A small fix might make reading a bit easier for kids with dyslexia, as well as their classmates: Increasing the amount of space between printed letters. That’s the finding of a small study that tested the effects of “extra-large” letter spacing on school children’s reading speed and accuracy. And it adds to a conflicting body… read on > read on >
One-quarter of U.S. parents report that their child has had to quarantine because of possible COVID-19 exposure since school started, a new poll finds. The nationally representative survey of 1,519 people conducted between Sept. 13 and Sept. 22 included 414 people who identified themselves as parents of children aged 17 and younger. Still, about two-thirds… read on > read on >
Pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. said Friday that it will seek federal approval for emergency use of its new antiviral pill molnupiravir, after a clinical trial showed the drug halved the risk of hospitalization or death when given to high-risk people shortly after infection with COVID-19. The new medication is just one of several antiviral… read on > read on >
It turns out that the pandemic has reaped one unexpected benefit: As teens were kept home more often, their use of electronic cigarettes dropped by nearly 40%, a new report finds. U.S. health officials said these numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, but the decrease in vaping in 2021 is probably real… read on > read on >
Besides the long-established benefits of breastfeeding for baby and mom, a new study reports one more: Nursing could help chase the blues away. It is linked to a lower risk for postpartum depression — the so-called “baby blues” — and nursing for a longer time may further ease depression symptoms, according to the findings. “Women… read on > read on >
FRIDAY, Oct. 1, 2021 (HealthDay News) – Bullying by a brother or sister in childhood can have lasting effects, threatening mental health in the teen years, new British research suggests. Researchers found that mental health was affected whether one was the bully or the victim. “Of particular note was the finding that even those who… read on > read on >
Whether you’re a kid or a college student, you’ll learn more with interactive activities, discussions, movement and even AI-enhanced technologies than you will just sitting still and listening, a new study suggests. Learning methods that work best are hands-on, as well as what the researchers called “minds-on” and “hearts-on,” using emotional and social support, the… read on > read on >
The country’s leading health agency on Wednesday implored all Americans who are pregnant, breastfeeding or planning to become pregnant to get a coronavirus vaccine. COVID-19 poses a serious risk to women who are expecting, since they are vulnerable because of pregnancy’s dampening effect on their immune system, experts say. But less than one-third of pregnant… read on > read on >
Despite the troubling findings of a congressional report released earlier this year on toxins in baby foods, a new report finds even more manufacturers are selling baby foods that contain potentially unsafe levels of heavy metals. The toxins in question include dangerous levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury, among others. “No level of toxic… read on > read on >
Someday, your smartwatch might be able to tell you if you’re coming down with a virus and how sick you’ll be — even before symptoms start. In a small study, researchers showed that a wearable device, like a Fitbit or Apple Watch, could detect which patients had the H1N1 flu and which had a common… read on > read on >
