Peds/OB/GYN

Study shows why breastfed babies are so smart
Now a new study by sociologists at Brigham Young University pinpoints two parenting skills as the real source of this cognitive boost: Responding to children’s emotional cues and reading to children starting at 9 months of age. Breastfeeding mothers tend to do both of those things, said lead study author Ben Gibbs.  Brigham Young University

Cell-Free DNA Testing for Trisomies 21 & 18 Seems More Reliable Than Standard Screens
Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) screening has lower false-positive rates than standard screening for trisomies 21 and 18 in a general obstetric population, according to a New England Journal of Medicine study. Journal Watch

Bisphenol A (BPA) at very low levels can adversely affect developing organs in primates
 Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical that is used in a wide variety of consumer products, such as resins used to line metal food and beverage containers, thermal paper store receipts, and dental composites. BPA exhibits hormone-like properties, and exposure of fetuses, infants, children or adults to the chemical has been shown to cause numerous abnormalities, including cancer, as well as reproductive, immune and brain-behavior problems in rodents. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri have determined that daily exposure to very low concentrations of BPA by pregnant females also can cause fetal abnormalities in primates.  University of Missouri

Effective treatment for youth anxiety disorders has lasting benefit
 A study published in the March 2014 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry found that the majority of youth with moderate to severe anxiety disorders responded well to acute treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), medication (sertraline), or a combination of both. They maintained positive treatment response over a 6 month follow-up period with the help of monthly booster sessions. Eurekalert!