As Fires Rage, Survivors Struggle to Find Care

SOURCES: The New York Times: “Climate Scientists Warn of a ‘Global Wildfire Crisis.’ ” “ ‘Build Back Better’ Hit a Wall, but Climate Action Could Move Forward.” National Fire Protection Association: “Fire Loss in the United States During 2020,” “Home fires with ten or more fatalities.” CNN: “Survivors of California’s deadliest wildfire are now helping other survivors…

Study Says Pfizer COVID Vaccine Wanes in Kids Ages 5 to 11

March 1, 2022 — You may have already seen the headline: The Pfizer vaccine’s effectiveness against COVID-19 infection drops to 12% in 5- to 11-year-olds. But how do experts interpret this and other results from this preprint study? Despite the findings, which have not been peer-reviewed, researchers at the New York State Department of Health,…

Parents of Trans Teen Sue Texas to Stop Investigations

March 1, 2022 The parents of a transgender teenager in Texas filed a lawsuit to stop state agencies from investigating reports of gender-transition procedures on children as cases of possible child abuse. The parents, identified as John and Jane Doe, and their child, identified as Mary Doe, say in the complaint that an investigator from…

Newly Diagnosed Diabetes in COVID Patients Often Temporary

MONDAY, Feb. 28, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Newly diagnosed diabetes in many COVID-19 patients may be a temporary type triggered by COVID, according to a new study. Blood sugar levels returned to normal in about half of the newly diagnosed diabetes patients after they left the hospital, and only 8% required insulin after…

Why Losing Your Temper and Yelling at Your Kids Isn’t Cool

When Mary Wyatt was growing up, her mother yelled a lot. “My mother yelled at me for my behavior, grades, or even when she struggled with her own personal trials,” says Wyatt, a motivational coach and mother of two who lives in Chesterfield, VA. When Wyatt became a mother, she found herself repeating the pattern…

Social Isolation and Loneliness Linked to Heart Disease

Feb. 28, 2022 — Social isolation and loneliness are linked to a greater risk of heart disease, stroke, and death from heart disease among postmenopausal women, suggests a new U.S. study. Even after adjusting for other risky behaviors, such as smoking and being physically inactive, social isolation and loneliness were related to higher odds of…

Media Needs Safer Reporting on Suicide: Experts

Feb. 24, 2022 — How should the media safely report on suicide? The news of Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst’s untimely death by suicide on Jan. 30 stunned the world. Scrolling through breaking news headlines and social media feeds, many questioned how an accomplished lawyer, TV host, and social activist could have taken her own…

Sudden Reaction to a Food? It Could Be Adult-Onset Allergy

FRIDAY, Feb. 25, 2022 (HealthDay News) — You bite into an apple and suddenly your mouth starts tingling. Or you eat shrimp for dinner and get hives. You’re not a kid and you’ve been able to eat these foods your whole life, so what’s going on? A number of conditions could be the cause, but…

Voices in Your Head: Wearing Headphones Changes Listening

FRIDAY, Feb. 25, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Headphones have a much greater impact on listeners than external speakers because they put voices “inside your head,” a new study explains. “Headphones produce a phenomenon called in-head localization, which makes the speaker sound as if they’re inside your head,” said study co-author On Amir, a professor of…

Dry Drowning & Secondary Drowning: Symptoms and Warning Signs

You pay close attention to your kids when they’re swimming or playing in the pool, splashing in the ocean. You make sure a lifeguard is on hand, and you never leave your little ones alone near any water — even the tub. And that’s the right thing to do. But there’s still more you can…