ABC News, 5/14/2012

A growing number of elderly people -- 88 percent of those over 65 -- say they want to live in their own homes, in their own communities, as they age, according to a 2010 AARP survey. 'Granny pods,' although expensive, provide an alternative for those who don't want nursing homes.

The New York Times, 5/8/2012

Parents checking Facebook are seeing only the tip of the iceberg. Katherine Rosman looks at all the other places where kids go online and the new groups that are teaching kids to better navigate this world.

The Wall Street Journal, 5/2/2012

The New York Times, 4/23/2012

A new survey has found that 6% of Oregon 8th graders have tried a potentially deadly activity called "the choking game," data which is consistent with previous studies from other states and Canada. Players apply pressure to the main artery in their neck, with a belt, towel, rope, or other item, to limit oxygen and blood flow to the brain. Their goal: a "high" once the pressure is released and blood and oxygen rush back to the brain. Kids have been playing the choking game for at least half a century, but YouTube and social media have now made it more pervasive than ever.

WebMD, 4/16/2012

With so much research indicating that unstructured outdoor activities can improve children’s health, it seems obvious that health professionals should play a part in encouraging outdoor play, and they are starting to do so. Georgia’s "Rx for Fitness" program serves just that purpose: if a health care professional thinks your child needs more exercise, he or she can prescribe healthy hikes outdoors, giving you a prescription that you can trade in for free park passes. That’s the program in Georgia, but the idea of “prescriptions for fitness” is taking off around the country. The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) is holding a series of “train-the-trainer” workshops to educate pediatric health care providers about prescribing outdoor activities to children. The program connects health care providers with local nature sites, so that they can refer families to safe and easily accessible outdoor areas. Incentive programs are popping up across the country; children that return to hike additional trails on the Blue Ridge Parkway as part of the Kids in Parks program, for example, receive toys and games. Chicago residents that receive a prescription from their doctor to exercise receive a free gym membership.

Care2, 4/5/2012

In 2008, false child abuse charges triggered a murder-suicide in Colorado when authorities confused a baby's broken bones, actually caused by a genetic disorder, for abuse. Now, four years later, after all lawsuits have been unsuccessful, the baby's maternal grandparents are leading an awareness campaign, saying the tragedy could have been averted if doctors knew more about spinal muscular atrophy, or SMA. The grandfather has said, "I don't have a problem at all with social services coming and taking a child and doing an investigation... There is a need for this service. There are bad people out there and kids need to be protected... But the system did the opposite... It tore a family apart." The president of the SMA Foundation has said, "So few doctors are aware of the disease and it causes a wide variety of symptoms. It's really an awareness problem." SMA is the leading genetic cause of death in infants and toddlers, affecting as many as 10,000 to 25,000 children and adults in the United States, according to the SMA Foundation.

ABC News, 4/4/2012

Researchers reported Monday that nearly half of all U.S. preschool-age children don’t get outdoors at least once a day for parent-supervised playtime, causing concern among experts who say early exercise habits could protect children from obesity later in life. Dr. Pooja Tandon, a pediatrician with the Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development at Seattle Children’s Research Institute, led the research.

ABC News, 4/3/2012

New government research shows that the rate of autism has increased. This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released its newest study on the rate of autism among 8-year-olds, showing that 1 in 88 has some form of the disorder. Previously, it was 1 in 110. Researchers are trying to find out the reason behind the rising rate. Families that may have a child with autism are advised to be persistent in seeking help.

CNN, 4/1/2012

TODAY, 3/23/2012

Even after siblings grow up, rivalry and one-upmanship often continue to crop up.  There are several ways, however, that brothers and sisters can end adult sibling rivalry and stop conflict from driving them apart.

The Wall Street Journal, 3/20/2012