Baby & child health news roundup

Is the swine flu vaccine safe? The 2009 H1N1 vaccine isn’t really a new drug, any more than the regular (seasonal) flu vaccine is. That vaccine is made from scratch each year using the strains of influenza virus most likely to circulate in the coming season, and decades of evidence show that it’s quite safe and moderately effective (some years are better than others) at preventing cases of the flu. The H1N1 vaccine is just like the regular vaccine, except it contains the new virus that causes the swine flu. Learn more in the full Health blog post.

Swine flu: Who should get the vaccine? The swine flu is especially dangerous to children and pregnant women. While pregnant women make up only 1 percent of the population, they’ve accounted for 6 percent of deaths due to swine flu this year. Children, too, appear to be at a greater risk: Since May of this year, swine flu has killed at least 76 children, according to the CDC, and flu season probably hasn’t even peaked yet. Learn more in the full Health blog post.

Mercury and flu vaccines. Some formulations of the swine (H1N1) and seasonal flu vaccines contain thimerosal. Numerous studies have found no association between the mercury-containing preservative and autism or other health problems. But if you want to reduce your or your children’s overall exposure to mercury, manufacturers do offer H1N1and seasonal flu vaccines that contain no thimerosal. Learn more in the full Health blog post.

Green spaces are beneficial to children. Having few green areas nearby may increase the risk of depression and other health problems, a new study reports. Children (and some adult groups) in the study were especially likely to benefit from living near green spaces because they tend to spend more time close to home. Learn more in the full Health blog post.

Gardasil approved for preventing genital warts in males. The Food and Drug Administration has approved the Gardasil vaccine for preventing genital warts in boys and men, from ages 9 through 26. Gardasil was previously approved for the prevention of cervical cancer and genital warts in girls and women ages 9 through 26. Learn more in the full Health blog post.