Following years of decline, fatal car accidents involving teen drivers have accelerated in the United States, a leading group of U.S. pediatricians warns. New research also reveals that teenage drivers are more likely to be involved in a serious or deadly crash than any other age group, notes the American Academy of Pediatrics. The group… read on >
In the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, residents of the Carolinas are facing a new health threat: mold. Mold-related illnesses are a serious concern following severe flooding in North and South Carolina, say experts from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. “Where there’s dampness and water, there’s mold,” said Paula Schenck, of the division of… read on >
Crowded airports and planes can seem daunting to parents travelling with small children, especially when the unpredictability of air travel is factored in. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests how to make air travel less stressful: Get to the airport early, especially when traveling with a younger child — to give your family extra time… read on >
As Florence unleashes her full fury on the Carolinas, residents who stayed put need to know that flooding will be even more dangerous than the high winds of this hurricane. Making landfall near Wrightsville Beach, N.C., around 7 a.m. Friday, the category 1 hurricane was pounding the historic town of New Bern, which sits just… read on >
With Hurricane Florence barreling toward the Carolinas, the National Safety Council offers steps to stay safe. As mass evacuations begin in coastal North Carolina, and states of emergency are declared in Virginia and North and South Carolina, the council urges those along the East Coast to monitor the storm’s path and heed government warnings. Florence,… read on >
All terrain vehicles (ATVs) may be a great form of recreation, but they should be used with care to prevent serious injury. Children who are too young for a driver’s license shouldn’t be allowed to ride ATVs, the American Academy of Pediatrics says. Children are involved in about a third of all ATV-related deaths and… read on >
The threat of rattlesnake bites in California decreases during droughts and increases after rainy weather, a new study finds. Rainy spells result in more shrub growth and, with that, more rodents, the snakes’ primary food source, said study author Dr. Grant Lipman, an emergency medicine physician at Stanford Medicine, and colleagues. “More food, more snakes,… read on >
Kids should ride in rear-facing car safety seats until they reach the highest height and weight their seat can hold, a leading pediatricians’ group now says. The previous advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics was to stop using a rear-facing seat when a child was 2 years old. “Fortunately, car seat manufacturers have created… read on >
More and more pregnant or breastfeeding women are using marijuana, and U.S. pediatricians are pushing back against the notion that the drug is “safe.” There’s evidence that exposure to marijuana compounds might harm the fetus, and these compounds might also find their way into breast milk, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says in a… read on >
Nearly 40 percent of teen drivers in the United States say they text while driving, a new survey finds. Researchers analyzed survey data from teen drivers aged 14 and older in 35 states and found that more than a third said they’d texted while driving at least once in the month before the survey. In… read on >
