FDA OKs Drug for Kids Despite Justice Probe

Bacteria may unleash host of neurological problems in some

(NEWSER) - Strep may be causing much more than a sore throat among children. The powerful bacteria could be triggering a host of neurological problems from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder to nervous tics, anorexia, and hyperactivity, some scientists believe. Millions of US children develop strep throat each year, and most cases are quickly cleared up with antibiotics, notes the Wall Street Journal . But some kids suffer "Pandas" (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcus). "Parents have used the word 'possessed,' " says one doctor. "Their sweet, wonderful child turns into a monster seemingly overnight." More»

Academy of pediatrics ups age guidelines for car seats

(NEWSER) - Cue the choruses of, "Oh mom, do I have to?": The American Academy of Pediatrics has cracked down its carseat guidelines, reports the Washington Post , and they're likely to cause plenty of bickering. Among them:

• All children should sit in the back seat until they are 13 years old
• Children under 13 should use booster seats until they are 4 feet, 9 inches tall, or big enough to fit seatbelts properly
• Infants should ride in rear-facing car seats until age 2, or until they reach the seat's maximum height and weight.

Broad study finds children of all ages more likely to struggle

(NEWSER) - Kids whose parents are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan struggle with their emotions and responsibilities far more than children of civilians, a large new study reveals. Children of service members were twice as likely to report anxiety, emotional problems, and other symptoms of stress than their civilian counterparts. "Kids were reporting taking on more household responsibilities, such as taking care of siblings, and feeling like they were missing school activities," a researcher tells HealthDay News . More»

What's more, FDA's claims about teen smoking are preposterous: Chapman

(NEWSER) - The FDA is all over the map—and all wrong—with its ban on flavored cigarettes, writes Steve Chapman. The agency touts the move against the “gateway” tobacco products, saying it will break the cycle of addiction “for the more than 3,600 young people who start smoking daily.” First of all, kids don’t smoke fruity cigarettes. “Teenagers smoke because they want to seem older,” Chapman writes. “Smoking something that tastes like bubble gum sends the opposite signal.” More»

Company also notifies parents when kids go astray online

(NEWSER) - A company that polices children's Internet chatter is also selling it to companies that want marketing data on the quick, CNET reports. Sentry Parental Control Software, which monitors kids online—and triggers a phone call to parents when kids go astray—is amassing their chatter about products and selling it. But "we never, ever, ever can identify who the kid is who is saying it," says Echometrix CEO Jeffrey Greene. More»