Tag: children and adolescents

These environmental toxins are everywhere – and they are affecting boys' puberty

Chemicals we ingest through food and drink accumulate in our bodies, and a new study suggests this could influence boys’ puberty.

1 in 3 Norwegian adolescents did not use contraception the first time they had sex

“We adults need to take more responsibility,” says Trine Aarvold, a medical doctor at Sex og society. She has her own tips for parents.

Overweight and obesity increased among boys in Norway during the pandemic

In the years leading up to the pandemic, the prevalence of overweight and obesity among young boys was declining. During the pandemic, it rose again.

Many young people think that social media can help their mental health

Researchers, media and politicians all tend to focus on the negative aspects of social media, according to psychologist and researcher.

Girls who had a lot of environmental toxins in their blood started menstruating earlier

A study of young people from northern Norway finds a link between high levels of PFAS in their blood and early menstruation.

Researcher: Personality is a lottery that affects how we perform in school

Researchers have looked at siblings with different personalities to find out what works best – and worst – in the classroom.

Kids who frequently show anger could be struggling with mental health problems

What is the underlying cause when children are violent and aggressive? Norwegian researchers have now investigated this.

Researchers find differences in the brains of children from different backgrounds

Norwegian researchers have studied images of the brains of 10,000 American children. They found that parental education and income impact brain development.

Student survey: Reading comprehension is better on paper than on screens

It is important that screen use in school does not replace reading in print, according to the Norwegian Screen Use Committee, in its first memorandum to the government.

How online games have become big business

Parents need to be vigilant, according to researcher.

There is concern about the high consumption of energy drinks among young people in Norway

Norwegian youth have an increasing consumption of energy drinks. This concerns the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

Poverty is inherited, but researchers believe they know how to break the cycle

The proportion of children living in poverty in Norway could be halved right now by increasing the child benefit. For long-term impact, however, researchers assert that a different approach is most effective.

Failing an exam led to higher risk of psychological problems and substance abuse for students

A new study shows that pupils who failed the final exam in upper secondary school more often saw their GP with mental health problems afterwards. They were also less likely to complete upper secondary school and pursue higher education.

The third week in kindergarten is the most stressful, saliva from one-year-olds reveals

Although the childcare staff thought their new children were beginning to settle in, cortisol measurements showed that the children were still stressed.

Anxious students need to face their fears; accommodations in school have gone too far, says researcher

Anxious students are permitted to avoid doing things they find uncomfortable by teachers. This is becoming a big problem in many schools, according to researcher.

Arguing over what screens do to children is getting in the way of other important issues, researcher says

Growing up in the digital age is different from what children and young people have experienced in the past. What if some kids miss out on it?

Society is spending more and more money on mental health. Why aren't we getting any better?

The proportion of the population with depression – the most common mental illness – has remained unchanged for more than 30 years. One professor believes that we need to think about the issue in a completely new way.

Many young people think there is too much advertisement on social media

45 per cent of the posts from the most popular influencers were advertisements.

Significant increase in the consumption of added sugar among young people

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health has looked at whether young people changed their diets during the pandemic.

Boys who spend all their time gaming: A huge social experiment with unknown consequences

Even boys with good grades in high school spend almost all their free time gaming. They’re pretty relaxed when it comes to homework, a new study shows.

Sharp increase in eating disorders in young girls during the pandemic

The proportion of girls with eating disorders has risen sharply during the pandemic, according to a new study from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH).

Binge drinking: When dads get drunk on the weekends, the kids are more likely to drop out of school

Parents' alcohol use seems to affect the children even when the adults have no substance abuse disorder, according to a new Norwegian study.

Maternal behaviour may transmit mental health problems to children

Mental health issues and the personality trait of neuroticism may be transmitted from parents to children. But does this transmission occur through genes or upbringing and environment? A new Norwegian study sheds light on the subject.

Adolescents living with pain experience more stress in everyday life

Norwegian researchers have looked more closely at young people's own experiences with pain.

More caution about tongue-tie division urged by researchers

Can tongue-tie lead to breastfeeding problems? Researchers don’t agree on the answer. Some of them urge healthcare professionals to be careful with the surgical approach.

Soon these will be more popular with young people than birth control pills

The contraceptive implant and IUD are safer because they don’t pose a risk of blood clots like the birth control pill.

Young people who drop out first and foremost need an adult who sees them

Nearly one in ten young people in Norway is both unemployed and not pursuing an education. A recent review of the literature suggests that the solution to help this population reconnect to society may be simpler than we thought.

Have we lost a generation of children during the Corona pandemic?

OPINION: I fear that we are neglecting the children most in need because of a Eurocentric focus on the Covid-19 pandemic.

Child abuse went under the radar during the pandemic

Several studies show that fewer cases of child abuse were reported during the pandemic. 15 per cent of young people in Norway were hurt or abused when schools were closed during the lockdown.

Swedish men report less stress with longer paternity leave

Fathers who shared parental leave equally with their partner felt more secure in their parental role. They were also happier in their relationship, according to a new study from the University of Gothenburg. Norwegian studies show similar results, according to researchers.

Violence and abuse in childhood linked to more stress hormones in pregnancy

New findings may help explain how the effects of traumatic events are passed on from one generation to the next. One psychologist says the findings are extremely interesting, but also very disturbing.

Why are fewer men becoming fathers than before?

One in five men haven’t had children of their own by the age of 50. Fewer and fewer men are becoming fathers. What’s happening to Norwegian men?

Norwegian girls are reaching puberty earlier

A study from Norway shows that the average age for girls to start puberty has decreased by almost 3 months over the last ten years. Researchers are concerned about the trend.

Why are teenagers drinking less alcohol than before?

Far fewer adolescents in big cities are drinking alcohol. Four out of ten 13- to 17-year-olds reported being drunk in 2002. In 2015 that percentage had declined by half. A big part of the reason is that they have become more home- and school-oriented and hang out less with friends.

Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) is now legal for all pregnant women in Norway. But how does it actually work?

How can a mother's blood test reveal a chromosome defect in the foetus? Knowing how the test works also makes it easier to understand why it doesn't always give an accurate result.

Mum drinking just a little too much led to behavioural problems in children

This doesn’t only apply to mothers with alcohol abuse issues. A Norwegian study shows that merely a slightly elevated alcohol consumption in mothers of toddlers can lead to more behavioural problems in children.

Keep an eye on your kids at indoor play centres, advises fire researcher

A new report raises fire safety concerns at indoor activity centres in Norway.

More young people are getting ACL injuries than ever before. But surgery isn’t always the solution.

Research shows that children do just fine without surgery. Treatment without surgery means less risk from the surgery itself, one researcher says.

If your father was overweight during puberty, your risk of developing asthma doubles

If a father is overweight during his adolescence, his future children have a more than doubled risk of having asthma, a large generational study shows.

Researcher recommends teachers talk to students about sexual abuse

New cases of child sexual abuse constantly crop up in the media. The topic has received greater attention both from the police and in politics. But classrooms remain quiet on the subject, a new study shows.

Live normally despite a hole in heart

Children born with a hole in the wall between heart chambers are often viewed as sickly or feeble. But a new study shows that kids with this relatively common congenital heart defect are just as healthy as other children. A researcher claims we are doing them a disservice by pathologising them.

Third-graders write faster on tablets

A study conducted in two Norwegian primary schools shows that children write considerably faster on computer tablets than on paper.

Children taking unapproved sleep meds for several years

More children are being prescribed melatonin as a sleep medication, although it is not approved for this use and little research exists on its long-term side effects.

Diarrhoea stunts development of Indian children

A study by Norwegian researchers in New Delhi indicates that young children suffering frequent bouts of diarrhoea experience developmental delays compared to healthy children.

ADHD and language delay connections

A “wait-and-see” approach is not always in the child’s best interest. Early attention can alleviate later struggles.

Education researcher points the way to good schools

Many people ask how schools can be improved. A Norwegian researcher says that a positive learning environment makes all the difference.

More training needed to help online abuse victims

Children are exposed to abuse on the Internet, but the support system doesn’t have enough knowledge to follow up effectively.

Strict parents can get wasteful teenagers

Youth get good economic habits if their parents talk about savings and financial planning. Kids who perceive their parents as psychologically controlling can often be just as extravagant, hedonistic spenders as ones whose parents make few demands.

Young Somali girls want modern circumcision

Attitudes toward traditional circumcision are changing in Somalia, but new forms may be replacing the old.

How do kids who excel in sports become real stars?

Certain children demonstrate a remarkable talent in sports at an early age. Why do some of them fade away, while others rise to the big leagues and earn millions doing so? Being born early in the year is a clear advantage, according to a Norwegian researcher.