Parents are putting their children's teeth at risk by taking them to the pharmacy instead of the dentist, a study has found. The Telegraph reports that research on 1,000 pharmacies found that two in three parents seeking pain medications for children were doing so to relieve toothaches and mouth ulcers. Just 30 per cent had tried visiting a dentist first, the study found. Researchers said children's teeth was being put at risk by parents taking them to the wrong place for help to relieve symptoms, when the cause of tooth pain required investigation.
A head teacher has urged parents to take advantage of the weather conditions by keeping their children home from school and enjoying the snow instead. The Independent reports that although Reigate Grammar School in Surrey is still open, head teacher Shaun Fenton sent out an email to parents emphasising the importance of making lasting memories with their children. Parents have been assured that their children won't be marked absent if they miss school, with Fenton remarking that those who decide to keep their children home ought to be "congratulated".
Taking fish oil during pregnancy cuts the risk of some child allergies by nearly a third, a government study suggests. The Telegraph reports that according to research a daily fish oil capsule taken after the 20th week of pregnancy and for the first three or four months of breastfeeding cut the chances of a child developing an egg allergy by 30 per cent.
The number of recorded offences by children under 10 in West Yorkshire has shown a huge increase since 2012. The BBC reports that there were 181 such crimes recorded in 2012 but this had risen to 1,002 in 2016 - the last year with full figures. The most common offence was violent crime with 540 instances recorded in 2016. Children under 10 cannot be legally responsible for a crime but the police do record them in statistics.
