Tips to Prevent Children from Falling Out a Window. A young child can fall from an open window in a moment’s notice, so it’s vital for parents and caregivers to take measures now to help prevent such a tragedy. The National Safety Council recommends always supervising young children, keeping windows locked when children are near,…

Smartphone Could Screen for Jaundice in Newborns. A team from the University of Washington is developing a smartphone app called BiliCam that could make it easier for doctors and parents to monitor newborns to determine if blood tests are needed to confirm jaundice. Caregivers can use the app by placing a calibration card on the…

Best Time for Sun Exposure. Sun exposure is important for vitamin D synthesis, but too much sun can increase an individual’s risk for skin cancer. In a newly published study, a research team from Oslo University Hospital recommends the best times for optimal vitamin D production with minimal risk of skin cancer development are between…

Smartphone App Could Help Doctors Diagnose Hereditary Diseases. Hereditary diseases can be difficult to detect, as they can present an array of symptoms similar to other illnesses. Researchers have created a smartphone app called “Phenomizer” that can help simplify diagnosis for these types of conditions. Doctors begin by entering the symptoms of their patient into…

Protect Your Eyes When Using a Swimming Pool. Swimming in chlorinated pools can wash away the outer film layer of the eye, increasing a swimmer’s risk for infections such as pink eye. Chlorine can also lead to red and irritated eyes, as well as blurry vision. The following tips can be helpful in preventing or…

Is the PSA Test Worth It? The debate continues over the value of the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test to screen men for prostate cancer. A new study points out that testing reduces prostate cancer deaths, but overdiagnosis occurs in roughly 40% of cases detected by screening. This results in a high risk of overtreatment that…

Older Women May Benefit from Mammograms. The results of a new study indicate that women who are age 75 and older may still benefit from routine mammograms; however, not all experts agree with this finding. Guidelines from organizations such as the United States Preventive Services Task Force claim there isn’t enough evidence on routine mammograms…

Protecting Children’s Teeth. The American Dental Association recommends the following to promote healthy teeth in children: don’t share feeding spoons with baby or place baby’s pacifier in your mouth; wipe gums after feedings; begin brushing as soon at teeth come in; provide supervision when brushing until age 6; never put juice or soda in bottles;…

Men Who Have Smoked Should Be Screened for Aneurysms. A panel of American health experts recommends that older men who smoke or who are ex-smokers should be screened for an abdominal aortic aneurysm. An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a weak spot in the main blood vessel that takes blood from the heart and can be…

Breast Cancer Detection Rate Improves with New Screening Technique. Adding a 3D imaging technique called tomosynthesis to digital mammography appears to result in both a reduction in the number of patients being called back for additional testing and an increase in breast cancer detection rates. Digital tomosynthesis takes multiple X-ray pictures from different angles. The…