Could air pollution land children with autism in the hospital? A new study found that short-term exposure to air pollution is linked to a higher risk for hospitalization among kids with the developmental disorder. People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often admitted due to such symptoms as hyperactivity, aggression and self-injury. While neuro-inflammation and…  read on >  read on >

Contact lenses can be indispensable for those with poor vision, but if they aren’t properly cleaned and stored you run the risk of serious eye infections, experts say. Up to one out of every 500 contact lens wearers get such infections every year, which can sometimes lead to permanent blindness. Even minor infections caused by…  read on >  read on >

Weeks after a stay in the hospital, your bill arrives and you can barely believe the amount due. How is this even possible if you have good health insurance and, more importantly, how will you pay it? Unfortunately, you’re not alone. More than one in 10 American adults and nearly one in five U.S. households…  read on >  read on >

Misusing over-the-counter medications can have dangerous consequences, but recent social media trends encouraging this could be downright deadly for gullible teens, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned Thursday. One concerning trend has been a challenge that encouraged people to cook chicken in NyQuil or other over-the-counter cough and cold medicines. It’s not appetizing, of…  read on >  read on >

U.S. health officials are advising doctors not to overuse the only antiviral for monkeypox because there is a risk of the virus mutating and rendering the drug useless. TPOXX (tecovirimat) works by targeting just one protein found on monkeypox, as well as smallpox and similar viruses. Its use for monkeypox is still considered experimental, according…  read on >  read on >

While adults typically need steroid medication to treat Bell’s palsy, most children can recover without treatment, a new study finds. Bell’s palsy temporarily causes weakness and paralysis in facial muscles, making half of the face droop. The study — a randomized controlled trial held in 11 emergency departments in Australia and New Zealand — included…  read on >  read on >