ATLANTA — By now, it should be a habit for most people: If it’s time to buy a turkey or plan holiday travel, it’s time to think about the uninvited guests: holiday viruses.

The good news this year is that rates of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations have been steadily declining to some of the lowest levels of the year. However, flu ...Read more

For many parents of young children, child care represents one of the largest items on their household budget. The average cost of child care was more than $11,500 in 2023, according to an analysis by Child Care Aware, a nationwide network of child care referral agencies. In some high-cost cities, parents are spending more on child care than they...Read more

On a cool morning, a hot breakfast is a cozy way to start the day. But the time to prepare one isn’t always available. Oatmeal and cereal-to-go cups allow for the best of both worlds — steamy breakfast in a matter of minutes. In addition, starting the day with oatmeal can fuel your morning with a head start on your daily fiber, protein, ...Read more

Turkey is a centerpiece for many holiday meals. The turkey, scientifically known as Meleagris gallopavo, is a large bird native to North America. However, its popularity extends worldwide, as its meat is highly nutritious and contains many essential vitamins and minerals.

Turkey provides the amino acids necessary for muscle growth and repair, ...Read more

Drug side effects are common, and often quite troublesome.

Major side effects, such as severe or even life-threatening allergic reactions, require immediate treatment and discontinuation of the drug. More minor symptoms may be tolerable when weighed against drug benefits. And sometimes, these go away on their own as the body gets used to the ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I’m a homebuilder and have begun experiencing numbness and tingling in my hands. Sometimes I drop things because I can’t get a good grip. A friend suggested I might have carpal tunnel syndrome. But doesn’t that mostly affect people who use computers all day? Can you explain more about the condition?

ANSWER: Working with ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I am in my 30s and overweight, but I thought I was too young to worry about cholesterol. I just learned my cholesterol is high. I know diet and exercise are important. Do I need medication?

ANSWER: Cholesterol is a type of fat in our blood. Our bodies need a small amount of cholesterol to build the structure of cell membranes,...Read more

President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration could try to remove fluoride from drinking water, according to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Kennedy, who was tapped last week by Trump to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, called fluoride an “industrial waste” and linked it to cancer and other diseases and disorders while ...Read more

Hospitals around the country are conserving critical intravenous fluid supplies to cope with a shortage that may last months. Some hospital administrators say they are changing how they think about IV fluid hydration altogether.

Hurricane Helene, which hit North Carolina in September, wrecked a Baxter International facility that produces 60% of...Read more

In April, just 12 weeks into her pregnancy, Kathleen Clark was standing at the receptionist window of her OB-GYN’s office when she was asked to pay $960, the total the office estimated she would owe after she delivered.

Clark, 39, was shocked that she was asked to pay that amount during this second prenatal visit. Normally, patients receive ...Read more

The United States has reported its first confirmed case of the more contagious form of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week issued a health advisory, stating that while the country’s risk for the more severe form of mpox remains low, doctors should be on alert for patients with ...Read more

An outbreak of highly contagious norovirus left 55 passengers and 15 crew members sick during a month-long cruise across the Pacific Ocean.

The Coral Princess, a Princess Cruises vessel, left Singapore on Oct. 17 and headed to Long Beach, Calif. After the outbreak, the healthy crew started enhanced cleaning and disinfection procedures with the ...Read more

Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is something many parents know as a cause of bronchiolitis, but others may not have heard of it until recently. RSV causes infections of the lungs and respiratory tract. It's common in children, but it can also infect adults.

"A very common disease, the most common reason why a child under 5 ends up in the ...Read more

Each year, there are thousands of people waiting for a kidney or liver transplant in the U.S. Some of those transplant candidates are living with diabetes, high blood pressure or obesity, which can sometimes complicate transplant surgery.

Dr. Shennen Mao, a Mayo Clinic transplant surgeon, offers advice on preparing patients for the lifesaving ...Read more

BALTIMORE — Maryland has experienced a “significant increase” in cannabis-related emergency department visits, according to the Maryland Department of Health.

The health department launched a data dashboard last week to track public health impacts of cannabis and visualize trends pre- and post-marijuana legalization in the state.

The ...Read more

Standing desks became popular thanks to phrases like “sitting is the new smoking,” which highlighted the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle.

A new study, however, has found standing desks might do more harm than good, not improving heart health but actually leading to circulation problems.

The study focused on 83,000 people who wore devices ...Read more

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com.

Why do I feel better rested when I wake myself up than I do if my alarm or another person wakes me up? – Calleigh H., age 11, Oklahoma

We’ve all experienced this: You’...Read more

Nearly all children get infected with respiratory syncytial virus, more commonly known as RSV, at least once by the time they are 2 years old. The virus can be dangerous for infants and some young children. In fact, RSV is the most common cause of hospitalization in infants under 1 year old. The infection can spread to the lungs and cause ...Read more