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How sending your kids to music class can help prevent autism
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Children who take music lessons develop brain connections that could treat autism and ADHD in the future. - photo by Herb Scribner
Children who take music lessons develop brain connections, a finding that could be used in treating autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the future, according to a new study from the Radiological Society of North America.

The study had researchers analyze 23 healthy children from 5 to 6 years old who were right-handed and had no sensory, perception or neurological disorders, according to a press release.

The children went under a medical evaluation before and after musical training. Researchers used the diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) technique, which is an advanced form of MRI that shows where the structural changes in the brain appear, to see how childrens brains developed.

The childrens brains apparently showed positive signs.

"Experiencing music at an early age can contribute to better brain development, optimizing the creation and establishment of neural networks, and stimulating the existing brain tracts," said Pilar Dies-Suarez, M.D., chief radiologist at the Hospital Infantil de Mxico Federico Gmez in Mexico City, according to the release.

In general, brains contain nerve fibers that connect various regions of the brain. The DTI measurement takes a count of fractional anisotropy (FA), which is the measure of the movement of molecules near the axons.

Most brains show uniform and simple levels of FA without much movement. Previous research has connected less FA and less movement from FA in the brain to neurological disorders, such as autism.

But, as this study suggested, theres an increase in FA movement when children take music lessons. The study found that children who had musical instruction for nine months saw an increase in their FA and axon fiber length, creating better connections in the brain.

"When a child receives musical instruction, their brains are asked to complete certain tasks," Dies-Suarez said. "These tasks involve hearing, motor, cognition, emotion and social skills, which seem to activate these different brain areas. These results may have occurred because of the need to create more connections between the two hemispheres of the brain."

Researchers hope they can use this information to find different ways to help the brain make connections, which can help children with autism, ADHD and other neurological disorders develop in the future, according to the press release.

But this finding doesnt mean parents should immediately head out to their local music shop to sign up their children for music class. A 2014 study from Northwestern University found that children only receive the cognitive benefits of music if they pay attention and actively engage in their lessons, according to Time.

Even in a group of highly motivated students, small variations in music engagement attendance and class participation predicted the strength of neural processing after music training, said Nina Kraus, director of Northwesterns Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, according to Time.

The study, in which researchers hooked electrode wires to children playing music, also found that children who play instruments in their classes have improved brain processing over children who just attend a music appreciation group. So its not just listening to music that helps, its engaging with it.

We dont see these kinds of biological changes in people who are just listening to music, who are not playing an instrument, said Kraus. I like to give the analogy that youre not going to become physically fit just by watching sports.

Similarly, a 2016 study from the University of Southern California found that childrens brains will grow faster when they train with music. The five-year study found music lessons can improve a childs maturation in his or her auditory pathway, which develops the ability to listen and understand the human language. It also makes a child's literary skills more efficient.

The study, which measured the behavior of a group of 37 children from underprivileged neighborhoods in Los Angeles, found that the 13 youngsters who went to music classes had matured faster in their auditory cortexes, developing their language skills.

The auditory system is stimulated by music, said Assal Habibi, the studys lead author. This system is also engaged in general sound processing that is fundamental to language development, reading skills and successful communication.

So whats the best time to get your child started with music lessons? Parents can provide a musical environment starting early in a child's life that can help the child grow, according to PBS. When children are 3, parents can start introducing them to formal lessons, where they begin identifying beats and sounds, not necessarily playing an instrument.

This will allow children who are 5 to take music lessons with a more practiced ear, giving them a leg up in learning more about an instrument, PBS reported.

By age 10, children can start physically using an instrument, according to PBS.

Like riding a bike or learning a language, these skills can be learned later in life, but they will never be natural in the way that is so important for fluid musical performance, wrote Robert A. Cutietta, dean of the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music, for PBS.
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How to avoid 'sharenting' and other paparazzi parenting habits
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A recent study revealed parents often spend up to two hours staging a single photo of his or her child to post online. - photo by Amy Iverson
Before having kids, some people just dont appreciate their friends baby posts. But after having a child of their own, three fourths of new parents jump right on the parental social media bandwagon. If you have become a member of this group, there are some rules to follow for posting responsibly.

Much of a parents worry is how to teach their children to use social media responsibly. We talk with our kids about privacy, oversharing, and setting restrictions on their devices to keep them safe. But parents themselves need to look in the digital mirror once in a while. Before having children, it doesnt take as much effort to think about what to post online. Its up to us to decide what we share about our own lives. But once you become a parent, there are many questions to think about regarding what is appropriate to post about your kids on social media.

In a recent survey, kids clothing subscription company Mac and Mia surveyed 2000 new parents to find out how they are documenting their kids lives on social media, and what concerns they may have.

First of all, people without children seem to feel a bit differently about the onslaught of baby pictures online than those who are parents. 18 percent of people say before they had kids, they were annoyed by their friends baby posts. But after having children of their own, 73 percent admit they post progress pictures of their little ones every single month.

Not only are new parents letting the world know each time their baby is a month older, but they are posting about their kids every few days or so. Men and women report they post 6-7 times per month about their baby.

And while 70 percent of new parents say the benefit of using social media is how easy it is to help family and friends feel involved, there are some downsides. Here are a few tips to avoid the pitfall of becoming paparazzi parents.

Dont miss the moment

In the Mac and Mia survey, some parents admitted to spending up to two hours to get the perfect shot of their baby. That seems a little extreme. New and old parents alike should be careful about spending so much time taking pictures and videos that they dont enjoy the moment. Years ago, I decided to never live an experience through my phone. A study by Linda Henkel, a psychology professor at Fairfield University in Connecticut, found that when people took pictures of objects in an art museum, they didnt remember the objects as well as if they simply observed them.

This photo-taking impairment effect can happen to parents as well. If we are so consumed by getting the perfect photo, we can miss out on the moment all together, and our memory of it will suffer.

Dont forget about privacy

60 percent of couples say they have discussed rules and boundaries for posting their babys photos, according to the Mac and Mia survey. Even so, men are 34 percent more likely to publish baby posts on public accounts. If parents are concerned about their childrens privacy, keeping photos off of public accounts is a given.

In the Washington Post, Stacey Steinberg, a legal skills professor at the University of Florida, and Bahareh Keith, a Portland pediatrician, wrote that sharing too much information about kids online puts them at risk. They write that all that sharenting can make it easier for data thieves to target out kids for identity theft. Check that your privacy settings are where they should be and never share identifying information like full names and birth dates.

Dont be paparazzi parents

36 percent of parents say they take issue when their childs photo is posted online by someone else. Responsible social media users will always ask permission before posting a photo of another child. But parents should also think about whether their own children will take issue with their own posted photos a few years down the road.

When parents are constantly snapping pictures and throwing them on social media, it can be easy to forget to pause and make sure the post is appropriate. I always use the billboard example with my kids. I ask them to picture whatever they are posting going up on a billboard in our neighborhood. If they are okay with that, then their post is probably fine. Parents should ask themselves this same question when posting about their children. But they should also ask themselves if their child would be OK with this post on a billboard in 15 years. If it would cause embarrassment or humiliation, it might be best to keep it private.

Once children reach an appropriate age, parents should include them in the process of deciding what pictures are OK to post. Researchers at the University of Michigan surveyed 10- to 17-year-olds and found children believe their parents should ask permission more than parents think they should. The kids in the survey said sharing happy family moments, or accomplishments in sports, school and hobbies is fine. But when the post is negative (like when a child is disciplined) or embarrassing (think naked baby pictures or messy hair), kids say to keep it off social media.
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