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09 Mar

Half of All Child-Poisoning Deaths Caused by Opioids, New Study Finds

Opioids accounted for 52% of poisoning-related deaths in infants and young children in 2018, researchers say.

Health News Results - 375

More Than 3 Million 'Calico Critters' Toys Recalled After Choking Deaths to 2 Kids

Calico Critters animal figures and sets that were sold with bottle and pacifier accessories are being recalled due to a choking hazard.

Epoch Everlasting Play has recalled more than 3.2 million of the toys, the

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • March 9, 2023
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  • 'Childproof Your Weed': Protecting Your Kids From Edibles

    With cannabis poisoning soaring among U.S. children, an expert from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles offers tips for keeping kids safe from so-called “edibles.”

    “The best way to keep your kids safe from marijuana edibles is not to have them in your home,” Dr. Colleen Kraft, an attending physician in ...

    Gearing Up for Kids' Sports Season? Put Safety First

    Playing sports can be good for kids of all abilities.

    A leading medical organization offers some tips for getting children involved, while helping keep them safe and injury-free.

    “We encourage children to play a variety of sports, both to increase their enjoyment over time and to avoid injuries we often see with overuse,” said

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • March 4, 2023
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  • Why Instant Noodles Are a Danger to Your Kids

    Ramen danger: A steaming cup of instant noodles is a big cause of scald injuries in children, researchers report.

    A new study that examined pediatric admissions at University of Chicago Medicine for burn injuries caused by hot liquids found that nearly one-third were caused by instant noo...

    This Super Bowl, Keep Little Hands From Tip-Over TVs

    Watching the big game on a big TV? Keep safety in mind if young children are around.

    Seven of 10 fatal furniture tip-over incidents in children involve a falling television, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns.

    Its latest report on furniture-related tip-over incidents turned up an annual average of 19,400 tip-over injuries treated in emergency rooms from 2019 to...

    Is Rest Really Best After a Child Has a Concussion?

    When kids suffer a concussion, an extended period of rest at home is always the best course, right? Perhaps not.

    In fact, a new study suggests that -- despite what many people may presume -- getting kids back to school quickly is the best way to boost ...

    Omicron Silver Lining: Fewer, Milder Cases of MIS-C in Kids

    The COVID-19 Omicron variant caused fewer cases of a rare but sometimes deadly complication for children than the earlier Delta variant did, new research shows.

    “Our study is one of the first to show that during the change to Omicron, MIS-C has become milder and increasingly rare,” said senior researcher

    Gun Deaths to Kids Are Rising in Pandemic, U.S. Hospital Study Shows

    If a study conducted at one St. Louis hospital is a good indicator, the COVID pandemic is tied to a surge in childhood injuries and deaths due to firearms.

    Black children and those in low-income households were at greater risk, according to the University of Missouri-led study.

    “We found a significant increase in pediatric firearm injury rates during the pandemic compared to the ...

    Too Few Kids Are Getting Recommended Vaccines, CDC Warns

    Vaccinations among kindergarteners declined for the second year in a row, leaving hundreds of thousands of young children vulnerable to dangerous infectious diseases, U.S. health officials reported Thursday.

    About 93% of kindergarteners had their required vaccinations during the 2021-2022 school year, including the measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis, polio and chick...

    Kids Living Near Airports Face Lead Poisoning Dangers

    While U.S. policymakers have attempted to lower lead exposure among children since the 1970s, new research finds that kids living near airports are still being exposed to dangerous levels of the heavy metal.

    “Across an ensemble of tests, we find consistent evidence that the blood lead levels of children residing near the airport are pushed upward by the deposition of leaded aviation ga...

    As Popularity of Weed Edibles Rises, So Do Accidental Poisonings in Kids

    As more U.S. states legalize marijuana, the number of preschoolers accidentally eating cannabis "edibles" is rising in tandem, a new study shows.

    In the past five years, U.S. poison control centers have witnessed a whopping 14-fold increase in calls about youngsters who got their hands on marijuana edibles.

    In 2017, there were just 207 cases reported nationally. By 2021, that had b...

    Babies in Danger From Ingesting Opioids Laced With Animal Tranquilizer

    When a toddler or an infant accidentally ingests a prescription opioid medication, the immediate results can prove deadly, experts warn.

    But another new worrisome dynamic is afoot in the United States, a just-published study reveals: pediatric poisonings from a particularly lethal combo — a ...

    Target Recalls Over 200,000 Weighted Blankets After 2 Children Suffocated

    The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Target Corp. have issued a recall for more than 200,000 Pillowfort weighted blankets for children because they can create an asphyxiation risk.

    Four children have become trap...

    Holiday Toys: Fun, But Remember Safety, Too

    Keeping an eye on safety will let the joy from holiday toys last longer, without a trip to the emergency room, experts say.

    Last year, more than 200,000 people were treated in emergency departments for toy-related injuries, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

    Dr. R...

    Race Plays Big Role in Whether Kids Learn to Swim

    Black children and teens drown in swimming pools at rates seven times higher than white children, but a new survey suggests that special swimming programs could make a difference and help save lives.

    The survey, from the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, found that only 25% of Hispanic parents and 28% of Black parents were comfortable with their own swimming ski...

    FDA OKs Bivalent COVID Boosters for Kids 6 Months and Older

    The updated bivalent COVID-19 boosters are now approved for use in children as young as 6 months of age, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today.

    Children can receive either a Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent booster shot, although the rules differ depending on their age and what type of vaccine they got as their primary series, the FDA said.

    Kids 6 months to 5 year...

    U.S. States With Tighter Access to Welfare Payments Have More Kids in Foster Care

    Researchers have discovered a link between access to welfare payments and foster care.

    As many as 29,000 fewer children may have entered the foster care system during the 12-year study if U.S. states had made it easier for poor families to receive cash through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

    "The relatively small amount of income provided through...

    Put Safety at Top of Your Holiday Toy Gift List

    Getting toys for some of the tots in your life this holiday season? Experts at Penn State Health offer tips on making safe choices.

    Each year, about 200,000 U.S. children end up in the emergency room with a toy-related injury, ranging from poisoning to choking hazards, according to Jen Lau

    Shopping Black Friday for TVs, Furniture? Don't Forget the Tip-Over Kit

    That new television, cabinet or appliance you're looking to snag on Black Friday or Cyber Monday could bring unexpected dangers to your home.

    So don't forget to buy a kit to anchor it to the wall and keep it from tipping over and harming young kids, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) urges.

    "With the holiday shopping season upon us, it is critical to anchor your new TV or...

    Your Child Is Sick. Do You Call Your Doctor or Head to the ER?

    It's a common dilemma when your child seems sick: Do you call the doctor, make a trip to urgent care or head straight to the emergency room?

    If it's not an emergency, a call to your child's pediatrician may help guide you. The doctor's staff may recommend bringing your child in for a visit or going to urgent care -- particularly after hours when the pediatrician's office isn't open.

    <...

    Keeping T-Day Kitchens Safe for the Whole Family

    The whole family — even the youngest members — can take part in Thanksgiving's hours of food preparation by following some safety tips.

    The nation's leading pediatrics organization offers some holiday advice for families with young children.

    “There's a lot of excitement and joy surrounding meal preparation at this time of year, but it also can be stressful,” said

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • November 23, 2022
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  • When a Parent Is Jailed, Children's Health Care Suffers

    Children's health is jeopardized when they have a parent in prison, new research finds.

    In the United States, 5 million kids have an incarcerated parent. Those children have worse access to primary, dental and mental health care than their peers, the investigators found.

    And that puts the kids at risk of worse mental and physical health outcomes, according to the study.

    “...

    More U.S. Kids Are Heading to ERs After Drinking Cough Suppressant

    Increasing numbers of young children are showing up in emergency rooms after accidentally ingesting the cough suppressant benzonatate, U.S. health officials reported Tuesday.

    Benzonatate is a non-narcotic cough suppressant first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1958 for children ages 10 and up. It works by reducing the cough reflex in the lungs and airways.

    "Benz...

    Pediatricians Offer Tips on a Spooky But Safe Halloween

    By the time they're in elementary school, kids typically know their favorite parts about celebrating Halloween.

    But the holiday is still new to babies and toddlers, and some little ones may find it all too much.

    That's OK, said pediatrician Dr. Dina DiMaggio, a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She offered some tips for getting started with babies and toddlers who might ...

    Child Danger: Almost Half of Parents Have Leftover Meds at Home

    Getting into prescription or over-the-counter medicines at home is a major source of accidental poisoning for young children.

    Yet, nearly half of parents say they have leftover prescriptions at home, a new poll shows.

    "We found that it's common for parents to keep m...

    Online Sexual Abuse of Kids Is Common; Perps Usually Friends, Partners

    Substantial numbers of kids and teens are being tracked, lured and sexually abused online, and adult strangers aren't always the perps.

    In many cases, it's friends and dating partners who are doing the grooming, a new study shows.

    The prevailing image of online sexual abuse is an older predator ...

    Even Before Uvalde, Gun-Related Deaths to Texas Schoolchildren Were Rising

    School-age children are increasingly dying after being injured with guns, with firearms now the United States' second-leading cause of death in 5- to 18-year-olds.

    After 19 children and two teachers were killed and 17 others were wounded in May at a school in Uvalde, Texas, researchers set out to investigate ...

    FDA Approves New Bivalent COVID Booster for Use in Children

    The new bivalent COVID-19 booster is now approved for children as young as 5 years old, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday.

    The bivalent booster shot includes one part that protects against the original strain of the COVID-19 coronavirus, and another part that targets the hi...

    Could Video Games Trigger Dangerous Heart Rhythms in Kids?

    Playing video games may seem sedentary, but it can be enough to trigger life-threatening heart arrhythmias in certain vulnerable children, a new report finds.

    Researchers in Australia pulled together reports of 22 children and teens who suffered heart rhythm disturbances while playing video games. In many cases, th...

    Big Rise in E-Scooter Injuries Among U.S. Kids

    With the growing popularity of electric scooters, the number of kids injured while riding them has jumped dramatically, a new study finds.

    Moreover, those injuries have become more ...

    Gun Injuries to Kids Rose During Pandemic

    Firearm sales in the United States broke records at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Now, researchers have found that firearm injuries to children also increased during the pandemic's first two years compared to the preceding year.

    Fractured Skulls, Broken Bones: Bike Injuries Still Common for Kids

    Over 1 million U.S. children and teens — many of them male — have broken bones and fractured their skulls in bicycle injuries over the past 20 years, according to new research that brought together two decades of data.

    Boys aged 10 to 15 were particularly at risk. Nearly 87% of kids with

    Half of Cases of Childhood Blindness in U.S. Didn't Have to Happen

    More than half of sightless children in the United States did not have to lose their vision, according to a new study.

    The findings suggest the need to prioritize addressing preventable vision loss in all children in America, said study co-author Dr. Scott Lambert, a professor of ophthalmology at Stanford University in California.

    He recalled the story of a child diagnosed with cat...

    Study Probes Links Between Vaccines and Asthma in Kids, With Inconclusive Results

    Aluminum in childhood vaccines has long been the cause of speculation about a potential link to allergies and asthma, but a new study designed to figure out whether there might be a connection did not come to a definitive conclus...

    Sleep Experts Warn Against Giving Melatonin to Children

    Use of the over-the-counter sleep aid melatonin is increasing among young people, and calls to poison control centers and visits to the emergency room are also on the rise.

    This is mostly because young children and teens are accidentally ingesting more of the supplement than is safe, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    In response, the American Academ...

    Thousands of U.S. Kids Have Died Riding ATVs, Many More Sent to ERs

    Pediatric surgeon Dr. Rony Marwan has seen way too many kids who have been seriously injured in all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accidents.

    "My kids are not allowed to ride in ATVs because of the horrific things I have seen," said Marwan, ...

    High Levels of PFAS 'Forever' Chemicals in Kids' School Uniforms

    Your children's school clothes may look neat, but are they safe to wear?

    Maybe not.

    Researchers found high levels of dangerous chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in school uniforms sold across North America. These chemicals — which can build up in people and the envir...

    Back to School: Keeping Kids Safe From Dangerous Food Allergies

    The back-to-school season may bring on stress for parents of children who live with food allergies.

    Parents can help reduce fear and anxiety by following some safety tips from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

    School districts may have different policies for how to keep school...

    Chicken Cooked in NyQuil? Help Kids Steer Clear of Social Media 'Medicine Challenges'

    Misusing over-the-counter medications can have dangerous consequences, but recent social media trends encouraging this could be downright deadly for gullible teens, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned Thursday.

    One concerning trend has been a challenge that encouraged people to cook chicken in NyQu...

    Declutter That Crib: 'Bare Is Best' for Baby's Safe Sleep

    When putting baby to bed, skip the cozy comforters, stuffed animals and pillows.

    The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says bare is best — just a sheet. And, it urges, always put baby down for a rest in products specifically designed for their sleep, including cribs, bassinets and play yards.

    “What is comfortable for the way adults sleep, isn't

  • By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • September 18, 2022
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  • Abuse Early in Life May Mean Tougher Menopause Decades Later

    It's well-known that hot flashes, sleep disturbances and symptoms of depression are common issues during menopause. Yet not every woman experiences these symptoms at the same level of severity.

    A new study suggests...

    Lawsuit Claims Amazon's Top-Selling Mattress a 'Health Hazard'

    Customers who bought a bestselling mattress sold on Amazon and at retailers nationwide are suing the manufacturer amid claims that fiberglass fibers in the product have damaged their health.

    <...

    Leading U.S. Pediatricians' Group Issues Guidelines to Prevent Patient Abuse

    Recent years have seen several high-profile cases of doctors sexually abusing young patients. Now the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is issuing new recommendations aimed at prevention.

    Medical visits are usually a safe place for children and teenagers, but when abuse does happen, it is an egregious violation.

    One reason, the AAP says, is because parents and kids trust that hea...

    Child ER Visits for Swallowed Button Batteries Doubled in a Decade

    Trista Hamsmith's 18-month-old daughter, Reese, died after swallowing a button battery that slipped out of a remote control in the fall of 2020, and the mom-turned-advocate has spent the past two years trying to make sure no other child di...

    2 Million Infant Swings, Rockers Recalled Due to Strangulation Danger

    Millions of infant swings and rockers are being recalled because crawling babies can get entangled in straps that dangle beneath them.

    The recall applies to MamaRoo and RockaRoo swings and rockers manufactured by Thorley Industries of Pittsburgh. The company, which does business under the name 4moms, and the...

    One Back-to-School Worry for Parents: Traffic Dangers

    The dangers of school traffic is a major worry for many parents, a new poll finds.

    In fact, a third of more than 900 parents surveyed last spring said speeding and distracted parent drivers are their main concern, and drivers who don't follow the rules should be banned from school parking areas.

    According to the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health from ...

    Wind Can Uproot Kids' Bouncy Castles, With Tragic Results

    Inflatable bounce houses are big, colorful, cheap to rent and practically scream "childhood fun." So, what could possibly go wrong?

    It turns out plenty. For one thing, the air-filled party staples are vulnerable to being blown aloft and even flipped over if left unmoored, a new study warns.

    But even when staked firmly in place, researchers warn that the biggest problem is the potent...

    1 in 4 Kids Hospitalized With COVID Have Symptoms Months Later

    More than a quarter of kids hospitalized with COVID-19 or a complication called multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) continue to have health problems more than two months later, a new study finds.

    A follow-up of COVID cases from 25 hospitals found that 27% of children and teens hospitalized with acute infection and 30% of those with

    B 8/11 -- Pandemic Showed Teachers' Key Role in Spotting Child Abuse

    Teachers play a critical role in the early detection and reporting of child abuse, according to a new study that found school closures during the height of the pandemic may have meant that up to 8,000 reports of endangered children were missed.

    "Child maltreatment is a vex...

    COVID May Be Tied to Rise in Brain Infections in Children

    COVID-19 may be linked to a rise in bacterial brain infections in children, a new study suggests.

    When the pandemic hit, doctors at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital of Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids, Mich., saw a worrisome 236% rise in these infections and wondered why.

    Although rare, these infections can be mild, needing only antibiotics to clear, or severe, requiring surgery and t...

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