COVID-19 infections may last longer in young people with weakened immune systems, and that extended period could lead to more mutations in SARS-CoV-2, according to the authors of a new case study. The study included two children and a young adult who had weakened immune systems due to treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. For months,… read on > read on >
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 >
Kids exposed to air pollution may be at risk for mental illness in early adulthood, a new study suggests. Researchers found that young adults in Britain who were exposed to higher levels of traffic-related air pollutants during their childhood and teen years were prone to develop symptoms of mental illness later. Nitrogen oxides were a… read on > read on >
Over 100 American colleges will require that students get coronavirus vaccines if they want to be on campus in the fall, a new survey shows. More than 660,000 cases have been linked to universities since the start of the pandemic, with one-third of those reported since Jan. 1, The New York Times reported. And COVID-19… 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 >
There’s some sobering news for the millions of Americans who skipped their second coronavirus vaccine dose: Doing so could greatly reduce their odds of avoiding severe illness. In a “real-world” study of 417 adults aged 65 or older who got either the Pfizer or Moderna two-dose vaccines, effectiveness in keeping folks out of the hospital… 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 >
