Parents Daily News Roundup

Wednesday, January 9th, 2013

Kids on “The Biggest Loser”: Is It Exploitation?
One of the most popular shows on TV, The Biggest Loser, debuted its 14th season on January 6 featuring a new kind of contestant: children.  (via Take Part)

Gates Foundation MET Report: Teacher Observation Less Reliable Than Test Scores
A few years ago, Bill Gates decided to learn more about whether a teacher’s effect on student learning could be measured. For the first time, the randomized trial shows that teachers who perform well with one group of students, on average, perform at the same levels with different groups of kids.. (via Huffington Post)

Review Questions Blood Pressure Tests for Kids
Despite long-standing recommendations that doctors check children’s blood pressure at every office visit, a new review of research says there is not enough evidence to support that guideline. (via Reuters)

Record Number of Misconduct Complaints Are Made Against City School Employees
A record number of allegations of wrongdoing against teachers and other Department of Education workers were received last year by the office that investigates misconduct in New York City schools, according to a report released on Tuesday. (via New York Times)

More Health Harms for Children Exposed to BPA
The latest study shows the compound found in plastic and food packaging can put youngsters at risk for future heart disease. (via TIME)

Chicago Faulted on Learning Disabilities
When Rashaan Payne was 2 years old, his pediatrician noticed that he was not talking at the level of most children his age. After autism was diagnosed, Rashaan began receiving speech therapy once a week at his home on the South Side of Chicago, paid for by the federal and state governments. (via New York Times)

Parents Daily News Roundup

Thursday, September 6th, 2012

Children Consuming Dangerous Laundry Detergent Pods
Doctors say safe storage is key in keeping children from consuming poisonous laundry detergent pods that are often mistaken for candy because of their bright colors and gummy texture. (via CNN)

‘The Biggest Loser’ Adds Teens
The weight loss reality show will begin featuring teens in its latest season. The teens will tackle obesity with the help of trainers, nutritionists and child obesity experts. (via CNN)

Pesticide Linked to Cough in Children Ages 5 to 6
New findings show that prenatal exposure to the widely used pesticide, piperonyl butoxide (PBO), could lead to a non-infectious cough in children. (via Science Daily)

Child Alive After Contracting Bubonic Plague
A seven-year-old girl survived a rare case of Bubonic plague after contracting it from a dead squirrel at a Colorado campground. (via NBC News)

Four Dead After School Bus Accident in Nebraska
A semi-truck collided with a school bus Wednesday leaving both drivers and two of the school bus occupants dead.
(via NBC News)