Children born through assisted reproductive technologies have similar cognitive, motor and language development at age two as those born through natural conception, according to a new Canadian study. Researchers saw no differences in skills such as movement, memory, exploration, vocabulary, word combination, and sensory and motor development. “Studies have shown that assisted reproductive technology (ART) use is increasing the risk of prematurity and major malformations,” said study author Anick Berard, research chair of Medications, Pregnancy and Lactation at the University of Montreal. “Very few studies have been able to look at long-term outcomes such as cognitive function,” said Berard.
Infants as young as 4 months old should be introduced to peanut-containing foods to prevent the development of peanut allergies, according to new guidelines from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. “It’s an important issue for lots of parents. They don’t want their kids developing a food allergy,” said Dr. Ruchi Gupta, who helped develop the guidelines and is an attending physician at Lurie Children’s Hospital specializing in asthma, food allergies and eczema. “If it’s something they can prevent through something as simple as incorporating food in their [child’s] diet, I think they’d be interested in doing that.” Peanut allergies are the most common food allergy in chi
Sarajean Grainson discovered last summer that living in a Lutheran parsonage in Rockville Centre, N.Y., was a wonderful alternative to the colonial-style home that she had shared with her family for decades. The move came as Sarajean, 59, and her second husband, pastor David Grainson, 46, were adjusting to adding three children to their brood after she turned 50. The Grainsons are the parents of 5-year-old twins, Matthew and David. They also have an 8-year-old son, Luke. Sarajean has three children from a previous marriage. Becoming a mother again was all about giving her husband, a former Roman Catholic priest, a profound gift of love. "This is a good man," she said. "I wanted him to have t
