Teenagers who use e-cigarettes expose themselves to cancer-causing toxins, particularly if they choose fruit-flavored products, a new study reports. Urine tests revealed elevated levels of five different toxins in the bodies of teens who use e-cigarettes (often called vaping). And all of the toxins are known or suspected carcinogens, said lead researcher Dr. Mark Rubenstein,… read on >
A growing number of U.S. kids are ending up in the intensive care unit after overdosing on prescription painkillers or other opioids, a new study finds. Researchers found that between 2004 and 2015, the number of children and teens admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit for an opioid overdose nearly doubled. That included teenagers… read on >
Seeing too many social media posts from friends about their fitness activity can harm your body image, a new study contends. “When people received more posts about exercise, it made them more concerned about their weight — more self-conscious — and that’s not a good thing,” said study co-author Stephen Rains. He’s a professor of… read on >
Heart disease used to be thought of as a man’s issue, but women are unfortunately catching up. And though it’s still also thought of as an older person’s disease, lifestyle factors in your younger years can make you more susceptible. So it’s never too soon to protect heart health. Young women in particular aren’t always… read on >
Temporarily boosting the dose of inhaled steroids may not do much to reduce the frequency of severe asthma flare-ups in children, according to two new studies. Short-term increases in inhaled steroids might even be tied to slightly slowed growth in kids, one of the studies suggested. Asthma flare-ups in children are common and many doctors… read on >
The brutal flu season continues to ease its grip on the United States, with the latest government data showing that doctor visits are still dropping and less severe strains of the flu are starting to account for more infections. But hospitalizations for flu are still rising, as are pediatric deaths. For the third week in… read on >
American soldiers who have babies after a recent deployment are at increased risk of preterm birth, a new study suggests. The finding comes from the analysis of data on nearly 12,900 births to U.S. soldiers from 2011 to 2014. Overall, just over 6 percent of the births were premature — three or more weeks early.… read on >
If you’re pregnant and want to exercise in warm weather or take hot baths or short saunas, that’s safe, according to new research. Australian researchers said that doing so — within limits — should not raise your body temperature to a point that would put your baby at risk. The findings come from an analysis… read on >
High school is a major milestone in a teen’s life. And, while kids want their independence, it’s important to stay involved at this crucial juncture, say experts from the University of Pittsburgh. The reason: good parenting has academic, behavioral and emotional benefits for teens. But what might need to change is how you “parent.” The… read on >
Teens who develop a negative body image and act on those feelings may wind up stunting their social, physical and mental growth, the U.S. Office on Women’s Health says. Parents can promote a positive body image among their teens, foremost, by being positive role models, the agency says. That means eating a healthy diet and… read on >
