Almost every parent has experienced the moment when a child suddenly starts screaming, crying, or throwing themselves on the floor. These tantrums can feel overwhelming and confusing, leaving many parents wondering what they did wrong or how to make it stop. Tantrums are a pretty typical part of childhood, according to Jen Lumanlan’s article “Six Ways to Respond to Your Child’s Tantrum”. Tantrums are used by young children to communicate bigger emotions that they are unable to verbalize.

Lumanlan discusses several studies on why tantrums occur. Tantrums are more common when a child is exhausted, frustrated, hungry, or seeks attention from a parent. Children also frequently become irritated when they try to do something that is too difficult for them or when they want to do something on their own but can’t quite execute it. These overwhelming breakdown moments are usually about the childs actual emotions and needs.

The article also provides parents with helpful advice on how to respond. One important approach is to be calm yourself when entering the situation because children frequently ‘borrow’ or mirror the emotions of people around them. Grounding yourself and leading with compassion will benefit both the parent and the child in this circumstance. Another tip is to wait until the child has let it all out and calmed down before discussing what happened in order to assist them put their emotions into words by explaining what just happened. Lumanlan also really stresses the need of acknowledging the child’s emotions rather than punishing them or surrendering to every demand from the child.

Parents can help their children learn to handle big feelings and develop stronger emotional skills over time by recognizing what a tantrum is truly saying, and communicating this to the child.

Click here to read more!

Grace Hoey

UConn KIDS Research Assistant

Babies learn an incredible amount between their first breath and their first birthday, but have you ever wondered what drives learning in children? This episode of HELLO Lab Presents takes a look at some of the most important aspects of learning, and how parents and others can best support their developing child!

As research shows, active sensorimotor engagement and physical play are two key ways to drive learning in an infant or toddler! Instead of describing babies as sponges (absorbing everything around them), they refer to them as little scientists (doing little experiments and learning from their data).

Stay tuned for more HELLO Labs content coming soon!

Click Here to watch the video!

 

Cooper Armogida

UConn KIDS Research Assistant

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) published this helpful article introducing several strategies to promote writing development in children!

Your family works a team that encourages and supports your childs proper development so that they can thrive. By providing different fun activities that families can engage in with their kids, advanced writing skills become more accessible. These activites can be practiced to build fine motor skills, stamina, and confidence in themselves.

Incorperating writing activities into your family’s daily life can help children see it as a natural and enjoyable part of life. Making lists, labeling pictures, writing cards, and creating stories allow children to practice writing in ways that feel meaningful. Celebrating effort and creativity rather than perfection leads children to more likely feel proud of their work and motivated to continue developing their writing skills.

Click here to read the article and learn more!

Grace Hoey

UConn KIDS Research Assistant

Caffeine consumption among youth and teens has risen in recent years, largely due to the popularity of energy drink brands like Celsius and Alanis. However, children are exposed to caffeine in many everyday foods and beverages, including soda and chocolate. Research from the National Institute of Health explores the effects of caffeine on children’s health and development by evaluating its potential benefits and risks in children under the age of twelve. 

Some studies suggest caffeine can have short-term benefits. As a stimulant, caffeine activates the central nervous system, increasing alertness, attention, and reaction time. However, because children have a lower body mass than adults, they may experience stronger physiological effects due to varying metabolic effects. Sleep disruption is one of the most common concerns regarding caffeine consumption in adolescents. Adequate sleep is essential for healthy physical, cognitive, and psychological growth and development. Disrupting this process may indirectly alter the weight and growth of children, as well as emotional and behavioral regulation and sensitivity, presenting increasing concern for the child’s development. 

However, these effects largely depend on the amount of caffeine consumed. Researchers analyze caffeine intake in children by body weight, with low doses around 1 mg per kilogram per day, moderate doses around 3 mg/kg/day, and high doses around 5 mg/kg/day. While low amounts may produce mild stimulating effects, moderate and high levels are more likely to lead to negative health outcomes. Since children are more sensitive to caffeine, even moderate consumption can have noticeable physiological effects.

Understanding how caffeine dose and intake affects children can assist in developing healthier dietary habits and helping kids maintain proper sleep habits and concentration. 

To learn more about the effects of caffeine in children, click here!

Chelsey Ko 

UConn KIDS Research Assistant

Why has feeding a baby become one of the most controversial parenting choices? Is there actually a significant difference between breastfeeding and formula feeding? Infant nutrition has been shaped throughout history by both science and societal opinion, as seen in todays video.

This video explores the history and science behind baby formula while challenging common myths and stereotypes. Using both humor and accurate scientific information in a skit format, a clear message is relayed to parents everywhere. They discuss various research studies and feature a lactation expert who explains that breastfeeding and formula feeding are both equally effective for helping a baby grow and develop.

Both breastfeeding and formula provide babies with the essential nutrients they need. Modern infant formula is carefully created by scientists to closely replicate the balanced nutritional components of breast milk. Formula is completely safe and an excellent nutritional source for infants. The video explains that a child’s long-term development depends on many things, not just how they are fed as a baby. What really matters is that the baby is nourished, safe, and surrounded by love.

It is important to remember that how a parent feeds their baby does not make them a ‘better’ or ‘worse’ parent. Some breastfeed, some use formula, and some do both! Feeding choices can depend so many factors; health, work, money, family structure, personal comfort, etc. All completely valid reasons. A mother who feels supported and happy in her choices helps her baby grow healthy and secure.

Check out this video for a fun and informative look at baby feeding methods!

Grace Hoey

UConn KIDS Research Assistant

Have you ever felt nervous on behalf of someone else? Empathetic anxiety, or feeling anxious when you feel that someone else is anxious, is a well documented phenomena. This phenomena applies to children as well, however what is less known is how shy children respond to seeing a peer in stress. Shy kids are often seen by their peers as less empathetic, because of their tendency to say little and not interact with their peers. However, it is likely that they are just as empathetic as their peers, but just show it a little differently.

To test this, the researchers set up a study where they would observe shy children upon seeing a peer in a stressful situation. Heart rate was recorded as a measure of anxiety: higher heart rate corresponded with higher levels of stress and anxiety. Children were assigned to pairs, and then had to take turns giving a 3-5 minute speech in front of the other child and a few other strangers. Both children were recorded during the preparation and presentation of the speech. The presenting child behavior was analyzed for physical indications of stress, which the observing child’s heart rate was recorded. The children also took a questionnaire prior to this to determine levels of shyness, allowing the researchers to draw correlations between levels of shyness and stress when observing people with varying degrees of visible anxiety.

The results of the study show that children’s shyness was correlated with stress in the context of their peer’s social stress, especially if the presenting peer was exhibiting visible signs of anxiety. For example, if a shy kid was observing their peer give a speech and they exhibited many anxious behaviors while speaking, the shy kid would experience more stress than if their peer hadn’t been exhibiting so many anxious behaviors. Anxious behaviors include things like stuttering, mumbling, and avoiding eye contact. Interestingly enough, the study also indicated that when the child presenting seemed confident, shy children were more likely to have a decreased heart rate, corresponding to lowering levels of stress.

The results of this study indicate that shy children are able to recognize and empathize with the social stress of a peer, going so far as to feel the stress themselves. Contradictory to what some may think about shy kids, they are in fact quite empathetic to their peers. Their perceived lack of empathy might be more about a lesser amount of obvious empathic behaviors rather than feeling less empathy than a child that is not shy.

To learn more and read the full article, click here!

Afrah Rafi

UConn KIDS Research Assistant

Welcome back to Trivia Tuesday with UConn KIDS!

Last week’s question: By age 8, about what percent of U.S. children have regular access to a tablet or smartphone?

Answer: 50% of U.S. children have regular access to a tablet or smartphone.

This week’s trivia question is:

Talking to babies has proven to be extremely beneficial to their language development. How many more words do babies who are frequently spoken to recognize versus those who aren’t? 

A)  500 words

B) 200 words

C) 300 words

D) 700 words

Tune in next week to find out the answer!

Smiles and sales alike increase when the weather is warm! In both statistics and in our lived experiences, it is well known that human behavior is affected by the weather. On UConn Campus, the weather isn’t just a good indicator of how many people will be on Horsebarn Hill or tanning around Mirror Lake. The sunshine, temperature, and humidity outside are often associated with class attendance, morale, and even academic performance! While many of these phenomena are well studied in adults, this study dives right into the effects of weather on children in preschool!

In this study, researchers explored how temperature, sunshine, and humidity relate to young children’s (age 3-5) emotions and classroom behavior. Over one month, mothers rated their children’s positive and negative moods, while teachers reported on behaviors like anxiety, aggression, and helpfulness. The researchers then compared these ratings with daily weather conditions.

The findings were fascinating. Warm, comfortable temperatures and increased sunshine were linked to more positive social behavior, especially for children who tend to experience higher levels of negative emotions. In other words, sunny days seemed to help emotionally sensitive children engage more positively with peers. On the other hand, high humidity was associated with decreases in helpful, prosocial behavior and increases in acting-out behaviors. Interestingly, this effect was strongest in children who are typically well-adjusted, suggesting that even easygoing kids may struggle a bit more on sticky, humid days.

To read more, click here!

Cooper Armogida

UConn KIDS Research Assistant

Many parents worry when their children fight often. It can be stressful to hear that constant bickering, but conflict is actually a normal part of sibiling relationships and child development!

Sibilings spend a lot of their time together. Sharing toys, space, and attention can make disagreements bound to happen. Young children may not know how to express their feelings clearly, and older children tend to get annoyed easier. These differences in sibilings can lead to conflict, but this is expected.

Sibiling relationships are never entirely positive or negative. One moment they can be laughing and playing, and the next they are ‘enemies’. This does not mean that the realtionship is unhealthy, but it shows that they are learning how to navigate social interaction properly.

Conflict supports development and helps children learn important life skills. They can learn how to problem-solve, better understand other’s feeligs, control their emotions, and develop a sense of independence. These are all interpersonal skills they will need to create a healthy social life.

This article takes a look at the ‘essential ingredients’ and important factors in a sibiling relationship. Parents play a very important role in helping to build healthy relationships. They can stay calm during conflicts, help children talk through their problems, teach simpler problem-solving and emotional regulation skills, encourage shared activities, and treat children fairly and with respect. Instead of stopping every argument, parents can guide children towards better ways of learning to manage conflict. The goal is not to eliminate conflict, but help children learn to handle it in a healthy way.

Click here to read more!

Grace Hoey

UConn KIDS Research Assistant

We all know comic books for the eye-catching art and fast-paced storytelling, but can they be used in the classroom too?

In his Ted Talk “How comic books can help you learn” Gene Luen Yang says absolutely! Comic books appeal to kids in an age when they are so accustomed to visual media. As a tool for education, comic books allow students the flexibility to read as slow or as fast as they need, something that tradition lecture styles make difficult. They’ve been popular for decades now, but are now making their way into the classroom as more and more comic book writers focus on writing educations stories. Comic books are also getting kids to read more in general, something we know is so important for kids during these foundational years of education.

Click here to watch the full video and learn more!

Afrah Rafi

UConn KIDS Research Assistant