By Amanda GardnerAttention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) appears to be on the rise in the United States, and in the search for explanations researchers have begun to scrutinize fetal exposure to a wide range of toxins, including lead, tobacco, pesticides, and chemicals such as PCBs. Mercury, a metal that affects the nervous system, is among the latest suspects to be investigated. And in a new study, researchers report that children who are exposed to higher levels of mercury in the womb are more likely to exhibit attention problems, hyperactivity, and other ADHD symptoms when they're 8 years old.

The study included roughly 600 mothers and children from New Bedford, Massachusetts. The researchers measured prenatal mercury exposure by analyzing samples of the mothers' hair shortly after birth, and found that a child's risk of ADHD symptoms increased by 40% to 70% past a certain exposure threshold (1 microgram per gram).

By Beth Wallace

Pirate costume?  Check.  Fairy princess?  Check.  Scary-faux-bloody-monster-man?  Got it.  King-size pillow case filled to the top with mini candy treats?  Uh oh…

It’s that fun time of year again when kids young and old head out into the night to show off their well-crafted Halloween best and have fun with their friends.  But after all of the parties and trick-or-treating is done, what’s a parent to do with all that candy? 

By Drishya Nair

Many a parents are concerned about their children's health due to obesity. They are clueless as to where to start from, in order to strike a perfect balance between feeding healthy to their child, and also making sure that their children are not overweight.

A new study, by researchers from University of Sydney suggest that cutting screen time and not rewarding children's good behavior with sweets could be among the steps parents could take to reduce overweight and obesity in children before they start school.