A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
A mother's perceived social status predicts her child's brain development and stress indicators, finds a study at Boston Children's Hospital. While previous studies going back to the 1950s have linked objective socioeconomic factors -- such as parental income or education -- to child health, achievement and brain function, the new study is the first to [...]
EATING junk food while pregnant has been linked to serious behavioural problems in children, according to a groundbreaking Geelong study. The Deakin University study, which was undertaken at the IMPACT strategic research centre at Barwon Health, is the first of its kind that shows a clear link between diet in pregnancy, early childhood and mental [...]
While researchers have established a compelling link between gut bacteria and mental health, they’re still trying to figure out the extent to which the human microbiome — once it’s populated in early childhood — can be transformed. via Gut feelings: the future of psychiatry may be inside your stomach | The Verge.
Mental ill-health often begins in the young, and so the effects can be profound, restricting people at the very time they are exploring their potential and entering some of their most productive years. via Easing troubled minds.
Dr Thornton and her team discovered that sticky nets of DNA hide the bacteria in the ears of kids with recurrent middle-ear infections, and evade antibiotic treatment by creating impenetrable slimy biofilms. The researchers are targeting these nets with a drug that has already proven its ability to help kids with cystic fibrosis by breaking [...]
AT least 200,000 Australian girls aged between 10 and 17 are not swimming because they feel bad in bathers, a survey suggests. More than 70 per cent in the age group feel internal and external pressure to look beautiful and 17 per cent avoid activities such as going to the beach or riding a bike. [...]
There is a lot of information out there about what might or might not make us happy. But it's important to remember that all of those insights and findings are really suggestions. They may be based on science, interviewing, or personal experience, but they can never be declared universally appropriate. via 5 Questions About Happiness [...]
Scientists found the more time people spent on Facebook over a two-week period, the worse they subsequently felt. In contrast, talking to friends on the phone or meeting them in person led to greater levels of happiness. via You are not alone: Facebook use linked with unhappiness.
In a review conducted for the USPSTF, researchers from Oregon Health & Science University in Portland analyzed 10 studies of child abuse prevention programs involving home visitors in the U.S., UK and New Zealand and one intervention done in a Baltimore clinic. Those studies included families at higher risk of child abuse based on responses [...]
