News
5 ways my pediatrician dad taught me to keep myself, and my kids, healthy
During grade school and middle school, I envied my friends who were snuggled in their warm, fluffy beds as they recovered from a cough, a virus or a suspicious “get out of a test” illness. Less than a mile away, I sat at my cold classroom desk with the wooden seat,...
Researchers are working to create a universal flu vaccine
Researchers in labs across the country are working to develop a one-time flu vaccination that would give people long-term protection from all strains of the flu. Now, researchers are trying to take the guesswork out of that vaccine development. The flu virus spreads...
Here are the most common flu symptoms in kids
The most common flu symptoms are fever (though not always), cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches and fatigue, according to the CDC. Additional symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea occur more often in kids than adults. There is no...
Fewer adults got the flu shot last season
The number of adults who got a flu shot declined last season, which was the deadliest in four decades, according to final estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Estimates of flu vaccination coverage among adults shows 37.1 percent of Americans...
What to know about the Polio-like illness in Michigan
The CDC has confirmed at least 62 cases of acute flaccid myelitis, a polio-like illness that strikes children, in 22 states. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has now said it has received reports of 127 suspected cases of acute flaccid myelitis or...
Study finds repeated flu vaccines don’t reduce their effectivness in kids
Getting repeated flu vaccines year after year doesn’t reduce their effectiveness in children and, in fact, may boost immunity against some influenza strains, researchers reported Friday. Their findings, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association,...
Need a Flu Shot? Get It Now
Immunity tends to wane by 20 percent a month, leaving those who got their shot in August or September with less than desirable protection by the time they’re exposed. If you’ve waited until now to get your flu shot, your procrastination may actually pay off, though...
Michigan amongst states reporting widespread hepatitis A outbreaks
Prior to boarding your next international flight, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now recommending Hepatitis A and measles vaccinations to most travelers pre-departure checklist. This is important news since Hepatitis A is among the most common...
Parents plan unsafe chickenpox party. One parent ‘swamped with requests’ to share disease
A group of Boulder, Colorado, parents are sharing with each other the very best way to assure their children contract chickenpox. In case you're wondering, "tenting" is best. Thought chickenpox parties were old-fashioned ways that parents exposed children to...
Man nearly killed by flu encourages others to get vaccinated
A Wisconsin man is on a slow road to recovery after he was nearly killed by the flu last season. Josh Petty spent days clinging to life after contracting the virus in February. This year has been a challenge for Petty in countless ways, but he’s taking his pain and...