Experts are asking seniors to get their flu shots ASAP as an exceptionally nasty flu season unfolds across the United States. Already, 8.7 million flu cases have been reported, with 78,000 hospitalizations and 4,500 deaths, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the last week alone, the number of flu hospitalizations… read on > read on >
All Mommy:
Risk of Newly Developed High Blood Pressure Rises After Pregnancy
One in 10 women will develop high blood pressure for the first time in their lives during the year after they give birth to a child, a new study finds. “The study findings have implications for postpartum care, particularly among patients without a history of hypertension,” said study lead author Samantha Parker, an assistant professor… read on > read on >
Pfizer Asks FDA to Approve Tweaked COVID Booster as Third Shot for Kids Under 5
Infants and young children could soon receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine as part of their three-dose series. Pfizer Inc. on Monday asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to have the vaccine that targets the Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 replace the third dose in the series for children aged 6 months through 4 years… read on > read on >
As Alcohol Abuse Declines Among Teens, Marijuana Abuse Soars
American kids are drinking to excess less and abusing marijuana more, a new study finds. Marijuana abuse among 6- to 18-year-olds has increased 245% since 2000, while child alcohol abuse has steadily declined over those years, say researchers who analyzed poisonings over two decades. “This dramatic increase does coincide with this huge wave of decriminalization… read on > read on >
U.S. to End Mpox Public Health Emergency in January
MONDAY, Dec. 5, 2022 (HealthDay News) – Mpox cases are down significantly in the United States, prompting the federal government to plan not to renew an emergency designation for the virus when it expires late next month. “Given the low number of cases today, HHS does not expect that it needs to renew the emergency… read on > read on >
Bacteria Risk Spurs Recall of 8 Million Laundress Products
MONDAY, Dec. 5, 2022 (HealthDay News) – The Laundress, a laundry and cleaning products company, has recalled nearly 8 million of its products over concerns they may be contaminated with various bacteria. The bacteria include Burkholderia cepacia complex, Klebsiella aerogenes and multiple different species of Pseudomonas. So far, testing has identified these bacteria in certain… read on > read on >
For Kids, Mental Trauma From Gun Injury Far Exceeds That of Car Crashes
Firearm injuries traumatize children, saddling them with mental health issues that include stress disorders and drug or alcohol use, according to a new study. In all, 35% of kids injured by firearms receive a new mental health diagnosis in the following year, the research found. That compares to a 26% rate of mental health diagnoses… read on > read on >
Girl Toddlers Have Bigger Vocabularies, and Researchers Now Know Why
Young girls tend to babble their way to bigger vocabularies earlier than boys, and researchers now think they might know why. It has nothing to do with gender, and everything to do with parental interaction, researchers assert. Parents tend to talk more to young children who have started talking and can respond to them, regardless… read on > read on >
Put Safety at Top of Your Holiday Toy Gift List
Getting toys for some of the tots in your life this holiday season? Experts at Penn State Health offer tips on making safe choices. Each year, about 200,000 U.S. children end up in the emergency room with a toy-related injury, ranging from poisoning to choking hazards, according to Jen Lau, program manager of Pediatric Trauma… read on > read on >
Paxlovid OK for Use in Pregnant Women Infected With COVID
Moms-to-be can safely take Paxlovid to help keep their COVID infection from turning serious, a new study shows. Nearly everyone in a group of 47 pregnant women prescribed Paxlovid did well on the drug, which did not appear to interfere with their pregnancy in any significant way, researchers report in the Nov. 29 issue of… read on > read on >