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More Screen Time for Babies Could Slow Development

Too much screen time can lead to developmental delays in babies, researchers say.

When 1-year-olds viewed screens for more than four hours a day, they had delays in communication and problem-solving skills when assessed at ages 2 and 4, according to a new study published Aug. 21 in

Study Confirms it: Texting While Walking Is Dangerous

It seems obvious that texting and walking can be a dangerous duo, but now a new Australian study offers solid evidence of the dangers.

Emergency room doctors Dr. Michael Levine and Dr. M...

Does Your Kid Need a Summer Vacation From Smartphones?

Summer vacation has begun for some families and screen use may already feel like too much.

A psychiatrist from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston offers some tips for making sure smartphones and tablets are put to good use and not used to excess.

Dr. Laurel Williams, a professor in the dep...

One Key to Good Sleep for Teens: No Social Media at Bedtime

Teens need their sleep, and a new study sheds light on one way to help them get it: Keep cellphones and screens out of the bedroom.

“Getting enough sleep is crucial for teenagers because it helps their body and mind grow and develop properly,” said lead author Dr. Jason Nagata, an assistant professor of pediatrics at...

Half of U.S. Drivers Say They Often Use Cellphones Behind the Wheel

Texting and driving can be deadly. Holding your phone in your hand to talk and surfing the internet while behind the wheel is dangerous, too.

This is widely known, but a new survey finds that about half of all respondents still use an electronic device most or every time they drive.

“I'd s...

Scrolling, Staring at Screens Could Give You 'Tech Neck'

If you spend hours a day scrolling on your smartphone or tablet, you might get "tech neck."

“Humans are upright creatures, and our bodies aren't designed to look down for long periods of time, which puts extra pressure on the cervical spine,” said Dr. Kavita Trived...

1 in 10 Teens Have Sexted, Many See Porn by 6th Grade: Study

A high number of preteens and teens in the United States have viewed pornography and many have also sent or received nude or seminude photos -- sexting -- over their smartphones, a new study reveals.

“The prevalence rates we found in this study suggest that school counselors must be prepared to talk about sexting and pornography use with students, and to change the narrative about the...

Your Smartphone Is a Haven for Allergens

That smartphone in your hand could be triggering your allergies, a new study by an 18-year-old high school student suggests.

A science fair project by Hana Ruran, of Hopkinton, Mass., found that cellphones are often loaded with cat and dog allergens, bacteria and fungi.

“I have my phone always with me. It's always in my hand. I never put it down for anything,” said study author...

Speeding, Texting a Dangerous Duo for Many Teen Drivers: Study

Danger on the road: Speeding and texting while driving are two common but risky behaviors among teens, a new study finds.

Among teen drivers in the study, researchers found they drove over the speed limit on 40% of trips and held cellphones more than 30% of th...

With Smartwatch, Cardiac Rehab at Home May Work Best

A new smartwatch could be a key player in preventing heart attacks among people suffering from risky heart conditions, a new study claims.

Using the smartwatch to track their heart health, patients in a home-based cardiac rehab program were more than 20% less likely to land in the hospital t...

Can Your Smartphone Spot a Narrowed Neck Artery?

A smartphone video could detect a blocked blood vessel in your neck that could cause a stroke, a new study suggests.

The American Heart Association says videos may provide a non-invasive way to screen people who are at risk of stroke.

Nearly 87% of strokes are the ischemic type, which happens when fatty depos...

Half of Parents Don't Realize Impact of Screens on Kids' Vision

Most parents are overlooking simple steps to protect their kids' eyes from overexposure to electronic screens, a new nationwide poll shows.

One in 7 respondents said their 3- to 18-year-olds haven't had a vision test in two years. Yet half of respondents acknowledged that screen time has a big imp...

Muting Your Phone May Cause More Stress, Not Less

Are you plagued by FOMO -- "fear of missing out"? Then silencing your smartphone may not be the stress-buster you think it is.

That's the takeaway from a new study that found many folks check their phones a lot more when they're set to mute or vibrate than when they beep and ring.

"Without any clear 'buzz' or sou...

Can Wearables Track the Severity of COVID Symptoms?

Fitness trackers can tell you how well you're sleeping, how fast you're walking and, of course, how many steps you've taken.

But during the pandemic, researchers have also investigated the ability of smart watches to help detect COVID-19 or provide data on recovery.

The latest study uses several measures of heart rate data to help track the progression of symptoms in someone wh...

Do You Really Need That Nose Job? Selfies Distort Facial Features, Study Shows

With the advent of smartphones came the rise of selfies, shared daily by "like"-seeking millions across social media.

But a small new study suggests that, unlike photos taken with regular cameras, smartphone selfies distort facial features in a not-so-flattering way. And those unappealing - if inaccurate - results may be fueling a hankering for

  • Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
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  • April 8, 2022
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  • Full Page
  • Alexa Will Soon Put Users in Touch With Telehealth Doctors

    Alexa can already play your favorite song or tell you whether it is going to rain, but soon you may also be able to tell the popular voice assistant to contact a doctor for health issues.

    The service from Amazon and telemedicine provider Teladoc Health will be available around the clock on Amazon's Echo devices, the Associat...

    Apps Can Help Keep Older Folks Healthy - But Most Don't Use Them

    Mobile health apps can help older Americans but only about four in 10 use them, and those most likely to benefit are least likely to take advantage of them, a new survey reveals.

    Health apps monitor everything from calories and exercise to blood pressure and blood sugar to help users manage chronic conditions or achieve health goals.

    "Now that most older adults have at least one mob...

    Screens Near Bedtime Bad for Preschoolers' Sleep

    It's crucial to keep preschoolers away from screens and other sources of light in the hour before bedtime if you want them to get a good night's sleep, researchers say.

    That's because even a little bit of light exposure can trigger a sharp drop in the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin, according...

    Telemedicine as Good as In-Person for Many Health Conditions: Review

    Chatting with your doctor via video about your health issues works just as well as an in-person office visit, at least when it comes to managing chronic illnesses, a new review suggests.

    Replacing office visits with video checkups delivered results that were just as effective for patients being treated for conditions like diabetes, respiratory illnesses, chronic pain, heart problems and n...

    Parents Underestimate How Much Time Teens Spent Online During Pandemic

    Parents, think you have a good handle on how much time your teens are spending on social media?

    Don't bet on it. New research suggests your best guesstimate is likely way off.

    Parents significantly underestimated their teens' social media use -- especially girls' -- during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the study showed.

    "Although most parents and their teens spent ...

    Online Programs, Phone Apps Can Help Treat Depression

    People with depression symptoms might find some help from online programs or smartphone apps -- but the human component remains key, a new research review suggests.

    Not everyone with depression can readily get to face-to-face therapy -- whether due to time, distance, money or stigma. But smartphones are n...

    Reminder Apps on Smartphones May Help in Early Dementia

    Despite stereotypes about seniors and technology, a small study suggests that older adults in the early stages of dementia can use smartphone apps as memory aids.

    The researchers found that older people with mild impairments in memory and thinking were not only able to learn how to use the apps, they said the digital aids made their daily lives easier.

    The apps were not specially de...

    U.S. Adolescents' Daily Screen Time Doubled During Pandemic

    As teens dramatically stepped up their screen time during COVID-19 lockdowns, their well-being took a hit, a new study reveals.

    Recreational screen time among U.S. teens doubled from before the pandemic to nearly eight hours per day during the pandemic, according to the report. And this estimate doesn't include time spent on screens for remote learning or schoolwork, so the total was like...

    Smartphone Apps May Aid in Heart Attack Recovery

    After a heart attack, a smartwatch app may help keep patients from being hospitalized again, researchers say.

    The app helps patients keep track of medications and make lifestyle changes. It may also reduce rehospitalization in the month after discharge by half, according to a new report.

    The American Heart Association says one in six heart attack patients returns to the hospital wit...

    Smart Phones, Watches Can Mess With Implanted Pacemakers

    Do you have an implanted defibrillator or pacemaker? Try keeping your smart watch or smart phone a few inches away from them.

    New research from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration finds that your phone or watch could interfere with implanted heart devices.

    Based on the new findings, heart patients and health care providers should be aware of potential risks, the research team...

    Too Much Screen Time Could Raise Your Odds for Stroke

    You've heard the warnings about kids who are forever glued to their screens, but all that screen time can have devastating health effects for grown-ups.

    If you're under 60, too much time using a computer, watching TV or reading could boost your risk for a stroke, Canadian researchers warn.

    "Be aware that very high sedentary time with little time spent on physical activity can have a...

    More 'Green Time,' Less Screen Time Boosts Kids' Mental Health

    Want to see a temperamental tween or teen act happier?

    The formula is simple, a large international study suggests.

    "Screen time should be replaced by 'green time' for optimizing the well-being of our kids," said study author Asad Khan, an associate professor in biostatistics and epidemiology at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia.

    That advice stems from survey...

    Text 'Nudges' May Help Boost Vaccination Rates

    Text "nudges" about easy access to COVID-19 vaccines can increase vaccination rates, even among people hesitant to get a shot, a new study suggests.

    "We found that text messages stressing the accessibility of the vaccine -- and that included ownership language, such as that the vaccine has just been made available to you and to claim your dose today -- significantly increased vaccine upt...

    Telehealth: Tips for Helping Kids With Autism Take Part

    Telehealth is increasing in popularity in the United States, partly due to the pandemic. But some children with autism have difficulty sitting through these virtual appointments.

    Yet those visits can be a helpful part of a child's ongoing medical care, and their convenience may help limit time away from work and school, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics' Healthy Children web...

    How Secure Is Your Health or Fitness App?

    Your health and fitness apps may have privacy issues that put your personal information at risk, researchers warn.

    "This analysis found serious problems with privacy and inconsistent privacy practices in mHealth [mobile health] apps. Clinicians should be aware of these and articulate them to patients when determining the benefits and risks," lead study author Muhammad Ikram and his co-aut...

    Teens Who Text While Driving May Take Other Risks Behind the Wheel

    When it comes to teens, one risky driving behavior may beget other risky behaviors on the road: New research finds that those who use cellphones while behind the wheel are more likely to engage in other types of risky driving.

    "This study found that frequent cellphone use while driving was only one indicator of a more general pattern of risky driving practices associated with prior crashe...

    Your Teen's Smartphone Could Be Key to Unhealthy Weight

    Your teens' route to a healthy or unhealthy weight may be in their hands -- literally.

    New research out of South Korea shows that teens who spend too much time on their smartphones are also more prone to eating habits that increase their odds for obesity.

    One nutritionist who helps treat obesity in the young wasn't surprised by the findings.

    "Spending hours on end on your phon...

    What Type of Stent Did I Get, Where? Most Heart Patients Don't Know

    When someone comes in for a new heart stent, it's critical that the medical team doing the procedure knows several key facts about previous stents the patient has had.

    But fewer than half of patients receiving a stent were still carrying the stent card that has those details with them, a new study finds.

    Most of them - about 88% - do carry their phones, according to study author D...

    Magnets in Cellphones, Smartwatches Might Affect Pacemakers, FDA Warns

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning that strong magnets in some cellphones and smartwatches can interfere with pacemakers and other implanted medical devices.

    Studies have shown that these high-strength magnets may cause some implants to switch to "magnet mode," stopping normal functioning until the magnet is moved away from the device.

    Many implants have a "magnet mode...

    Most Post-Surgical Opioids Go Unused: Study

    Using cellphones to track patients' painkiller use, a new study found more than 60% of opioid painkillers prescribed to surgical patients after their procedures went unused.

    That has implications for the ongoing epidemic of opioid misuse in the United States, where unused medications can be diverted to others. Giving surgical patients only the amount of pills they need could help curb the...

    Does Too Much 'Screen Time' Have Your Preschooler Acting Out?

    Preschoolers who spend a lot of time watching movies and shows on TVs and other screens are more likely to develop emotional and behavioral problems by age 5, a Finnish study warns.

    But despite their reputation, video games did not appear to promote any emotional problems in youngsters, researchers concluded.

    "We found that high levels of screen time at the age of 1.5 years is relat...

    For Some Young Drivers, Smartphone Use Is One of Many Bad Habits

    Young drivers who cruise down the highway with a cellphone in hand probably exhibit other risky behind-the-wheel behaviors, a new study suggests.

    Talking or texting on a smartphone while driving correlates with a whole range of dangerous driving practices for many young, novice drivers -- from intoxicated driving to speeding, unsafely passing other vehicles or running red lights, said res...

    Do Touchscreens Make Your Toddler More Distractible?

    Too much screen time can make your toddler more distractible, British researchers warn.

    The use of smartphones and tablets by babies and toddlers has soared in recent years.

    "The first few years of life are critical for children to learn how to control their attention and ignore distraction, early skills that are known to be important for later academic achievement," said lead autho...

    Most Kidney Patients OK With Getting Text Reminders on Care

    Adults living with kidney failure are receptive to using mobile devices to help with their care, according to a new study.

    Mobile health can provide many benefits for patients, especially for those whose care is complicated and who have dietary restrictions, researchers said. Whether people on dialysis are ready to incorporate mobile technology in their care would be a limiting factor.

    Does Parents' Nagging Kids About Screen Time Even Matter?

    Parents' constant refrain, telling their teens to turn off the TV, stop playing video games or put down the cellphone, may not be necessary.

    And new research suggests those worried about their kids becoming addicted to technology may even be able to breathe a sigh of relief.

    The amount of time young people spend on technology -- and parental limits on that time -- had no lasting eff...

    Teens Benefit With Less Screen Time, More Time With Sports and Art

    Walking away from TV, laptops and cellphones and spending more time in sports and other extracurricular activities boosts teens' mental health, Canadian researchers say.

    Spending less than two hours a day browsing the internet, playing video games and using social media was linked to increased levels of life satisfaction and optimism and lower levels of anxiety and depression, especially ...

    Smartwatch EKGs Quickly Deliver Crucial Heart Data

    Could a smartwatch app save a heart attack patient's life? Quite possibly, according to Italian researchers.

    They found that electrocardiograph (EKG) readings from a smartwatch were nearly as accurate as standard EKGs among patients with suspected heart attacks.

    "A [standard] electrocardiograph is not always readily available," said study author Dr. Ciro Indolfi. "[So] the a...

    Cellphone Tracking Can Help Predict Pandemic's Spread

    Cellphone activity could be used to monitor and predict spread of the new coronavirus, researchers say.

    They analyzed cellphone use in more than 2,700 U.S. counties between early January and early May to identify where the phones were used, including workplaces, homes, retail and grocery stores, parks and transit stations.

    Between 22,000 and 84,000 points of publicly availab...

    Fast Food Makes an Unhealthy Comeback Among Kids

    After a period of improvement, U.S. kids are eating as much fast food as they were in the early 2000s, new government figures show.

    Researchers found that between 2003 and 2010, there was a decline in U.S. kids' intake of fast-food calories -- dipping from an average of 14% of daily calories, to just under 11%.

    The positive trend was short-lived, however. By 2018, th...

    Cyberbullies and Their Victims Can Both Develop PTSD

    Both cyberbullies and their victims can suffer from symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a new British study finds.

    Cyberbullying is bullying online rather than in person. It's so pervasive that pediatricians should routinely ask their patients about it as part of psychological assessment, the researchers said.

    "Parents, teachers and health professionals need...

    Telehealth May Help Rural Americans Keep the Weight Off

    Although many people can lose weight, few maintain the loss. Could individual telephone support be the key to keeping extra pounds at bay?

    New research suggests that telehealth counseling after weight loss may be just the support that people in rural areas need to maintain their weight loss long-term. At the 12-month point in the study, people who had individual telephone counseling ...

    Parents Unaware of Young Kids' Smartphone Use: Study

    Preschoolers may spend more time on smartphones or tablets than their parents realize, and some use apps intended for teens and adults, researchers report.

    A new study tracked mobile device use among 350 children aged 3 to 5 over nine months and compared their findings with parents' estimates of their use.

    Preschoolers with their own smartphones or tablets averaged two hours...

    Cellphones Are 'Trojan Horses' for Viruses, Study Finds

    Cellphones carry all kinds of germs, a new study finds, and researchers say phones should be cleaned regularly to cut the risk for coronavirus transmission.

    The advice follows a review of 56 studies that looked at the risk of cellphones being contaminated with bacteria, fungi or viruses. The investigations were conducted across 24 countries between 2006 and 2019, prior to the advent o...

    Screen Time for Tiniest Tots Linked to Autism-Like Symptoms

    Letting a baby watch a smartphone, tablet or TV at 12 months increases the odds the child will develop autism-like symptoms during the next year, new research suggests.

    On the other hand, if parents spent active play time with their child every day, the odds of autism-like symptoms decreased.

    "At 12 months, watching TV or DVDs was associated with more autism symptoms a...

    Smartphone Apps Might Track, Slow Spread of COVID-19

    Your smartphone could help stem the spread of coronavirus, British researchers claim.

    How? Their proposal for an app would record other app users who had recently been in close proximity. If a user became infected, he or she would update their status on their smartphone app, which would instantly and anonymously contact those app users who had been near the infected person.

    ...