More Than 321,000 U.S. Kids Lost a Parent to Drug ODs in a Decade

More than 320,000 U.S. children lost a parent to drug overdose during the past decade, according to a new study reported May 8 in JAMA Psychiatry.

What’s more, the death rate accelerated during the period, more than doubling between 2011 and 2021, researchers found.

About 27 children per 100,000 had a parent die from an ov...

There's a New Set of COVID Variants Called FLiRT: What You Need to Know

The virus behind COVID has mutated again, this time producing variants nicknamed FLiRT, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported.

The variants are appearing in wastewater sampling, the CDC said, and case monitoring suggests that between April 14 and April 27, one FLiRT variant called KP.2 made up about a quart...

Drive to Be 'Perfect' Parent Isn't Healthy, Survey Finds

Parents striving to be “perfect” will never attain that goal, and the aim isn’t even healthy for their families, a new study says.

The risks of striving for perfection are such that researchers have now created a scale to help parents track their burnout and, if necessary, counter it.

The first-of-its-kind Working Parent Burnou...

How Bad Was Beethoven's Lead Poisoning?

No one knows what caused the liver and kidney disease that led to Ludwig van Beethoven’s untimely death.

But one popular theory – that high lead levels killed the great composer – should be ruled out, researchers argue in the journal Clinical Chemistry.

Analysis of samples taken from preserved locks of Beethoven’s ha...

Big Rise in Emergencies Involving Synthetic Weed Among Kids, Adults

Calls to U.S. poison centers regarding so-called synthetic cannabis jumped 88% between 2021 and 2022, as use of these legally sold products rose, research shows.

Synthetic cannabis contain varying forms of the active ingredient in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC): delta-8 THC, delta-10 THC and THC-O acetate. 

They're banned...

How Mindfulness Could Help Folks Quit Opioids

WEDNESDAY, May 8, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Using mindfulness to help people trying to overcome opioid addiction can boost their odds of continuing treatment, new research shows.

The approach helps folks how to deal with tension, savor life and reframe their thinking, the researchers explained.

"Better treatment protocols could save ...

Candy Company Recalls Products Due to Salmonella Risk

A Midwestern candy company has issued a massive recall due to the risk of salmonella tainting some of its products.

Palmer Candy Company of Sioux City, Iowa, is recalling “white coated confectionary items” because they could be contaminated with salmonella, the company announced this week.

The products are sold in bags, pouches, ...

Study Finds Heart Damage in 'Couch Potato' Kids

Children and young adults who are couch potatoes could wind up with enlarged hearts, increasing their risk of heart attack, stroke and early death.

Sedentary behavior contributed as much as 40% to the total increase in heart size between the ages of 17 and 24, researchers found.

Further, a lack of movement helped enlarge teens’ hea...

Helping Your Child Make Friends With a Child With Autism

Kids are very likely to make the acquaintance of a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at some point, whether they know it or not.

An estimated 95% of children with disabilities enroll in regular schools, experts say.

“Given the rates of autism diagnosis and our ability to identify it, most kids will meet an autistic...

Planters Peanut Products Under Recall Due to Listeria Risk

Planters peanut products sold at Publix and Dollar Tree in five states are being recalled due to the risk of Listeria contamination, maker Hormel announced.

The products are Planters Honey Roasted Peanuts (4 ounces) and Planters Deluxe Lightly Salted Mixed Nuts (8.75 ounces).  

So far, there have been no reports of illness linke...

That 'New Car Smell' Could Be Toxic Carcinogens

“New car smell” is a beloved benefit of buying a new vehicle.

However, at least part of that scent could be due to toxic carcinogens released by flame retardants, a new study says.

Flame retardant chemicals added to seat foam and other car components pollute the cabin air inside all personal vehicles, according to findings publis...

Gene Discovery Points to a New Form of Alzheimer's

People who carry two copies of the gene mutation most strongly implicated in Alzheimer’s disease are almost certain to develop brain changes related to the degenerative disorder, a new study says.

A single mutated APOE4 gene has been found to pose the strongest genetics-driven risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer’s, researchers said.

Scientists May Have Located Your Brain's 'Neural Compass'

Researchers say they’ve identified a human “neural compass” -- a pattern of brain activity that helps prevent humans from becoming lost.

For the first time, the internal compass humans use to orient themselves and navigate through the environment has been pinpointed in the human brain, researchers reported May 6 in the journal Na...