Nueava Blog
Research and news on education, AI and learning technology for Singapore & HK families
499 articles
Wushu, posture and eyesight: what a school records study found in primary-school children
A study of 196 primary-school students compared children who regularly did Wushu, a martial art, with classmates who did routine PE. The Wushu group had better posture, fitness and eye measures after 16 weeks, but the design means this shows a link, not a cause.
Source: Frontiers in Public Health — Child Health
Hong Kong's longer summer flu season: what CHP's figures mean for families with children
Hong Kong's summer flu season is in its 16th week with no clear downward trend, and the Centre for Health Protection expects it to outlast last year's. Child flu vaccination numbers have dipped, and 25 children have been in intensive care or died from severe flu this year.
Source: RTHK — Local News
First gynaecologist visit at 13 to 15: what a doctor says about teen periods, PCOS and endometriosis
A consultant gynaecologist says girls should have a first, conversation-style gynaecologist visit between ages 13 and 15, because conditions like PCOS and endometriosis are often missed in teens. The article draws on published figures, including Singapore data, showing diagnosis can take years when period pain is brushed off as normal.
Source: theAsianparent Singapore
Poor sleep in Primary 1–3 children linked to later anxiety and low mood
A study of 1,529 young primary school children in Chongqing, China, found that those with poorer sleep were more likely to report anxiety and depressive symptoms at a later check. The link held even after accounting for how the children felt at the start, though the study cannot prove that poor sleep causes these feelings.
Source: Frontiers in Public Health — Child Health
Singapore haze eases on Oct 23, but NEA says air quality could worsen: what it means for families
Air quality in all areas of Singapore was in the good to moderate range on the morning of Oct 23, after unhealthy readings since Oct 5. The National Environment Agency (NEA) has forecast that haze could return, with PSI of 101 to 150 possible.
Source: The Straits Times — Singapore
Girls in Southern Fujian were more short-sighted than boys from primary school on, a study of 1.6 million students finds
A very large Chinese study of school vision screenings found boys and girls had similar eyesight at preschool age, but girls fell behind from primary school onwards. The study is a snapshot from one region, so it cannot show why the gap appears.
Source: Frontiers in Public Health — Child Health
When school feels safe and caring, children turn up: a US study on absenteeism
A US study following 3,334 children to age 15 found that those who had contact with child protection services missed more school, and that a weaker sense of belonging at school was linked to more absences. Feeling connected to school helped all students, though the study could not say why the absences happened.
Source: EdSurge
Singapore haze eases: what the Oct 22 air quality readings mean for families with children
Hourly PM2.5 readings were in the normal range in all five regions of Singapore as of 8am on Thursday (Oct 22). The 24-hour PSI was still unhealthy in the west, so NEA's advice for children still applies there.
Source: CNA — Latest News
Singapore haze: what Wednesday's unhealthy PSI forecast means for children and families
Air quality improved slightly overnight into Wednesday, Oct 21, but NEA expects the 24-hour PSI to stay unhealthy at 110 to 180. NEA and MOH have advice on outdoor activity and masks for children and other vulnerable groups.
Source: CNA — Latest News
Child deaths hit a record low in 2019, but COVID-19 disruptions to health services threatened that progress
UN agencies report that under-five deaths fell to 5.2 million in 2019, the lowest on record. Their surveys then found many countries had disruptions to child and maternal health services during COVID-19, partly because parents feared infection at health centres.
Source: WHO — Child Health News
Haze: PM2.5 elevated in four regions, PSI unhealthy in west and central Singapore
At 8am on Tuesday (Oct 20), 1-hour PM2.5 readings were elevated in four of Singapore's five regions, and the 24-hour PSI was unhealthy in the west and central regions. NEA says showers may reduce the haze, but smoke from Sumatra and Kalimantan could still drift in.
Source: CNA — Latest News
Hepatitis B in young children has fallen sharply, but the first dose at birth still matters most
New WHO estimates show chronic hepatitis B infection in children under five has dropped to just under 1% worldwide, down from around 5% before vaccines. The report stresses that a first vaccine dose within 24 hours of birth is the weak link, and warns that COVID-19 disruption could undo progress.
Source: WHO — Child Health News