Rates of whooping cough in the U.S. continue to climb, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Over 32,000 cases reported have been reported as of mid-December — about six times more than there were at this time last year, and more than there have been since 2014, according to CNN.…  read on >  read on >

Turns out, starting physical therapy earlier after a concussion may significantly improve recovery outcomes. A new study published recently in the Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Journal followed just over 200 adults recovering from mild traumatic brain injuries, or concussions, who were within two to 12 weeks from their injury. Researchers found that those who started…  read on >  read on >

Some brain cells are more susceptible to the ravages of aging than others, a new mouse study has found. These results could shed new light on why people’s risk for dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and other brain disorders increase with age, researchers said in a study published Jan. 1 in the journal Nature. “Aging is the…  read on >  read on >

It’s not fun for folks to admit to their doctor that they’re a couch potato. But such a frank talk could help protect against chronic disease, a new study says. People with the highest levels of physical activity have a lower risk of 19 different chronic health problems, researchers reported recently in the journal Preventing…  read on >  read on >

A Canadian teen’s severe bird flu infection has highlighted growing concerns about the H5N1 virus, commonly known as bird flu, which has seen a steady rise in human cases across the U.S. According to a news release, the 13-year-old, who was hospitalized in November, had asthma and obesity but was otherwise in good health before…  read on >  read on >

Not sure what’s causing your child’s asthma? A new quick-and-easy nasal swab test for kids can diagnose the specific immune system drivers behind their asthma, potentially opening the door to better treatments, researchers say. The test diagnoses a child’s asthma subtype, also called an endotype. “Because asthma is a highly variable disease with different endotypes,…  read on >  read on >

Tree-lined streets and lush public parks appear to provide city schoolkids a brain boost. Chicago students’ test scores suffered when an invasive insect wiped out half the city’s ash trees, researchers reported in the journal Global Environmental Change. “We found that test scores in areas with ash borer infestations were reduced after the onset of…  read on >  read on >