Early screen time can be bad for toddlers
Children’s brains are wondrous mazes of ever-changing neural connections. From age 0 to 3, more than 1 million new neural connections form every second. To avoid tangles and turmoil, the brain also “prunes” these branches so the mind can function smoothly. You don’t want to interfere with these processes.
It seems that screen time may do that. A new study in JAMA Network Pediatrics looked at info on around 84,000 kids, and at age 3, about 0.4 percent of them had autism — with boys three times more likely to have the disorder than girls. They then looked at the kids’ exposure to “screen time,” whether a phone, TV or handheld tablet. Spending one to four hours a day as a 1-year-old hugely increased the risk of boys developing autism by age 3. It increased the risk by 200 percent to almost 350 percent! Girls, on the other hand, showed no correlation.
What accounts for boys’ risk? Not sure. But whatever is inherent in boys, research does indicate environmental factors such as electrical and light stimulation coming from screens may affect neurodevelopment and lead to unwanted changes that negatively impact intellectual and/or emotional health.
So what should you provide for your kids? One study in Pediatric Research used MRIS to discover that audio isn’t engaging enough for young kids, animation is too hard for them to sort through and reading a book with illustrations or pictures is just right for activation of neural networks and healthy brain development. Goldilocks anyone?
Coffee and your kidneys — the best of friends
About 37 million Americans have chronic kidney disease, including Halle Berry, Selena Gomez and Nick
Cannon. Acute kidney injury, in contrast, happens to 2 percent to 5 percent of folks during a hospital stay. AKI can lead to chronic kidney disease and kidney failure.
Signs of AKI include poor urination; swollen legs and ankles; puffiness of the eyes; fatigue; shortness of breath; confusion; nausea; and chest pain or pressure.
Want to drastically reduce the chance that you develop AKI? It’s simple according to a new study in Kidney International Reports. Researchers looked at data on 14,000 folks over 24 years and found that drinking any amount of coffee a day reduced the risk of AKI by 15 percent. Those who drank two to three cups saw their risk go down 22 percent to 23 percent.
Unfiltered coffee contains compounds that can raise lousy LDL cholesterol. Avoid added sugar, flavored syrups and milk/cream.