NPR Topics: Childrens Health

Autism Risks Detailed In Children Of Older Mothers

Date: Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:08:00 -0500
A woman's chance of having a child with autism increase substantially as she ages, but the risk may be less for older dads than previously suggested, a new study analyzing more than 5 million births found.

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Vaccines' Benefits Trump Concerns, Experts Say

Date: Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500
Young children receive more than twice the number of inoculations that they did 50 years ago. This worries some parents, but experts say that vaccines have gotten cleaner and more efficient, and are much safer than risking outright illness.

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Congress Gets Credit For Boosting Kids Health Coverage

Date: Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:27:57 -0500
The expansion of the Childrens' Health Insurance Program, coupled with passage of the economic stimulus bill, helped millions more kids get federal health insurance coverage last year.

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Girl Loses Balance On Wii Fit Board, Breaks Foot

Date: Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:01:10 -0500
Even virtual sports can cause real injuries. Reports in medical journals show that people sometimes hurt themselves in the darndest ways playing video games.

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Vaccine Scare Shows How Emotions Trump Facts

Date: Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:25:00 -0500
When scientific facts are complicated or unclear, our emotional instincts can overwhelm logic. An expert on risk perception and communication takes a look at lessons from a discredited study that raised fears about autism and vaccines.

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