Published14 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTMBy Philippa RoxbyHealth reporterA vaccine patch could be a safe and effective alternative way to protect young children against measles, a trial in The Gambia suggests. The device – the size of a sticking plaster – is easier to transport and store than standard injections, especially in remote areas.Measles is a very contagious disease which is common in children, and can kill.Protecting vulnerable children worldwide is a priority, experts say.Microscopic needlesDespite the existence of a very effective measles jab, falling vaccination levels since the Covid pandemic have left millions of children unprotected, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.But now, scientists hope microneedle-patch technology can put vaccinations back on track with 95% of children immunised.The microarray patch sticks to the arm and lots of microscopic needles deliver the vaccine through the skin, with no pain. “These are extremely promising results which have generated a lot of excitement,” said paediatrician Prof Ed Clarke, vaccine and immunity lead at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia.”They demonstrate for the first time that vaccines can be safely and effectively given to babies and young children using microarray-patch technology.”Image source, MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTMIn the trial, involving more than 200 healthy toddlers and babies, the immune response to the patch was as strong as to the jab.After one dose, more than 90% of babies were protected against measles and all infants against rubella – and there were no safety concerns.The patch stayed in place for five minutes – but that will come down to a minute or even less in future trials, the researchers say.And it could eventually be used against other diseases.Spread quicklyThe patch has several advantages over needle injections – volunteers with minimal training can apply the patch, instead of doctors and nurses, and fridges for transporting and cold storage are no longer necessary. It also reduces people’s fears over needles and the risk of injuries from them.Even in countries such as the UK, where there is no shortage of these resources, the patches could be more convenient and attractive to some parents of young unvaccinated children, the researchers say.The latest figures for England show measles cases rising, with a particular spike in recent weeks in London, where some areas have low measles vaccination rates.In these communities, it takes only one child to catch measles for it to spread quickly, health experts warn.The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab offers the best protection against measles. Two doses by the time children start primary school are recommended but older children and adults can catch up on vaccines at any point.’Vaccine equity’Globally, in 2022, about 83% of children received one dose of measles vaccine by their first birthday – the lowest since 2008, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).In the same year, there were about 136,000 deaths from measles, mostly among under-fives who’d had only one dose or none at all.Co-study author Dr Ikechukwu Adigweme said: “We hope this is an important step in the march towards greater vaccine equity among disadvantaged populations.”Larger trials among young unvaccinated children are now planned, to see whether the patches could be rolled out more widely.More on this storyAlarming 45-fold rise in measles in Europe – WHOPublished23 JanuaryWhy are measles cases rising and what is the MMR vaccine?Published29 FebruaryEngland now seeing clusters of measles casesPublished15 FebruaryVaccine push urged after measles led to boy’s deathPublished20 JanuaryAround the BBCBBC iPlayer – Incident Room – Measles Outbreak – Why Now?Related Internet LinksMeaslesMMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine – NHSThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Published9 hours agocommentsCommentsShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Philippa RoxbyHealth reporterSmacking children should be made illegal in England and Northern Ireland, say children’s doctors, calling current laws “unjust and dangerously vague”. Their report warns children suffer lasting mental and physical effects from being hit in the home.Striking a child is already illegal in Scotland and Wales, and in many other countries around the world.The government says parents are trusted to discipline their children.A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Any form of violence towards a child is completely unacceptable and we have clear laws in place to prevent it.”But child health experts say children should be given the same protection as adults.The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health’s (RCPCH) report sets out why England and Northern Ireland should follow the example of Scotland and Wales in changing the law to make physical punishment of children illegal.At present, if a child is smacked, hit or slapped in England and Northern Ireland, parents may be able to argue that this was “reasonable punishment” and avoid breaking the law.The Children Act 2004 says it is unlawful to assault a child causing actual or grievous bodily harm, or cruelty.But a review of studies by RCPCH found smacking can be damaging to children’s behaviour, health and wellbeing.It said, for example, children who experience physical punishment are nearly three times more likely to develop poor mental health and twice as likely to be on the receiving end of serious physical assault and abuse.Being smacked also increased the chances of having difficult relationships with family and being aggressive later in life.’Violence is cyclical’Prof Andrew Rowland, who leads on child protection at the college, said he was regularly faced with “extremely challenging” situations when he had to talk to families about the rules around physical punishment of children, where some forms or punishment are legal and some are not.He said this created “a grey area” when there was “no need for any debate” on safeguarding children.Image source, Getty Images”Changing the laws in England and Northern Ireland will give us absolute clarity and ensure there are no instances where it is acceptable or lawful to smack a child,” Prof Rowland said.”Research and history show us that violence is often cyclical in nature, it is up to us as adults to break that cycle for our children.”Corporal punishment of children in Scotland was made illegal in 2020 and in Wales in 2022. Although it is too soon to say if there has been a reduction in physical punishment since, the experiences of countries such as Germany, Romania and Sweden suggest that changing the law can have a real impact.According to the report, these countries have seen a tangible reduction in the number of children who report being hit at home.There are more than 60 countries worldwide giving children the same protection as adults from assault and violence.Child health experts say they want children across the UK to be given the same rights and they are urging all political parties to include a promise to remove the current ‘reasonable punishment’ defence in their manifestos for the general election.Joanna Barrett, associate head of policy at the NSPCC, said: “All children deserve the same protection from assault as adults. Yet in England and Northern Ireland, children continue to be exposed to a legal loophole that can undermine their basic right to protection under the guise of ‘reasonable chastisement’.”That’s why we’re calling on political leaders in England and Northern Ireland to commit to bringing an end to the physical punishment of children – as the rest of the UK have successfully done.”The UK government said there were no plans to change the law on smacking in England and said it would monitor the impact of law changes in Scotland and Wales.”We are supporting teachers, social workers and all safeguarding professionals to spot the signs of abuse or neglect more quickly,” a Department for Education spokesperson said.They added: “Our statutory framework for safeguarding children in England makes clear what organisations should do to keep children safe.” Are you a parent or a medical professional with a view on this story? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSayUpload pictures or videoPlease read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

If you are reading this page and can’t see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. More on this storyGovernment rejects call to ban smacking in EnglandPublished12 April 2023Smacking children becomes illegal in WalesPublished21 March 2022

Published9 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Philippa RoxbyHealth reporterFootball commentator Martin Tyler’s voice is his stock in trade.It has given him a career that has lasted 50 years and been the soundtrack to some of the game’s most dramatic moments – remember “Agüeroooo!” when Manchester City won the Premier League title in 2012?So when Tyler overused his voice at the 2022 World Cup finals, in Qatar, and doctors realised his vocal chords could have been permanently damaged, it was “frightening”.But after two operations at St George’s Hospital, in south-west London, and a course of “amazing” speech therapy, the most recognisable voice in football is back – and on television again.This is the first time the former Sky Sports commentator has talked about nearly losing his voice.And he pays tribute to the “wonderful people in the NHS” who helped him regain it.’Serious help'”My voice is my identity – it’s the hub of my life,” Tyler, 78, says. “It didn’t mean anything to me before – but it now means not taking my voice for granted.” Six weeks after returning from Qatar, Tyler noticed his voice “wasn’t quite right and had lost a bit of power”. The dry climate and air conditioning could have contributed, he says, and he concedes he was also commentating on a lot of matches on his own, rather than with a colleague.Hoping it was just the effects of hay fever, Tyler hid the issue and waited for his voice to recover. On some occasions before commentating, he confesses he would stay silent in the lead up to the match and then shout his way through the 90 minutes.But a few months later, in spring 2023, he realised he needed “serious help”.Image source, St George’s HospitalIn an exploratory operation, doctors at St George’s found keratosis – lesions or white patches on the vocal chords in Tyler’s throat – due to the growth of the protein keratin, usually found in skin and hair.A second operation, to treat the issue, was successful – but he needed speech therapy to return his voice to normal.”I couldn’t answer the phone, couldn’t talk for a sentence,” Tyler says.”It was a slow process to recover from the operation,” although he was never in pain.The thought of not being able to talk to friends and family scared Tyler the most.And he credits NHS speech therapist Elissa Finn for giving him confidence and reassurance when he was at his lowest.”She had me blowing bubbles in water and making all sort of strange noises in her sessions,” Tyler says.Image source, St George’s Hospital”I couldn’t have asked for more from Elissa and from everyone else.” Ms Finn says losing your voice can be a “scary thing”. She regularly provides counselling and voice therapy to those, such as teachers, singers and barristers, who use their voice in their professional careers. In Tyler’s case, this started soon after surgery, with breathing and projection exercises over a few months, to help the healing process. This focuses on the vocal folds at the top of the airway which vibrate to create sound.Ms Finn also advised him to drink plenty of water, little and often, inhale steam and take “voice naps”.There are lots of reasons why someone can lose their voice, she says. Dry climates, allergies, long flights can all cause dryness and irritation – and some people are more susceptible.Since returning to the commentary box in October, with Premier League Productions, Tyler has completed 45 games, going from one a month to two in two days.He says they stood by him when he wasn’t able to do his job and were happy to wait until he’d properly recovered.It is late after Chelsea’s 6-0 win over Everton – and Tyler is already thinking of how he will protect his voice when he gets home. He says he’ll drink lots of water and then do chanting number routines in the morning, before commentating on Barcelona and Paris Saint Germain’s Champions League game this evening.So how long can he continue? “It won’t be the voice that stops me,” Tyler says. “I’ve been very lucky.”

Published22 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Philippa RoxbyHealth reporterChildren are less likely than adults to develop severe Covid, because cells in their nose are better at fighting off the virus, a study suggests.Lab tests show ageing adult nose cells contain 100 times more virus in the first few days after an infection.The lab discovery could explain why older adults are hit worst by Covid and children are rarely very ill.Anti-viral treatments should be tailored to different age groups, the UK researchers say.The nose is the first place Covid enters the body – so scientists wanted to look in detail at what happens inside this so-called viral production factory. Researchers analysed cells from the nose lining of healthy people from three different age groups – under-12s, 30-50 year olds and over 70s.They then grew the nasal cells in lab dishes, infected them with coronavirus, and watched closely.Nose-pickers more likely to get Covid, study showsThree days later, viewed under a microscope, the nasal epithelial cells – as they are known – taken from children were quick to defend against the virus and reduce viral load.But this protective effect was less obvious in middle-aged adults. And in nose cells from the over-70s, there was more virus, more shedding and more damage.Dr Claire Smith, study leader and associate professor from University College London, said age affected the balance of cells in the nose, leading to a “detrimental, dysfunctional repair” process in older people.Image source, UCLThis could be because they have had greater exposure to viruses over time and more infections.The risk of being dangerously ill with Covid rises with age, which is why over-75s – as well as everyone in an adult care home or with a weakened immune system – is offered a vaccine in the UK.Who can get a Covid booster this spring?Dr Smith said the findings, in Nature Microbiology, highlighted how important it was to take ageing into account when looking at treatments and therapies.The research team now wants to look at how the body – and the nose – responds to other viruses, such as flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).”Understanding the cellular differences at the initiation of infection is just the beginning,” Dr Smith said.”We now hope to investigate the long-term implications of these cellular changes and test therapeutic interventions using our unique cell culture model.” The nose cells were sampled in February 2020, during the first wave of Covid – so how the body’s reaction to the initial strain of the virus compares with the current circulating variant, Omicron, remains unclear.The researchers said more work was needed to discover whether the level of infectious virus in the nose cells affected the spread of Covid.The research, by UCL and the Wellcome Sanger Institute, was funded by UK Research and Innovation, the NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre and the Chan Zuckerberg Foundation.More on this storyNHS spring Covid booster jab bookings to openPublished3 days agoWho can get a Covid booster this spring?Published1 day agoRelated Internet LinksNature Microbiology research paperThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Published20 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingBy Philippa RoxbyHealth reporterPeople with “long Covid” have evidence of continuing inflammation in their blood, which could help understanding of the condition and how it may be treated, a UK study suggests.It found the presence of certain proteins increased the risk of specific symptoms, such as fatigue, in people sick enough to need hospital treatment.It is unclear whether milder cases of Covid have the same effect on the body.A test remains a long way off – but the findings may prompt future trials.Long Covid – symptoms lasting at least 12 weeks after a Covid infection – is thought to have affected millions of people around the world.Some of the most common symptoms are:extreme tirednessfeeling short of breath problems with memory and concentration – or brain fog Others can include:sleeping problemsloss of smellanxietyThe chances of developing long-term symptoms do not seem linked to how ill people were when first infected – many people who had mild symptoms say they are affected.The UK’s largest long Covid study, led by Imperial College London, followed up 650 hospital patients with severe Covid.Six months later:426 said they still had at least one long Covid symptom233 had completely recoveredAnd those with long Covid showed evidence of a continuing and active pattern of inflammatory proteins in their blood.These chemicals appeared when the body fought infection but usually disappeared within six months, the researchers said.Image source, TracyTracy Evans, 59, from Bridlington, N Yorks, worked as a care assistant and support worker before catching Covid in early 2021.She spent three months in hospital and six weeks in intensive care.”I was so close to death, because they were going to turn me off,” she says. Tracy has been unable to work since because of continuing symptoms, including severe fatigue and brain fog. “Any exertion I am breathless. I’m tired just having a shower or getting dressed. I can’t make a bed without people thinking I’ve run a marathon. “I’m in pain all the time. Constantly in pain,” she says.When she wrote down her symptoms for a doctor they filled an A4 piece of paper. “Sometimes with the brain fog, it feels like you’ve got dementia. “It’s not a life, it’s an existence.”Try existing drugsThe researchers behind the study, in Nature Immunology, also found that some proteins in the blood of those with long Covid could be linked to specific symptoms they were experiencing.For example, people with gastrointestinal symptoms had increased levels of a marker called SCG3, which has previously been linked to impaired communication between the gut and the brain. This could help divide long Covid patients into different sub-groups and be useful for designing clinical trials, especially for treatments that target immune responses and inflammation, the researchers said.Dr Felicity Liew, clinical research fellow from Imperial College London, said the findings indicate that inflammation “could be a common feature of long Covid after hospitalisation, regardless of symptom type”.And this may open the door to drugs which already exist being tried against long Covid, such as those for treating rheumatoid arthritis, an auto-immune condition which causes inflammation of the joints.Lead research Professor Peter Openshaw said: “This work provides strong evidence that long Covid is caused by post-viral inflammation but shows layers of complexity. He added: “We hope that our work opens the way to the development of specific tests and treatments for the various types of long Covid and believe that a ‘one size fits all’ approach to treatment may not work.”Trials hopeThe researchers admit they don’t know if people who had a mild Covid infection before developing long Covid are also affected by the same immune mechanisms. They will continue to monitor what happens to the signs of inflammation as time goes by and symptoms improve and disappear, as happens to most people with long Covid.Dr Liew said she hoped the study would lead to identification of new treatments for the long-lasting symptoms of other illnesses if they were found to affect people in the same way as long Covid.Prof Eleanor Riley, honorary professor of immunology and infectious disease, at the University of Edinburgh, said the data “should usher in a series of clinical trials for treatment of long-Covid” using several licensed drugs that target inflammation. She said the study opened up new avenues for the investigation of ME/CFS, which is currently very poorly understood, because many of the symptoms of that condition and long Covid appear to overlap.More on this storyHealth staff start court fight over long CovidPublished6 MarchScans reveal new clues to long Covid symptomsPublished23 September 2023Brain fog after Covid linked to blood clots – studyPublished31 August 2023Long Covid: Three years and no magic bulletPublished26 March 2023Long Covid: What’s changed, and what we know nowPublished18 November 2022Related Internet LinksLong-term effects of COVID-19 (long COVID) – NHSThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Published11 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Mary WathenBy Philippa RoxbyHealth reporterMost people can picture images in their heads – the look of an apple, the appearance of their kitchen or the smile of their best friend – but not everyone can.Those who cannot visualise anything in their mind’s eye are probably among 1% of people with extreme aphantasia, according to a review of studies on the phenomenon.They are also less likely to recognise faces, remember the sound of a piece of music or the feel of sandpaper, and more likely to work in science, maths or computing.And up to 6% of people may experience some degree of aphantasia. It is not a disorder and does not imply a lack of imagination but can have subtle effects on everyday life, says Prof Adam Zeman, honorary professor of neurology at the University of Exeter, who came up with the term nearly 10 years ago.Image source, Mary WathenMary Wathen, 43, from Cheltenham, Gloucs, finds it “totally mind-blowing” other people can create images in their head.”I just cannot understand what they really mean – where is this image and what does it look like?” she says.”To me, unless you can see something with your eyes, it’s not there.” Mary cannot picture major events in her life such as her wedding day. And unless they are with her, she cannot even picture her two young boys.”I don’t bring up an image – I have all the memories, I just recall it very differently,” Mary says.”As someone once described it, all the hardware is working – but the monitor is not switched on.”‘Gut instinct’Mary discovered she was unlike most other people only when chatting with friends, and was astonished to find her husband could easily visualise past events as if watching a film.On the plus side, she says, she is a very good verbal communicator, because she assumes nothing – it is all about the words. She also feels things deeply.”I’m a very emotional person who is led by gut instincts – so when recalling something, it’s a feeling rather than an image,” Mary says.Mind maps have never been a useful tool for exams, for example, and fantasy fiction is a no-no because she simply cannot escape to that world in her mind.”I only see what is real and in front of me – doesn’t matter whether I saw it a minute or an hour ago,” Mary says.Opposite extremeProf Zeman discovered this way of experiencing the world when he saw a patient who had lost the ability to visualise. When he wrote up the patient’s case, others contacted him to say they had always been that way.And Prof Zeman has since discovered there is an opposite extreme, hyperphantasia, in which people see images so vividly in their heads they cannot tell if they are real or imagined. An estimated 3% of us see the world this way.”One term gave birth to the other,” he says, after borrowing Aristotle’s word for the mind’s eye – “phantasia”.Prof Zeman says 17,000 people have contacted him in the past decade, with experiences of aphantasia and hyperphantasia. Many said they knew they processed information differently to others but had unable to describe how. In your dreamsDifferences in connectivity between regions of the brain may explain why, Prof Zeman says.Asked to picture an apple, for example, most people go through a succession of steps, including nudging the brain to remember what an apple looks like and activating the brain create an image of it.But in those with aphantasia, that process can break down at any point.”Thoughts remain thoughts,” Prof Zeman says, “whereas for others, thought translates into sensory terms.”While aphantasics think about memories, other people are able to recollect and live those memories.But intriguingly, many aphantasics can visualise images while dreaming – probably because it is a more spontaneous task beginning deep down in the brain, Prof Zeman says.And aphantasia can have benefits. It can have a protective effect on someone’s mental health, because they are more likely to live in the moment and less likely to imagine frightening or stressful events, for example.But for Prof Zeman, “the big surprise” was aphantasic artists, who told him their struggle to visualise imagery gave them an extra incentive to make art, by using the canvas as their mind’s eye.Normally, it’s hyperphantasics who are more likely to be creative, like Geraldine van Heemstra.Image source, Paul Bokslag Geraldine, an artist, always had an “enormous imagination” as a child, building entire villages in her mind.And she has always seen the alphabet in colour, as well as numbers and the days of the week.At school, Geraldine used to change answers to maths problems because the colours of the numbers in her head looked wrong sitting next to each other.But she discovered she saw the world differently to most others only when collaborating with musicians and dancers, painting swirls and shapes in response to their rhythms.Feels transported”I remember asking musicians how they saw music – but they didn’t understand what I meant,” Geraldine says.”I thought all musicians saw notes in colour.”Geraldine has a similarly intense experience when painting. “I can walk, sketch, take in the landscape and relive the experience later,” she says.Even when making plans to do something, Geraldine feels transported to the future.Image source, Geraldine van Heemstra”I can be going down another path and it will feel like deja vu,” she says.But constant visualising can also be tiring. And Geraldine’s brain can feel overloaded sometimes, making it hard to sleep.Lots of question remain about aphantasia and hyperphantasia, such as what are the different sub-types and why it might be a genetic thing.Data from large biobanks may provide the answer.Inner livesThe review, in Trends in Cognitive Sciences, found aphantasia ran in families, with the aphantasics’ siblings 10 times more likely to be affected themselves. It has also been suggested aphantasics are more likely to have autism.Prof Zeman says research suggests “conscious sensory imagery is not a prerequisite for human cognition” – or creative imagination.And everyone pictures images in their mind differently.”Our experience is not the norm and other people may have different inner lives,” he adds.Image source, Jamie Mitchell PhotographyRelated Internet LinksTrends in Cognitives SciencesThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Published48 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Philippa RoxbyHealth reporterThere was an “alarming” 30-fold increase in measles cases in Europe last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) says.More than 30,000 people were infected in 2023, compared to 941 during the whole of 2022.The WHO believes this is a result of fewer children being vaccinated against the disease during the Covid pandemic.Health chiefs have warned that cases are still rising and “urgent measures” are needed to prevent further spread.”We have seen, in the region, not only a 30-fold increase in measles cases, but also nearly 21,000 hospitalisations and five measles-related deaths. This is concerning,” said Dr Hans Kluge, regional director for Europe at the WHO.”Vaccination is the only way to protect children from this potentially dangerous disease,” he added.Measles can be a serious illness at any age. It often starts with a high fever and a rash, which normally clears up within 10 days – but complications can include pneumonia, meningitis, blindness and seizures.Babies who are too young to have been given their first dose of vaccine, pregnant women and those who have weakened immune systems are most at risk. During pregnancy, measles can lead to stillbirth, miscarriage and a baby being born with a low birth weight.Why are measles cases rising and what is the MMR vaccine?Measles jab campaign targets unprotected millionsVaccine push urged after measles led to boy’s deathAll countries in the European region are being asked to detect and respond to measles outbreaks quickly, alongside giving vaccines to more people.The WHO said measles had affected all age groups last year – young and old alike.Overall, two in five cases were in children aged 1-4, and one in five cases were in adults aged 20 and above.Between January and October 2023, 20,918 people across Europe were admitted to hospital with measles. In two countries, five measles-related deaths were also reported.Pandemic effectVaccination rates for the first dose of the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, slipped from 96% in 2019 to 93% in 2022.Uptake of the second dose fell from 92% to 91% over the same period.That seemingly small drop in vaccination take-up means more than 1.8 million children in Europe missed a measles vaccination during those two years.”The Covid-19 pandemic significantly impacted immunisation system performance in this period, resulting in an accumulation of un-[vaccinated] and under-vaccinated children,” the WHO reported.With international travel booming once again, and social-distancing measures removed, the risk of measles spreading across borders and within communities is much greater – especially within under-vaccinated populations, it said.Even countries that have achieved measles elimination status are at risk of large outbreaks, the WHO warned.It say that 95% of children need to be vaccinated with two doses against measles in all communities to prevent the spread of the disease.UK health officials said last week that an outbreak of highly contagious measles in the West Midlands could spread rapidly to other towns and cities with low vaccination rates.More than 3.4 million children under the age of 16 are unprotected and at risk of becoming ill from the disease, according to NHS England.Millions of parents and carers are being contacted and urged to make an appointment to ensure their children are fully vaccinated against measles.More on this storyWhy are measles cases rising and what is the MMR vaccine?Published3 hours agoChildren’s hospital isolating measles patientsPublished1 day agoMeasles jab campaign targets unprotected millionsPublished1 day agoVaccine push urged after measles led to boy’s deathPublished3 days ago

Published57 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Philippa RoxbyHealth reporterMillions of parents in England are being contacted by the NHS and urged to make an appointment to have their children vaccinated against measles, as cases rise across the country. More than 3.4 million children aged under 16 are unprotected and at risk of becoming ill, NHS England says.Areas with low uptake of the MMR vaccine, such as the West Midlands and London, are being targeted first.A similar campaign last winter pushed up vaccinations by 10%.UK health officials said last week that an outbreak of highly contagious measles in the West Midlands could spread rapidly in other towns and cities with low vaccination rates.Dame Jenny Harries called for “a call to action right across the country” after hospitals in Birmingham reported a sharp rise in cases in children.Why are measles cases rising and what is the MMR vaccine?The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is given in two doses – the first around the age of one and the second when a child is about three years and four months old.It is very effective at protecting against measles, but only 85% of children starting primary school in the UK have had both jabs – well below the target of 95% needed to stop it spreading.Image source, Getty ImagesIn some cities, such as Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and Nottingham, only 75% of five-year-olds are fully vaccinated, NHS figures show.The current campaign will contact more than four million parents, carers and young adults by text, email or letter to tell them they or their children have missed out on one or both doses.This includes more than one million children aged six to 11 across England, plus 330,000 11 to 16-year-olds and nearly one million 16 to 26-year-olds in London and the West Midlands.Many young adults who were young children when a study falsely linked the vaccine and autism 25 years ago, are still unvaccinated.Steve Russell, NHS England’s director of vaccinations and screening, said the NHS was acting quickly to tackle the spread of measles.”People who are unvaccinated can get catch-up jabs at MMR pop-ups in schools and other convenient places, while GPs, teachers and trusted community leaders are encouraging groups that are less likely to get their jab to come forward,” he said.One in five children with the disease are having to be admitted to hospital for treatment in Birmingham. Babies who are too young to have their first dose, pregnant women and those who have weakened immune systems are most at risk from measles, which can be serious at any age.During pregnancy, measles can lead to stillbirth, miscarriage and a baby being born small, so NHS England is encouraging young adults to catch up on missed doses too.Why is there a fall in vaccines in children?There are lots of different factors involved and experts say it is too easy to blame anti-vaccine attitudes.With the NHS under huge pressure, child health experts say parents often struggle to get through to their GP and speak to the right staff to ask any questions they might have about the jab. Making a convenient appointment for their child during a busy working day can also be a challenge.That is why head teachers in some areas are now working with the NHS to run clinics in schools, where children are.Dr David Elliman, community paediatrician at Great Ormond Street Hospital, said parents’ questions were understandable and they should be given time to talk to a trusted practice nurse, health visitor or GP for reassurance.”There are very few parents who do not want their children immunised,” he says.However, there are those who were put off going to health centres during the pandemic for fear of catching Covid.And there are also many parents who have not seen measles before, because it was nearly eliminated in the UK a few years ago. “That means people forget about the dangers of it,” says Prof Helen Bedford, child health expert from University College London.Between one in 1,000 and one in 5,000 people who catch measles will die, so the worry is that there could be dozens of deaths from a disease that is easily preventable.There are still some who believe the fake news around the MMR jab and autism, tied to a study from 25 years ago, which is known to be completely false.Those myths have become worryingly embedded in some communities, health officials say.The legacy of that study is that thousands of young adults in their 20s, who were born soon after it was published, missed out on vaccinations because of their parents’ concerns at the time.More on this storyWhy are measles cases rising and what is the MMR vaccine?Published32 minutes agoAround the BBCBirmingham Children’s Hospital inundated with measles cases – BBC News

Published5 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Philippa RoxbyHealth reporterThe sale of all energy drinks to young people and children in the UK should be banned, says a review of the latest evidence on their effects on health.It highlighted links to more risks than previously found, such as anxiety, stress and suicidal thoughts.These drinks often contain high levels of caffeine and sugar, and are sold as providing an energy boost.Most UK supermarkets have introduced a voluntary ban on the sale of energy drinks to under-16s.A complete ban, which would also cover smaller shops, online retailers and vending machines, was proposed in England and Scotland in 2019.Health ministers in England said they would set out their full response in due course. On the back of the review, 40 health-related organisations have written a letter to Health Secretary Victoria Atkins to repeat the call for sales of energy drinks to be further restricted.”Many of these drinks contain high amounts of caffeine, as much as between 160-200mg per can in some cases, which is double the amount found in an average cup of coffee (about 80mg depending on the strength),” the letter says.The packaging on the drinks often says they are not suitable for children, and yet they can be easily bought by under-18s from corner shops, the researchers and experts say.Energy drinks are marketed as giving a physical and mental boost, and providing more energy than standard soft drinks.It is a huge and growing market, and up to a third of UK children drink them every week.Dr Amelia Lake, professor of public health nutrition at Teesside University, who led the review, looked at 57 recent studies of energy drinks and their impact on young people’s health. More than one million children from 21 countries were included.”The evidence is clear that energy drinks are harmful to the mental and physical health of children and young people, as well as their behaviour and education,” she said.”We need to take action now to protect them from these risks.”The research found that boys were more likely than girls to drink energy drinks.And regular drinking was more likely to make young people use drugs, be violent and have unsafe sex.Sleep problems, poor performance at school and an unhealthy diet were also closely related to the use of energy drinks, the review found.Dr Lake said that although their research could not prove that energy drinks directly caused the health harms, because dietary studies are always observational, the findings were important and the best available evidence.It is possible that energy drinks are linked to health harms because those who consume them frequently are more likely to be unhealthy in other ways – such as smoking, or drinking alcohol, for example.Caffeine warningsOfficial guidance says people should consume no more than 3mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight.”It’s so easy for a young person to have that,” says Dr Lake, with the caffeine equivalent of two espressos in a large can of energy drink.They also have a high sugar content which can damage children’s teeth and, if they already eat unhealthily, contribute to obesity.Some countries, such as Latvia and Lithuania, have already banned the sale of energy drinks to children, but it is too soon to tell what difference the move has made. Other countries like Finland and Poland could follow suit.England and Scotland held a consultation on ending their sale to children four years ago, and Wales consulted on the same issue in 2022.Current rules mean that drinks which contain caffeine from whatever source at a level over 150mg per litre must state on the label: “High caffeine content. Not recommended for children or pregnant or breastfeeding women.”A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “We consulted on a proposal to end the sale of energy drinks to children under 16 in England, and will set out our full response in due course. “In the meantime, many larger retailers and supermarkets have voluntarily introduced a ban on the sale of energy drinks to children under 16.”Children, and other people sensitive to caffeine, are recommended to only consume it in moderation.William Roberts, from the Royal Society for Public Health, said the review “adds to the growing evidence that energy drinks can be harmful to children and young people’s physical and mental health, both in the short and long-term”.”That’s why we need the UK government to step up and deliver on its 2019 commitment to ban sales of energy drinks to under-16s.”More on this storySupermarkets ban energy drinks for under-16sPublished5 March 2018Energy drinks ban for children proposedPublished30 August 2018Not enough evidence for energy drink banPublished4 December 2018Related Internet LinksImpact on public health practice & policy – Fuse – Newcastle UniversityFood additives – Food Standards AgencyPublic Health journalThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Published11 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, SayoStudioBy Philippa RoxbyHealth reporterWhy are diseases more common in some parts of Europe than others, and why are northern Europeans taller than their southern counterparts?An international team of scientists say they have unearthed the answer in the DNA of ancient teeth and bones.The genes which protected our ancestors from animal diseases now raise the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS). The researchers call their discovery “a quantum leap” in understanding the evolution of the disease.And they say it could change opinions on what causes MS, and have an impact on the way it is treated. Why look at MS?There are about twice as many cases of multiple sclerosis per 100,000 people in north-western Europe, including the UK and Scandinavia, compared with southern Europe.Researchers from the universities of Cambridge, Copenhagen and Oxford spent more than 10 years delving into archaeology to investigate why.MS is a disease where the body’s own immune cells attack the brain and spinal cord, leading to symptoms like muscle stiffness and problems walking and talking.They discovered that genes which increase the risk of MS entered into north-western Europe about 5,000 years ago via a massive migration of cattle herders called Yamnaya.Image source, Getty ImagesThe Yamnaya came from western Russia, Ukraine and Kazhakstan, and moved west into Europe, says one of four Nature journal papers published on the topic.The findings “astounded us all”, said Dr William Barrie, paper author and expert in computational analysis of ancient DNA at University of Cambridge.At the time, the gene variants carried by the herding people were an advantage, helping to protect them against diseases from their sheep and cattle.Nowadays, however, with changing lifestyles and diets, these gene variants have taken on a different role.In the present day, they mean a higher risk of developing certain diseases, such as MS.The research project was a huge undertaking – genetic information was extracted from ancient human remains found in Europe and Western Asia, and compared with the genes of hundreds of thousands of people living in the UK today. In the process, a bank of DNA from 5,000 ancient humans, kept in museum collections across many countries, has now been set up to help future research. ‘Find sweet spot’Prof Lars Fugger, paper author and MS doctor at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, says the discovery helps “demystify” the disease.”MS is not caused by mutations – it’s driven by normal genes to protect us against pathogens,” he explains.Vaccinations, antibiotics and higher standards of hygiene have changed the disease landscape completely – many diseases have disappeared and people are living decades longer.The researchers say modern immune systems may now be more susceptible to autoimmune diseases, like MS, which are on the rise.Drugs currently used to treat MS target the body’s immune system, but the downside is the risk of suppressing it so much that patients struggle to fight off infections.When treating it, we are up against evolutionary forces, Prof Fugger says.”We need to find the sweet spot where there is a balance with the immune system, rather than wiping it out.”Image source, Nature / University of CopenhagenThe team now plans to look for other diseases in ancient DNA and follow them back in time.Their research could reveal more about the origins of autism, ADHD, bipolar disorder and depression.Another Nature paper uncovered even more clues about our genetic past – that the Yamnaya herders could also be responsible for north-western Europeans being taller than southern Europeans.And while northern Europeans carry more genetic risk for MS, southern Europeans are more likely to develop bipolar disorder, and eastern Europeans more likely to have Alzheimer’s disease and type 2 diabetes.DNA from pre-historic hunter-gatherer people raises the risk of Alzheimer’s, but ancient farmers’ genes are linked to mood disorders, the research explains.It also discovered that humans’ ability to digest milk and other dairy products and survive on a vegetable-heavy diet only emerged about 6,000 years ago. Before that, they were meat-eaters.The research compared DNA from thousands of ancient skeletons found in Eurasia to genetic samples from current-day Europeans. More on this storyDNA sleuths solve mystery of 2,000-year old corpsePublished19 December 2023’Major moment in MS research’ as new trial startsPublished4 April 2023’I was put into care home for elderly at 46’Published27 November 2019Do we finally know the cause of multiple sclerosis?Published14 April 2022Black Death 700 years ago affects your health nowPublished20 October 2022Ancient DNA reveals secrets of Pompeii victimsPublished26 May 2022Related Internet LinksNature paper – Elevated Genetic Risk for Multiple Sclerosis Originated in Steppe Pastoralist PopulationsNature paper – The Selection Landscape and Genetic Legacy of Ancient EurasiansMS Society UK – Information, research and support – MS SocietyThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.