As Many Kids Have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome As Autism, Yet They Are Slipping Through Cracks
New research finds that fetal alcohol spectrum disorders affect 1.1 to 5 percent of children in the country. In other public health news: stroke treatment, untreated water, black lung, death and aging, car horns and health, and more.
The New York Times:
Far More U.S. Children Than Previously Thought May Have Fetal Alcohol Disorders
More American children than previously thought may be suffering from neurological damage because their mothers drank alcohol during pregnancy, according to a new study. The study, published Tuesday in the journal JAMA, estimates that fetal alcohol syndrome and other alcohol-related disorders among American children are at least as common as autism. The disorders can cause cognitive, behavioral and physical problems that hurt children’s development and learning ability. (Belluck, 2/6)
The Wall Street Journal:
A Breakthrough Stroke Treatment Can Save Lives—If It’s Available
Minutes mattered to two Atlanta-area residents who showed severe-stroke symptoms last autumn. The right treatment done quickly can help prevent brain damage. An ambulance raced a 74-year-old man to a hospital nearby that wasn’t an institution capable of offering the most-advanced procedure. He arrived Oct. 30 at 9:30 a.m. with right-side weakness, unable to speak. (Burton, 2/6)
Stat:
If You Drink Untreated Water, This Is What You’re Drinking
Just as some people extoll the so-called benefits of unpasteurized milk, a segment of the bottled water market is now embracing the idea of “raw” water. The argument: It tastes better. It’s more natural. It doesn’t contain additives like fluoride, which is often added to municipal water supplies to combat tooth decay.But while the notion of crystal clear water bubbling up from a pristine spring sounds enticing, in reality there can be risks. ... Think of them as nature’s additives. While these bugs — things like Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Shigella and E. coli — can look lovely when captured by an electron micrograph, what they can do to your gastric track definitely isn’t. (Branswell, 2/7)
NPR:
Black Lung Study Finds Biggest Cluster Ever Of Fatal Coal Miners' Disease
Epidemiologists at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health say they've identified the largest cluster of advanced black lung disease ever reported, a cluster that was first uncovered by NPR 14 months ago. In a research letter published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, NIOSH confirms 416 cases of progressive massive fibrosis or complicated black lung in three clinics in central Appalachia from 2013 to 2017. (Berkes and Lancianese, 2/6)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
This Is How People Are Trying To Beat Death And Aging
In spite of that, there are thousands of people finding unique ways to potentially beat death − or at least beat aging. Some wealthy investors and renowned scientists are working very hard on trying to do just that. (Lemon, 2/6)
The Washington Post:
Why Car Horns, Planes And Sirens Might Be Bad For Your Heart
The roar of a jet plane, the rumble of a big rig, that shrill scream from the siren of a speeding emergency vehicle: The common but loud noises that keep you awake at night and agitate you throughout the day may have a notable effect on your cardiovascular health, experts say. (Bever, 2/6)
Kansas City Star:
New Drug From Missouri Company Addresses Waking Up To Pee
It’s become a running gag, along with aching joints and memory loss: One of the worst aspects of aging is having to get up in the middle of the night many times to pee. But for people who end up sleep-deprived, it’s no joke. Now a Missouri pharmaceutical company says it has a new medication that could help those who are 50 and older with the problem. (Marso, 2/6)
The New York Times:
Acne Can Increase The Risk For Depression
People with acne are at substantially higher risk for depression in the first years after the condition appears, a new study reports. Researchers used a British database of 134,427 men and women with acne and 1,731,608 without and followed them for 15 years. Most were under 19 at the start of the study, though they ranged in age from 7 to 50. The study is in the British Journal of Dermatology. (Bakalar, 2/7)
Kaiser Health News:
Listen: Why Don’t You Hear More About Sickle Cell Disease?
Jenny Gold, a Kaiser Health News senior correspondent, joined a panel of experts and patients to discuss sickle cell disease on “1A,” the national affairs radio show hosted by Joshua Johnson. The conversation on Feb. 5 tackled how discrimination may affect the level of attention sickle cell disease receives and why only two drugs exist to treat a problem that afflicts about 100,000 Americans. (2/7)
