This quick finger test can reveal if you're at greater risk for lung disease
Uber-flexible joints could be a sign of a rare genetic condition that makes you more susceptible to respiratory illnesses and also complicates recovery, experts warn.
The good news: There's an easy test you can do at home to gauge your risk.
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3 In most people, hypermobility doesn't cause any pain or medical issues.
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Around 20% of people are hypermobile, meaning their joints can move beyond the typical range of motion. For most, it's harmless — but for some, it could be a sign of a serious condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Celebrities like actress Jameela Jamil and singer-songwriter Sia are among those affected by the condition, which impacts about one in every 5,000 people worldwide, according to the US National Library of Medicine.
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EDS is caused by genetic mutations that weaken connective tissues throughout the body. This includes those that support the lungs and airways, making them more prone to damage, rupture and even collapse over time.
The disorder can also cause structural changes in the chest wall, limiting lung expansion and impairing respiratory function. Additionally, people with EDS may experience muscle weakness, including in the muscles that control inhaling and exhaling.
As a result, patients with EDS often report respiratory issues, including shortness of breath, difficulty with deep inhalation, sleep apnea, coughing, wheezing that mimics asthma, and even chest pain that worsens with breathing in.
3 EDS may make it more difficult to recover from respiratory illnesses like pneumonia.
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Breathing pattern disorders are also common. For example, people with EDS may unconsciously adopt a 'bracing' pattern, where they hold their inhaled breath for too long, Jeannie Di Bon, a UK-based hypermobility and EDS specialist, told Newsweek.
'It's a subconscious way of trying to be stable, because we lack stability,' said Di Bon, who has EDS herself.
However, she cautioned that this altered breathing pattern can create a 'breeding ground' for infections, as it leaves the lower parts of the lungs inactive.
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This lack of lung movement, Di Bon explained, makes EDS patients more vulnerable to complications from respiratory diseases such as COVID-19 and pneumonia.
To make matters worse, Taylor Goldberg, a hypermobility coach, told Newsweek that many EDS patients have a more difficult time bouncing back.
'While we need more formal research, clinical experience suggests that people with EDS might have a harder time with respiratory illnesses compared to the general population,' she said.
3 About one in five people have hypermobile joints.
22Imagesstudio – stock.adobe.com
Are your joints hypermobile?
EDS is an umbrella term for 13 inherited connective tissue disorders. While each type has its own specific characteristics, certain features, like joint hypermobility, are seen across all forms, according to The Ehlers-Danlos Society, a research and advocacy organization.
One way doctors assess joint flexibility is through the Beighton Score, which, alongside other symptoms and a family history, can help indicate EDS.
The test assigns one point per side for five maneuvers: bending the pinkie back 90°, touching the thumb backwards to the forearm, hyper-extending elbows or knees beyond 10°, and bending forward placing palms flat on the floor with straight knees.
A score of more than five out of nine for adults, or six out of nine for children, suggests hypermobility. While this score alone doesn't confirm EDS, it may signal that it's worth discussing with your doctor.
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Newsweek
25 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Top Scientist Issues Stark mRNA Vaccine Warning to U.S.
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Rick Bright, the former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has warned that Department of Health and Human Services' decision to cut funding for mRNA vaccine development could threaten American national security. "BARDA wasn't the only government agency making early investments in mRNA research," Bright wrote in an opinion piece for The New York Times. "The Department of Defense and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency had already recognized mRNA's potential for swift action against emerging biological threats, including those that might be weaponized." It comes after HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the termination of 22 mRNA development investments and the reallocation of roughly $500 million at the beginning of this month. Why it Matters Bright said the mRNA platform had been central to the fast response to COVID-19 and that abandoning the technology would undermine the nation's ability to respond quickly to future biological threats. Multiple scientists and doctors have spoken out against this decision, including infectious diseases expert Dr. Thomas A. Russo, who told Newsweek that mRNA vaccines "will be critical when the next, inevitable infectious diseases crisis rears its ugly head." What To Know On August 5, the HHS confirmed it would cancel $500 million in mRNA vaccine development contracts, impacting research teams and proposals—including those from Emory University, Tiba Biotech, Pfizer, Sanofi Pasteur and others. The projects reportedly targeted respiratory viruses including seasonal influenza, COVID-19, RSV and H5N1 and included work by major industry and academic teams. Secretary Kennedy argued that the data showed mRNA vaccines had not met expectations for preventing upper respiratory infections and that HHS would shift funding toward other vaccine platforms. But Bright praised mRNA technology, saying that the "unprecedented speed" with which a COVID-19 vaccine was developed in 2020 "was possible only because years earlier, the United States had invested" in it. "This decision undercuts one of the most significant medical advances in decades, technology that could protect millions more people from the threats ahead," Bright said. "I know the stakes because I was BARDA's director when the United States made the decision to invest heavily in mRNA," he said. "That investment did not begin with Covid-19. It began in 2016, when we faced the Zika virus outbreak." "We needed a way to design a vaccine in days, not years, to protect pregnant women and their babies from devastating birth defects. Older vaccine approaches were too slow," Bright continued. "The solution was mRNA: a flexible, rapid-response technology that could be reprogrammed for any virus once its genetic sequence was known. That early investment laid the groundwork for the lightning-fast Covid-19 response four years later." Kennedy said in a post on X the time: "We reviewed the science, listened to the experts, and acted. BARDA is terminating 22 mRNA vaccine development investments because the data show these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu," Kennedy said in a post on X. "We're shifting that funding toward safer, broader vaccine platforms that remain effective even as viruses mutate." Newsweek has contacted the HHS, via online inquiry form, for a response to Bright's comments. File photo of an employee of the Bavarian Red Cross (BRK) preparing the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine against the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 for vaccination in a vaccination center, taken in Bavaria, Germany, in January 2021. File photo of an employee of the Bavarian Red Cross (BRK) preparing the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine against the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 for vaccination in a vaccination center, taken in Bavaria, Germany, in January 2021. AP What People Are Saying Former BARDA director Rick Bright said in his NYT op-ed: "Like every technology, mRNA has limitations. Vaccines meant to protect against respiratory infections, whether developed through mRNA or older technologies, are generally better at averting severe disease than preventing infection. It is a scientific challenge we can address with next-generation vaccines. The answer to limitations is improvement, not abandonment. "Political narratives about mRNA have fueled confusion, which leads to mistrust, yet the scientific evidence consistently shows that this technology is safe and effective and holds enormous potential for future vaccines and treatments." Children's Health Defense, an anti-vax nonprofit founded by Kennedy Jr. which focuses on childhood health epidemics, said in a post on X: "CHD applauds this most recent announcement to defund 22 mRNA vaccine projects under BARDA. While we believe that the mRNA shots on the market are unsafe and should be off the market, this is a welcome step in the right direction. The pandemic preparedness industry as it exists today is a threat to human welfare." What Happens Next HHS said it would shift funding toward other vaccine platforms but did not provide detailed timelines or specify which programs would receive redirected support. Scientific organizations, industry groups and public-health leaders said they would assess the impact and consider next steps, while some public-health advocates announced initiatives to defend vaccine science and provide public information.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Are America's Covid Babies Ready for School?
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The "COVID kids" are more than all right. Five years after the coronavirus pandemic shuttered the globe, the bulk of the 3.6 million children born in the United States in 2020 are starting kindergarten, providing many youngsters their first foray into a structured classroom setting. The atypical early childhood these kids experienced also left an indelible mark on millions of stressed-out parents as they navigated the uncertainty of lockdowns, mask mandates and childcare during one of the most extraordinary periods in modern history. Millions of children who were born during the height of the pandemic in 2020 are set to take over kindergarten classrooms. Millions of children who were born during the height of the pandemic in 2020 are set to take over kindergarten classrooms. Newsweek Illustration/Getty But all that stress, upheaval and isolation also created some unexpected benefits, including quality family time spent together, a crash course in the benefits of independent play and fewer illnesses due to a lack of visitors, parents of so-called Covid babies told Newsweek in a series of interviews. "I think they're more than ready," Dave Ruth, 44, said of his twin 5-year-old sons, John and James. "I am thrilled for them. I think they're going to thrive." Ruth, of Stafford County, Virginia, said John already knows some Spanish, basic sign language and reads simple books — all before he has even set foot inside a school. "They never saw a daycare class," he said. "Aside from playing with other kids at the playground and friends' birthday parties here and there, for the most part, they were home with my wife and me for the first years until they started school." Ruth said his sons, who started kindergarten on August 11, benefited from workbooks at home and frequent sessions on YouTube, absorbing as much instructional material as possible. Dave Ruth and his wife Lorraine with the couple's three sons, 5-year-old twins, James, left, and John, and 15-year-old David. Dave Ruth and his wife Lorraine with the couple's three sons, 5-year-old twins, James, left, and John, and 15-year-old David. Courtesy of Dave Ruth "We would give them a little bit of screen time at the end of the day," Ruth said. "I read them books and stuff, but I didn't teach them any of that." Ruth said he believes his twin boys may be better prepared for kindergarten than his eldest son, David, 15, ever was, due in part to the additional hours spent together at home during infancy and toddlerhood. "I think it was massive," he said. "Some of the shows that they watched on TV, they just soaked up everything." 'All the Feels' Lindsay Scouras, 40, said her 5-year-old son, Nico, has been anticipating the start of school for months. He previously attended preschool at a library outside Providence, Rhode Island, but September 3 will mark his first day as a kindergartner. Scouras believes Nico is ready, but the mother of two still has "all the feels," she admitted. "I find myself going back and forth between he's so ready and I can't wait to see him take this on," she said. "And then, like, oh my God, have I done everything to prepare him? He just turned five — he's a baby." Lindsay Scouras and her son Nico, who starts kindergarten in Rhode Island in early September. Lindsay Scouras and her son Nico, who starts kindergarten in Rhode Island in early September. Courtesy of Lindsay Scouras Scouras, who previously detailed her Covid-era parenting journey online at The Everymom, said becoming a mother during the pandemic offered unique challenges for caregivers and kids alike. "It kind of shook us and made us always question if we were doing the right thing," she said. "And, you know, not being able to do the normal things that you would do when have a baby — going to the mom groups, going to playdates and putting them into school or daycare and getting them socialized." Scouras didn't realize that her son needed speech therapy until he was 2 years old, largely due to pandemic-related seclusion, she said. "He wasn't speaking and I thought it was normal because I was just at home with my kid all day," she said. "And it wasn't until I went to a pediatrician, and he said he should be able to say 50 words by now. "When you don't have other children around to compare your kids to, you don't really know how they're doing." Despite missing out on some typical early experiences, Nico is "totally ready" to start kindergarten, Scouras said. Lindsay Scouras, 40, of Rhode Island, with her son Nico, daughter Sutton and husband Steven Scouras. Lindsay Scouras, 40, of Rhode Island, with her son Nico, daughter Sutton and husband Steven Scouras. Courtesy of Lindsay Scouras "He talks about kindergarten all the time," she said. "He seems really excited about it, even though he truly has no idea what to expect." Scouras said Nico is participating in a "reading challenge" at the family's local library, although he mistakenly believes that kindergarten will start once the initiative wraps up. "He doesn't seem to get the concept," she joked. "He's like, 'When I finish this chart, I'll be in kindergarten.' And I'm like, 'Well, the first day of kindergarten is going to come whether or not you finish this chart, buddy.'" Scouras, who works in public relations and marketing, said she hopes Nico inherits her devotion to education. "I'm really excited to meet his teachers and see the school," she said. "I loved school as a kid, and I just really hope that he's also in a position where he loves it. I know people talk about school and how much it's changed, but my husband and I both went to public school. I had a great experience in public school. I'm excited for him to embark on this." Creating Independent Learners Like Ruth and his twin sons, Scouras said she thinks the pandemic-linked solitude might've actually helped Nico. "He spent so much time with just adults for a long time," she said. "He is very good at independent play, I think because he was alone for so long. His sister wasn't born until he was almost 4 years old." Nowadays, Nico doesn't need as much entertainment or supervision as some of his peers and hasn't stopped talking since undergoing speech therapy, Scouras said. School buses in a storage lot on August 14 in Manchester, New Hampshire. School buses in a storage lot on August 14 in Manchester, New Hampshire. AP Photo/Charles Krupa "He gets along with and can speak really well with adults," she said. "I feel like part of that is just because he spent his very formative years with only grown ups around — you know, people that we could trust in our bubble and not going to a lot of birthdays parties, playdates and stuff like that." Scouras believes some of those skills will translate well for Nico as he enters kindergarten. "I can't think of any experience more unique than being born during a pandemic," she said. "Although I guess it's not that unique because there's literally millions of them. But we'll see how this affects them as adults. We have no idea what's to come." Read more Map shows states with best—and worst—early education systems Map shows states with best—and worst—early education systems Scouras acknowledged having prior concerns about Nico's future, but believes he's ready to tackle kindergarten after conversations with his pediatrician and preschool staff. "When he was less than 2 years old and we were still trapped inside and not knowing when the next wave was going to hit, there was a lot of those nights of, like, 'Oh my God, is this going to stunt his development forever?" she recalled. "But I also kind of remind myself: Are they all going to be OK? They're all in it together." Scouras noted another upside for those born into the teeth of the pandemic: they didn't have to endure missed milestones, like proms or graduations, that older children dealt with. "I felt more for those kids who were older, who knew what was going on," she said. "You see a lot of kids who I feel like now have been affected by having to do all their stuff online and they're so reserved now. At least he still had a chance to kind of grow and be born into a world where it's going to be a few years before he recalls anything of this, so let's just try to make this as happy and as supportive environment as we can while he's little." The additional solitude with Nico also allowed Scouras' family to create a "really good foundation" for his future, she said. "We're all very close, and I love that," she said. Social and Behavioral Concerns Casey Peeks, senior director of early childhood policy at the Washington-based liberal think tank Center for American Progress, said educators should expect to spend more time regulating the behavior of some kindergarteners this fall compared to prior years. "Teachers can always tell the very first day of kindergarten which of their students went to preschool or some other high-quality early childhood education environment," Peeks told Newsweek. "With these children who were born during the height of the pandemic, I think the social and behavioral issues will be a much larger focus this kindergarten year." Preschool, childcare workers and other early educators have experienced a significant uptick in challenging behavioral issues in recent years compared to pre-pandemic terms, Peek said, citing surveys from federal Head Start programs and other data. A back-to-school section on August 12 at a Walmart in Dallas, Texas, as millions of kindergarteners prepare to enter classrooms, many for the first time. A back-to-school section on August 12 at a Walmart in Dallas, Texas, as millions of kindergarteners prepare to enter classrooms, many for the first time. AP Photo/LM Otero "And I would imagine that would continue in kindergarten," Peeks said, adding that more early educators have also reported being burnt out from managing their post-pandemic classrooms. "I think it's the fact of dealing with these challenging behaviors, but the adults themselves were also having high levels of stress during the pandemic," the former kindergarten teacher said. "So, their own mental health, their own stress, combined with having to care for these children who were having really big behavioral and emotional challenges ... that is something that these educators have had to deal with more so than pre-pandemic." Peeks also cited researchers at Columbia University who conducted a study of 255 infants born between March and December 2020 that revealed they scored slightly lower on a screening test of social and motor skills at six months compared to their counterparts just before the coronavirus outbreak. "Yes, they might've still gone to preschool in higher numbers, but those are still delays that are going to have to be addressed over time," Peeks said. "It'll be really interesting to see the data and do surveys of kindergarten teachers of this cohort on what they've noticed compared to other class years." The Covid Generation Dr. Dani Dumitriu, the lead investigator of Columbia's ongoing study, said it's too early to understand exactly how being born in the middle of a pandemic will impact those children into adolescence and beyond. "These kids are just aging into 5, we are just starting our assessment," Dumitriu told Newsweek. "I will be able to answer that question in a couple years, but right now, I can tell you with certainty that any academic who tells you that they know something about this generation at age 5 is flatly wrong. You just simply cannot." Within the next year, Columbia expects to finish collecting data from approximately 500 4- and 5-year-olds and then spend another year analyzing those key outcomes, according to Dumitriu, an associate professor of pediatrics and director of Columbia University's Center for Early Relational Health. "In that initial paper, we showed an effect of the pandemic — not an effect of the virus, but just pandemic stress," Dumitriu said last week. "I also really want to stress the fact that six-month data does not predict five-year outcomes. The brain up until about three years of age is so plastic that you simply cannot make any inferences about the future from six-month-old data." 'Kids Are Resilient' Kentucky Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman accompanied her daughter Evelynne to her first day of kindergarten on Wednesday and acknowledged having a tough time processing the bittersweet milestone. "She's fine," Coleman wrote on X. "Mom? Not so much." Coleman, a Democrat who took office in December 2019, gave birth to Evelynne in February 2020, just weeks before the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic and states began issuing stay-at-home orders. Kentucky Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman attends the first day of kindergarten with her daughter Evelynne on Wednesday. Kentucky Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman attends the first day of kindergarten with her daughter Evelynne on Wednesday. Courtesy Jacqueline Coleman "There is no question that babies born during COVID, and their parents, faced very unique challenges during an already challenging time for families," Coleman told Newsweek in a statement. Similar to Nico, who was born in July 2020, Evelynne had issues with delayed speech, Coleman said. "Which made sense because she didn't have peer interaction and she was surrounded by adults who were often speaking to her through masks," Coleman said. "But once she was enrolled in daycare, she rebounded, and pre-K helped even more so. Now, we cannot get her to stop talking. I say that half-jokingly, but it also proves what we already know: kids are resilient."
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Gen Z Woman Sees Rash on Arm After Swimming in Pool, Then Comes Diagnosis
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A Gen Z woman returned from vacation with more than just memories—what she believed was a chlorine rash was something else entirely Reddit user u/survivorsavedmylife from New England came back from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, with a rash on her left arm. On August 17, she shared a photos titled: "What was supposed to be a nice vacation turned into me developing a chlorine rash after swimming." "The rash started off as small and resembled hives:" she told Newsweek. "We had just gone swimming before so I assumed it must've been from the chlorine since some people are sensitive. Two screenshots from the viral post showing the rash on the woman's arm and a close up of the cluster. Two screenshots from the viral post showing the rash on the woman's arm and a close up of the cluster. Reddit/u/survivorsavedmylife "What I didn't know was that chlorine rashes usually occur on both sides of the body, where it gets in between the bathing suit." The story post went viral, earning 9,800 upvotes and over 1,000 comments at the time of writing. The 22-year-old explained that the rash clusters on her arm had been spreading for three days. While she first assumed it was from the pool, Reddit users were quick to suggest otherwise. From Rash to Diagnosis Less than 24 hours later, she posted an update: the rash was not caused by chlorine but shingles. According to her post, her primary care physician initially suspected poison ivy or shingles and recommended she take an antihistamine until her appointment the next day. However, after looking more closely at the photos, he called back with a more certain answer. "He rang back and was 90 percent sure it was shingles," she wrote. When she visited the office, the doctor turned her case into a live teaching moment. "I saw him this morning and he brought 3 of his PAs to see my arm as a 'teaching moment' she said. 'They were shocked!'" What Is Shingles? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that shingles, or herpes zoster, is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. The rash typically develops on one side of the body or face and forms blisters that scab over in 7–10 days, usually healing within two to four weeks. While shingles is more common in older adults, it can cause persistent nerve pain as a long-term complication. That said, this complication is uncommon in people under 40. Despite this, the poster added: "I have nerve pain but am still [OK] to go out and run errands." Is Shingles Contagious? Shingles itself is not directly contagious. However, the varicella-zoster virus can spread: You cannot catch shingles directly from someone with shingles. If you've never had chickenpox or the vaccine, you can catch chickenpox from someone with shingles, which could later lead to shingles. The virus spreads primarily through direct contact with blister fluid or, less commonly, inhaling particles from the rash. People with chickenpox are more contagious than those with shingles. Reddit Reacts The woman thanked Reddit users who had suspected shingles before her doctor confirmed the diagnosis. Others on the platform shared their own stories of receiving medical advice from the online community. One user commented: "I posted on a different subreddit last year if I should see my gp about this weird stomach pain I had and described it, and people told me to go to the ER cause it sounded like appendicitis. Turns out it was! I was very grateful for them." Another person revealed the original post helped them recognize their own case of shingles: "This is insane, I saw your post last night and saw all the comments, and the thing is I had a rash I'd been dealing with a couple days that I thought was just poison oak... but it was more painful and just... different. Because of your post I went to urgent care today and guess what? I got shingles too. Thank you for your post or I might have missed the window too. Insane that I just happened to see your post when I most needed it."
