Jack-o’-lanterns can be scary, but they shouldn’t be dangerous. Last year, pumpkin carving accounted for nearly 3,200 of the 16,706 Halloween-related injuries treated in U.S. emergency departments, doctors’ offices and clinics, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. “Pumpkin carving is a fun activity, but it can result in serious cuts on the hand and… read on >
All Mommy:
Making Halloween Less Scary for Teens With Allergies, Asthma
Teens with allergies and asthma can enjoy Halloween as long as they take precautions, an allergist says. “There’s no reason a teen with allergies should have to miss anything,” said Dr. Bradley Chipps, president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Teens usually know the drill when it comes to handling their food… read on >
Could Herpes Virus Help Cause Alzheimer’s?
There’s growing evidence that the herpes virus responsible for cold sores also may cause Alzheimer’s disease, a new research paper contends. It’s been long known that herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV1) can been found in the brains of elderly people with Alzheimer’s disease, and research has shown that herpes increases Alzheimer’s risk in people genetically… read on >
Hormonal Changes Might Lead to Hernias in Aging Men, Mouse Study Suggests
Age-related increases in estrogen may be the reason why inguinal hernias are common among older men, new research with rodents suggests. Inguinal hernias occur when soft tissue — often part of the intestines — protrudes through a weak spot in the abdominal wall near the groin. These hernias are the most common reason men undergo… read on >
Juul Drawing Lots of Teen Followers on Twitter
Though the maker of Juul e-cigarettes has claimed its product is aimed at adult smokers trying to quit, almost a quarter of the company’s Twitter followers are under 18, a new study finds. And many of these young fans are retweeting the company’s messages, investigators added. The findings are cause for worry, the University of… read on >
Try Small ‘Bites’ to Get Kids to Exercise
Kids take their cues from mom and dad, so it only makes sense to participate with them when teaching them the merits of exercise. Couch potato kids are a real concern. The College of New Jersey exercise science professor Avery Faigenbaum defined the term exercise-deficit disorder — or EDD — to draw attention to our… read on >
Experts Sound Warning About ‘Baby Boxes’
Cardboard baby boxes are gaining fans, but are they as safe as cribs and bassinets? Experts say no. Without supporting evidence, “the cardboard baby box should not be promoted as a safe sleeping space, but as only a temporary substitute if nothing else is available,” said Peter Blair, a professor at the University of Bristol… read on >
Preeclampsia Tied to Tripling of Dementia in Later Life
High blood pressure during pregnancy can be a sign of preeclampsia — a potentially life-threatening complication. Now, new research suggests preeclampsia might also make women more vulnerable to a specific type of dementia. Women with a history of preeclampsia were 3.4 times more likely to suffer from vascular dementia later in life, the researchers found.… read on >
U.S. Birth Rates Continue to Drop as Age of New Moms Rises
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 17, 2018American women are having fewer children, and they’re having them later in life, a new government report shows. “Overall, we saw continuing decreasing trends in total fertility,” said report author Danielle Ely, a health statistician at the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), which is part of the U.S. Centers for Disease… read on >
Number of Autism Genes Now Tops 100
The number of genes known to be associated with autism now stands at 102, researchers report. They also said that they’ve made significant progress in distinguishing between genes associated with autism and those associated with intellectual disability and developmental delay, conditions that often overlap with autism. The analysis of more than 37,000 genetic samples collected… read on >