In Brief

By Lisa McLaughlin

NO TRIP, NO GRAMPS As summer-vacation season officially kicks off, the recent rise in gasoline prices is forcing families to rethink vacation plans. According to surveys, more than half of families with children are taking trips closer to home, which involve less driving. It could also be affecting familial relationships. A survey by progressive.com found that 43% of respondents are planning fewer trips than usual this year to visit grandparents and other relatives.

HEAD CASES? Researchers are debating whether heading balls can dent the cognitive skills of young soccer players for life. Studies of adult soccer players have found that deficits in concentration, attention and memory were more common than in non-soccer players. Research with kids is ongoing, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that coaches and parents train children to try to hit the ball slightly above the forehead, where skulls are thickest. Emphasis on the word try.

SAFE SLEEPING Though toddlers spend 7 million nights in hotels each year, studies have shown that 80% of cribs provided by hotels were unsafe. Some used adult sheets and pillows, which can suffocate children. Others were just poorly maintained: the wear and tear of constant use can make even the sturdiest crib dangerous. If you're traveling with babies this summer, be wary. The National Safe Kids Campaign safekids.org provides a hotel-safety checklist.

--By Lisa McLaughlin