Child Health

Three small children play at a table.

Day care and the flu: Using robots, ferrets to explore ways to stop the spread

New research from Emily Martin

A new study seeks to better understand how behavioral and environmental factors affect the transmission of respiratory viruses in child care settings. Called MITIGATE FLU (Multidisciplinary InvesTIGation to Ease inFLUenza), the research is a collaboration between Virginia Tech, the University of Michigan, Emory University and the University of Pittsburgh.

Three young children play on a carpet with toy cars in a classroom.

Team of researchers seeks to mitigate flu and other respiratory viruses for children in indoor environments

A team of researchers from the University of Michigan, the University of Pittsburgh, Emory University, Virginia Tech, and Georgetown University are collaborating to investigate the transmission of flu in child care settings. Emily Martin, associate professor of Epidemiology at Michigan Public Health, is co-lead for one of the projects focusing on environmental factors driving flu transmission in child care settings.

Different types of children's toys

In This Season of Giving, Watch Out for Harmful Chemicals in Plastic Toys

Q&A with Olivier Jolliet and Lei Huang

Whether it's a baby Yoda, a plastic building brick or a fashion doll, all toys contain chemicals that give them desired properties: the right hardiness or elasticity, bright colors and fragrances. But these chemicals could also come with health risks, says Olivier Jolliet, professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.