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Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the U.S. Screening tests can check for signs of breast cancer before symptoms start. If cancer is found early, it increases the chance that it can be treated more effectively. Doctors generally recommend mammogram screening based on a woman’s age. A new study shows that it’s safe for breast cancer screenings to be based on women’s risk…

Home is where we eat, sleep, relax, and spend time with family. It’s where children grow and develop. Because we spend so much time there, scientists say the home is one of the most important places to think about health. Over the past decade, researchers have learned much more about the harms we’re exposed to indoors. They have also learned how to reduce some of these risks. The science has…, Chemicals in Everyday Products, Many everyday products in our homes contain chemicals that can be slowly released into the air or settle into dust over time. These include flame retardants in electronics and furniture, plastic additives, pesticides, dyes in fabrics, and PFAS. PFAS stands for a group of chemicals called perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. “As building materials have evolved and we’ve shifted to newer…, Air, Dust, and Mold, One key way chemicals move through a home is by attaching to dust. “They’re very sticky,” Stapleton explains. “They’re going to stick to particles that are in the air or in settled dust. So dust becomes a sink for these chemicals.” Dust can especially affect children’s health. Kids spend more time close to the floor. They touch surfaces and often put their hands in their mouths, increasing…, Water Quality, Water quality is another important part of a healthy home. “It’s something that people are consuming frequently and directly, across the lifespan,” says Dr. Abby Fleisch, a pediatrician and environmental health researcher at MaineHealth. Most public water systems in the U.S. are regulated and monitored for some contaminants like lead, arsenic, and pesticides, but not all. Drinking water levels of…, Build a Healthier Home, Experts say that you don’t need to make drastic changes all at once. Small steps, taken over time, can create a healthier home. Fleisch points to an encouraging finding from her own NIH-supported research. In a large study, she looked at adults at risk for diabetes. People with higher PFAS levels were more likely to gain weight and develop high cholesterol or diabetes over time. But people who…

A new study showed that a blood test can estimate when someone will begin to show Alzheimer’s symptoms. This could help researchers better design approaches to prevent or treat symptoms. Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills. It’s the most common form of dementia. There is no cure, but there are treatments. People with Alzheimer’s disease have…

A stroke can change your life in an instant. Symptoms come on suddenly. Facial drooping, arm weakness, or slurred speech can all signal that a stroke is happening. A stroke can take away the ability to walk, talk, or do other daily activities. But survivors can often relearn skills affected by the stroke and overcome losses in ability. Strokes happen when the brain doesn’t get enough blood flow.…, Benefits of Rehab, Rehab can help survivors build back skills they have lost after a stroke. It uses exercises and other therapies to help restore physical function. It also provides strategies to handle remaining problems. For example, a stroke survivor may no longer be able to grasp things with one hand. Rehab can help them learn to use their other hand. Rehab usually starts at the hospital within 48 hours of a…, Restoring Muscle Use, After a stroke, survivors can have trouble moving certain muscles. Muscles can become weak, uncontrollable, or paralyzed. Rehab programs can help address these issues. But some survivors have difficulty finding a provider in their area or getting to a clinic. Dr. Steven Cramer, a stroke neurologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, wants to make rehab easier to access. He’s designed…, Restoring Language, Strokes can also damage the part of the brain that controls language. At least one out of every four stroke survivors have a condition called “aphasia.” It affects speaking, reading, writing, and/or understanding language. Not all stroke survivors recover from aphasia, even with speech-language therapy. They often have chronic (long-lasting) problems with language. Dr. Julius Fridriksson, a…

Burns can affect anyone. The consequences can range from mild skin damage to permanent scarring or even death. That’s why it’s important for everyone to know how to prevent burns. Most burn injuries occur at home. Kitchen fires or other household accidents are common causes. For children, scalds are the leading cause of burn injury. These are caused by steam or boiling water. Treatment depends on…

Uncontrolled hypertension, or high blood pressure, is the leading cause of death in the U.S. It develops when the force of the blood pushing against the walls of arteries becomes too high. This puts more pressure on the heart and arteries, which puts you at risk for heart disease. Hypertension is more common in low-income populations. Studies have found that people are better at lowering their…

Scientists found that babies exposed to high levels of metals were more likely to have brain and mental health problems later in childhood. Metals can get into the body by eating or drinking, touching surfaces, or breathing in fumes. While the body needs certain metals, too much of them can be harmful. Some metals, like lead, are harmful in any amount. Babies and children have a higher risk from…

Wildfires can be sparked by human activity or natural events. Over the past few decades, they have become increasingly common. The flames can destroy buildings and endanger people in the immediate vicinity. But wildfires can harm people even if no one is nearby. This is mainly because of the smoke they create. “We sometimes see smoke in the air hundreds of miles away from a wildfire,” says Dr.…

Grief is something we all go through. It can follow the death of someone you love, the end of a relationship, or another major loss or life change. While experiencing grief is normal and natural, it can still feel hard to understand. Researchers are working to learn more about how people grieve and what helps people move through it. “Grief is a natural response to losing someone or something we…, The Myth of ‘Stages’, Many people expect grief to follow a set path. They wait to move through stages of sadness, then anger, then acceptance. But researchers say that grief is not a straight line. “There’s no wrong way to grieve,” says Dr. Sarah Stahl, an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh. “Everyone grieves differently. There’s no timeline.” Grief looks different for everyone. It can…, The Body’s Response, Grief doesn’t just affect your emotions. It can take a toll on your body. Physical symptoms can include headaches, loss of appetite, fatigue, dizziness, and trouble sleeping. Older adults who lose a spouse face unique challenges. They may be dealing with changes in their own health challenges and are more likely to feel socially isolated, which can make grieving harder. Stahl’s study helped older…, Feeling Stuck, Most people adapt to loss over time. But some people get stuck in their grief for much longer. They can develop a condition called Prolonged Grief Disorder, or PGD. People with PGD feel intense grief for more than a year after a loss. They may think constantly about the person who died, feel unable to connect with others, or believe the future holds nothing for them. Unlike normal grief, these…, What Can Help, There are many things you can do to support healthy grieving for yourself and others. One of the most important is to give yourself or your loved one permission to grieve. Trying to push grief away often makes it harder, not better. Being flexible in how to cope also matters. There is no one strategy that works for everyone or every moment. Sometimes talking helps. Sometimes a walk, a regular…

Many kids start talking later than expected. Most eventually catch up with other kids their age. But some kids have language difficulties that persist. This can be a sign of a condition called developmental language disorder, or DLD. DLD is a communication disorder that persists into adulthood. It can interfere with learning, understanding, and using language. “DLD is incredibly prevalent, but…, Noticing Signs, Late talking can be one of the earliest signs of DLD. Young kids with DLD may struggle learning words. They might have difficulty talking. “If you have a young child who isn’t using a language to communicate, but is more using body language and gestures, that’s a sign that they’re having difficulty with learning language,” says Dr. Jim Montgomery, a professor of communication sciences at Ohio…, Screening for Differences, DLD can be difficult to recognize, as the signs aren’t the same for every child. “A very mild case of DLD might be something that may not affect a child that much in their everyday conversation or in everyday functioning,” Alt explains. But it may become apparent as reading and writing get more complex in school. “More severe DLD could mean having difficulty getting your basic needs met because…, Personalizing Progress, Certain specialists can help kids with DLD improve their language skills. Speech-language pathologists are experts in communication. They can test for DLD and provide treatment. Interventions are tailored to support a child’s individual challenges. “The nature of the treatment is going to change as kids get older because their language changes and their deficits change,” Montgomery says.…