Parents who have a mental illness known as factitious disorder may fake or induce illness in their children to get attention, sometimes taking kids to hundreds of medical visits and deceiving doctors into performing numerous procedures and surgeries. Experts and a parent who got his child out of an abusive situation discuss how the legal & medical system may fail kids, danger signs and the road to recovery.
Rural Maternity Units Closing
A large number of hospitals in rural areas have closed, and many more have closed their maternity units, leaving many rural mothers-to-be with no nearby place to deliver their babies or even get prenatal care. Experts discuss the financial and demographic reasons behind these closures, the danger it presents to mothers and children, and some ways to counter the risk.
Does Prenatal Fluoride Lower IQ?
Fluoride in community drinking water has been controversial since its introduction nearly 75 years ago. A new study adds to this with evidence that pregnant women who drink fluoridated water may produce children with slightly lowered IQ. The study author and two other experts discuss what’s known and what the ramifications of the study could be for communities, for oral health, and for children.
Sudden Unexplained Death of a Child
Each year, some 400 US children over age 1, most of them toddlers, die overnight for no known reason. Families, longing for answers, often find that their families, friends, and even pediatricians are unfamiliar with this classification of death, or that they even occur. Family members who have lost a child, a medical examiner, and a research expert who has lost a child discuss SUDC.
The Economics of Later School Start Times
Thirty years of research have shown that teenagers’ biology prevents them from getting to sleep much before 11pm, and with most high schools starting classes around 8 am, they are chronically sleep deprived. Experts discuss how students and even the economy would benefit from later start times and the reasons many people and school districts still oppose the change.
15-10 Story 1: Measles and Vaccination
Synopsis: Measles is more widespread than it has been in years. The current measles outbreak in several states has prompted questions about the responsibility of parents to have their children immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases. Experts discuss this "social contract" cited by courts since colonial times, and why highly-contagious measles is a good test case for … Continue reading 15-10 Story 1: Measles and Vaccination
