Stephanie Skernivitz

Impoverished parents who spank their one-year-old children may encourage aggressive behaviors and cognitive delays in their children for the next two years. This is according to a longitudinal study of discipline methods by low-income parents published in 

Interestingly, verbal discipline (ie, scolding, yelling or negative comments) does not seem to yield the same effects, especially when parents, such as mothers, also provide emotional support. 

Further, of parents who spanked, it was more likely that these parents had fussy one-year-olds, compared to parents who didn’t spank. The irritability led to spanking and verbal discipline from ages 1 to 3.

The primary objectives were to determine whether behavior of mothers impacted troublesome behavior in children, whether children who exhibited difficult behaviors prompted stricter discipline, or both. More than 2,500 low-income mothers of African American, Mexican American, and white descents were interviewed and observed with their children (ages 1 to 3). 

Researchers discovered that African American children received notably more spankings and verbal discipline than other children in the study. Authors suggest this may be related to cultural issues, including wanting to instill respect for elders in the children. 

The effects of the discipline can be detrimental to a child's development. 

"Our findings clearly indicate that spanking affects children's development," said Lisa J. Berlin, lead author and research scientist at Duke University. Specifically, children who were spanked more often at 1 behaved more aggressively when they were 2, and had lower scores on tests measuring thinking skills when they were 3. 

Verbal discipline only did not appear to impact tendencies toward aggression or cognitive development. When verbal discipline was mixed with emotional support from mothers, it actually enhanced children's  cognitive abilities. 

The National Institute of Mental Health funded the study.

Articles

Impoverished parents who spank their one-year-old children may encourage aggressive behaviors and cognitive delays in their children for the next two years.

Low-income parents who spank toddlers may foster aggression later

A total of 38 states, as well as Puerto Rico, will receive $38 million overall in incentives from the the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) because of their efforts to raise the number of foster care-related adoptions. The HHS program is designed to advance adoption possibilities of abused and neglected children.

The Adoption Incentives program, which falls under the umbrella of the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997, initially was created to spur states to increase their numbers of children who were adopted from foster care. The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 helped to overhaul the adoption incentives program to boost financial rewards for states, again with the ultimate goal of placing more children, especially older or special needs children, from foster care.

The 2008 law also added an "adoption rate" clause, which basically compares the present year's adoption numbers to the number of children who were in foster care at the close of the previous year. More money is given to states that go beyond their highest foster child adoption rate for previous years dating to 2002.

States are awarded $4,000 per foster child adopted beyond the 2007 baseline; another $8,000 is given for each child age nine and older and $4,000 extra for every other special needs child who is adopted beyond the baseline numbers. There’s another $1,000 bonus for every foster child who is adopted beyond the state's highest foster child adoption rate for past years.

For incentive award amounts per state, visit the 

A total of 38 states will receive $38 million in incentives from HHS because of their efforts to raise the number of foster care-related adoptions.

States are rewarded for adoptions via foster care

In the wake of the ongoing H1N1 flu outbreak and the start of the latest round of seasonal flu, the word to parents of all children is to vaccinate sooner than later. 

Children are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated with two influenza vaccines this year - one against seasonal influenza and the vaccine in late development stages to work against novel H1N1 influenza. Every year, children 6 months through 18 years of age, regardless of medical conditions, are recommended for seasonal influenza vaccination.

Overall vigilance in targeting influenza is the primary goal, especially against the seasonal strains, according to experts who spoke at the 12th annual National Foundation for Infectious Diseases' influenza news conference in Washington, DC, on Sept. 10. NFID conducts these conferences each fall to discuss upcoming recommendations for influenza for the next season and to encourage Americans to get vaccinated. 

Experts warn that this flu season is expected to be more problematic than recent years; therefore, the recommendation is to get your seasonal influenza vaccine now. Supply of the vaccine may exceed 110 million doses in the 2009-2010 season.

Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), reiterates the NFID's message at the conference: "The single best way to protect yourself and your loved ones against the flu is to get vaccinated each year. Vaccination is the cornerstone of our prevention efforts."

The conference was held in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Medical Association (AMA), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American College of Physicians (ACP), AARP and National Influenza Vaccine Summit.

After getting vaccinated for seasonal flu, experts at the conference urge vaccination for H1N1 influenza, when that vaccine comes available in mid-October. But the primary focus is still seasonal flu at the moment, according to William Schaffner, MD, president-elect of NFID.

"In all our concern about the novel H1N1 influenza, we must not let our guard down against seasonal influenza," he says. 

Beyond obtaining the flu shot, the basic recommendations to protect against flu were the focus of remarks from Thomas Frieden, MD, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those include staying home when sick, using your hand to cover your coughs and sneezes, and washing hands frequently. 

While vaccination is encouraged as the primary defense against influenza, antiviral medications are another therapeutic mode in treating the disease. The drugs are most useful when taken within 48 hours of symptoms appearing. The medications can also be used to treat novel H1N1 influenza. 

In related news, NFID recently polled mothers about vaccinating their children. Results showed many mothers do not understand the significance of the need to consistently vaccinate children against seasonal flu. 

In contrast, David T. Tayloe, Jr., MD, FAAP, president of American Academy of Pediatrics points out, "School-age children have the highest infection rates for seasonal flu, while infants and toddlers have very high hospitalization rates comparable to those for the elderly. Despite this, too few parents are getting their children immunized. This puts them at much greater risk for the flu, which can have serious consequences even in the healthiest children."

Because children are typically the first of all age populations to acquire influenza each year, vaccination is especially necessary to protect children and help prevent the spread of disease, according to Dr. Tayloe. 

In the wake of the ongoing H1N1 flu outbreak and the start of the latest round of seasonal flu, the word to parents of all children is to vaccinate sooner than later.

Flu vaccinations more important than ever

Parents who start early in building the concept of relational connections or affiliations with infants can assist in fostering altruistic behaviors down the road, new research in 

What the research indicated was that priming infants with indirect cues to affiliation improves their future ability to be helpful. The study entailed a large number of 18-month-old children who viewed photographs of household items, such as a teapot. These items were discussed with the infants, but there were secondary sets of photos in the background to active the child's subconscious. 

The background photos might include two small wooden dolls, facing and practically touching each other. In some cases the dolls were not facing each other; and in still other instances, there was just one doll or just some wooden blocks.

The study was designed to show how the two dolls that were relating to each other would activate thoughts involving group identity and belonging. By having these feelings of belonging, the idea is that this would lead to encouraging helpful behaviors in children. 

To test the theory, once children were shown the images, a researcher would "accidentally" drop a set of sticks. The researcher then observed which infants would readily help pick them up. Those who were "primed" with cues were three times more likely to help, compared with other children. 

Parents who start early in building the concept of relational connections or affiliations with infants can assist in fostering altruistic behaviors down the road, new research shows.

How to train a good Samaritan

In comparison to midwife- and physician-assisted hospital births, the rate of perinatal death is low for those who arrange for home-based child birth with a registered midwife in attendance, new research shows.

Perinatal death rate per 1,000 arranged home births was 0.35 compared with 0.57 for midwife-aided hospital births, or 0.64 for physician-assisted hospital births. 

The new research, published online in the 

, re-ignites the debate about safety issues surrounding home births. In the US, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists continues to stand against the practice.

Patricia A. Janssen, PhD, of the University of British Columbia, and colleagues collected data from 2000-2004 for planned home births in British Columbia where a registered midwife was present. Home birth requirements, set forth by the College of Midwives of British Columbia, included no preexisting or pregnancy-onset maternal disease, a singleton fetus, and gestational age between 36 and 41 weeks.

A total of 2,899 women scheduled for home births were compared with 4,752 who chose to have a midwife-assisted hospital birth. The same group of midwives were involved in both sets of births. Another comparison group of 5,331 physician-assisted hospital births were also involved in the study.

Of women intending to birth their child at home, 78.8% were able to keep their plans. Of those intending a hospital birth, 96.9% followed through on intentions. For home births assisted by midwives, there was much less chance of third- or fourth-degree perineal tear, postpartum hemorrhage and pyrexia, compared with midwife-assisted hospital birth. Birth trauma, resuscitation and oxygen therapy beyond 24 hours also were less likely in the home birth set of mothers. Infection rates were similar in the two groups. 

Funding for the study came from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. 

A large study found that the mortality rates for home births were actually better than those in a hospital.

Rate of death low for home births

In the last week, FDA has approved two pediatric-related drugs - one (vigabatrin) treats infantile spasms and the other (levocetirizine dihydrochloride) targets symptoms of indoor and outdoor allergies and chronic hives in young children. 

In the case of the spasm-related drug (Sabril), a first such approval for treatment of infantile spasms, it marks the closure of a 

 of the drug's mechanisms by W. Donald Shields, MD, of the University of California, Los Angeles' School of Medicine.

A notable adverse effect of the drug includes loss of peripheral vision, which has affected up to 30% of users of the drug. However, Shields says the benefits outweigh this significant adverse event. "If you lose peripheral vision but are developmentally normal, it is probably worth it," he said in a statement.

Part of the FDA's approval of the seizure-related drug requires physicians who prescribe vigabatrin to conduct a baseline test of visual acuity prior to start-up of the drug, and then every three months following.

For infants, the drug is normally taken for 6 to 9 months. Dosage is often reduced at this point to see if symptoms re-emerge. If so, the dosage is increased to previous levels. 

Regarding approval of the once-daily prescription antihistamine for allergies (Xyzal), it is approved for children age 6 months and older for treatment of symptoms related to perennial allergic rhinitis and chronic idiopathic urticaria. The drug is also approved for symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis in children age 2 and older. 

Previously the allergy-targeting drug, available in tablet and liquid forms, was approved for children age 6 and older for the aforementioned symptoms.