For some children with autism, there’s a connection between gastrointestinal problems and stress, anxiety and social withdrawal, a new study suggests. The findings could help efforts to develop personalized treatments for autism patients with gastrointestinal problems such as stomach pain and constipation, the University of Missouri researchers suggested. Such problems tend to occur more often…  read on >  read on >

Vegetarian diets are a healthy choice for growing kids — though they may slightly raise the odds of youngsters being underweight, a new study suggests. The study, of nearly 9,000 young children, found that those on vegetarian diets were, on average, of similar weight and height as their peers who ate meat. They were also…  read on >  read on >

Occupational therapy or low-impact exercise might be the key to relieving long-haul COVID symptoms like extreme fatigue, breathlessness and brain fog, a pair of new studies from Ireland suggest. The studies reflect two different — in some ways, opposite — approaches to dealing with symptoms that tend to plague long COVID patients. One study taught…  read on >  read on >

British researchers are warning of one more rising health danger: a drug-resistant mold found in the environment that infects certain people’s lungs. Aspergillus fumigatus can cause a fungal lung infection called aspergillosis in people with lung conditions or weakened immune systems. Aspergillosis, which affects 10 to 20 million people worldwide, is usually treated with antifungal…  read on >  read on >

As youth spring sports kick into high gear, it’s important to know about injury prevention and treatment, an expert says. Injury risks and preventive measures can vary by sport, according to Dr. Marcus Knox, a physical therapist in the department of orthopedic surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Young baseball pitchers are at…  read on >  read on >

If a mother reaches for cakes, chocolates or other snacks when she’s feeling down, her children could become emotional eaters as well. Kids’ chances of becoming emotional eaters are shaped by both their natural eating tendencies and their parent’s influence, according to a new British study. Emotional eating refers to indulging in “comfort” foods when…  read on >  read on >