Parents need to know that COVID-19 shots are safe and effective for kids age 12 and older, an expert says. While the Pfizer vaccine is approved in the United States for emergency use in this age group, parents may need reassurance, said Dr. Jessica Ericson, an infectious disease pediatrician at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital… read on > read on >
When it comes to teens, one risky driving behavior may beget other risky behaviors on the road: New research finds that those who use cellphones while behind the wheel are more likely to engage in other types of risky driving. “This study found that frequent cellphone use while driving was only one indicator of a… read on > read on >
What can make a young person vulnerable to eating disorders? Teasing them about any extra pounds they may carry, researchers say. “Our findings add to the growing evidence that weight-based mistreatment is not helpful and is often harmful to the health of young people,” said study leader Laura Hooper, a PhD student at the University… read on > read on >
That music at bedtime that’s supposed to help you fall asleep may actually have the opposite effect, new research suggests. It turns out that “earworms,” those catchy bits of a composition that can get stuck in a person’s head can also interject themselves into a person’s dreams, affecting the ability to fall asleep and to… read on > read on >
The suicide attempt rate has leapt by as much as half among teenage girls during the coronavirus pandemic, a new government study shows. Emergency room visits for suspected suicide attempts among girls between the ages of 12 and 17 increased by 26% during summer 2020 and by 50% during winter 2021, compared with the same… read on > read on >
If you’re obese, you’re far more likely to have long-lasting health issues if you get COVID-19 and survive, a new study warns. You are more likely than patients who aren’t obese to be hospitalized. You’re more likely wind up in the intensive care unit, need to be put on a ventilator and suffer from long-haul… read on > read on >
As the number of people fully immunized against COVID-19 rises into the hundreds of millions, immunologists and infectious disease experts now are pondering a new question in the unfolding pandemic. Namely, how long will vaccine immunity last, and will people who’ve gotten the jab need booster shots to maintain their protection? It’s an important question,… read on > read on >
U.S. regulators have extended the expiration date on millions of Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine doses by six weeks, the company announced Thursday. A U.S. Food and Drug Administration review concluded the shots remain safe and effective for at least 4 1/2 months, J&J said in a statement. In February, the FDA first authorized the… read on > read on >
Sleep disorders may increase the odds for dementia in survivors of traumatic brain injury, new research suggests. The study included nearly 713,000 patients who were free of dementia when they were treated for traumatic brain injury (TBI) between 2003 and 2013. The severity of their brain injuries varied, and nearly six in 10 were men.… read on > read on >
The old double standard lives on. A new study finds that many people still believe — incorrectly — that women who engage in casual sex have low self-esteem. And they don’t think the same is true of men. “We were surprised that this stereotype was so widely held,” said study first author Jaimie Arona Krems,… read on > read on >
