Young baseball pitchers are at risk for overuse injuries, but there are ways to reduce that risk, a sports medicine expert says. “Pitching year-round, inadequate rest between seasons and pitching in multiple leagues all have been linked to an increase in elbow and arm injuries,” said Dr. Eric Makhni. He’s a physician and surgeon at… read on >
Growing up in a disadvantaged neighborhood may mean more visits to the emergency room, a new study suggests. When children came from areas of “low opportunity,” they were about one-third more likely to have been treated at an urgent care center or an emergency room than kids from areas with more opportunity. They were also… read on >
A mismatch between a college student’s class schedule and natural body clock can cause a type of “jet lag” and worse grades, a new study reports. Night owls with morning classes suffer the most, researchers concluded after comparing class times and grades of nearly 15,000 students. “We found that the majority of students were being… read on >
Cradle cap, medically called infantile seborrheic dermatitis, is a relatively harmless condition that leads to rough and scaly skin patches on a newborn’s scalp. The condition isn’t contagious and typically goes away without treatment. The website kidsHealth.org suggests visiting a doctor if: You are treating cradle cap for the first time. Your child has the… read on >
Obesity can lead to liver disease in kids as young as 8 years old, a new study warns. The long-term study of 635 children in Massachusetts found that a bigger waist size at age 3 increases the odds that a child will have a marker for liver damage and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by age… read on >
Blood levels of a flame retardant have fallen in American children since use of the chemicals was banned in consumer products, a new study finds. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were once widely used in household items, such as couches, mattresses, carpet padding and other upholstered items. In 2004, pentaBDE — a specific mixture of PBDEs… read on >
Rear-facing car seats provide effective protection for children in rear-end crashes, researchers say. Previous studies have shown that rear-facing car seats significantly reduce infant and toddler injuries and deaths in front- and side-impact crashes. But there has been little data on rear-end crashes, which represent more than one-quarter of collisions, according to the Ohio State… read on >
Young women with elevated blood pressure before pregnancy appear to have a greater risk of miscarriage, even if they haven’t been diagnosed with full-blown high blood pressure, a new study suggests. Risk of pregnancy loss increases about 18 percent for every 10-point increase in a young woman’s diastolic blood pressure (the lower number), which indicates… read on >
Women who have a baby with a congenital heart defect may face a heightened risk of heart disease years later, a large study suggests. Researchers found that among more than 1 million women, those who’d given birth to a baby with a heart defect were up to 43 percent more likely to be hospitalized for… read on >
A baby’s risk of death from being placed in an unsafe sleeping position or location is higher when they’re under the care of a baby sitter, relative or friend, a new study found. The finding shows the need for parents to educate anyone who cares for their infants about safe sleep practices and Sudden Infant… read on >
