Yes, social media is making kids depressed
What they found was clear: when social media use increased, so did the children's depressive symptoms.But the opposite wasn't true. Children who were already feeling low or depressed were not more likely to start using social media than others.On average, the amount of time pre-teens spent on social media went from 7 minutes a day to 73 minutes a day over the three years.At the same time, their depressive symptoms, which include feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or lack of interest, rose by 35%.
Mobile phone use increasing depression symptoms in teenagers. ()
Dr. Jason Nagata, the lead author and associate professor of paediatrics at UCSF, explained that this study is one of the first to track the same children over time.advertisement"These findings provide evidence that social media may be contributing to the development of depressive symptoms,' he said.The study didn't explore the exact reasons why social media causes these emotional changes, but past research points to several possibilities. One is cyberbullying, which means being bullied online. Another is disrupted sleep, especially when teenagers stay up late using phones and miss out on rest.Dr. Nagata's team recently published another study showing that kids who are cyberbullied are more than twice as likely to have thoughts of suicide and also more likely to try substances like alcohol, marijuana, or nicotine.Even though social media can cause harm, it also plays a big part in how children today connect with friends and express themselves. That's why experts recommend helping kids use it in healthier ways rather than banning it completely.The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests families create a Family Media Plan: a guide to help kids and parents decide when and how to use screens.Dr. Nagata advises parents to have open conversations and set screen-free times, like during meals or before bedtime, for the whole family.Must Watch
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Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the COVID-19 vaccine for very young children, a break from current US CDC recommendations
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has updated its vaccine guidelines, recommending COVID-19 shots for infants and young children, differing from recent CDC advice. AAP emphasizes routine immunizations for 18 diseases, including RSV and influenza, urging insurers to cover all recommended vaccines. They strongly advise COVID-19 shots for children aged 6-23 months, citing their higher risk of severe illness. The American Academy of Pediatrics released its updated recommendations for vaccines, including COVID-19 shots for infants and young children, which is a break from recent recommendations of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 'It differs from recent recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the CDC, which was overhauled this year and replaced with individuals who have a history of spreading vaccine misinformation,' the AAP said in a press release. The AAP said that it will continue to provide recommendations for immunizations that are 'rooted in science and are in the best interest of the health of infants, children, and adolescents.' 'Pediatricians know how important routine childhood immunizations are in keeping children, families, and their communities healthy and thriving,' AAP President Susan J Kressly, MD, FAAP, said. AAP's announcement comes after US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr decided to halt CDC recommendations for healthy children to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in May. Previously, the CDC had advised that everyone aged six months and older should receive the latest available dose. AAP's updated recommendations include routine immunizations for infants, children, and adolescents for 18 diseases, including RSV, influenza, and COVID-19 immunizations. The AAP is strongly recommending COVID-19 shots for children ages 6 months to 2 years. Shots are also advised for older children if parents want their kids vaccinated. Along with the updated recommendations for three respiratory viruses, the new schedule also incorporates recent updates regarding the pentavalent meningococcal vaccine, the starting age of the Human Papilloma Virus vaccine, and the removal of a hepatitis vaccine that is no longer available. 'The AAP urges every insurer to cover all the vaccines that are included in this immunization schedule,' Dr. Kressly said. Recommendations COVID-19 As infants and children at the age of 6 to 23 months are most susceptible to the highest risk of severe COVID-19, AAP recommends the vaccine for them. Beyond the recommendations for all children under 2, the AAP advises a single dose of age-appropriate COVID-19 vaccine for all children and adolescents aged 2–18 years who belong to the high-risk groups: Persons at high risk of severe COVID-19 Residents of long-term care facilities or other congregate settings People who have never been vaccinated against COVID-19 Persons whose household contacts are at high risk for severe COVID-19 'We extensively reviewed the most recently available data about COVID-19 risks in kids, as well as the safety and effectiveness of available COVID-19 vaccines. It's clear they are very safe for all populations. Among the reasons we decided to move to a risk-based recommendation for healthy older children is the fact that the hospitalization rate for young children and children with underlying medical conditions remains high, in line with rates for many of the other vaccine-preventable diseases for which we vaccinate,' Sean O'Leary, MD, FAAP, chair of the AAP Committee on Infectious Diseases, said. RSV Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) affects the lungs and airways and is airborne. It also spreads by physical contact. 'Babies who become infected with RSV can get much sicker than older kids because their lungs and airways are so tiny. There are two ways to help your baby get ahead of this serious respiratory illness. Moms who get the RSV vaccine during their pregnancy can pass important antibodies to their developing baby through the placenta. Or new babies can get an RSV shot for RSV season. Well-timed RSV immunizations help babies stay healthy,' Kristina Bryant, MD, FAAP, a member of the AAP Committee on Infectious Diseases, said. Immunization for infants younger than 8 months who are born during or entering their first RSV season if the pregnant parent did not receive the vaccine during pregnancy, if the vaccination status is unknown, or if the infant was born less than 14 days after the pregnant parent received the vaccine. Immunization for infants and children 8 through 19 months of age at high risk of severe RSV disease and entering their second RSV season. High-risk infants include children with chronic lung disease, immunocompromise, or cystic fibrosis, as well as other groups. List of vaccines every infant should be given: Helpful guide for parents Influenza Influenza, aka the flu, is a viral infection of the nose, throat, and lungs. It is airborne. AAP recommends getting annual vaccine shots for all children starting at 6 months. 'The flu can be much more serious than just a cold or run-of-the-mill viral infection, especially for children under the age of 5 or those with conditions like asthma or diabetes. It is also something that kids can catch and spread easily. An annual influenza immunization helps your child's immune system recognize and resist the virus so they can stay in school, go on playdates, and do the things kids love doing,' Dr. Bryant said.
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Time of India
Laser-free vision correction uses electrical current to reshape eye
Washington: Researchers have developed a potential alternative to LASIK surgery that corrects vision without the use of lasers. The new method, called electromechanical reshaping (EMR) , uses electrical currents and a platinum contact lens to alter the shape of the cornea. The technique was presented during a meeting of the American Chemical Society by a team led by Michael Hill, professor of chemistry at Occidental College. EMR relies on generating pH changes in collagen-containing tissues such as the cornea, making them temporarily malleable. In experiments involving rabbits, the team used a platinum "contact lens" in the shape of a corrected cornea as a way to generate precise pH changes in the animal's tissues. Roughly a minute later, around the time it takes to perform LASIK, the rabbit's cornea conformed to the contact lens -- but with fewer steps and no incisions, according to the researchers. The team successfully improved the shape of eyeballs, which were treated as if they had myopia, or nearsightedness, in ten out of 12 rabbit eyeballs. According to the team, EMR could address conditions such as myopia and may also treat chemical-induced cloudiness, which usually requires a corneal transplant. Brian Wong, professor at the University of California, Irvine, said the effect was discovered by accident while studying tissue modification. Hill noted that further detailed animal studies will be required before any clinical use, but added that the approach could prove more affordable and potentially reversible compared with current methods. "There's a long road between what we've done and the clinic," said Hill in the statement. "But, if we get there, this technique is widely applicable, vastly cheaper and potentially even reversible."
NDTV
a day ago
- NDTV
US Pediatricians' New Covid-19 Shot Recommendations Differ From CDC Advice
New York: For the first time in 30 years, the American Academy of Pediatrics is substantially diverging from U.S. government vaccine recommendations. The group's new COVID-19 recommendations - released Tuesday - come amid a tumultuous year for public health, as vaccine skeptics have come into power in the new Trump administration and government guidance has become increasingly confusing. This isn't going to help, acknowledged Dr. James Campbell, vice chair of the AAP infectious disease committee. "It is going to be somewhat confusing. But our opinion is we need to make the right choices for children to protect them," he added. The AAP is strongly recommending COVID-19 shots for children ages 6 months to 2 years. Shots also are advised for older children if parents want their kids vaccinated, the AAP said. That differs from guidance established under US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which doesn't recommend the shots for healthy children of any age but says kids may get the shots in consultation with physicians. Children ages 6 months to 2 years are at high risk for severe illness from COVID-19, and it was important that recommendations continue to emphasize the need for them to get vaccinated, said Campbell, a University of Maryland infectious diseases expert. Vaccinations also are recommended for older children who have chronic lung diseases or other conditions that put them at higher risk for severe disease, the AAP said. The 95-year-old Itasca, Illinois-based organization has issued vaccination recommendations for children since the 1930s. In 1995, it synced its advice with recommendations made by the federal government's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There have been a few small differences between AAP and CDC recommendations since then. For example, the AAP has advised that children get HPV vaccinations starting at age 9; the CDC says that's OK but has emphasized vaccinations at ages 11 and 12. But in 30 years, this is the first time the recommendations have differed "in a significant or substantial way," Campbell said. Until recently, the CDC - following recommendations by infectious disease experts - has been urging annual COVID-19 boosters for all Americans ages 6 months and older. But in May, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that COVID-19 vaccines are no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women. A few days later, the CDC issued language that healthy children may get the shots, but that there was no longer a "should" recommendation. The idea that healthy older kids may be able to skip COVID-19 boosters has been brewing for some time among public health experts. As the COVID-19 pandemic has waned, experts have increasingly discussed the possibility of focusing vaccination efforts on people 65 and older - who are among those most as risk for death and hospitalization. A CDC expert panel in June was set to make recommendations about the fall shots. Among the options the panel was considering was whether suggest shots for high-risk groups but still giving lower-risk people the choice to get vaccinated. But Kennedy bypassed the group, and also decided to dismiss the 17-member panel and appoint his own, smaller panel, that included vaccine skeptics. Kennedy also later excluded the AAP, the American Medical Association and other top medical organizations from working with the advisers to establish vaccination recommendations. Kennedy's new vaccine panel has yet to vote on COVID-19 shot recommendations. The panel did endorse continuing to recommend fall flu vaccinations, but also made a decision that led to another notable difference with the AAP. The new advisory panel voted that people should only get flu vaccines that are packaged as single doses and do not contain the preservative thimerosal. The AAP said there is no evidence of harm from the preservative, and recommended doctors use any licensed flu vaccine product that's appropriate for the patient.
