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Tag: children

  • Study Links Screen Time In Infants To Speech and Problem-Solving Delays

    Study Links Screen Time In Infants To Speech and Problem-Solving Delays

    A new study suggests that excessive screen time, including television, may negatively impact child development, potentially leading to delays in communication, problem-solving, and social skills, reports the NY Post. 

    “Passive screen time, such as mindlessly watching television or videos, may not allow children to practice interactive problem-solving skills,”

    according to Dr. Jason Nagata, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, as reported by MedPage Today.

    “Screens can disrupt or displace interactions with caregivers and limit opportunities for verbal exchanges, which can impair communication and social skills,”

    added Nagata, who was not involved in the study.

    “When screen use does not have an interactive or physical component, children are sedentary and may not be able to practice their gross motor skills.”

    A study in Japan examined the impact of screen time on child development, involving over 7,000 children aged 1 to 4. Mothers reported the number of hours their children spent using screens. Results revealed that children with up to four hours of screen time per day at age 2 were up to three times more likely to have delayed communication and problem-solving skills. 

    Those with four or more hours had underdeveloped communication, personal, social, and motor skills. Issues persisted at age 4. Mothers of children with high screen time were often younger, first-time mothers with lower incomes and education levels, and more likely to experience postpartum depression. 

    However, the study has limitations, including reliance on mothers’ reports and no distinction between educational and entertainment screen time.

    “Not all screen time is equal. For instance, watching educational programs or video chatting with family is not the same as passively watching television or fast-paced TikTok videos,”

    said Nagata.

    #Clique, what are your thoughts? 

  • 31,000 Children Malnourished And Left Unattended To In Sudan

    31,000 Children Malnourished And Left Unattended To In Sudan

    According To Africa News, Many of the children who fled the ongoing fight in Sudan are now suffering from malnutrition. About 500 children have died from hunger in Sudan — including two dozen babies in a government-run orphanage in the capital of Khartoum — since fighting erupted.

    Aid workers at the camp complained about the lack of medications and called for urgent medical assistance.

    “Any malnutrition patient who comes to us should receive proper medications, and we don’t have any medications here,”

    Said volunteer doctor, Hashem Moussa.

    Sudan was plunged into chaos in April when simmering tensions between the military, led by Abdel Fattah Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, exploded into open fighting in the capital, Khartoum, and elsewhere. More than 3.4 million people were forced to flee their homes to safer areas inside Sudan, according to the United Nations’ migration agency. Over a million crossed into neighboring countries, including Egypt, Chad, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Central African Republic, according to the United Nations’ migration agency.

    #Clique weigh in your thoughts

  • 70 Schools Were Attacked and 1,683 School Children Kidnapped Across Nigeria Between Feb 2014 and Dec. 2022.

    70 Schools Were Attacked and 1,683 School Children Kidnapped Across Nigeria Between Feb 2014 and Dec. 2022.

    According To Reports By Pulse, The report is entitled,

    “Education Under Attack: Review and Analysis of Attack on Schools, Teachers, and Learners from the Kidnapping of the Chibok Girls, Borno, Nigeria in 2014.”

    The consultant who developed the report, Augustine Mamedu, while presenting the findings in Abuja on Thursday, also said that 184 learners were killed while 88 others were injured within the period.

    Mamedu added that about 60 teachers and other school workers were also kidnapped;14 were killed, while 25 school buildings were destroyed. He pointed out that since the Chibok incident in Feb. 2014 when about 276 girls were kidnapped, the spate of kidnappings has been on the rise. He added that the reports also revealed a geographical shift in the kidnappings of learners from the North East to the North West and North Central Zones.

    He said that between 2014 and 2022, five schools were attacked in North East, 49 in North West, 11 in North Central, three in South South and two in South West.

    “The report also showed that 28 schools have been attacked in Kaduna State within the period, with 17 schools attacked in Kajuru Local Government Area of the state alone.“

    In Katsina State, 99 schools were closed, affecting 30,870 learners, he said. The consultant said that the report recommended increased investment in safe schools and the implementation of the SSD across the country and closure of boarding facilities located in communities with no security posts.

    The Country Director, SCI, Famari Barro, called for the full implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration (SSD) signed in 2015 to protect school children from kidnapping and other vices. Barro explained that the SSD was a political commitment endorsed by the Federal Government to protect children, teachers and school facilities from attack and use of school facilities during arm conflict. He said that globally, attacks on education, schools, children, and their teachers as well as the use of school facilities by security agencies during conflict was on the increase. He recalled that the Nigerian government had taken steps by domesticating the SSD and pledged to mainstream and implement the declaration guidelines.

    The country director, however, said that despite the efforts, attacks on education have remained a challenge in the country. He explained that SCI commissioned the survey to examine attacks on schools, teachers, and learners in Nigeria since the attack on Chibok in 2014. He said that the move was to find possible solutions from the view of the impacted communities, teachers, and learners. Barro commended the establishment of the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Center (NSSRCC).

    “The initiative was a good step in providing a conducive learning environment for conflict-affected girls, boys, and children with disabilities in situations of violence.”

    However, until the children in remote villages, who feel threatened by the rate of violence can attend school without fear, there is still much to be done.

    “More needs to be done to prevent attacks, but also to support children and their families, especially with trauma management,”

    He said. Responding, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Andrew Adejo expressed the ministry’s commitment to ensuring a safe school for every child through the implementation of the SSD. Adejor, who was represented by Joseph Achede, Deputy Director, Secondary Education, said that the ministry was working hard to address the problem.

    #Clique what are your thoughts on this?

  • Female Congolese Child Kidnapper Arrested Where A 5 Year Old Girl Was Found Dead and Mutilated

    Female Congolese Child Kidnapper Arrested Where A 5 Year Old Girl Was Found Dead and Mutilated

    African News Reports, Ombeni Malekera was arrested on thursday and is being held in Bukavu in eastern democratic republic of Congo. Malekera who is not on her first crime has kidnapped two children “3 year old boy and his sister 5 year old sister.

    Patrice Bengehya mayor of the commune of Bagira in Bukavu said

    “The body of the 5 year old was found at the edge of the river, amputated of her sex organs and her tongue”

    Bengehya said the discovery of the body sparked an uprising among residents. The searches that have been launched have made it possible to find the three-year-old boy who was

    “drugged”

    In the home of Ombeni Malekera, said Bengehya.

    Bourgmestre Patience Bengehya recalls that last March Ombeni Malekera

    “wanted to kidnap her three children to extort money from her husband”.

    In February, a 5-year-old albino boy was killed by unknown persons and his body found without head or legs, in Kalehe (still in South Kivu), probably the victim of occult practices targeting albinos in certain African countries.

    #Clique what are your thoughts?

  • Nigerian Businesswoman Allegedly Abandoned Husband, Absconds With Their Children and His Properties

    Nigerian Businesswoman Allegedly Abandoned Husband, Absconds With Their Children and His Properties

    Daily Post Reports, Edward Ogochukwu 44, was, on tuesday, arraigned before an Upper Area Court Gwagwalada in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, for allegedly abandoning her husband and absconding with his children and properties.
    The police charged Ogochukwu, who resides in Dagiri Gwagwalada, Abuja, with abandonment of spouse and theft. Abdullahi Tanko the Proseution Counsel, told the court that the matter was reported at Gwagwalada police station by one Mr Tony Umegborodu on July 28 2023.

    Tanko said the complainant had, on July 27, upon his return from his brother’s house, discovered that his wife (defendant) had taken away his properties at home.
    He said the defendant made away with chairs and kitchen utensils (values yet unknown), an Itel cell phone, valued at N36,000 and cash of N850,000. He further stated that the defendant also left with their children to an unknown destination.
    The offences contravene the provisions of Section 16 of Violence Against Persons (VAP) Act and Section 287 of the Penal Code. The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against her.
    The Judge, Abdullahi Abdulkarim, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N50,000, with one reasonable surety in like sum.
    Abdulkarim said the surety must reside within the jurisdiction of the court and adjourned the matter till Sept. 28 for hearing, NAN.

    #Clique what are your thoughts on this.

  • Mother Arrested For Concealing $30,000 Worth Of Drugs On Her Children During Traffic Stop, Prosecutors Say

    Mother Arrested For Concealing $30,000 Worth Of Drugs On Her Children During Traffic Stop, Prosecutors Say

    An Ohio mother was apprehended after authorities discovered an estimated $30,000 worth of illegal pharmaceutical drugs hidden on her children, reports Law & Crime. 

    Victoria N. Barrientos, 27, was initially charged with engaging in

    “corrupt activity, fentanyl trafficking, and money laundering.”

    She now faces additional charges which were brought forth during her appearance in Zanesville Municipal Court, Wednesday. The new charges include,

    “encompass endangering children, corrupting a child with drugs, drug trafficking within a school zone, and drug possession,”

    relating to her arrest. 

    Despite a judge’s ruling to have Barrientos’s bond reduced from $750,000 to $500,000, prosecutors sought to increase it to $1 million following the latest charges. The Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office also revealed that Barrientos has an extensive criminal rap sheet, including convictions for drug-related offenses and money laundering. 

    After serving time in prison for money laundering on behalf of her boyfriend, Deangelo ‘D-Lo’ Tellis, who is currently serving a 15-year sentence for corrupt activity and narcotics trafficking, Barrientos allegedly returned to the drug trafficking scene. For almost a year, detectives from the Zanesville/Muskingum County Joint Drug Unit and CODE Task Force closely monitored her

    “drug operation,”

    observing

    “the gradual reintroduction of her boyfriend’s Columbus-based associates to the Muskingum County area.”

    According to prosecutors, based on the evidence gathered during the investigation, authorities conducted a traffic stop on Barrientos’ vehicle on Monday. This occurred while she was en route to Zanesville in an attempt to regain custody of one of her children.

    “Children’s Services arrived at the stop because Barrientos had other children with her who needed to be placed in proper care. While sorting through the children’s care items, caseworkers found a large quantity of suspected suboxone strips which had been individually bagged for distribution,”

    the release states.

    “Suboxone is a street drug of abuse marketed by pharmaceutical companies as an alternative to opiates. The drugs planted on the child have an estimated prison value of $30,000.”

    #Clique, where are your thoughts?

  • 5-Year-Old Boy Allegedly Had Cocaine In His System Before Fatally Shooting His 16-Month-Older Brother, Parents Charged

    5-Year-Old Boy Allegedly Had Cocaine In His System Before Fatally Shooting His 16-Month-Older Brother, Parents Charged

    A 5-year-old Indiana boy who fatally shot his baby brother was reportedly high on cocaine at the time of the shooting. Medical examiners also found marijuana in the victim’s system, prosecutors said per the NY Post. 

    The boys’ parents, Deonta Jermaine Johnson, 27, and Shatia Tiara Welch, 24 were hit with additional charges for neglect and drugs, Tuesday. Police obtained

    “93 fentanyl pills as well as marijuana and drug paraphernalia”

    inside the couple’s apartment. 

    Their 16-month-old son died from a gunshot wound to the head after his older brother retrieved a loose gun from the residence. Johnson told police he was napping on the couch and

    “heard a boom”

    sound before discovering his 16-month-old boy dead, according to a probable cause affidavit. The mother admitted that the firearm was hers but said she usually kept it in a locked box under her bed. 

    Prosecutors revealed that the deceased toddler had marijuana in his system, along with his brother who also tested positive for cocaine. 

    Johnson was also charged with

    “obstruction of justice”

    for allegedly attempting to scrub the apartment of weed before police arrived, according to the outlet. Welch was also brought up on charges four weeks before the fatal shooting, for

    “possessing and dealing narcotics and marijuana,”

    which is reportedly illegal for medical and recreational use in Indiana, court records reveal. 

    #Clique, what are your thoughts?

  • Mother Discovered Three Minor Children Unconscious After Babysitter Reportedly Taught Them How To Snort Pills

    Mother Discovered Three Minor Children Unconscious After Babysitter Reportedly Taught Them How To Snort Pills

    Sadly, three children were discovered unresponsive at a babysitter’s home after she reportedly taught them how to snort drugs, officials in Indiana said. On June 28, the children’s mother arrived to retrieve them from the woman’s home and discovered the babysitter sitting on her front porch while appearing to be

    “impaired,”

    according to The Kansas Star.

    When the unidentified mother went into the woman’s home, she called for her children; however, there was no response. She instantly ran to her children and discovered her three children unresponsive. Reports added that their ages were 8, 9, and 15. 

    Officers later arrived at the scene after the mother contacted officials. First responders began to help the children and luckily, the two younger children were revived at the home; despite them

    “stumbling and falling down.”

    The 15-year-old was taken to the hospital and later gained consciousness. Reports added that the teen was located near a powdery substance and shattered pill capsules. 

    The minors informed officials that the unnamed babysitter gave them pills and showed them how to snort the pills, investigators say. Officials said,

    “The children also told detectives that they each ingested about 3-4 pills each of the three different types of pills.” 

    Police searched the babysitter’s home after obtaining a search warrant where they discovered

    “prescription bottles for Klonopin, Adderall, and Lyrica, along with loose pills,”

    reports the news outlet. The babysitter stumbled on her words as she informed officials that she didn’t know what happened; however, she confessed that the minors might have gotten ahold of her drugs.

    The babysitter was charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury among other charges, officials say, reports the Kansas Star. 

    #Clique, what are your thoughts?

  • Social Media Influencer Mom Sentenced To 90 Days In Jail Almost Three Years After Accusing Latino Couple Of Trying To Kidnap Her Children

    Social Media Influencer Mom Sentenced To 90 Days In Jail Almost Three Years After Accusing Latino Couple Of Trying To Kidnap Her Children

    A social media influencer falsely accused a Latino couple of attempting to abduct her two children on an Instagram video that went viral. According to FOX, the woman was sentenced to 90 days behind bars for the act, prosecutors say. 

    31-year-old Kathleen ‘Katie’ Sorensen said the couple tried to kidnap her kids at a Michael’s arts and craft store parking lot in California back on Dec. 7, 2020. The woman went on to file a false police report. One week after she filed the police report, she posted on Instagram and spoke about the alleged kidnap. 

    Carla Rodriguez, District Attorney said,

    “Ms. Sorensen has been held accountable for her crime, and we believe the Judge handed down a fair sentence… Our hope is that this measure of accountability will help provide some closure to the couple that was falsely accused of having attempted to kidnap two young children.”

    Sorensen will be able to serve 60 days of her sentence in a work release program. The woman must also do 12 months of probation, and in that time, she would be banned from having a social media presence. 

    #Clique, what are your thoughts?