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Most states have strict rules about how many hours teens need to practice driving with a parent or other licensed driver prior to obtaining a driver’s license. However, most states don’t educate parents about teaching teens to drive. Unfortunately, many teens aren’t gaining the skills they need to become safe drivers before getting their driver’s license. Research Says Parents Are Making Mistakes Teens with learner’s permits have an opportunity to gain knowledge and skills before obtaining their driver’s license....

Because of the varied duties and because an adult is often in the home as well, the role is different from that of a babysitter, nanny or in-home care provider. A growing use of a mother’s helper is for parents who work from home, home-school, or have a home-based business. Mother’s helpers are not required to have any specific training or qualifications, but CPR and first aid training are recommended....

Causes of Necrozoospermia It’s not entirely clear what causes necrozoospermia. Because it is so rare, there are a lot of unknowns. Possible causes and theories include: Abnormally high body temperature (such as in men who use wheelchairs or hot tubs) Advanced paternal age Anti-sperm antibodies (where the body’s immune symptom attack its own healthy, normal sperm cells) Early testicular cancer Exposure to toxins, such as lead, pesticides, mercury, or cadmium Hormonal causes, as with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) Infection in the male reproductive tract Problems with the testicles or epididymis (which is a long, coiled tube just above each testicle, where sperm are collected and mature before ejaculation) Prolonged periods of no ejaculation Spinal cord injuries Street drug use Varicocele (abnormally dilated veins in the scrotum)...

After our lab test, one of our editors, editorial director Ashleigh Morley, took the Nuna TRVL out and about for testing in the real world. She used it with her 1- and 4-year-old children for a full month, even taking it on a trip to Walt Disney World with her older child. Ahead, get all the details about how this travel stroller held up after rigorous real-world road testing....

This condition occurs when the skin surrounding the penis adheres to the head of the penis or the glans. Learn more about what to do if your child’s foreskin is attached to the head of their penis and when to contact their pediatrician. Types of Penile Adhesions Adhesions form when the skin on the shaft of the penis attaches itself to the glans (the bulb-shaped head of the penis). Adhesions are especially common in babies who appear to have a “hidden penis,” in which the entire penis seems to disappear as the baby puts on fat in the pubic area....

According to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, “The U.S. government placed an initial order of 100 million doses with the option to purchase 500 million additional doses.” Now, the vaccine will be tested on a younger audience. Kids Are Important Addition to Vaccine Trials Multiple recent studies indicate that kids can, in fact, spread the virus despite remaining largely asymptomatic. Concerns remain that kids and adolescents can unknowingly carry the virus and spread it among more vulnerable populations like older family members or those with existing health conditions....

What Is the Placenta? The placenta is a temporary organ that develops during pregnancy and is shed after the pregnancy ends. It is comprised solely of fetal cells and attaches to the mom’s body inside the uterus by “invading” the mother’s uterine wall in an intricate process called placentation. It is connected to the mother by a network of small blood vessels, and to the fetus through two arteries and a vein contained within the umbilical cord....

Fish consumption may be linked to better heart health and a lower risk of obesity in adults, as well as improved cognitive function in children. A 2019 review of 106,237 mother-offspring pairs found an average 7.7 IQ point gain in children whose mothers ate seafood during pregnancy, compared to people who didn’t eat fish when pregnant. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also notes that along with providing high-quality protein, seafood contains omega-3 fats and minerals such as iodine, iron, selenium, and zinc....

In the years that followed, the couple, who married in 2016, watched as many of their friends got pregnant, seemingly without any difficulty. They figured that when the time came, they too would just have sex and have a baby. But when one of LaFleur’s closest friends was having trouble conceiving and only learned of her fertility challenges after a year of trying, she encouraged the fashion designer to make an appointment with a fertility specialist just to know upfront whether she would have any issues....

In reality, screen time can be a helpful tool. Some programs are even educational, especially when watched with a caregiver. Shows with songs and rhythmic melodies, for example, can help with language production. There is a danger in overusing screen time, however. It can quickly take away from quality time spent learning from a caregiver. Here is how I think about balancing screen time as both a doctor and a mom....

It’s important to note that when a baby is in a co-sleeper that attaches to the side of an adult’s bed, or an in-bed co-sleeper, such as the DockATot or Snuggle Nest, they are still co-sleeping. Even though the baby has their own defined space, this is not a safe sleeping environment and these products should never be used when a baby is sleeping—whether they are on a bed, a couch, or the floor....

Why? Perhaps because there are fewer children with chickenpox to boost our immunity to the chickenpox virus, thereby increasing the risk for reactivation and the development of shingles. This is still one of the reasons that some countries don’t have a routine chickenpox vaccine program for their kids. It has shown to not be true though. Shingles and Chickenpox As a reminder, if you get a natural chickenpox infection, the chickenpox (varicella zoster) virus then remains in your body in an inactive or dormant state....

This extensive marketing, as well as easy accessibility, encourages lots of preteens and teens to whiten their teeth—and even more to wonder if they should. Many young people worry about the relative whiteness of their teeth and may feel self-conscious about their smiles. However, this growing desire among preteens and teens leads many parents to question whether or not it’s recommended—or wise—to whiten children’s teeth. Learn how to decide when and if your child should bleach their pearly whites....

Multi-Sport Programs These programs provide structure and support for a variety of athletic activities. A benefit of connecting with these programs is that your child will be able to choose from among different sports. Paralympics Paralympics provides competition for athletes with physical disabilities. The organization oversees 28 different sports activities, including team sports such as wheelchair basketball and individual sports such as archery. Special Olympics Special Olympics offers opportunities in a variety of sports for people with intellectual disabilities....

If your teen is being stalked, they are likely feeling anxious, alone, vulnerable, and stressed. They also may have trouble concentrating at school and difficulty sleeping at night. Because stalking has the potential to become violent in some way, it’s important that you understand the complexities of the issue as well as what you can do to protect your teen. What Is Stalking? Stalking is a pattern of behavior that makes teens feel nervous, afraid, harassed, or in danger....

“It is generally recommended that babies can start solids at around 6 months of age and eggs could be introduced at that time,” says Amy Reed, MS, RD, CSP, LD, a pediatric dietician and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Changing Recommendations Historically, many experts advised parents to wait to introduce eggs to their baby until their child turned 2 years old to reduce the risk of developing an egg allergy....

Although older kids usually require a more complex reward system, a sticker alone can often provide enough positive reinforcement to motivate preschoolers to change their behavior. If your child grows bored with stickers, however, you can certainly allow your child to exchange stickers for other tangible rewards. When to Use a Sticker Chart Sticker charts should be used when kids need a little extra help addressing a specific behavior. Think of a behavior you want to see more often, then each time your child exhibits that behavior, offer a sticker....

When it comes to taking away privileges, you need to be realistic and logical in your approach. For instance, you don’t want to take away their Chromebook if it’s required for school. Likewise, don’t take away things children need, like meals or their beds. Privileges are things kids enjoy but do not necessarily need, like using electronics, going to the movies, and playing with toys. Removing privileges teaches kids that privileges need to be earned....