Family topics in the news
Read news articles of concern to parents.
June 10, 2009
Md. researchers joining major study on causes of autism
Researchers at Johns Hopkins and the Kennedy Krieger Institute are joining in what is being called one of the largest studies to examine early causes of autism.
June 4, 2009
Best of the Beach: A weekly series about good living by the shore
Fun with the family
The robotic pirate mannequin mocks museum visitors from behind thick glass, which is good because he looks like a dummy you wouldn't want to mess with.
June 2, 2009
Study finds antidepressant doesn't help autistic children
An antidepressant commonly prescribed to help autistic children control their repetitive behaviors is actually no better than a placebo, according to a report published today.
10:17 AM EDT, May 21, 2009
Smithsonian-set 'Night at the Museum' sequel couldn't be more lively
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian takes a great idea -- what if the inhabitants of a museum came to life at night? -- and milks it for every drop of fun it's worth.
10:30 AM EDT, May 20, 2009
The jellies are back at the National Aquarium
They're majestic, mesmerizing, even a little otherworldly. They take on a variety of forms, from bells to toadstools to cauliflower. They're multiplying at what some would consider an alarming rate, and serve as barometers of the health of the world's oceans.
July 18, 2009
Make Pregnancy Possible
Face it, for most 20-somethings, getting pregnant isn't top priority. Not getting pregnant is more like it. But the truth is, it's never too early to protect your fertility for the future. Otherwise, when you are ready to start a family, getting pregnant might not be as easy as you envisioned.
May 19, 2009
In Baltimore, expulsions are forever
Everard Grant knows his 16-year-old stepson made a huge mistake when he lit a poster on fire at his Baltimore high school. But he doesn't think he deserves to be shut out of the city's public schools forever.
May 18, 2009
Arts appear to play role in brain development
For years, school systems across the nation dropped the arts to concentrate on getting struggling students to pass tests in reading and math. Yet now, a growing body of brain research suggests that teaching the arts may be good for students across all disciplines.
July 22, 2009
Strike a Better Work Life Balance
It's an ongoing struggle in the workplace: Striking a healthy work-life balance. Whether you're prone to perfectionism or you're feeling pressured by a thinner staff and fear layoffs, here are a seven tips to keep in mind.
May 1, 2009
96,000 more Jardine baby cribs recalled due to strangling risk
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission for the third time has recalled cribs made by Jardine Enterprises because of slats that break -- this time adding 96,000 cribs to the tally of those that could trap or strangle a baby.
July 22, 2009
Kids Get Health Benefit From Yoga
When Alayna Kurek panicked one day about forgotten homework, the 9-year-old stunned her school counselor by using a yoga breathing technique to calm down.
April 24, 2009
'Earth' is a wondrous, poignant documentary
Polar bear cubs seeing daylight for the first time. Mother elephants plodding through the desert. Humpback whales leaping out of the ocean. Exhausted geese, struggling to fly over the top of Mount Everest.
July 22, 2009
10 easy-grow veggies
Michelle Obama just became the hero of parent-gardeners across America by spading up a corner of the White House South Lawn and planting lettuce, chard and kale.
April 9, 2009
New dolphin show at National Aquarium in Baltimore
Its stars may be as frolicsome and endearing as ever, but designers of the new dolphin show at the National Aquarium in Baltimore say the idea is to do more than simply show the aquatic charmers at play.
April 2, 2009
Flu appears to be ebbing in Maryland
The 2008-2009 influenza season is not quite over, but Maryland health officials say it appears to have peaked and the number of new cases is on the wane.
February 26, 2009
Flu kills Howard teen
A Howard County teenager died of the flu this week, the latest of nine pediatric flu deaths nationally this year, county health officials said yesterday. "This tragic death is highly unusual," the county health officer, Dr. Peter L. Beilenson, said in a news release. Federal patient privacy laws prohibit the county from releasing the victim's identity or any details of the case, Health Department spokeswoman Lisa de Hernandez said. The teenager became ill with "flu symptoms that got progressively worse," she said, and died sometime since Sunday in a hospital that she declined to identify. Officials at Johns Hopkins Children's Center confirmed that Zachary D. Weiland, 15, of Mount Airy died there Sunday, but they would give no further information, including his illness.
February 25, 2009
Outbreak of flu-like illness closes school
Immaculate Conception School in Towson will be closed for the rest of this week because dozens of students and some staff have been out with flu-like symptoms, an official with the Archdiocese of Baltimore said yesterday. The elementary school will be cleaned during that time "to make it as germ-free as possible," said Sean Caine, director of communications for the archdiocese.
February 20, 2009
Baltimore health officials declare influenza alert
With the number of positive influenza tests rising sharply in the city, Baltimore health officials declared a flu alert yesterday. "We're really seeing sustained transmission of flu in Baltimore. Now is the time to protect yourself," said the city's health commissioner, Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein. Sentinel hospitals reported that 12 percent of flu tests last week came back positive, more than twice the rate for the previous week. There have been no deaths, but the Johns Hopkins Children's Center is treating a teenager who is critically ill with flu. "This is not just the sniffles. It can be very serious," Sharfstein said. Residents are urged to get flu shots, to wash their hands frequently, cough into a tissue or sleeve and stay home if they're sick. For more: www.baltimorehealth.org/flu
February 17, 2009
Flu outbreak in Maryland is on upswing
"Tired, beleaguered and battered" is how Dr. David del Rosario described himself yesterday as he hustled to care for the rising tide of patients streaming into his Patient First clinic in Glen Burnie with symptoms of the flu.
February 9, 2009
Susan Reimer: A hard week for Michael Phelps – and for Mom
Last week was a tough one for Michael Phelps. I am betting it was equally tough for his mom.
February 9, 2009
Second of three parts
Pushing hard, with no excuses
Top administrators in the Baltimore City school system were used to staff meetings with fluid agendas that left time for all to speak.
February 8, 2009
First of three parts
Alonso comes 'as is'
He'd been controlling his temper all day, plotting how to say what was on his mind. His chance came at 6:45 that evening.
February 5, 2009
Intense scrutiny has Phelps weighing whether he will swim in 2012 Games
In his first interview since a photo surfaced showing him smoking from a marijuana pipe, Michael Phelps said yesterdaythat the intense public scrutiny has him contemplating whether he will swim in the 2012 Olympics.
February 3, 2009
Spend less on food with a little more preparation
Don't be tempted by restaurant meals or take-out at dinner time. With a little strategy, you can spend less money cooking for yourself.
February 2, 2009
Michael Phelps: Behavior 'inappropriate'
Michael Phelps, the Rodgers Forge native who has won more gold medals than anyone in Olympic history, acknowledged yesterday that he had engaged in "regrettable" behavior and shown "bad judgment" after a photo of him smoking what appears to be marijuana from a glass bong was published in a British tabloid over the weekend.
January 29, 2009
Keeping health insurance even if you lose your job
So, you got pink-slipped. Don't let your health insurance slip, too.
January 29, 2009
Historic theater confronted with changes
Days after the city offered to save the Senator Theatre by turning it into a nonprofit business, owner Tom Kiefaber said he is working with the mayor's office to finalize the deal "as soon as possible."
January 26, 2009
529 college savings plans gain flexibility
Families with 529 college savings plans have more flexibility this year if they experience second thoughts about their investments.
January 22, 2009
Finding new ways to trim your cell phone expenses
Worried about how much it costs every time you reach out and touch someone ... on your cell phone?
January 15, 2009
The Parkside Fine Food & Spirits in Lauraville a place for family, foodies
The Parkside Fine Food & Spirits occupies the wide first floor of a midblock building in Lauraville. Its ambience suggests a funky antique store that woke up one day to discover it was a restaurant and bar. It's warm and colorful, and there are old furnishings, such as church pews for booth seating. It's yet another amenity for an emerging neighborhood that appears ready and willing to support businesses that respond to its needs and desires. There are so many young families in the northeast corridor, and Parkside means to be a welcoming place for hip parents and children day and night. There's not only a children's menu, but also a separate play and dining area for children and parents. I'd like to imagine that over the years the toddlers will graduate to the grown-up tables, and, eventually, the bar.
January 15, 2009
How to enjoy the inauguration right here in Baltimore
The inaugural balls are so expensive. The swearing-in ceremony requires impossible-to-get tickets. The MARC train to Washington is sold out. Never mind that it's really cold outside.
January 15, 2009
Budget billing can help soften impact of energy cost swings
Opening utility bills during the winter and summer can be alarming. Many consumers are finding that out right now. The fluctuations in payments can throw off any budget, especially if you owe more than expected.
January 15, 2009
BRAC migration to Md. has begun
They are here and, in some cases, fairly easy to spot.
January 14, 2009
Match coupons with sales for bigger savings
Coupons are no longer for the ultra-thrifty. Thanks to the recession, more consumers are using them to save a few bucks - or much more.
January 11, 2009
Outfit the kids for the week
You've heard of planning a weeklong menu of meals, but how about a menu of clothes?
January 5, 2009
Magic in the water
Tyquelle Washington is a wiry 8-year-old with an infectious smile, boundless energy - but not a single friend. During board games, he interrupts his cousins and won't take turns. At school, he rarely listens to other children's interests, choosing instead to chatter about his own.
December 15, 2008
More families move to lock in tuition rates with 529s
As the stock market swoons and tuition costs soar, more families are deciding to pay for college in advance through their 529 plans.
November 10, 2008
BOOKS
Mrs. P has a story for you, kids
She's like Pippi Longstocking, Mary Poppins and Mrs. Claus all rolled into one -- an amiable woman of mysterious origin who's hoping to do for reading what "Sesame Street" has done for learning.
October 16, 2008
20-year life gap separates city's poorest, wealthy
In West Baltimore's impoverished Hollins Market neighborhood, where the average life expectancy is about 63 years, residents shared beers and cigarettes on their front steps at midday yesterday while pedestrians using canes gingerly avoided two dead rats on the street.
Copyright © 2009, The Baltimore Sun

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