Kids

When Kids Learn the Truth About Santa, Anything Can Happen

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000

“My moma [sic] said the chimney was blocked.” Thus reads the letter from a 10-year-old girl in Wisconsin who was told by her mother that Santa Claus would not be dropping off gifts that year. The real reason? The Great Depression, a decade-long economic downturn that followed the 1929 Wall Street crash.

Coffee Doesn’t Stunt Your Growth

Ada McVean M.Sc. — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

This article was first published in The Skeptical Inquirer.

Are disposable diapers more likely than cloth diapers to cause diaper rash?

Ada McVean M.Sc. — Sat, 20 Jan 2024 00:01:24 +0000

This article was first published in The Skeptical Inquirer.

Cloth diapers may offer a more environmentally friendly option for baby’s bottoms, but are they a risk factor for diaper rash? Common knowledge says so, the New York Times agrees, but what about the science?

Don’t Blame Teething for Most Infant Illnesses

Ada McVean M.Sc. — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 11:00:00 +0000

This article was first published in The Skeptical Inquirer.

Teething has been held responsible for everything from fevers to colic, but there’s no reason to believe the protrusion of teeth causes anything worse than mild discomfort, and there’s danger in misdiagnosis.

Kids Don’t Feel Pain from Growing

Ada McVean M.Sc. — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 11:00:00 +0000

This article was first published in The Skeptical Inquirer.