More than half of sightless children in the United States did not have to lose their vision, according to a new study. The findings suggest the need to prioritize addressing preventable vision loss in all children in America, said study co-author Dr. Scott Lambert, a professor of ophthalmology at Stanford University in California. He recalled… read on > read on >
All Mommy:
Gut Microbes Could Play Role in HIV Infection
Could key differences in the trillions of bacteria found in the human gut actually affect the risk of becoming infected with HIV? A small, new study suggests the answer may be yes. The intriguing possibility stems from a detailed analysis of the gut bacteria (“microbiomes“) of 55 men, all of whom indicated they have sex… read on > read on >
Babies Might Trigger Brain Changes in New Dads
When men become parents, a lot changes in their lives — less sleep and more time devoted to taking care of their children come to mind — but new research now suggests that distinct changes also unfold in a new father’s brain. Researchers scanned the brains of new fathers to discover and study those changes… read on > read on >
COVID Vaccine Myths Drive Low Rates of Uptake Among U.S. Kids
Almost 8 in 10 U.S. adults have received their primary COVID-19 vaccine series, but only 31% of children ages 5 to 11 have done the same, according to a new report based on late September figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The reason for the discrepancy? A willingness to accept safety… read on > read on >
Not All Kids With Autism Will Benefit From Therapy Dogs
For many kids with autism, Rhett, a black Labrador retriever, has been a calming and comforting influence in his seven years as a therapy dog. But parents shouldn’t assume that a service pooch is the solution for every child on the autism spectrum, a new study finds. Not all kids with autism enjoy interacting with… read on > read on >
Study Counters Myth That Contraceptive Pill Enlarges Breasts in Teen Girls
Birth control pills that contain both estrogen and progestin do not contribute to growth of enlarged breasts in teens and young women, a new study finds, and may actually be associated with developing less severe breast enlargement. Moreover, the combination pills don’t increase the risk of regrowth after breast-reduction surgery, said researcher Dr. Brian Labow… read on > read on >
1 in 5 Young Women Has No Plans to Get a Mammogram
Terlisa Sheppard knows the value of tracking changes in her body. The Orlando Health patient was eight and a half months pregnant and just 31 years old when she felt a lump under her arm. She left work to get it checked out and “didn’t return back to work because that is the evening that… read on > read on >
COVID Shot in Pregnancy Helps Baby, Even If Mom’s Been Infected: Study
Pregnant women who get COVID-19 and then get vaccinated before giving birth are more likely than other moms to pass protective antibodies to their newborns, new research shows. Babies can’t get their own shots until they’re 6 months of age. For this study, a team at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), studied both… read on > read on >
Katie Couric Announces Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Former TV newswoman and TODAY show anchor Katie Couric has breast cancer. Couric shared that information Wednesday on Instagram, while also releasing an essay about the experience on her media website. “Every two minutes, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States,” Couric wrote on Instagram. “On June 21st, I became one… read on > read on >
‘Breakthrough’ Infections After COVID Vaccine Can Help Prevent Future Illness
It’s very frustrating to get a COVID-19 vaccine and then wind up catching the virus anyway. But these breakthrough infections actually do you a world of good, providing a powerful boost to your existing vaccine-induced immune protection, a new study reports. People infected after getting a basic two-dose COVID vaccination experienced an immune response equal… read on > read on >