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San Francisco Reports H5N1 Avian Flu in Child
The San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) on Jan. 10 announced an H5N1 avian flu infection involving a child with fever and conjunctivitis whose exposure to the virus is still under investigation. In related developments, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service today said highly pathogenic avian flu has been detected for the first time in the current outbreaks in Puerto Rico’s poultry.
In its statement, the SFDPH said the child wasn’t hospitalized and has recovered. The child was initially tested for COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV and flu. After testing positive for influenza A, follow-up testing revealed H5N1. So far, the investigation hasn’t determined how the patient was exposed to the virus.
Grant Colfax, M.D., the SFDPH health director, said, “I am urging all San Franciscans to avoid direct contact with sick or dead birds, especially wild birds and poultry. Also, please avoid unpasteurized dairy products.” Officials said the risk to the public remains low, with no sign of human-to-human transmission.
Childhood Cancer Survivors Have Double the Risk of Melanoma as Adults
A history of childhood cancer more than doubled the risk of melanoma and premature death in adults, a large retrospective review showed. Although the absolute risk of melanoma at 40 years was small, survivors of childhood cancer had a standardized incidence ratio of 2.0 for invasive skin or ocular melanoma as compared with the general population.
The risk was driven in large part by exposure to radiation therapy and specific types of cytotoxic chemotherapy. Development of invasive melanoma after childhood cancer more than doubled the risk of premature death, reported Seth J. Rotz, M.D., of the Cleveland Clinic, and coauthors in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
“People have historically looked at melanoma in childhood cancer survivors but to date, the factors for developing melanoma have not been very detailed or thorough because the studies were too small to really understand what was driving the risk of melanoma,” Rotz told MedPage Today. “The biggest thing about this study is that I think we now have a much better idea of what is driving those increased rates of melanoma in childhood cancer survivors.”
Lawmaker Proposes Water Safety Bills for Autistic Children
Florida has a high rate of autistic children drowning at Florida beaches. According to the Florida Department of Health, since 2021, at least 63 children with autism, or those suspected of having autism, have drowned in Florida.
Overall, 103 children have drowned in 2023 in Florida with 61% of the kids between ages four and 18 having autism, as they are at a higher risk of drowning. Florida State Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman, a Republican from Boca Raton, is sponsoring three bills for the upcoming 2025 Legislative Session in an effort to address autistic children drowning and kids overall who like to enjoy a day at the beach.
Gossett-Seidman said she’s sponsoring three water safety devices and water safety alert systems bills to improve safety in Florida waters, citing that Florida’s drowning rate is 54% higher than the national average.
Pink Fire Retardant, a Dramatic Wildfire Weapon, Poses Its Own Dangers
From above the raging flames, these planes can unleash immense tankfuls of bright pink fire retardant in just 20 seconds. They have long been considered vital in the battle against wildfires.
But emerging research has shown that the millions of gallons of retardant sprayed on the landscape to tame wildfires each year come with a toxic burden because they contain heavy metals and other chemicals that are harmful to human health and the environment.
The toxicity presents a stark dilemma. These tankers and their cargo are a powerful tool for taming deadly blazes. Yet as wildfires intensify and become more frequent in an era of climate change, firefighters are using them more often, and in the process releasing more harmful chemicals into the environment.
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Children With Traumatic Experiences Have a Higher Risk of Obesity — But This Can Be Turned Around
Children with traumatic experiences in their early lives have a higher risk of obesity. But as our new research shows, this risk can be reduced through positive experiences.
Childhood traumatic experiences are alarmingly common. Our analysis of data from nearly 5,000 children in the Growing Up in New Zealand study revealed almost nine out of 10 (87%) faced at least one significant source of trauma by the time they were eight years old. Multiple adverse experiences were also prevalent, with one in three children (32%) experiencing at least three traumatic events.
Childhood trauma includes a range of experiences such as physical and emotional abuse, peer bullying and exposure to domestic violence. It also includes parental substance abuse, mental illness, incarceration, separation or divorce and ethnic discrimination.
The consequences of these experiences were far-reaching. Children who experienced at least one adverse event were twice as likely to be obese by age eight. The risk increased with the number of traumatic experiences. Children with four or more adverse experiences were nearly three times more likely to be obese. Notably, certain traumatic experiences (including physical abuse and parental domestic violence) related more strongly to obesity than others. This highlights the strong connection between early-life adversity and physical health outcomes.
A Growing Number of States Are Considering Bills to Ban Cellphones in Schools
A growing number of states are considering legislation to ban or restrict cellphones in schools, part of an effort to remove classroom distractions for students as concerns rise about their mental health. Lawmakers in Alabama, Maryland and New Hampshire last week announced bills to restrict cellphone use during school hours as state legislatures convene around the country in the new year. They join legislators in 11 other states who have introduced bills targeting restrictions as of December, according to the health policy research group KFF.
“Screens are negatively impacting our learning environments, drawing students’ attention away from their classes, and becoming a barrier for teachers to do their jobs. No more,” New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte, a Republican, said in her inaugural address last week, announcing her support for such legislation. In addition to Alabama, New Hampshire and Maryland, other states’ education departments have advised or piloted restrictions, too. Alabama’s proposed legislation suggests fining students for violating the policy.
If those states were to enact the new legislation, they would join eight others — California, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia — that have banned or restricted cellphones in public schools statewide.
Snapchat ‘Asleep at the Wheel’ When It Comes to Suicide and Self-Harm Content, Says Children’s Charity
The social media site Snapchat is “fundamentally failing to act on suicide and self-harm content”, according to the Molly Rose Foundation. Just 2% of reported suicide and self-harm content on Snapchat was removed between January and July last year, according to Snapchat’s latest transparency report. There were 289 posts relating to suicide and self-harm that were proactively discovered and dealt with by the company.
“For Snapchat to be identifying such a minuscule amount of content on their platform just illustrates they are absolutely asleep at the wheel when it comes to these risks,” Andy Burrows, chief executive of the suicide prevention charity, said.
Snapchat is one of the world’s biggest social platforms, with more than 850 million monthly active users, according to the company. With that many users, Mr Burrows said it was “inconceivable” that the social media platform would find so little self-harm content that violated its guidelines.
Nebraska Governor Proposes Social Media Restrictions for Minors
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen urged state lawmakers to support a new bill that would require parental consent for children looking to create social media accounts during a Monday news conference. “These bills will address the addictive nature of social media, prohibit the generation of AI child pornography, restrict the use of phones and electronic devices in schools and require parental consent for minors to set up social media accounts,” Pillen said, referencing the proposed Parental Rights in Social Media Act.
The legislation would require parental consent for minors under the age of 18 to open a social media account. It also addresses AI-generated and other child pornography created by minors by making such crime a Class III felony. Adults who violate the act will be guilty of a class 1D felony.
“Children today are more anxious, more depressed and inflicting self-harm and at the highest rates ever. Our kids are our most precious resource, and it’s time to take action to protect them in the social media world,” said State Sen. Tanya Storer who plans to introduce the bill.
