Articles of Interest
‘Parentese’ Is Truly a Lingua Franca, Global Study Finds
The New York Times, July 24, 2022
In an ambitious cross-cultural study, researchers found that adults around the world speak and sing to babies in similar ways.
TikTok Brain Explained: Why Some Kids Seem Hooked on Social Video Feeds
The Wall Street Journal, April 2, 2022
The dopamine rush of endless short videos makes it hard for young viewers to switch their focus to slower-moving activities. ‘We’ve made kids live in a candy store.’
Does Social Media Make Teens Unhappy? It May Depend on Their Age.
The New York Times, March 28, 2022
A large study in Britain found two specific windows of adolescence when some teenagers are most sensitive to social media.
Teen Girls Are Still Getting TikTok-Related Tics—and Other Disorders
The Wall Street Journal, March 26, 2022
Tourette videos posted on the platform continue to draw many viewers, and doctors say teen girls keep showing up at their offices with functional neurological issues
There’s a Mental-Health Crisis Among American Children. Why?
The New York Times, March 23, 2022
The pandemic is not the only reason.
How Young People’s Social Anxiety Has Worsened in the Pandemic
The New York Times, September 27, 2021
Young people are all living with some degree of social anxiety, a growing problem amplified by the pandemic and intensified through months of isolation.
Diagnosing Autism in the Pandemic
The New York Times, March 1, 2021
Autism spectrum disorder is often suspected when young children stand out as being different from their peers. That can be much harder in this isolated time.
How to Help When Adolescents Have Suicidal Thoughts
The New York Times, February 6, 2021
Even when rates of suicidal ideation increase, there are ways to keep kids safe.
How Society Has Turned Its Back on Mothers
The New York Times, February 4, 2021
Burnout among parents, in particular mothers, has been a defining principle of the global pandemic.
Guiding gender-atypical kids through puberty
CNN, January 19, 2021
The author examines how puberty changes the rules of gender, and how the force of gender norms and stereotypes bear down, even on kids who might have been immune to them before.
Children’s Screen Time Has Soared in the Pandemic, Alarming Parents and Researchers
The New York Times, January 16, 2021
“There will be a period of epic withdrawal,” warned one addiction specialist, once schools, activities and social life return to normal.
Should You Worry About Your Kid’s Pandemic Weight Gain?
The New York Times, January 15, 2021
Think of body changes as something to be curious about, not a problem to be solved.
The Psychology Behind Sibling Rivalry
The New York Times, January 13, 2021
You can’t avoid fighting. You can only hope to contain it.
So You Think Your Kid Needs a Covid Test
The New York Times, January 13, 2021
Here’s everything you need to know about when to get it and what to expect.
It’s Not Just Adults Who Are Stressed. Kids Are, Too.
The New York Times, Noember 3, 2020
Identifying your child’s emotional and behavioral reactions to stress is crucial, experts say, especially when anxieties are high.
Sometimes It’s Not Just Shyness
The New York Times, September 28, 2020
Selective mutism is a common anxiety condition whereby kids who are normally chatty at home clam up around outsiders or at school.
Mind Games: The Conservation Test
The New York Times, September 21, 2020
The brain test you want your kid to fail.
Why Boys Might Be Weathering the Pandemic Better Than Girls
The Wall Street Journal, August 25, 2020
Videogame-playing has soared during the Covid-19 pandemic, fueled largely by boys who socialize while they play—but how much is too much?
How to Handle Separation Anxiety Meltdowns in Kids
The New York Times, August 20, 2020
The pandemic has made some children even more worried about leaving the sides of parents and caregivers.
When Things Aren’t OK With a Child’s Mental Health
The New York Times, August 10, 2020
Everyone is stressed and anxious now. We have to find and help the children who are hurting most.
Coronavirus Turmoil Raises Depression Risks in Young Adults
The Wall Street Journal, August 10, 2020
Social isolation and vanished opportunities caused by COVID-19 bring a mental-health toll for those on the cusp of careers and adulthood.
When Playtime and the Coronavirus Collide
The New York Times, July 21, 2020
Children are incorporating COVID-19 into pretend play.
The Toll That Isolation Takes on Kids During the Coronavirus Era
The New York Times, June 15, 2020
Playing with peers has important developmental benefits, and doctors worry that children are missing out on them now.
The Hunt to Understand COVID-19’s Connection to Kawasaki Disease
TIME, May 27, 2020
Unusual numbers of children and teenagers living in COVID-19 hotspots like Lombardy, Italy and New York City have developed an inflammatory condition (officially called Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, or MIS-C) that looks a lot like Kawasaki disease.
How to Protect Kids’ Ears From Constant Headphone Use
The New York Times, May 21, 2020
Volume is not the only measure to consider. Duration also contributes to damage to our kids’ ears.
Emotional Eating in Quarantined Kids
The New York Times, May 18, 2020
Boredom and stress are two big contributors to emotional eating, and children have a lot of both right now.
What’s Scaring the Pediatricians
The New York Times, May 4, 2020
Children are not the focus of the pandemic. But pediatricians are worried for children and families, for now and for the future.
This is your child’s brain on books: Scans show benefit of reading vs. screen time
CNN, January 16, 2020
Taking away screens and reading to our children during the formative years of birth to age 5 boosts brain development. We all know that’s true, but now science can convince us with startling images.
Early Treatment for Autism Is Critical, New Report Says
The New York Times, January 6, 2020
Experts urge early identification and referral for treatment, even if a formal diagnosis has not been confirmed.
Why Are Young Americans Killing Themselves?
The New York Times, January 6, 2020
Suicide is now their second-leading cause of death.
What if Children Ran the School Lunchroom?
The New York Times, January 3, 2020
A new program lets students customize their meals, participate in taste tests and brainstorm ways to redesign their school cafeterias.
Teen Marijuana Vaping Soars, Displacing Other Habits
The New York Times, December 18, 2019
Drinking, cigarette smoking and the use of hard drugs all declined, according to a new federal survey of high school and middle school students.
The Crisis in Youth Suicide
The New York Times, December 2, 2019
Too often, suicide attempts and deaths by suicide, especially among the young, become family secrets that are not investigated and dealt with in ways that might protect others from a similar fate.
Meet the Rocket Scientist Propelling Girl Scouts Into Digital Age
The Wall Street Journal, October 30, 2019
CEO of century-old youth organization discusses girlhood in age of Instagram, meddling parents and ‘Thin Mints.’
Parents Need to Help Their Children Take Risks
The Wall Street Journal, October 24, 2019
A new study suggests that a parent’s presence can give young people the confidence they need to take on challenges.
Can You Really Be Addicted to Video Games?
The New York Times, October 22, 2019
The latest research suggests it’s not far-fetched at all — especially when you consider all the societal and cultural factors that make today’s games so attractive.
Girls vs. Boys: Brain Differences Might Explain Tech Behaviors
The Wall Street Journal, September 24, 2019
Recent research shows the brain’s rewards regions activate when males crave videogames, girls face more depression when overusing social media.
Adolescents Go Wild—And Not Just Humans
The Wall Street Journal, September 19, 2019
The risky behavior of teenagers has parallels in otters, gazelles, eagles and other animals, and helps them to survive as adults.
Teenage Rebels with a Cause
The Wall Street Journal, September 12, 2019
Adolescents are more prone to take risks but also more likely to be altruistic—and the two qualities are related.
Early Education Is More Demanding Than Ever, and Experts Have Concerns
The New York Times, August 12, 2019
The approach, stress and rigidity that often accompanies modern lesson plans may cause young children to feel frustrated or disengaged.
For Sibling Battles, Be a Sportscaster, Not a Referee
The New York Times, July 11, 2019
Narrate what’s happening. Repeat back what your kids say to you. Try to be neutral.
A Boy Who Had Spinal Surgery in the Womb Stands on His Own Two Feet
The New York Times, June 24, 2019
Operating before birth can minimize nerve damage caused by severe defects in tissue around the spinal column.
The Damage of Dad-Shaming
The New York Times, June 16, 2019
More than half of the fathers in a national poll reported being criticized about their parenting decisions.
Breast Milk Is Teeming With Bacteria — That’s Good for the Baby
The New York Times, June 12, 2019
Breast-fed milk may nourish a baby’s microbiome in ways that bottled breast milk can’t.
The Secret of Being a Good Father
BBC News, June 12, 2019
Past child development research often ignored fathers. But new studies are finding that non-maternal caregivers play a crucial role in children’s behavior, happiness, even cognitive skills.
W.H.O. Says Limited or No Screen Time for Children Under 5
The New York Times, April 24, 2019
In a new set of guidelines, the World Health Organization said that infants under 1 year old should not be exposed to electronic screens and that children between the ages of 2 and 4 should not have more than one hour of “sedentary screen time” each day.
Why Videogames Trigger the Nightly Meltdown—and How to Help Your Child Cope
The Wall Street Journal, April 2, 2019
Just because it’s hard for your kids to put down the game controllers doesn’t mean they’re addicts. Here’s what happens in their brains the second after the game shuts off.
Teens Need the Truth About Drugs
The Wall Street Journal, March 7, 2019
Decades of scare tactics haven’t worked. What’s effective is clear information about risks and alternative ways to relieve stress.
Millennials Are the Therapy Generation
The Wall Street Journal, March 1, 2019
People in their 20s and 30s seek mental-health help more often, and they are changing the nature of treatment.
What Can Science Tell Us About Dad Jokes?
The Wall Street Journal, February 27, 2019
Humor that leads to groans and eye rolls may still help build stronger relationships between parents and children.
Greener Childhood Associated With Happier Adulthood
NPR, February 25, 2019
Research suggests the more of your childhood that is spent surrounded by green spaces, the lower your risk of developing mental illness in adulthood, whether in the city or the country.
Why Girls Beat Boys at School and Lose to Them at the Office
The New York Times, February 7, 2019
Hard work and discipline help girls outperform boys in class, but that advantage disappears in the work force. Is school the problem?
Let Children Get Bored Again
The New York Times, February 2, 2019
Boredom teaches us that life isn’t a parade of amusements. More important, it spawns creativity and self-sufficiency.
Inside the Growing Push for Social and Emotional Learning in K-12 Education
Inside Philanthropy, January 31, 2019
Philanthropies funding education are increasingly talking about social and emotional learning and other approaches that take the “whole child” into account.
Don’t Think the Worst About Your Teenager
The Wall Street Journal, January 30, 2019
Parents fear that adolescents are prone to rebellion and moodiness, but research shows that expecting bad behavior can be a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Germs in Your Gut Are Talking to Your Brain. Scientists Want to Know What They’re Saying.
The New York Times, January 28, 2019
The body’s microbial community may influence the brain and behavior, perhaps even playing a role in dementia, autism and other disorders.
The Making of the Picky Eater
The Wall Street Journal, January 11, 2019
Parents have fretted over children’s diets at least since the Victorian era, but mealtime fussiness is worse today. Blame snacking, unwholesome foods aimed at the young and contradictory signals from adults.
The Psychiatrist Can See Your Child Now, Virtually
The Wall Street Journal, January 8, 2019
With a growing shortage of mental-health professionals for children and adolescents, more health-care providers are turning to technology.
Managing Teenage Acne
The New York Times, January 7, 2019
If the face a teenager presents to the world is marred by prominent lesions of acne, the ordinary stresses of adolescence can be that much more difficult to weather.
