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TUESDAY, April 25, 2023 (American Heart Association News) -- In the constantly unfolding tale of the pandemic, long COVID – the persistent effects that can follow a SARS-CoV-2 infection – is among the more challenging twists, one that researchers are just beginning to grasp in adults.And in children, it might be a whole other story."It's a very difficult collection of symptoms, without a clear single treatment," said Dr. Sarah de Ferranti, a pediatric cardiologist at Boston Children's Hospital. "I think it's particularly difficult for parents to help their children with this, because it's hard to figure out what symptoms are related to COVID versus other illnesses, and because long COVID in kids is different from long COVID in adults."Questions abound about long COVID's causes and...

TUESDAY, April 25, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Each year, about 140 kids in the United States are diagnosed with a craniopharyngioma, a typically non-cancerous brain tumor that develops near the pituitary gland at the base of the brain.Doctors treat craniopharyngiomas with surgery to remove the entire tumor or a less aggressive surgery followed by radiation to kill any remaining cells.Now, a new study suggests that using proton therapy, a more targeted form of radiation, after surgery may stave off potential learning issues in the future — without compromising the already high survival rates seen in kids with these tumors.“Proton radiotherapy reduces exposure of normal brain tissue in children treated for brain tumors,” said study author Heather Conklin, chief of the neuropsychology...

TUESDAY, April 25, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- A new study finds that Americans over 50 are interested in cutting back on prescription medications, dovetailing with a movement toward “deprescribing.”About 67% said they would seek their doctor’s advice before dropping a pill, according to Michigan Medicine’s National Poll on Healthy Aging.Yet more than one-third of older adults said they had quit taking a medication they had been using for more than a year without talking first to a doctor, pharmacist or nurse practitioner.“Deprescribing, which can include prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, and dietary supplements, should be based on dialogue between patients and providers, and sometimes family members,” said Sarah Vordenberg, a clinical associate professor...

TUESDAY, April 25, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Kids who were infected with respiratory syncytial virus, better known as RSV, in their first year may be at greater risk for asthma, according to researchers.Their new study looked at the effects of RSV infections of different severities on childhood asthma risk.“For 60 years investigators have repeatedly identified the link between severe RSV and asthma; however, we’ve shown that this link is explained in part by shared heredity to both severe RSV and asthma,” said senior author Dr. Tina Hartert, director of the Center for Asthma and Environmental Sciences Research at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. “The solution in our study was to understand the link between RSV and asthma by ensuring all RSV infections would be captured...