The fight for Zika funding

The White House requested $1.9 billion in emergency funding for Zika in February

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/the-fight-for-zika-funding/

Will Congress fully fund the fight against Zika?

The CDC has requested nearly $2 billion to keep Zika at bay in the U.S. -- but Congress has yet to provide the money

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/will-congress-fully-fund-the-fight-against-the-zika-virus/

Greener spaces may be a sign of good health

Two major causes of death are less likely among women who live amid more grass and lush trees

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/greener-spaces-may-be-a-sign-of-good-health/

Commonly used heartburn drugs may lead to kidney damage: study

Experts say the research adds to evidence that people should only take the medication when medically necessary

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/commonly-used-heartburn-drugs-prilosec-nexium-prevacid-tied-to-serious-kidney-damage/

Study: Parasitic worms could help treat gut illnesses

New research suggests a parasitic worm can help create a healthy bacteria balance in the intestines

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/parasitic-worms-treat-gut-illnesses-crohns-disease-ibd/

Psoriasis May Raise Risk for Aneurysms in Abdomen

But overall chances of experiencing often fatal ruptures remain small, doctors say

From: http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/psoriasis/news/20160414/psoriasis-may-raise-risk-for-aneurysms-in-abdomen-study?src=RSS_PUBLIC

This Drug Shows Promise for People With Epilepsy

Eslicarbazepine may make management easier, safer for people with the disorder, researchers say

From: http://www.webmd.com/epilepsy/news/20160414/one-a-day-anti-seizure-drug-shows-promise-for-people-with-epilepsy?src=RSS_PUBLIC

About Half of Women Benefit From Mammograms at 40?

Study puts new scrutiny on latest guidelines, which recommend screening can begin at age 45 or 50

From: http://www.webmd.com/women/news/20160414/about-half-of-women-may-benefit-from-mammograms-at-40-analysis?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Colombia confirms first Zika-linked birth defects

Colombia has been fearing a surge in cases ever since the epidemic hit Brazil last year

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/colombia-confirms-first-zika-linked-birth-defects/

The best way to clean your grimy, bacteria-laden cellphone

Cellphones go everywhere with us, even into the bathroom, and have lots of germs to show for it

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-best-way-to-clean-your-grimy-bacteria-laden-cellphone/

Thyroid Cancer Cases in U.S. Level Off, Perhaps Reflecting Diagnostic Changes

'Epidemic of diagnosis' caused the increase, not harmful tumors, experts say

From: http://www.webmd.com/cancer/news/20160414/thyroid-cancer-cases-in-us-level-off-perhaps-reflecting-diagnostic-changes?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Zika Virus News: Birth Defect Link Confirmed

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS-dr8dZJ34

ND dentist named board chair of American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) announced in March that Dr. John Hamilton, of Williston, N.D., is its new board chair.

From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/april/nd-dentist-named-board-chair-of-american-cancer-society-cancer-action-network

Drug prices to soar nearly 50% over next few years

​Don't expect the ever-rising costs of prescription drugs to slow anytime soon, say experts who see big price hikes well into 2020

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/dont-expect-prescription-drug-spending-to-fall/

Teen Obesity May Up Middle-Age Illness, Death Risk

Health experts worry trend will only get worse, since teens followed in long-term study were thinner than kids today

From: http://teens.webmd.com/news/20160413/obesity-in-teens-seems-to-raise-risk-for-illness-death-in-middle-age?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Teen obesity may increase risk of death in middle age

Overweight teens face a greater chance of dying from heart troubles, a new study suggests

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/adolescent-obesity-may-increase-risk-of-death-in-middle-age/

Brain scans reveal what LSD does to the brain

A new study may explain why people "lose themselves" when they take psychedelic drug

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/brain-scans-reveal-what-lsd-does-to-the-brain/

"Suicide tourism" not an option under Canada's new law

Only five states in the U.S. now have laws that allow physician-assisted suicide

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/suicide-tourism-not-an-option-for-americans-under-canadas-new-law/

Breakthrough allows paralyzed man to move hands again

The first-of-its-kind system uses the paralyzed patient’s brain waves to guide his muscles

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/breakthrough-allows-paralyzed-man-to-move-hands-again/

Mayo Clinic Minute: Burned Out Nation

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIw6DfRT_0k

Hep C Liver Transplant May Work for Those Infected

Findings might help reduce organ waiting list, researchers say

From: http://www.webmd.com/hepatitis/news/20160414/hepatitis-c-infected-liver-transplants-may-work-well-for-those-with-the-virus?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Which kids are most likely to have prolonged concussion symptoms?

Today, more and more children are being diagnosed with concussions. We have evidence that these injuries are occurring more often. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that between 2001 and 2009, the rate of kids 19 years old and younger seen in the emergency department due to sports- or recreation-related injuries that included a diagnosis of concussion rose by 57%. And sports is only one cause of concussions—there are others including falls and car accidents. In addition, there is greater awareness among physicians, parents, and the “community.” We now have concussion laws in every state, and a much greater realization that “having your bell rung” is not a badge of honor but a significant brain injury.

Doctors in emergency departments and primary care, as well as neurologists and sport medicine specialists, have also become more and more expert at diagnosing concussions. But recognizing concussion is just a start. The ultimate goal is to get these children back to their normal lives. The tricky part is that it can be hard to tell in advance which kids are going to get better fairly quickly and which kids won’t. It is generally believed that about one third of children may experience concussion symptoms that last more than a month. Persistent post-concussive symptoms (PPCS) can impede return-to-learn and return-to-play.

One of the older concussion grading systems labeled children whose symptoms went away in 7 to 10 days as having a “simple concussion.” “Complex concussions” were those where symptoms lasted more than 10 days. By definition, these diagnoses could only be established after the fact.

An article recently published in JAMA proposed a risk scoring system that could make it easier for clinicians to guide families of children who just suffered a concussion going forward. This multicenter study was performed across pediatric emergency rooms throughout Canada. It looked at 46 separate risk factors, and determined that nine of them seemed to help predict the likelihood of PPCS, specifically:

1. being female
2. age of 13 years or older
3. physician-diagnosed migraine history
4. prior concussion with symptoms lasting longer than one week
5. headache
6. sensitivity to noise
7. fatigue
8. answering questions slowly, and
9. 4 or more errors on part of a specific test for balance.

Based on these nine risk factors, the authors created a 12-point grading scale that was able to stratify the children into low, moderate and high risk for suffering PPCS. It was reasonably accurate for kids rated as low risk for PPCS (4-11%) and high-risk kids (57-81%). However the risk for children in the moderate risk range was wide (16-48%), which makes it less useful for giving specific advice to families of these children.

It is difficult to know exactly how a child with a newly diagnosed concussion will fare. The children and their families are desperate to know if and when they’re going to get better, and clinical intuition is generally no better than random chance at determining this. If further study shows that the new grading scale works well across a wider spectrum of patients, for example, including those who go to primary care and specialty care clinics (rather than the emergency room), it will be very useful.

Concussion management has come a long way over the past 20 years. Not so long ago, it was really a black box for most clinicians and it is reassuring to think how far we have come. This newly proposed clinical risk score is another tool—one of many we’ve seen emerge—for clinicians to use going forward. It is now incumbent upon us as providers to figure out how to use them most effectively. For example, neurocognitive testing clearly has a role in concussion management, but while it was once thought to be a magic bullet, we now realize that it has to be used judiciously and within context of the overall disease process. This study is another step closer to improving the care of our young patients, and getting them back to school, learning, and a healthy life.

Related Post:

• Editorial calls for more research on link between football…
• Home score for strep throat in adults could avoid…
• Overweight children are at risk for heart disease as adults
• Falling TVs injure 17,000 kids a year
• Is football safe for kids?

The post Which kids are most likely to have prolonged concussion symptoms? appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Mark Proctor, MD http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/which-kids-are-most-likely-to-have-prolonged-concussion-symptoms-201604149437

Winners of ADA 2016 ‘#whyiattend’ contest announced

The Association on April 12 revealed the three winners of its contest tied to ADA 2016 – America’s Dental Meeting.

From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/april/winners-of-ada-2016-whyiattend-contest-announced

Nonprofit recruiting dental volunteers for St. Lucia mission

The ADA Foundation is helping to get the word out about Great Shape.

From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/april/nonprofit-recruiting-dental-volunteers-for-st-lucia-mission

How to Talk to Your Teen

Talking to a teenager can sometimes feel like interrogating an undercover agent. Try these six strategies.

From: http://www.webmd.com/news/breaking-news/teen-stress/20160414/how-talk-your-teen?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Teen Girls More Stressed Than Boys: Survey

Parents say their teenage daughters have higher levels of stress than their teen sons, citing causes such as college prep tests and poor body image, a WebMD survey shows.

From: http://www.webmd.com/news/breaking-news/teen-stress/20160414/teen-stress-survey?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Sorry? 6 steps for a successful apology

Here's what it takes to do it right, according scientists who study relationships, trust and conflict management

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/sorry-heres-how-to-apologize-according-to-science/

How Much Do Health Care Workers Skip Hand Washing?

Outpatient facility staff also found lacking at safe injection practices

From: http://www.webmd.com/hepatitis/news/20160413/health-care-workers-skipped-hand-washing-one-third-of-the-time-study?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Head and Neck Cancers May Be Linked to Hepatitis C

Researcher sees need for improved screening, treatment

From: http://www.webmd.com/hepatitis/news/20160413/head-and-neck-cancers-may-be-linked-to-hepatitis-c?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Suspended WV doctor on painkiller prescription practice

More than 14,000 Americans died in 2014 from misuse and abuse of prescription opioids

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/suspended-wv-doctor-on-painkiller-prescription-practice/

Paralyzed man: Regaining movement with brain signals "mind-blowing"

Ian Burkhart, who severed his spine in a diving accident 6 years ago, describes what it was like to be part of a scientific breakthrough

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/quadriplegic-ian-burkhart-moves-hand-scientific-breakthrough-limitations/