As COVID-19 has surged throughout the United States for the past year and a half, some may have picked up an old bad habit or started a new one. How do researchers know this? They discovered that cigarette sales jumped during the first 15 months of the pandemic, exceeding their own estimates by 14%. It’s… read on > read on >
All Lifestyle:
A High-Tech Pointer to Pollutants That Trigger Asthma in Kids
Dust mites and smoke are known triggers of asthma in children. Now, scientists have identified previously unknown combinations of air pollutants that appear tied to the respiratory disorder. “Asthma is one the most prevalent diseases affecting children in the United States. In this study, we developed a list of air pollutants a young child may… read on > read on >
Many Parents Worry That Kids Fell Behind in Schooling During Pandemic
It is a fear that millions of parents have been harboring since the pandemic began: Will their children fall behind in school due to disruptions caused by lockdowns, closings and social distancing? A new U.S. poll finds that fear is widespread, with just over half of more than 3,000 parents and caregivers of children under… read on > read on >
U.S. Psychologists See Big Spike in Demand for Mental Health Care
The number of Americans seeking treatment for anxiety and depression has soared during the COVID-19 pandemic, creating what a leading medical association terms a “mental health tsunami.” That’s the key takeaway from a nationwide survey of psychologists by the American Psychological Association (APA). “[The findings] highlight what we have been saying since the early days… read on > read on >
Most Kids Newly Diagnosed With ADHD Aren’t Getting Best Care
Preschoolers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) rarely receive the gold-standard treatment recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for their condition, a new study reports. The AAP recommends a behavioral therapy technique called “parent training in behavior management,” or PTBM, as first-line treatment for ADHD kids ages 4 and 5. But only 1… read on > read on >
FDA Eases Access to Cheaper Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids
Affordable over-the-counter hearing aids could soon bring relief to millions of Americans suffering from hearing loss, under a landmark proposal announced Tuesday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The proposal would create a category of hearing aids that could be sold directly to consumers, without either a medical exam or a fitting by an… read on > read on >
U.S. Pediatricians, Psychiatrists Declare ‘Emergency’ in Child Mental Health
Fear, grief, uncertainty and isolation during the pandemic have triggered a national state of emergency in the mental health of America’s youth, leading child health care groups warned Tuesday. Youngsters already faced significant mental health challenges, and the pandemic has made them worse, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Academy of… read on > read on >
FDA Expected to Allow Mix n’ Match COVID Vaccines
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration plans to announce Wednesday that people can mix and match their COVID vaccines and booster shots, a move that would give health officials more flexibility as they try to immunize as many Americans as possible. The FDA wouldn’t recommend one vaccine over another but might say it’s preferable to… read on > read on >
Laser Therapy Promises to ‘Rejuvenate’ Vaginal Tissue. A New Study Finds Otherwise
Laser-based vaginal “rejuvenation” is all the rage among women concerned about vaginal dryness and other “down there” symptoms of menopause, but it’s buyer beware when it comes to these procedures, new research warns. It turns out that laser-based vaginal rejuvenation may not be any better than placebo (dummy) treatment when it comes to relieving vaginal… read on > read on >
Dying Young From Heart Disease: Where You Live in the U.S. Matters
People who live in disadvantaged parts of the United States are nearly twice as likely to die young from heart disease as folks in the wealthiest locales, a new study reports. In other words, your zip code can tell you as much or more about your heart health risk as your genetic code, said senior… read on > read on >