Momma Data

Debunking the latest studies about children's health and well-being

by Polly Palumbo, Ph.D.

The Bogus Boomerang Generation

Media reports claim 85 percent of college graduates will be "boomeranging" back home. Faced with steep student loans and a 50 percent unemployment rate, they (and their parents) have plenty of reasons to worry. Will they be sweating it out in mom's basement or is there reason to doubt the startling statistic? Read More

Playdate with Puberty:The Evidence Behind Early Puberty

Girls sprouting breasts in first grade, periods in third grade. The media routinely declares girls start puberty earlier than ever. Ask your pediatrician, friends, the school nurse, they probably agree, mine all do. Earlier puberty now seems to be a fact. But what about the evidence? Read More

Placenta Stew with a Side of Pseudo-Science

Women are eating placentas to avoid postpartum depression. Not malnourished women in some remote third-world tribal village but here in the United States, Prozac Nation, the land of plentiful and well-documented treatments for depression that don’t involve steaming and stewing one’s bodily organs. Is there any scientific evidence behind this bizarre gastronomic practice? Read More

Now I Lay Me Down to Breathe: ADHD and Snoring

Babies and toddlers who snore are more at risk of hyperactivity and aggression. The cozy and complicated link between disrupted sleep and disruptive behavior is no secret to those working in the mental health field. As parents and teachers know, a single late night spell trouble. Still, does snoring and mouth-breathing trigger ADHD? Read More

Ritalin Results Gone Wrong

A retired psychologist stirred controversy claiming medications for attention deficits don't have long-term benefits. Some responded by praising the drugs, some denouncing them. Parents told how the drugs saved their kids. Psychologists spoke of the needs of the individual child. Hardly anyone mentioned empirical evidence. Read More

Occupying the Toy Aisle One Pink Lego at a Time

A drama has settled over Lego's new Heartlake City, a pink and purple village with girly figures sporting hearts and butterfies. The feminized, pre-assembled play sets that include a beauty shop, bakery and stage have been accused of promoting gender roles, sexualizing girls and stunting spatial abilities. Are toys marketed towards girls really so harmful? Read More

Polly Palumbo, Ph.D., is a former research psychologist and founder of Momma Data, a non-profit organization that tracks the parenting media and checks on the scientific evidence behind claims about children's health and well-being.

more...