kid's health

For a six-month reporting period, the University at Buffalo's Research Institute on Addictions (RIA) found that 82 percent of parents accurately detected the presence of teen cigarette smoking - the parents' reports corresponded with the teens' reports of their own smoking.

Eighty-six percent of parents accurately evaluated the presence of teen alcohol use, and 86 percent accurately reported the presence of teen marijuana use. However, only 72 percent of the parents in the RIA study accurately reported the presence of hard drug use (anything other than pot) by teens.

Mental Health America released results from a national study of Latino parents to better understand parent-child communication about bullying, sexual orientation and prejudice.

The findings coincide with the release of a new Spanish-language brochure, "Qué Significa Ser Gay?," part of Mental Health America's ongoing efforts to reduce bullying, particularly regarding sexual orientation.

A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel voted to ban popular over-the-counter cold products intended for children under the age of 6.

The panel decided that there is no evidence that OTC cough and cold medicines have any effect on younger kids - and that more studies need to be done.

"The data that we have now is they don't seem to work," said Sean Hennessy, one of the FDA experts asked to examine the group of medicines.

The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) currently provides insurance for six million children. It's a joint federal-state partnership - created in 1997 by President Bill Clinton - that covers children without health insurance.

Your kid should start brushing her own teeth as soon as she's willing to try. You can clean them with a wet cloth or gauze until it's time for a tooth brush. Using plain water, gently brush the teeth on both the outside and inside surfaces twice a day.

In Spring 2007, federal drug regulators started a broad review of the safety of popular cough and cold remedies meant for children.

In higher than normal doses, cold medicines can affect the heart’s electrical system, leading to arrhythmias. Some medicines affect the blood vessels and, in high doses, have been associated with hypertension and stroke. In rare cases, children have been injured even when given recommended doses.

Stem cells are regarded as an important biological resource, and researchers are conducting numerous studies to learn about their potential. So far, studies suggest that cord blood stem cells may help treat diseases like diabetes, heart and liver disease, muscular dystrophy, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury, and stroke.

There's a possibility of stem cell expansion, which may someday enable families who have banked stem cells to use them for multiple treatments or donate stem cells to others.