at different times during their adolescence, with massive variations between different individuals.

Moderna has announced the first data from a trial testing its COVID-19 vaccine in children under the age of six. The results show similar antibody responses after two doses to those seen in adults. Moderna plans to apply for FDA authorization soon.

Striking new research estimates lead exposure, primarily from car exhaust in the 1960s and 1970s, has negatively affected the IQ of more than half the population of the US, and resulted in the loss of up to six IQ points in some people.

While it would be great if teachers could spend lots of time with each of their students, the fact is that children often end up doing most of their handwriting exercises unsupervised. A new system may help address that problem, using a "smart" pen.

Pfizer is reporting two small doses of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine do not generate effective immune responses in two to five year-olds. The trial is being amended to add a third dose, but it's unlikely the vaccine will be available before well into 2022.

A study has found epileptic children treated with whole plant cannabis products displayed reductions in seizure frequency. The researchers call for clinical trials to test whether whole plant products are better at treating epilepsy than CBD alone.

A little over two years after Tesla demonstrated a very shapely full-sized Cyberquad electric ATV when launching its angular electric Cybertruck, a mini version for kids has gone up for sale on the company's webshop for US$1,900.

New follow-up data from Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine trial in 12 to 15 year olds show robust efficacy up to four months after the two-dose protocol. The data reveals the vaccine is 100 percent effective at preventing symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection.

An endorsement by Rochelle Walensky, director of the US CDC, is the final regulatory hurdle to be overcome allowing a special pediatric formulation of Pfizer's mRNA vaccine to be administered to children across the United States.