Wes Mika started out on drums, but in his heart he was a tambourine man. “He got fascinated by the little silver discs on the tambourine,” said his wife, Susan Mika. “Sometimes he would hit the tambourine with the little mallets of the drum. He just he loved that tambourine.” Wes, 77, has dementia and…  read on >  read on >

Children should get their flu shot as soon as it is available, preferably by the end of October, a leading medical group recommends. Flu vaccination lagged last year, with 55% of children getting their vaccines, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) noted. Coverage levels were 8 percentage points lower for Black children compared with white…  read on >  read on >

A new report reveals a hidden secret about the nation’s beautiful rural roads: They’re too often fatal for motorists. Nearly half of all U.S. crashes happen on rural roads, despite only 19% of Americans living in those areas. The report, conducted by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), details why and what can be done…  read on >  read on >

Folic acid, a B vitamin that’s used widely to fortify foods and lower the risk of birth defects, may carry a hidden risk for those who have to take huge quantities of it: A new study shows those folks were more likely to get COVID-19 and to die from it. “We examined whether COVID-19 diagnosis…  read on >  read on >

A network that receives and supplies blood for transfusions nationwide is calling for more diverse blood donors. Less than 20% of blood donations are from people of color, but those donations are essential. Frequently transfused patients often require blood from donors with similar ethnic and racial backgrounds. Those who need frequent transfusions include people with…  read on >  read on >

Parents who smoke should know that their kids are more likely to vape and try smoking. Those teens were 55% more likely to try e-cigarettes than those of nonsmoking parents and 51% more likely to have tried traditional cigarettes, according to a large study out of Ireland. It also found that the percentage who have…  read on >  read on >

MONDAY, Sept. 5, 2022 (HealthDay News) – People with type 1 diabetes who need to inject insulin a few times a day could eventually be switching to an easier-to-take tablet that dissolves inside the cheek. Canadian researchers working with rodents report they have created an insulin that could be taken in pill form without most…  read on >  read on >