For many families, summer means longer days, less routine and more time outside. That’s not all good news, one expert says, because it could jumble a family’s sleeping habits. Even without the rigorous and often hectic school-year schedule, it’s important to ensure that everyone gets enough sleep, according to Dr. Cheryl Tierney, chief of behavior…  read on >

Allergy shots help ease symptoms for people who have chronic allergies. The shots contain small amounts of allergens to which the recipient reacts. After repeated exposure to the allergens, the immune system is better able to fight the things that make the person sneeze, wheeze and cough. The American Academy of Family Physicians offers this…  read on >

Young American children are being sickened — and even dying — after being poisoned by a drug used to fight opioid addiction, a new report contends. Investigators reported that between 2007 and 2016, more than 11,000 emergency calls were made to U.S. poison control centers after a child or teen was exposed to buprenorphine, a…  read on >

Insomnia affects up to 15 percent of Americans, but sleeping pills aren’t the only — or the best — answer. A good sleep routine, exercise and mindfulness are all options to get the restorative sleep you need. Set up a daily sleep pattern by going to bed at the same time each night and waking…  read on >

When packing for your summer vacation, be sure to include the right footwear, a podiatrist advises. “The type of vacation you go on will determine the type of shoe you need,” Dr. Ronald Lepow, an assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine’s department of orthopedic surgery, in Houston, said in a school news release. If…  read on >

Police killings of unarmed black Americans harm the mental health of black adults nationwide, researchers report. “Our study demonstrates for the first time that police killings of unarmed black Americans can have corrosive effects on mental health in the black American community,” said co-lead author Dr. Atheendar Venkataramani. He’s a health economist and general internist…  read on >

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is caused by the bite of an infected tick. Here are suggestions to reduce your risk of Lyme disease, courtesy of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Stay out of areas where ticks are likely to be, including wooded areas, tall grass, and places with lots…  read on >  read on >

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease that causes considerable pain in joints. At some point, most people with RA develop pain in the ankle and foot. While there is no cure, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says there are things you can do to ease symptoms of the disease: Rest. Limit activities that make…  read on >

Babies exposed to antidepressants during their mother’s pregnancy may face a slightly higher chance of having problems with their motor skills, a new review suggests. But the Australian researchers cautioned that more research is needed before firm conclusions can be made, since the studies they analyzed varied widely in the way they were carried out.…  read on >