More U.S. Kids Are Shunning Sweetened Drinks

THURSDAY, Nov. 21, 2019 -- American youngsters are drinking far fewer sodas and other sugar-sweetened drinks and getting far fewer calories from them than they used to, a new report finds.

But kids from more-affluent homes are benefiting more from these trends than those from poorer families, the researchers said.

Anti-Vaxxers Find Ways Around States' 'Personal Exemption' Bans

MONDAY, Nov. 4, 2019 -- When parents can no longer get "personal-belief" exemptions from childhood vaccinations, they may get around it by asking for religious exemptions for their kids, a new study finds.

Researchers found that after Vermont banned personal-belief exemptions, the number of kindergartners with religious exemptions from vaccination suddenly shot up -- from 0.5% to nearly 4%.

Kids' Trampoline Injuries Take Another Bounce Upwards

FRIDAY, Oct. 25, 2019 -- Trampolines aren't just for backyards anymore, and the rise in commercial trampoline parks may be sparking a rise in kids' injuries, a new report finds.

"While trampolines are a great source of fun and exercise for children, the potential for injury, particularly in recreational areas with an underlying business incentive, needs to be recognized," stressed study author Dr. Nancy Hadley Miller.

Pediatricians' Group Calls for More Research on Artificial Sweeteners

MONDAY, Oct. 28, 2019 -- There are many unanswered questions about the long-term safety and impacts of artificial sweeteners in children, a new American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy statement says.

The AAP statement also recommends that the amount of artificial sweeteners should be listed on product labels to help parents and researchers better understand how much children are consuming, and the possible health effects.

Scientists Spot Signs of Virus Behind Disease Paralyzing Kids

MONDAY, Oct. 21, 2019 -- A new antibody test appears to have honed in on the most likely cause of a mysterious polio-like disease that regularly sweeps through the United States.

The new test detected antibodies for two types of enteroviruses in the spinal fluid of dozens of patients diagnosed with acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), a disease that causes potentially permanent and sometimes life-threatening paralysis in young children.

None of Top-Selling Kids' Drinks Meet Experts' Health Recommendations

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 16, 2019 -- Drinks marketed to children often contain loads of unhealthy sugars and sweeteners, and they come in packages that deliver too-large servings, a new report finds.

None of 34 sweetened drinks aimed at the youth market meet nutrition recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), according to University of Connecticut researchers.