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Scientists Discover Pesticide Traces in Breast Milk
Researchers at McGill University have identified several unexpected chemical contaminants in human milk, finding traces of pesticides, antimicrobials and additives used in plastics and personal‑care products. The team said the data, drawn from Canadian and South African samples, could help strengthen chemical safety regulations and improve protections for infants and parents.
“It is important to note that these chemicals were detected at low concentrations, and we do not fully understand the health effects of many of them. So, despite these findings, breast milk remains ideal for infants, as it has the nutrients infants need to develop as well as antibodies that protect them against diseases,” Stéphane Bayen, the study’s co-author, said in a statement.
New Report Says Screen Time Limits for Children Are No Longer Enough
Children are growing up in an increasingly digital world that affects sleep, learning and mental health, making screen-time limits alone no longer enough, according to new guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Covering hundreds of studies on digital media and health effects over the last 20 years, the review’s findings mark a departure from previous thoughts on screen use. It was published alongside new recommendations to help guide families, physicians, internet companies and policymakers on creating a safer online world for kids.
“Over the last decade, the science of media has evolved, and simply taking devices away or enforcing rigid rules can backfire for parents,” Dr. Tiffany Munzer, a pediatric behavioral specialist at the University of Michigan Hospital, told ABC News. “We now understand there are specific design features of digital media — some that promote positive benefits, and others that are highly engagement-based that can overtake healthier activity.”
New Review Explores How Stress Uniquely Affects Children
Most research on the health effects of stress focuses on adults, but a new review looks at how stress uniquely affects children. In the most comprehensive review of its kind to date, UC San Francisco researchers found robust evidence that stress occurring as early as before birth or as late as adolescence can affect multiple conditions in kids, from asthma to mental health to cognitive functioning. The results appear Jan. 20 in the Annual Review of Psychology.
Among the most important findings: Stress can impact many areas at once — mental and physical health, learning and attention, behavior, and justice system involvement — though its effects are often studied in silos. Children exposed to similar stressors can experience different outcomes, influenced by factors like age, emotional regulation, caregiver-child relationships, and school and neighborhood quality.
The health and well-being of caregivers can significantly influence how stress impacts a child. Interventions early in a child’s life can improve their immediate and long-term health, while lowering long-term health and social costs.
Older Mothers Less Likely to Have Kids With Allergies
Children born when their mother was older appeared less likely to develop allergic conditions early in life, a large population-based study from Japan showed. Compared with children of mothers age 25-29 at delivery, food allergy by age 1 year in the child was 21% and 41% less likely for those born when their mother was 35-39 and 40 or older, respectively, found Kiwako Yamamoto-Hanada, MD, PhD, of Japan’s National Center for Child Health and Development in Tokyo, and colleagues.
House dust mite sensitization at 4 years came in 24% and 32% less likely for those born to mothers age 30-34 and 35-39, respectively. Wheezing by age 4 years was 11% less likely when both parents were 35 or older at the child’s birth (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.82-0.95)
The findings persisted through adjustment for factors such as parental educational level, household income, number of siblings, and family history of allergy, the researchers reported in JAMA Network Open. The observational study couldn’t determine what was behind the apparent protective effect.
Wildfire Smoke During Pregnancy May Raise Autism Risk, Study Finds
U.S. News & World Report reported:
The study — published Jan. 20 in the journal Environmental Science & Technology — looked at health records from more than 200,000 births between 2006 and 2014 in Southern California, a region with both frequent wildfires and higher autism diagnosis rates.
Researchers focused on PM 2.5, tiny particles in wildfire smoke that can enter the lungs and bloodstream. Using home addresses, they estimated how many smoky days pregnant women were exposed to during each trimester. The strongest link showed up in the last three months of pregnancy, especially when smoke exposure lasted several days in a row.
Compared with no smoke exposure in the third trimester, autism risk was:
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- About 10% higher after one to five smoky days
- 12% higher after six to 10 smoky days
- 23% higher after more than 10 smoky days
The association was strongest among women who did not move during pregnancy, suggesting ongoing exposure may matter more than periodical smoke exposure.
UK Study to Examine Effects of Restricting Social Media for Children
A pioneering investigation into the impact of restricting social media access for children in the UK has been announced as politicians around the world consider action on the issue. In December, Australia became the first country to ban under-16s from social media, with governments in other countries, including the, coming under pressure to do the same.
However, while experts say there is evidence that aspects of social media are harmful to most children, there has been no large-scale experimental study exploring the effect of limiting time spent on social media in healthy children as a population. “This study is a world first to try to look at that question,” said Prof Amy Orben, of the University of Cambridge, who is co-lead of the study.
