Dec. 23, 2024Poison experts see it every winter holiday season: Parents rush kids to the emergency room or call hotlines, panicking that their child has ingested something dangerous. Between holiday breaks, visiting relatives’ homes, attending festivities, and opening gifts galore, kids face extra risks for accidental exposure to poison. In addition to heart felt season’s…  read on >  read on >

Autism ranks among the top ten health problems for young people under 20. A new study published recently in The Lancet Psychiatry says that nearly 62 million people in 2021 had autism spectrum disorder. “We estimated one in 127 individuals worldwide in 2021 was autistic, placing the autism spectrum within the top ten causes for…  read on >  read on >

In a pivotal move, the United States Supreme Court announced Wednesday that it will review South Carolina’s controversial decision to cut off state funding for Planned Parenthood clinics, which provide critical health services to low-income residents. A media report published by The Washington Post shows said that this move was made after the state terminated…  read on >  read on >

Abortion pills are safe and effective, but some pain will be part of the process for most women. However, many women are surprised by exactly how much pain is involved in a medication abortion, a new study says. They’re frequently told that the pain is akin to period cramps, but for many that simply isn’t…  read on >  read on >

Teenagers who land in an ER with a mental health crisis can be effectively helped by a community-based program. New research shows that troubled teens placed in such a program were significantly less likely to return to the ER or require inpatient psychiatric care due to a follow-up crisis. The program did not reduce risk…  read on >  read on >

Adding cereal to a baby’s bottle is a habit that’s been around for a long time to help introduce solid foods while also supplementing a mom’s breast milk. But this practice can cause babies to pack on some pounds early in life, however, a new study says. Infants were about 50% more likely to experience…  read on >  read on >

Microscopic plastic particles in the air could be contributing to a wide variety of health problems, including lung and colon cancers. Tires and degrading garbage shed tiny pieces of plastic which become airborne, creating a form of air pollution that’s not very well understood, a new review says. “These microplastics are basically particulate matter air…  read on >  read on >