More than 400 teething babies given homeopathic remedies to help ease gum pain developed serious health problems over the past six years, including seizures, shortness of breath, vomiting and constipation, according to an investigation by U.S. regulators. At least 10 died. The Food and Drug Administration is warning parents and care providers about the potential dangers from the teething products, though its investigation isn't yet complete. The agency said it hasn't conclusively determined that homeopathic products were directly responsible for the deaths, and it didn't identify any of the brands.
Bigger brains mean longer yawns
Everybody yawns. The reflexive deep, jaw-stretching inhale followed by a pause and a forced exhalation is pretty much ubiquitous in the animal kingdom, at least among creatures with the right anatomy for it. It's not clear why we yawn, but many scientists believe the action serves to cool down the brain. A new study in Biology Letters could add further support to this popular theory. If bigger yawns produce a greater cooling effect, the study authors hypothesized, then animals with bigger brains — and therefore more brain tissue to cool down — would produce more sustained yawns. Their data suggests that this is indeed the case.
Good heart attack care can add a year to life
Going to the right hospital for heart attack care could add a year to your life, a new study suggests. Using Medicare records, researchers found that roughly 17 years after a heart attack, average life expectancy was nine to 14 months longer for patients who had been treated at hospitals that do best on widely used quality measures than for those treated at low-rated ones. But if you're having possible heart attack symptoms, don't delay getting help because you're worried about which hospital to go to, said Yale cardiologist Dr. Harlan Krumholz, a study leader. "Just call 911. Too many people wait at home too long," and any delay means more risk of permanent heart damage.
Single concussion has lasting impact
A single concussion experienced by a child or teenager may have lasting repercussions on mental health and intellectual and physical functioning throughout adulthood, according to a new study. A report by Blue Cross Blue Shield says young people who experienced a single diagnosed concussion were much more likely than the nation's general population and than their own siblings to receive medical disability payments as adults. They also were significantly more likely to have sought mental health care and much less likely to have graduated from high school or to have attended college than their uninjured brother or sister. And they were about twice as likely as siblings to die prematurely.
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