With cases of the flu, RSV and COVID-19 rising and hospitals filling up nationwide, the Biden Administration on Wednesday announced a “winter preparedness plan” for what could be a tough season ahead. One step towards protecting Americans from spreading infection: Restarting a program where every household in the country is eligible to receive four free… read on > read on >
Black children and teens drown in swimming pools at rates seven times higher than white children, but a new survey suggests that special swimming programs could make a difference and help save lives. The survey, from the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, found that only 25% of Hispanic parents and 28%… read on > read on >
In U.S. states with more restrictive abortion policies, rates of pregnant women, new mothers and infants dying were higher, a new report finds. The analysis, conducted by the Commonwealth Fund, found that states with heavily restricted access to abortion in 2020 had a maternal death rate that was 62% higher than states with easier abortion… read on > read on >
Shortages of the ADHD drug Adderall are expected to continue for months, forcing families to scramble for ways to deal with their children’s attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The shortage has caused headaches and hassles for parents like San Diego mom Jackie Meader, who has been “flustered, rushed and out of sorts” since her 16-year-old… read on > read on >
Babies born prematurely who are fed formula may need iron supplementation like their breastfed counterparts, new research suggests. “Just because a baby is on iron-rich formula, we should not assume all of their iron needs are being met, since iron from the formula may not have the same absorption as iron from breast milk,” said… read on > read on >
It’s an all-too-familiar scenario for many parents: Your preschooler starts to act up just as the phone rings or you start dinner. Maybe you hand over an iPad or smartphone to soothe the child so you can get down to business. And this probably does the trick. But if this is your go-to strategy, your… read on > read on >
For some people, dozens of U.S.-approved drugs can lead to a rare but often fatal brain infection. Researchers have now confirmed a strong link between four genetic mutations and this illness, called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). A new study found that in people taking PML-inducing drugs, having one of four genetic variants increased the odds… read on > read on >
One might expect identical twins to have the same health outcomes. But it’s not just genetics that makes a notable difference in their weight and in how their genes behave, according to a new study. Exercise can alter genetic markers of metabolic disease — any of the diseases or disorders that disrupt normal metabolism. The… read on >
The updated bivalent COVID-19 boosters are now approved for use in children as young as 6 months of age, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today. Children can receive either a Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent booster shot, although the rules differ depending on their age and what type of vaccine they got as their… read on > read on >
Pausing longer-term hormonal therapies to have a baby will not raise a breast cancer survivor’s risk of her tumor recurring, a new clinical trial concludes. Women whose cancer is fueled by female hormones such as estrogen often are treated with medications — such as aromatase inhibitors or tamoxifen — that suppress those hormones or block… read on > read on >
