Just 2% of young dental patients without COVID-19 symptoms tested positive for the new coronavirus, according to a new study. Kids with COVID-19 are typically asymptomatic but can carry high levels of SARS-CoV-2 and spread it to others, University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) researchers noted. Their study included 921 patients, aged 2 to 18, who…  read on >  read on >

An infant will generate a lot of poop during the first year of life, but the very first one may offer key clues about the risk of developing allergies. Researchers analyzed samples of meconium from 100 babies enrolled in the CHILD Cohort Study, a long-term health study of children in Canada. Meconium is a dark…  read on >  read on >

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday proposed a ban on menthol cigarettes, a move that the agency has tried before and one that public health experts and civil rights groups have pushed for years. Menthol cigarettes have been marketed aggressively to Black Americans for decades: About 85% of Black smokers use menthol brands,…  read on >  read on >

Being born even slightly premature might still raise a child’s risk of developmental problems, a new study finds. Preemies often have developmental issues, but previous research has tended to focus on those born extremely preterm (22-26 weeks’ gestation), so less is known about children born moderately and very preterm (27-34 weeks’ gestation). Average full-term gestation…  read on >  read on >

Could your genes be to blame for your hot flashes? New research suggests that’s so, with genetics playing a role in both the severity and frequency of those hallmarks of menopause. While hot flashes are common, they don’t affect all women to the same degree and the reasons for those differences are unclear. Genetics have…  read on >  read on >

Most young people do want to protect others from COVID-19, according to polls of 14- to 24-year-olds that suggest focusing on this message may be effective. “Public health campaigns should leverage youths’ desire to protect others and not be the cause of spread,” said Dr. Kao-Ping Chua, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University…  read on >  read on >

Bullied and mistreated teens are much more likely to fantasize about hurting or killing others, a new study warns. “One way to think about fantasies is as our brain rehearsing future scenarios,” said lead author Manuel Eisner, director of the University of Cambridge Violence Research Center in the U.K. His research included more than 1,400…  read on >  read on >