There have been good and bad changes to U.S. children’s diets during the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers say. “Providing healthy meals and snacks to our kids can be a challenge even when we’re not experiencing a pandemic,” said senior study author Susan Carnell. She’s an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins… read on > read on >
All Mommy:
New COVID Variants May Weaken Vaccines, But Shots Will Still Protect You: Experts
The new coronavirus is mutating in an attempt to elude vaccines and treatments, putting a greater onus on Americans to get vaccinated and use social distancing measures to avoid infection, U.S. health officials said Friday. New COVID-19 variants out of South Africa and Brazil — B.1.351 and P1, respectively — contain a mutation called E484K,… read on > read on >
As New COVID Variants Emerge, Do You Need to ‘Double Mask’?
Could wearing two masks be better than one? The emergence of new and more infectious COVID-19 variants has led health experts to consider “double masking” as a potential way to better protect yourself and those around you. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating whether donning a medical mask underneath a typical… read on > read on >
Anti-Vaxxers Mounting Internet Campaigns Against COVID-19 Shots
People who are hesitant about getting the COVID-19 vaccine don’t have to work hard to find internet rumors and theories that will fuel their fears regarding the vaccine’s safety. That’s because anti-vaccine groups and individuals are working overtime to promote frightening, false theories about the two COVID-19 vaccines that have now been administered to more… read on > read on >
Most High School Students Are OK With Wearing Masks: Survey
A research team studying live streams of high school graduations from last July found that most high schoolers are willing to wear masks. Students just need more education on how to wear them properly, as well as information about the importance of being consistent, researchers said. “The key to preventing the spread of the COVID-19… read on > read on >
Too Many Kids With Special Needs Are Going Without Adequate Support
As many as one in five U.S. children has special health care needs, and some of their caregivers are struggling to get them the support, care and services they need, new research shows. Kids with special health care needs may have physical conditions (such as asthma or diabetes), mental health issues (including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or… read on > read on >
Women’s Menstrual Cycles Tied to Moon’s Phases
There have long been theories that women’s menstrual cycles align with the moon, and now a new study suggests there’s some truth to that. Using years of records kept by 22 women, researchers found that for many, menstrual cycles “intermittently” synced up with the phases of the moon. The link happened only about one-quarter of… read on > read on >
States Start to Loosen Restrictions as U.S. COVID Cases Level Off
Some states have started to ease tight social distancing restrictions as COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations begin to plateau across the United States. Still, the emergence of more infectious coronavirus variants in this country has prompted many officials to proceed cautiously on reopening their economies, the Associated Press reported. The recipe for the balancing act seems… read on > read on >
Early Promise for Therapy Against Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
An experimental gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy shows promise, a small study suggests. The severe form of muscular dystrophy — which affects about one in 3,500 males born each year in the United States — causes muscles to progressively weaken and lose the ability to regenerate after an injury. Muscle tissue is eventually replaced… read on > read on >
Do Touchscreens Make Your Toddler More Distractible?
Too much screen time can make your toddler more distractible, British researchers warn. The use of smartphones and tablets by babies and toddlers has soared in recent years. “The first few years of life are critical for children to learn how to control their attention and ignore distraction, early skills that are known to be… read on > read on >