Health and Safety

Keeping a child safe and healthy can be a challenge. Many parents scan headlines about phthalates in baby bottles, swine flu and vaccination debates but need balanced information to help make an informed decision for their family.

Health and Safety

Latest in Health and Safety

What Works for Older Youth During the Transition to Adulthood

Research, Reports & Data — March 12, 2010, Child Trends

The fact sheet examines the effectiveness of specific programs aimed at promoting positive development and self-sufficiency for older youth.

The Nation’s Children 2010

Research, Reports & Data — March 04, 2010, Child Welfare League of America (CWLA)

A compilation of the latest statistics on the health and welfare of U.S. children, including individual fact sheets on each state.

2009 Parents and Teens Attitude Tracking Study Report

Research, Reports & Data — March 03, 2010, The Partnership for a Drug-Free America and MetLife Foundation

Following a decade of consistent decline, the national study finds marked upswings in teen drug use.

Persistent Fear and Anxiety Can Affect Young Children’s Learning and Development

Research, Reports & Data — February 26, 2010, National Scientific Council on the Developing Child

The report summarizes the effects of and misconceptions about fear-eliciting experiences that occur early in life.

The Cost of Delay: State Dental Policies Fail One in Five Children

Research, Reports & Data — February 23, 2010, Pew Center on the States

The report describes the costs of poor dental health, grades the states on dental policies and suggests approaches to ensure dental health and access to care for disadvantaged children.

"Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds"

Research, Reports & Data — January 20, 2010, Kaiser Family Foundation

The amount of time young people spend engaging in entertainment media has increased by an hour and seventeen minutes a day over the past five years. Studies show that the rise of mobile devices being used as multimedia devices, such as cell phones and iPods, has been the primary reason for the increase.

"'Choking Game' Awareness and Participation Among 8th Graders -- Oregon, 2008"

Research, Reports & Data — January 15, 2010, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

A survey on the "choking game," which led to 82 deaths in 31 states from 1995 to 2007.

“There’s No Place Like Home: Home Visiting Programs Can Support Pregnant Women and New Parents”

Research, Reports & Data — January 06, 2010, Center for American Progress

The brief reviews the effectiveness of existing home visiting programs for vulnerable families.

“Overlooked and Undercounted 2009: Struggling to Make Ends Meet in California”

Research, Reports & Data — December 23, 2009, United Way of the Bay Area

The analysis finds that 3 in 10 California households lack adequate income, opposed to the 1 in 10 households reported by the federal poverty measure.

“Maternal Depression Can Undermine the Development of Young Children”

Research, Reports & Data — December 17, 2009, Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University and National Forum on Early Childhood Program Evaluation

The report explores recent research on the effects of maternal depression on families and children.

“Teens and Sexting”

Research, Reports & Data — December 15, 2009, Internet & American Life Project, The Pew Research Center

The report explores the role of cell phones in the sexual lives of teens and young adults.

“Why Are Young Children Missed So Often in the Census?”

Research, Reports & Data — December 15, 2009, The Annie E. Casey Foundation

The study explores why more than 1 million children under age 10 and more than three-quarters of a million children under age 5 were missed in the 2000 Decennial Census.

“Monitoring the Future 2009”

Research, Reports & Data — December 14, 2009, National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the University of Michigan

The federal survey, which tracks drug use among U.S. teens, finds that marijuana use has increased within the past two years, whereas cigarette use has declined.

“Hidden Injustice: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth in Juvenile Courts"

Research, Reports & Data — November 30, 2009, Equity Project

The report explores the multiple ways in which LGBT youth experience bias within the juvenile justice system.

"Household Food Security in the United States, 2008"

Research, Reports & Data — November 23, 2009, USDA Research Service

The USDA's latest survey of U.S. households finds that the prevalence rates of food insecurity and very low food security were the highest recorded since 1995, when the first national food security survey was conducted.