Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Experts Advise Exams For Siblings Of Suspected Abused, Neglected Children
The Washington Post: Siblings Of Child Abuse Victims Also Should Be Examined, Experts Say
When children are brought to a doctor with suspected injuries related to abuse or neglect, they often undergo MRIs and other screenings designed to find internal injuries. Now, an international group is calling for pediatricians to examine siblings and other children who may have been exposed to abuse. In a consensus statement in JAMA Pediatrics, a group of 26 pediatricians and radiologists with experience working with cases of suspected child abuse calls for the routine examination of “contact children” — siblings, children who live with a suspected victim and those cared for by suspected perpetrators. (Blakemore, 6/10)
On the health effects of loud noise —
The New York Times: Noise Could Take Years Off Your Life. Here Are The Health Impacts
On a spring afternoon in Bankers Hill, San Diego, the soundscape is serene: Sea breeze rustles through the trees, and neighbors chat pleasantly across driveways. Except for about every three minutes, when a jet blazes overhead with an ear-piercing roar. A growing body of research shows that this kind of chronic noise — which rattles the neighborhood over 280 times a day, more than 105,000 each year — is not just annoying. It is a largely unrecognized health threat that is increasing the risk of hypertension, stroke and heart attacks worldwide, including for more than 100 million Americans. (Baumgaertner, Kao, Lutz, Sedgwick, Taylor, Throop and Williams, 6/9)
The New York Times: Are You Exposed To Too Much Noise? Here’s How To Check
You can search your ZIP code in an online noise map developed by the Transportation Department. But keep in mind that the map uses 2018 data and accounts only for transport-related noise — and, like all modeled data, it is based on approximations — so it pales in comparison with on-the-ground measurements. (Baumgaertner, 6/9)
In other health and wellness news —
Indianapolis Star: Salad Mixes From Indianapolis Company Recalled, May Have Metal In Them
Make sure to double-check your veggie drawer. Various salad mixes have been recalled because they may have metal in them. The salad brand is called Fresh Location. The food service company that distributes the salad, H.T. Hackney, is in Indianapolis. H.T. Hackney provides products to various stores across the country, including supermarkets, convenience stores, drug stores and more. These salads have been distributed across the Midwest, specifically in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio. The recall started on May 16 and continues today. (Womack, 6/9)
The Atlantic: The Growing Battle Over Infant Milk Allergies
Cow’s-milk-protein allergies, or CMPA, might be on the rise—following a similar trend in other children’s food allergies—and they can upend a caregiver’s feeding plans: In many cases, a breastfeeding parent is told to eliminate dairy from their diet, or switch to a specialized hypoallergenic formula, which can be expensive. (Szalinski, 6/11)
KFF Health News: What Does A Chatbot Know About Eating Disorders? Users Of A Help Line Are About To Find Out
For more than 20 years, the National Eating Disorders Association has operated a phone line and online platform for people seeking help for anorexia, bulimia, and other eating disorders. Last year, nearly 70,000 individuals used the help line. NEDA shuttered that service in May, saying that, in its place, a chatbot called Tessa, designed by eating disorder experts with funding from NEDA, would be deployed. (Wells, 6/12)
KFF Health News: Chronic Lifeguard Shortage Serves As Springboard To Address Racial Inequities
Two summers ago, a teenager who had jumped off the diving board started struggling in the deep end, her arms flailing. It took only a few seconds for lifeguard Makenna John to notice the girl’s distress. She grabbed her rescue tube, jumped in, and helped the girl to safety. This summer is Makenna’s third lifeguarding at the public pool in Roxana, Illinois, a village in the St. Louis area. Although dramatic rescues are relatively rare, she estimates that up to a quarter of the roughly 50 people she keeps a watchful eye on during a shift can’t swim. Then there are the daredevils and children whose parents think they’re better swimmers than they are. (Andrews, 6/12)
