New research provides further proof that helmets are essential for young users of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and dirt bikes. Wearing a helmet significantly reduces their risk of moderate or severe head injuries in crashes, and also lowers their risk of death, the study found. “For neurosurgeons treating pediatric trauma patients, these findings are not at…  read on >  read on >

More kids swallowed small magnets and batteries in 2020 compared to previous years — a worrisome surge that dovetailed with pandemic stay-at-home orders. An analysis of data from more than 100 U.S. hospitals found that the number of kids 17 and younger who were treated for swallowing foreign objects remained about the same from 2017…  read on >  read on >

Free menstrual pads and tampons must be provided in restrooms at all California public schools and colleges starting in the 2022-2023 academic year. The bill, signed on Oct. 8 by Gov. Gavin Newsom, adds to a 2017 law requiring low-income schools in disadvantaged areas to provide students with free menstrual products, the Associated Press reported.…  read on >  read on >

Merck & Co. announced Monday that it had submitted an application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergency use approval of the first antiviral pill targeted to COVID-19. Experts say authorization of molnupiravir, at this time only for use inhigh-risk Americans, could be a major advance in the struggle against COVID-19 because a…  read on >  read on >

Golf carts aren’t just for golfing anymore: They also abound in retirement communities, on farms, and at sporting and other events. But the downside of that newfound popularity may be that an increasing number of children and adolescents are injured from the carts each year, a new study suggests. A research team from the Children’s…  read on >  read on >

It’s okay for American children to go trick-or-treating this Halloween, Dr. Anthony Fauci says. During an appearance on CNN‘s State of the Union on Sunday, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert said trick-or-treating is an outdoor activity where there’s less risk of coronavirus infection, CBS News reported. “This is a time that children love. It’s…  read on >  read on >

A drowning child has a much lower risk of severe disability or death if a bystander steps in, even without cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), new research finds. “Bystanders play a critical role in preventing poor outcomes in childhood drowning by instituting safe, early and effective rescue and resuscitation of pediatric drowning victims,” said author Dr. Rohit…  read on >  read on >