Growth Curve: Unraveling the mysteries behind why children do the things they do
Why do children do the things they do? That’s something science journalist Laura Sanders explores in Growth Curve, which Science News introduced today as a redesigned, stand-alone blog that features the latest scientific discoveries related to parenting and child development.
Laura, who earned her Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, knows all about the “inexact science of raising kids.” A mother of two young children, she translates new research and scientific jargon into accessible stories about how kids think and grow, helping parents and guardians make better choices.
Diving into what scientific research says about everything from burping your baby to screen time for children, Growth Curve provides useful knowledge for readers. Recent articles include:
- When kids imitate others, they’re just being human
- Newborn baby’s infection offers a cautionary tale about placenta pills
- It’s best if babies don’t drink their fruit as juice
- Vaccinating pregnant women protects newborns from whooping cough
“Through Growth Curve, parents will be able to cut through the inaccurate information and myths prevalent on the Internet, and find real, factual news about the science behind parenting and child development. I’m thrilled to be able to provide this resource to anyone caring for children today,” said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO of the Society for Science & the Public and Publisher of Science News.
Initially launched in 2013 as a part of the Science News website, this relaunch features a new look, adds a weekly e-mail newsletter and enables readers to search Growth Curve’s archives.
“Laura draws on her personal experience raising two daughters and her expert knowledge of scientific research to explain the latest discoveries and highlight why they are interesting and important to parents today,” said Elizabeth Quill, Acting Editor in Chief of Science News. “It can be difficult for parents to cut through all the misinformation and hype out there. There’s a multitude of books and bloggers offering unreliable and often contradictory advice. Growth Curve brings solid science and a journalistic pursuit of truth to parenting topics.”
You can read Growth Curve by visiting https://www.sciencenews.org/growthcurve or www.growthcurve.blog.