Social distancing and mask mandates during the pandemic nearly eliminated cases of the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) among children, a new study finds. “Numbers don’t lie. Face masking, and proper hygiene and isolation, can be effective means to protect the vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and young children, during the respiratory virus… read on > read on >
A pair of special headphones plus a free app might help kids with hearing difficulty due to “glue ear,” a new, small study suggests. Glue ear is slang for a condition called otitis media with effusion (OME), where thick fluid builds up in the middle ear. It’s very common in young children but strikes older… read on > read on >
Pfizer Inc. announced Thursday that it has asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergency approval for its coronavirus vaccine to be given to children between the ages of 5 and 11. “We’re committed to working with the FDA with the ultimate goal of helping protect children against this serious public health threat,” the… read on > read on >
THURSDAY, Oct. 7, 2021 (American Heart Association News) — Heart surgery can be tough. It can be stressful. And while it can lead families on a path they might not have chosen, sometimes that path guides them smack dab into a purpose. That’s what happened to Ariel Hernandez and her family. When she was barely… read on > read on >
It is an excruciating statistic: One in every four COVID-19 deaths in the United States leaves a child without a parent or other caregiver, researchers report. The analysis of data shows that from April 2020 to July 2021, more than 120,000 children under the age of 18 lost a primary caregiver (a parent or grandparent… read on > read on >
Life is challenging enough for teens and pre-teens with food allergies. But bullying often comes with the territory, making their situation worse. In a new study of more than 100 kids with food allergies, nearly one-third said they had been subject to some form of food allergy-related bullying. “We also found that only 12% of… read on > read on >
Scientists in Japan have discovered yet another tick-borne virus that can make people sick. The Yezo virus is transmitted by tick bites, and triggers fever and a reduction in blood platelets and white blood cells. “At least seven people have been infected with this new virus in Japan since 2014, but, so far, no deaths… read on > read on >
You might think that wildfires in the western United States would only affect folks in places like Colorado, California or Oregon. But a new study estimates that three-quarters of smoke-related deaths and visits to the emergency room for asthma in the United States happen east of the Rocky Mountains. “We don’t often talk about smoke… read on > read on >
In yet another illustration of how the pandemic wreaked havoc on medical care, a new report shows that 15% of adult cancer patients worldwide didn’t get potentially lifesaving surgery due to COVID-19 lockdowns. “Our research reveals the collateral impact of lockdowns on patients awaiting cancer surgery during the pandemic. Whilst lockdowns are critical to saving… read on > read on >
A shift in thinking means it’s OK to skip your monthly breast self-exam — but don’t miss your regular professional checkup and diagnostic imaging, health experts say. A periodic visual check in a mirror can be helpful, breast health experts from the Cedars-Sinai health system in California suggest. “Beginning at age 40, women with an… read on > read on >
