Laser Pointers Pose Dangers to Eyes. A recent study detailed four cases of children whose use of laser pointers resulted in traumatic injury to the retina. This type of injury can lead to blurry vision, blind spots, or potentially permanent vision loss. Furthermore, experts report that treatment options for retinal damage resulting from laser pointers…

Dosing Errors Common with Liquid Medications for Children. According to laboratory experiments, four out of five parents made at least one dosing error when using either a dosing cup or an oral syringe when dispensing liquid medication to their children. Researchers asked over 2,000 parents of children age eight or younger to measure nine doses…

Excessive Alcohol Consumption Poses Dangers to Those with Atrial Fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is a common heart rhythm disorder described as an irregular and often rapid heart rate that can elevate the risk of stroke, heart failure, and other heart-related complications. In a new study, researcher followed more than 25,000 adults with this condition for five…

Injuries Increase as Trampoline Parks Expand. As indoor trampoline parks have grown in popularity, so have trampoline-related injuries to kids. According to the International Association of Trampoline Parks, the number of such parks increased in the United States from 35 to 280 between 2011 and 2014. Investigators found that emergency rooms saw an increase in…

Breastfeeding on the Rise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 81.1% of new mothers are now breastfeeding their children, up from 79% in 2011. However, almost half abandon the practice by the time their child is six months old. Additionally, less than a third continue to breastfeed through their offspring’s first…

Many Women Weigh Too Much Before Pregnancy. United States health officials say that more women are starting their pregnancies heavier than ever before. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 50% of women who became pregnant in 2014 were either overweight or obese when they conceived. The findings are concerning as two…

Americans Are Heavier Than 20 Years Ago. According to a new report, the average American has put on about fifteen pounds (~6.8 kg) since the late 1980s and early 1990s. The authors of the report speculate the reasons behind the increase in weight are most likely related to tendencies toward less exercise and more access…

Men Have a Greater Risk of Cardiac Arrest. Researchers examined data on more than 5,200 men and women, aged 28 to 62, who took part in the long-running Framingham Heart Study and found that about one in nine men will suffer a cardiac arrest before the age of 70, compared with about one in thirty…

Do Migraines Increase Risk of Cardiovascular Disease? An analysis of data collected from 115,541 women enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study II indicates that migraines may be an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The researchers found that women with a history of migraines had a greater risk for major cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks,…

Is Modern Lifestyle to Blame for the Obesity Epidemic? When it comes to the obesity epidemic, is nature to blame… or nurture? An analysis of data from nearly 8,800 adults participating in a nationwide health and retirement study revealed that participants were more likely to pack on more pounds if they were born later in…