One in 88 children in the U.S. has autism, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's almost 25 percent more than in 2006, and nearly double the rate of 2002.

Arsenic has been found in some foods that use organic brown rice syrup as a sweetener, including infant formula and cereal bars, according to a new study by researchers at Dartmouth College. The majority of the detected arsenic, a contaminant often found in rice, was the type that is known to be a human carcinogen.

Although melanoma is one of the two most common cancers afflicting young Americans, with sunburn at an early age almost doubling the risk for developing the disease in adulthood, the lure of tanning seems to outweigh tweens’ desire to protect themselves.

As part of on-going efforts to deal with potential safety hazards in children’s toys, ASTM-International has recently sent revised specifications to the Consumer Product Safety Commission for adoption. These revisions primarily deal with heavy metals and how to measure those quantities; the stability of ride-on toys; strangulation concerns in squeeze toys, cords, straps, elastics, and strings, and rigid projections on bath toys that could potentially puncture a child’s skin or cause other impalement injuries if he were to fall on it.

The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) has recommended that an additive, hexane-extracted DHA/ARA not be allowed for use in organic infant formula.

Winter months in cold climates are a time of dry skin and itchy eyes as we retreat into the dry air of our heated homes. For babies and young children, especially those who are too young to know how to blow their nose, dry indoor air may make them feel even more uncomfortable. Having a good humidifier can provide some relief.

I knew it was more than a tragic coincidence when two of my friends, middle-aged men without the usual risk factors of tobacco and alcohol use, developed late stage (IV) tongue cancer, reportedly the identical condition with which actor Michael Douglas was diagnosed last year. Cancers of the mouth and throat are growing so quickly that experts in the medical and scientific community are calling this an “epidemic,” for which middle aged men appear most at risk.

When Consumer Reports tested 88 samples of apple juice and grape juice for lead and arsenic, we not only measured levels of total arsenic, but we also conducted additional tests to identify what forms of arsenic were present or detected in those juice samples, which were purchased in August and September 2011 in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut by Consumer Reports staffers.

Visiting relatives for the winter holidays is a treasured and time-honored tradition for many families. Few experiences, after all, can compare to the shared delight of grandparents and grandchildren celebrating each other, along with seasonal festivities. To be sure that your little ones are as safe away from home as they are under your own roof, here are some steps you can take:

In an innovative study published recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers found that mice fed a cooked diet of either meat or sweet potatoes were able to get more energy from the food than if they were fed the same item raw.

An in-depth look at our tests that found arsenic in apple and grape juice, health tips for the New Year, and more family news and consumer updates from the January 2012 Consumer Reports.

With winter coming on, your kids may be looking forward to pulling sleds out of the garage and hitting the local hills. Before they do, be sure they’re wearing a protective helmet to prevent significant head injuries.That’s what the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends and what a recent study also urges.

Despite the relentless drumbeat of recommendations for the past two decades urging parents and caregivers to put babies “back to sleep,” as a way to reduce the occurrence of Sudden Infant Death syndrome in the United States, a recent poll from the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, of the University of Michigan Health System, has found that awareness hasn’t necessarily translated into action.

What if your child’s sports helmet, pain reliever, or lunch meat were recalled and you never found out? No child should be put at risk simply because news of a recall didn’t reach them. Sign up for our new weekly recall newsletter, and you’ll never miss a recall again.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said today that it has issued warning letters to more than 1,200 retailers in 15 states for violating federal regulations regarding the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products—especially to children and other under-aged customers.