Cot death warning on sharing bed with baby ‘misinterpreted’ – expert

Cot death warning on sharing bed with baby ‘misinterpreted’ – expert

Parents who sleep with their baby in their bed are not risking a cot death unless they smoke, drink or take drugs, a leading academic said yesterday. Peter Fleming, professor of infant health and developmental physiology in Bristol, said he felt “quite uncomfortable” over reports of a study published this week that had misinterpreted the finding.

The study, by researchers at the Universities of Bristol and Warwick, was published online in the British Medical Journal. Some reports on the research this week took the line that bed sharing with a baby was dangerous in itself.

Read more on this story in The Guardian

Boy, 2, fighting for life after being mauled by two Staffordshire bull terriers

A boy is fighting for his life in hospital after being mauled by two Staffordshire bull terriers.

Neighbours of the boy said the child suffered horrific injuries after being bitten on the face.

Read more in The Daily Mail

End of bedtime stories is wrecking our children’s speech, warns Government’s new ‘communications champion’

The decline of the bedtime story is damaging children’s speech development, the Government’s first communications adviser has warned.

Youngsters increasingly lack basic skills as parents are spending less time reading stories and talking to children, according to Jean Gross.

Pupils are starting primary school with a speaking age of just 18 months and an inability to form simple sentences, she said.

Read more in The Daily Mail 

Prison for man who let three-year-old girl smoke

A man who allowed a three-year-old girl to smoke cigarettes was today jailed for 18 months.

In mobile phone footage taken by a 14-year-old girl, Graeme Conroy, 31, is seen handing the lit cigarette to the child and encouraging her to inhale.

Conroy was caught when a neighbour became aware of the video and told police, Newcastle crown court heard.

Read more in The Guardian

Urban residents living near parks are healthier and less depressed

City dwellers living near parks are healthier and suffer fewer bouts of depression, a study has revealed.

The study was adjusted to take into account socio-economic background and found that the effect of green surroundings was greatest for people with low levels of education and income.