Apart from the sheer fun of owning a pet, having a dog enhances well-being and even personal growth in many ways. Caring for a dog teaches kids responsibility and offers everyone in the family unconditional love. Many studies have found that the social support that dogs — and pets in general — provide boosts their… read on >
It’s not just Moms: Just ahead of Father’s Day, a new survey finds that about half of American dads say they’ve been criticized about their parenting styles. The way they enforced discipline topped the list of things naysayers called them to task on, with two-thirds of critiques focused on that subject. Forty-four percent of the… read on >
Can a DNA test predict a person’s future heart health? Perhaps, researchers say. A team of Canadian researchers found that by analyzing a person’s entire genome, it might be possible to predict their future heart disease risk. The so-called “polygenic risk score” analysis looks for key heart disease indicators — genetic “biomarkers” — along with… read on >
If you or a family member has asthma, your doctor has most likely mapped out the steps you need to take to treat an asthma flare. Creating a healthier home by minimizing your triggers can be as effective as medication for reducing symptoms and flares, according to a study from the American Academy of Pediatrics.… read on >
If your loved one’s crooning is music to your ears, the reason appears to rest with part of brain that is super-sensitive to pitch. That’s the upshot of a new study offering a fresh look into what makes us human. For the research, which aimed to understand the role of music in health, researchers compared… read on >
Allergy medications often contain an antihistamine. Some antihistamines can make users feel drowsy, unfocused and slow to react, says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. When taking allergy medication, the FDA suggests: Follow directions, and read all package warnings. Use caution when driving or operating machinery. Avoid using alcohol, sedatives and tranquilizers after having taken… read on >
For most insect stings, a person can be treated at home, says MedlinePlus. For non-severe reactions, first aid is as follows: Do not use tweezers. Scrape a straight-edged object across the stinger for removal. Wash the site with soap and water. Apply ice on the site for 10 minutes. Take an antihistamine, or apply cream.… read on >
If you dread seeing the doctor and your blood pressure reading always seems to be high at the doctor’s office, a new review says you should take those elevated readings seriously. The problem is called white-coat hypertension (because of doctors’ traditional white coats) and it may signal an underlying problem. The research defined white-coat hypertension… read on >
The waning effectiveness of a flawed whooping cough vaccine is the main culprit in recent outbreaks of the highly contagious bacterial infection, a new study reports. More than four out of five confirmed whooping cough (pertussis) cases strike children who are fully vaccinated, the study authors said. That’s because the vaccine for whooping cough loses… read on >
Shingles isn’t usually considered a kids’ disease, but children can get this painful condition. Fortunately, the chickenpox vaccine can also protect them against it, a new study finds. “The virus that causes chickenpox also causes shingles. It’s pretty uncommon in kids, but we wanted to see what would happen to the rates of shingles among… read on >
