Children suspected of having appendicitis are more likely to receive CT scans, which involve radiation, if they are evaluated at a general hospital, a new study by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has shown.

Similar patients who went to St. Louis Children’s Hospital were more often evaluated with an ultrasound scan, a safer option that uses sound waves instead of radiation to confirm or rule out the need for surgery to remove the appendix.
Use of either scanning technique can potentially reduce the occurrence of unnecessary surgeries and expedite the diagnosis of appendici...

Healthy snacks including veggies and cheese can help take the edge off of kids’ between-meal hunger pangs, and may help put a dent in rates of childhood obesity.

In a new study, children who were given cheese and vegetables as a snack ate 72% fewer calories than children who snacked on potato chips, and this effect was even more pronounced among kids who were overweight or obese.

What’s more, these kids needed fewer calories to feel full than those who ate chips.

The study included about 200 kids entering third or sixth grades...

Christmas day is almost here as the 2012 Holiday shopping season is already in full swing this weekend for both retailers and consumers alike.

Most people are having a difficult time deciding what gift to give to their family members for Christmas, especially for the kids in the family.

Well, in that case, a recent data might prove helpful to all the parents out there. According to a report, the top 5 gadgets included in the U.S. kids’ wishlist for Christmas are the following:

Kids aged 6-12

1. iPad — 48 percent
2. Nintendo Wii U — 39 percent
3. iPod Touch — 36 percent
4...

Do you believe you’re not good at math? A new study suggests that with motivation and good teaching strategies, even those who are convinced they’ll never be facile with figures can succeed in mathematics.
Innate intelligence — as defined by IQ tests — may provide a head start, but it’s learning skills and determination that ultimately add up to success, according to the new research.
«The critical determinant of growth in achievement is not how smart you are, but how motivated you are and how you study,» said lead study author Kou Murayama, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Californi...

Some simple tips on how to care for your cat’s abscess or wounds, if you are unable to visit a veterinarian.

CAT OWNERS:

Regardless of whether your cat has an obvious wound or is simply behaving more lethargic or more frail than usual, it is always important to bring him or her to a professional veterinarian where health and proper treatment can be ensured. This is particularly the case if your cat appears to be in any stress or pain, if he or she has lost an appetite or completely stopped eating, and/or if your cat is vomiting (as they can dehydrate rather quickly)...

An international team, led by researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, has discovered that «random» mutations in the genome are not quite so random after all. Their study, to be published in the journal Cell on December 21, shows that the DNA sequence in some regions of the human genome is quite volatile and can mutate ten times more frequently than the rest of the genome. Genes that are linked to autism and a variety of other disorders have a particularly strong tendency to mutate.

Clusters of mutations or «hotspots» are not unique to the autism genome bu...

If your last name’s Hilton or Marriott, you undoubtedly have enough spare rooms to accommodate all of your out-of-town holiday guests. But for the rest of us, figuring out where friends and family should crash can be more complicated. One dilemma many parents face is whether to displace kids from their rooms in order to make space for familial lodgers.

In National Lampoon’s “Christmas Vacation,” a young Juliette Lewis memorably whined to her mom about having to share a bed with her brother in order to make room for all of the grandparents, asking, “Would it be indecent to ask the grandparent...

Jim Shelley is a journalist and a member of Grazia’s fashion jury

Personally, I’m amazed that 10-year-old Romeo Beckham’s appearance in the new Burberry ads has caused so much fuss. What did people think he was going to be? A plumber, perhaps? A dustman? Or, even worse (and even more unlikely, with his parentage), a journalist? No doubt a lot of readers, particularly parents, will criticise the Beckhams for allowing their son to feature in such a high-profile campaign at such a tender age...

Children whose mothers were exposed to secondhand smoke while they were pregnant may be at greater risk for behavioral problems, according to a new study.
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing found that prenatal exposure to secondhand smoke, or environmental tobacco smoke, was linked to attention problems and aggression. They added that children exposed to secondhand smoke in the womb also fared worse on language, speech and intelligence tests.
«Such findings could inform public health efforts to reduce public smoking and underscores the need for including [environ...

If your due date is December 25th then you might be worrying about having a baby born on one very inconvenient day! Is it really bad news to be born on Christmas day? Are there compensations for a Christmas Day birthday and how hard should you try to hold on until a more acceptable date (if that is at all in your power)?

Most of us are pretty happy to be receiving a baby let alone worrying about the due date but when it comes to Christmas I bet you can name a few people who have a birthday on the 25th of December and if you’ve known them since you were little I bet you’ve always felt a bit sor...