HealthWatch: More Hospitals Not Prepared To Treat Children; Christmas Baby Boom?

BOSTON (CBS) - A growing number of hospitals, including here in the Commonwealth are not equipped to treat children, even for some of the most basic conditions like belly pain or asthma.

Researchers at Boston Children's Hospital found that in four states, Massachusetts, New York, Florida, and California the number of kids transferred from local hospitals to more distant referral centers, like a children's hospital, rose 25% from 2006 to 2011.

Kids are not just little adults. The way pediatricians evaluate and treat kids is often different from how they approach adults, and unfortunately, a growing number of hospitals don't have pediatric specialists on staff.

As a parent, I would find out what local facilities do before your child gets sick. You can talk to your pediatrician for advice as well. And don't be surprised if you're told that your child needs to be seen at another facility.

Christmas Baby Boom?

The "Christmas baby boom" may be real.

More babies are born in September than any other month of the year, which means many babies are conceived in December around the holidays. But why?

Researchers used online searches and social media posts to gauge the collective moods and behaviors of people worldwide. They found that interest in sex peaks significantly during cultural or religious celebrations and family-oriented religious holidays, most notably around Christmas and the Muslim holiday, Eid.

They postulate that these holidays may be associated with happier, calmer moods. Interestingly, they did not find the same interest in sex around Easter and Thanksgiving.