Child

Magnets, mating and metallic objects – cautionary tales from the MRI scanner

Retrieved on: 
Saturday, December 30, 2023

She had attended the hospital for an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan and had entered the machine with a concealed firearm.

Key Points: 
  • She had attended the hospital for an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan and had entered the machine with a concealed firearm.
  • This isn’t the first time in 2023 that a firearm injury has been sustained in an MRI scanner.
  • In February a lawyer in Brazil died after the gun tucked in his waistband discharged into his abdomen.
  • MRI has a long history, in one form or another, dating back to the 1930s.

Strong magnets

  • One of the biggest risks with MRI comes from the incredibly strong magnets that are used because they are not selective in the objects they act on.
  • Also, newer models tend not to contain ferrous metals – that is, metals that can be attracted by magnets because they contain iron.
  • Similarly, a child suffered bowel perforation during an MRI after ingesting 11 small spherical magnets.

Outside the machine can be dangerous too

  • In 2018, an Indian man was killed when an oxygen cylinder he was carrying was pulled into the MRI machine, causing it to rupture and kill him.
  • Similarly, in 2021, a South Korean man died when an oxygen cylinder in the MRI room crushed his skull after the magnet pulled it into the machine he was being scanned in.

Benefits far outweigh the risks


Despite the above stories, MRI is a revolutionary diagnostic machine that has benefits that far outweigh the risks. Further modifications of MRI, such as fMRI (functional MRI), let doctors and researchers look at brain activity and observe how diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, are progressing. They are also helping researchers discover new drugs and study anatomy – including during sex and orgasm.
These revolutionary machines are extremely useful and are entirely safe when used correctly. So next time you have an MRI scan, when clinical staff ask what seems like innocent and straightforward questions, answer honestly. And tell them about anything you think may be relevant, no matter how trivial, just to be on the safe side.
Adam Taylor does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

How to get the most out of a visit to an art gallery with kids

Retrieved on: 
Saturday, December 30, 2023

What parenting miracle did we pull off to have a daughter that loves art galleries so much?

Key Points: 
  • What parenting miracle did we pull off to have a daughter that loves art galleries so much?
  • But you don’t need to be an artist to help your kids enjoy a gallery visit.
  • Read more:
    Four tips to make the most of your next gallery visit

Start young


Children are naturally curious, so start young and make gallery visits a normal activity. Expose babies to art as soon as possible: research proves regular engagement with art develops children’s aesthetic sensibilities and even very young children can respond to art in complex ways.
I remember my baby son neighing like a horse in front of a painting before he could talk. I looked at the painting he was staring at, Nicholas Harding’s Bob’s daily swim. There in the thick, painterly background, was a horse. My son connected with the work because he loved horses.

Before your visit

  • Look for ways to introduce your child to artists before your visit.
  • Art activities bring exhibits to life in fun and engaging ways.
  • If they like superheroes, pop icons or Hollywood stars they might just love to see a show by Yankunytjatjara artist Kaylene Whiskey.
  • Let your child take the lead and include them in the planning.
  • Planning a trip together may be the perfect time to ask questions and share knowledge: “did you know we can’t touch artwork in galleries?

There’s no right or wrong response


Some adults may feel uncomfortable talking about art. Just try having a conversation about what you see, and be prepared to be amazed by what your child observes. Start by asking your child questions: what are you noticing about this exhibition? What stories are these works telling? What do you think about when you look at this artwork?

  • This stimulates curiosity and encourages students to make careful observations and thoughtful interpretations.
  • Some galleries use Visual Thinking Strategies, which also consists of three questions: what’s going on in this picture?
  • This can even be a great stimulus for discussions with your child: does art have to be beautiful to be good?

Interact with the art

  • Try taking a sketchbook for you and one for your child.
  • You are not aiming to make a masterpiece but to use drawing to map out what you see.
  • They use simple and effective methods such as rolling a piece of paper up into a telescope to look at a work.


Some galleries also have children’s trails especially designed for engaging children. And if they don’t, you can make things up like how many trees can you see? Or can you find any animals in this exhibition?

After the visit

  • In a previous article I talked about extending your child’s experience after a gallery visit and how a comic my son made gave me an insight into his feeling about what he had seen at the gallery.
  • At the end of the day you want your child to enjoy the experience and foster a love of art.


Naomi Zouwer does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Want to get into stargazing? A professional astronomer explains where to start

Retrieved on: 
Saturday, December 30, 2023

Through the holidays, many people head away from the bright city lights to go camping.

Key Points: 
  • Through the holidays, many people head away from the bright city lights to go camping.
  • As a child, I loved such trips, and they helped cement my passion for the night sky, and for all things space.
  • One of my great joys as an astronomer is sharing the night sky with people.

Learning the night sky

  • A good place to start if you’re a budding astronomer is to learn your way around the night sky.
  • Today, there are countless good apps to help you find your way around the night sky.
  • A great example of such an app is Stellarium – a planetarium program allowing you to view the night sky from the comfort of your room or to plan an evening’s observing ahead of schedule.
  • To memorise the night sky, you can try star hopping.
  • By star hopping, you’ll slowly but surely learn your way around the night sky until the constellations become familiar friends.

Virtual observing

  • Thankfully, software like Stellarium can give you a fantastic virtual observing experience.
  • Imagine you want to see Saturn’s rings – a spectacular sight through even a small telescope.
  • A virtual observing session is as simple as that – just pan around the sky until you find something you want to see, and zoom in.

A hobby best shared

  • I’d recommend using planetarium programs like Stellarium to figure out what you want to see, then heading out to look at it with your own eyes.
  • Astronomy is a wonderful hobby, and one that is best shared.
  • I joined my local astronomy society, the West Yorkshire Astronomical Society in the United Kingdom, when I was just eight years old.
  • At the society, we had weekly talks on astronomy, given by the club members and visiting astronomers from local universities.
  • We also had regular night sky viewing nights, using the society’s very own telescope – a behemoth the members had built themselves.
  • People who are passionate about their hobby love nothing more than sharing it with others.


Jonti Horner does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Time to choose a career? A psychologist offers tips on the journey after high school

Retrieved on: 
Saturday, December 30, 2023

The trajectory has been a fairly straightforward line until now – learning and more learning.

Key Points: 
  • The trajectory has been a fairly straightforward line until now – learning and more learning.
  • Having completed high school, will the journey now lead directly to university?
  • I am a researcher and educational psychologist with a particular interest in career counselling and helping people find their life’s purpose.
  • The focus of this article is to provide a compass for families navigating the labyrinth of decisions for their high school graduates.

1. Coping with disappointing grades

  • Your current marks may limit your acceptance into your preferred field of study, but they don’t dictate your overall success in life.
  • Instead, consider for example the fact that your parents, guardians or caretakers cherish you as precious and love you unconditionally.
  • Non-university study holds its own value, and each study discipline and tertiary training institution should be evaluated on its merits.
  • These qualifications can be personally enriching and offer diverse career opportunities, often making students highly employable.

2. What to do if grades fall below expectations

  • You may have secured decent grades – but not good enough to secure admission to your preferred course of study.
  • Some examination boards entertain requests for a reevaluation of exam papers, supplementary exams, or even repeating classes or specific subjects.
  • For example, you could explore the option of pursuing your favoured field of study at training levels or institutions other than university.
  • Consider the inspiring story of a student aspiring to study medicine, but failing to achieve desired grades and lacking exposure to mathematics or physical sciences in high school.

3. Discovering a sense of meaning and purpose

  • It is imperative to ensure that students cultivate a profound sense of meaning, hope and purpose in their lives.
  • This is to say that you get a clear understanding of life’s purpose, why you are pursuing your studies, and what serves as your “north star”.

4. Identify your key life themes

  • More than that, I want to help others who do not have access to medical help.
  • I lost my father due to cancer, and I love helping people with cancer.
  • More than that, I want to help others who do not have access to medical help.
  • By assisting others who have overcome challenges similar to their own, individuals actively confront the pain they themselves have experienced.


Kobus Maree does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Billy Lerner's Charity, Billy4Kids Partners with Children's Organization, OAfrica to Provide Footwear to Children in Ghana

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, December 19, 2023

Recognizing the pressing need for footwear among vulnerable children in Ghana, Billy4Kids is set to donate between 100 to 150 pairs of shoes to OAfrica.

Key Points: 
  • Recognizing the pressing need for footwear among vulnerable children in Ghana, Billy4Kids is set to donate between 100 to 150 pairs of shoes to OAfrica.
  • Education is one of the main determinants of abandoned children in Ghana with impoverished families not having the resources to send their children to school.
  • Billy Lerner & Billy4Kids partner with OAfrica – A children's organization that advocates for education.
  • Billy Lerner, along with co-founder of Billy4Kids, Alexson Roy continue to show their dedication to addressing this issue with this new partnership with OAfrica.

One of the Best Illustrated Children's Books for 2024 Is A Wink At Coronavirus by Kiran Katib

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, December 19, 2023

With gorgeous full-color illustrations and a fun rhyming scheme, this compelling first publication from Katib is an impressive debut.

Key Points: 
  • With gorgeous full-color illustrations and a fun rhyming scheme, this compelling first publication from Katib is an impressive debut.
  • A Wink At Coronavirus follows the life of a brave, insightful child as he navigates the threat of the pandemic and what it means.
  • Unlike other children's books about coronavirus, Katib's work doesn't take a strict approach that could be frightening or upsetting.
  • Kiran Katib is a children's author, mother, and wife with a passion for teaching children about the world around them.

Education in Conflict Zones: Advancing Technology for Learning in Chad

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, December 13, 2023

The initiative's aim is to improve and ensure continuity of children's learning for displaced children in conflict affected regions through engaging technology.

Key Points: 
  • The initiative's aim is to improve and ensure continuity of children's learning for displaced children in conflict affected regions through engaging technology.
  • Children make up 54% of the forcibly displaced population in Chad, putting significant pressure on the country's education system.
  • With limited funding in the education sector, overcrowded classrooms and a shortage of qualified teachers, hundreds of thousands of children including refugees have limited access to education.
  • Chad's Refugee Education Strategy for 2018-2019 highlighted the Can't Wait to Learn program as a notable achievement within the education sector.

HKTDC Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair Returns in January 2024

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, December 5, 2023

Celebrating 50th edition with various new zones

Key Points: 
  • Hong Kong, Hong Kong--(Newsfile Corp. - December 5, 2023) - Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the 50th edition of Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, the 15th Hong Kong Baby Products Fair and the 22nd Hong Kong International Stationery & School Supplies Fair will be held from 8-11 January 2024 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
  • Against this backdrop, the upcoming Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair features an extensive array of innovative and smart tech toys, creating ample sourcing opportunities for buyers.
  • The HKTDC Hong Kong Baby Products Fair and Hong Kong International Stationery & School Supplies Fair will be held concurrently.
  • The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade.

BonnEarth Celebrates Diversity with Launch of Halal-Certified Multivitamins for Kids

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, November 30, 2023

BonnEarth, a 100% women- and minority-owned business, was founded by a team of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical professionals who are all ingredients nerds.

Key Points: 
  • BonnEarth, a 100% women- and minority-owned business, was founded by a team of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical professionals who are all ingredients nerds.
  • It can be challenging to ensure our kids get the best options on the market," says Sanobar S. Abdi, the founder of BonnEarth.
  • With the successful launch of its supplements for children, BonnEarth is now focusing on 2024.
  • We will leave no stone unturned in our mission to deliver high-quality vegetarian and Halal-nutrition to adults and kids of all ages."

Investor Ideas Potcasts: Interview with Kaya Holdings on the Sacred Mushroom Center - Pioneers with Psilocybin and Advocates for Mental Health

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, November 28, 2023

Kaya Holdings, Inc. is a mind care company focusing on wellness and mental health through their operations in medical and recreational cannabis, CBD products and psychedelic treatment clinics.

Key Points: 
  • Kaya Holdings, Inc. is a mind care company focusing on wellness and mental health through their operations in medical and recreational cannabis, CBD products and psychedelic treatment clinics.
  • In today's podcast, management discusses the new opportunities in the medical psychedelic market and how Kaya Holdings is leading the way as an innovator and pioneer in the sector.
  • They also talk about their recent milestone of opening one of the first state licensed Psilocybin Treatment Centers in the United States, in Portland, Oregon.
  • We discuss mental health and how it personally affects us all.