No TV, No Regrets
Fed up with watching your toddler’s sing-along DVD yet again? Research from the Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School in the US shows that watching TV doesn’t benefit or harm the language and motor skills of kids younger than two. Still, don’t forget that watching the tube is associated with obesity, attention problems and decreased sleep quality.
Talk To The Hand
If your child conveys meaning with lots of hand gestures, then you might be raising a genius. Research from the University of Pittsburgh and University of Chicago shows a correlation between use of gestures and hand movements by 14-month- olds and vocabulary at 54 months. Basically, the more gestures, the bigger the vocabulary.
More Milk News
Last month, China’s agricultural watchdogs found that Dumex and Wyeth dairy products currently met safety standards, though the companies had previously produced melamine-contaminated milk powder, causing infants to develop kidney problems. Remain vigilant, though, as melamine has also been found in products from a number of international brands.
Soothe That Cough
Refrain from treating children under the age of 6 with over-the-counter cough medicines, which have been deemed ineffective and potentially harmful by British and American studies. While there is a long list of medicines appropriate for use by young kids, experts suggest a homemade remedy many will be familiar with: hot water with a dash of lemon and a drop of honey.
