A leading medical group is offering testing guidelines for children with autistic behaviors. The American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Environmental Health emphasized that certain measurements to test for exposure to chemicals are not helpful to guide treatment. The council pointed out that just because a chemical is found in the body doesn’t mean it… read on > read on >
All Mommy:
On Father’s Day, Give Dad Tips to Keep Healthy
Men tend to put their health care last, but Penn State Health offers some tips this Father’s Day for ensuring guys stay healthy in the future. “Men tend to take care of their cars more frequently than they do themselves. But when men wait to see the doctor once their ‘check engine’ light comes on,… read on > read on >
U.S. to Spend $3.2 Billion to Help Develop Antiviral Pills for COVID
After spending billions to speed the creation of COVID-19 vaccines, the United States said Thursday that it will now devote $3.2 billion to the development of antiviral pills that could stop the new coronavirus before it does its worst damage. Along with “accelerating things that are already in progress” for COVID-19, the new program would… read on > read on >
Hospitals: One Reason COVID Is More Lethal for Black Americans
Black COVID-19 patients in the United States are more likely to die than white patients, but there would be 10% fewer deaths among Black patients if they could get the same level of hospital care as white people, according to new research. “Our study reveals that Black patients have worse outcomes largely because they tend… read on > read on >
Dads of ‘Preemie’ Babies Can Be Hit by Depression
Postpartum depression strikes fathers of premature babies more often than previously thought, and it can linger longer in fathers than in mothers, a new study finds. The researchers screened for depression in 431 parents of premature infants in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and identified depression symptoms in 33% of mothers and 17% of… read on > read on >
Survivors’ Plasma Helps Blood Cancer Patients Battle COVID-19
Giving COVID-19 survivors’ blood plasma to blood cancer patients hospitalized with COVID-19 significantly improves their chances of survival, a new study finds. “These results suggest that convalescent plasma may not only help COVID-19 patients with blood cancers whose immune systems are compromised, it may also help patients with other illnesses who have weakened antibody responses… read on > read on >
Pfizer, Moderna Vaccines Do No Harm to Male Fertility: Study
The Pfizer and Moderna COVID vaccines pose no threat to male fertility, a finding experts hope will prompt more men to get vaccinated. Researchers noted that the original clinical trials of the two mRNA vaccines didn’t assess how they might affect fertility. “Vaccine hesitancy is a barrier to ending the COVID-19 pandemic, and we believe… read on > read on >
Pot Use May Change the Teenage Brain, MRIs Show
Smoking pot appears to affect teens’ brain development, altering it in ways that could diminish their reasoning, decision-making and memory skills as they age, a new study reports. Brain scans of about 800 teenagers found that those who started smoking pot tended to have increased thinning of the cerebral cortex — the outer layer of… read on > read on >
Animal Study Offers Hope for a Better Herpes Treatment
Aiming to deliver a one-two punch to the herpes virus, animal research on an experimental drug found it tackled active infections and reduced or eliminated the risk of future outbreaks. Existing treatments, such as Zovirax, Valtrex or Famvir, are only effective at the first task; they can help treat cold sores and genital eruptions once… read on > read on >
$10,000: What New Parents Might Pay for Childbirth, Even With Insurance
Having a baby is expensive. The cost of diapers, a crib, a car seat and all the other infant necessities can really add up, and now a new study shows that having a child comes with its own hefty hospital price tag for many U.S. families. About one in six families in the Michigan Medicine… read on > read on >