2011 local health news
9:39 PM CDT, June 28, 2011
Reforms to safeguard disabled kids in Illinois become law
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn on Tuesday signed into law sweeping reforms designed to safeguard thousands of children and adults with developmental disabilities who live in nursing facilities.
7:25 PM CDT, June 28, 2011
Wrigley rooftop businesses fail health inspections
As the Cubs faced the Brewers in Chicago recently, patrons at two Wrigley rooftops witnessed something even rarer than a Cubs victory this season: a health inspection.
6:41 PM CDT, June 28, 2011
Chicago fits in at No. 31 on fitness rankings
Although it's known for its beautiful horse farms and as the "Horse Capital of the World," Lexington, Ky., has gained a new distinction — as the most sedentary city in the United States. Chicago, the only Illinois city among the 100 listed, came in at No. 31.
June 29, 2011
Childhood cancer: Support of friends, family 'best medicine'
Boys tossed around a baseball in the front yard at Theofanis Yianas' house in Palatine. Three little girls ran a lemonade stand in his driveway and other children were drawing brightly colored pictures with chalk.
June 29, 2011
Health researchers try to link up with more Hispanic women
Illinois' number of Hispanic women reporting that they were in fair or poor health was the highest in the nation, according to a 2009 study, and efforts are growing to figure out why.
June 27, 2011
Baby's death spotlights safety risks linked to computerized systems
The medical error that killed Genesis Burkett began with the kind of mistake people often make when filling out electronic forms: A pharmacy technician unwittingly typed the wrong information into a field on a screen.
June 25, 2011
Doubts cast on concussion remedies
To help protect their brains, athletes are now given preseason computer tests that assess memory, concentration and reaction time. Some players don helmets with "concussion reduction technology" or use special mouth guards that promise to "prevent concussions and head injuries." Others pop pills promising to improve the brain's resistance to injury or help it recover faster.
7:27 PM CDT, June 23, 2011
Illinois sues Heart Check America over body scan sales
In scores of consumer complaints, Heart Check America clients have accused the company of using pressure sales tactics inappropriate for a health care firm as it markets long-term medical imaging contracts costing thousands of dollars.
June 22, 2011
Experts say benefits of fruits, vegetables outweigh exposure to pesticides
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says, "Make half your plate fruits and vegetables," in its latest dietary guidelines, but a just-published list of the 12 most pesticide-laden produce could confuse those deciding what is both healthful and safe to eat.
June 22, 2011
Rare mitochondrial conditions: Strength in numbers
After 13 years of caring for her daughter, who woke up one morning when she was 5 with a headache and hasn't been able to walk or talk since, Pat Charleston has put her with about 300 others in a web registry of patients with mitochondrial diseases.
June 22, 2011
Shopping at farmers markets can keep pesticides away
Farmers markets might be an option for those interested in limiting their pesticide exposure.
June 22, 2011
Cancer patients get help through financial, health care mazes
Wendy Schwartz, 35, survived ovarian cancer, but three years into a clean bill of health, she is almost out of money, underemployed and wishing she had known sooner about the legal rights that might have eased her struggle.
June 22, 2011
Taste test of Chicago
Outdoor food festival season is upon us, and inspectors from Naperville and Des Plaines to Chicago are gearing up to test food temperatures, refrigeration and hygiene to try to protect the public.
3:24 AM CDT, June 18, 2011
Low vaccination rates in some schools raise outbreak risks
Clusters of children without their required vaccinations in about 200 Illinois schools are raising the chances of school-based outbreaks of serious preventable diseases such as measles and whooping cough, a Tribune analysis of state data has found.
8:23 PM CDT, June 16, 2011
Many Wrigley rooftop businesses are rarely inspected by city health officials, Tribune finds
The Cubs don't win much lately, but patrons of the Wrigley rooftops usually leave games satisfied anyway — their stomachs full thanks to the heaping spreads that include everything from grilled chicken sandwiches and Italian beef to draft beer and soft-serve ice cream.
3:24 PM CDT, June 16, 2011
State abortion records full of gaps
Health care providers are failing to detail abortion complications to the state as required by law, one of many gaps in a surveillance system viewed as crucial to protecting patients, a Tribune review has found.
9:58 PM CDT, June 15, 2011
Deal gives 3,000 developmentally disabled people choice of community-based housing
State officials will begin drawing up plans to move 3,000 people with developmental and intellectual disabilities into community-based housing of their choice, as directed under a federal settlement approved Wednesday that allows for a six-year timetable.
7:26 PM CDT, June 15, 2011
Coach weakened by disease inspires wrestlers
The coach was sick, but he refused to stay home. And so, every day, the teenagers watched as he hobbled up the narrow staircase to the practice room, leaning on a cane, sometimes stopping to catch his breath.
7:34 PM CDT, June 15, 2011
Pilsen violates limits on lead pollution, feds say
Federal environmental regulators on Wednesday declared that Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood violates tough new limits on brain-damaging lead in the air, part of a crackdown on polluters in the predominantly Latino, low-income enclave.
1:55 PM CDT, June 13, 2011
Battling middle-aged workout burnout
I knew something was wrong the moment I stepped into my gym's workout studio to discover that I was the only guy in the place.
4:27 PM CDT, June 13, 2011
Brain lesion blamed in student's death
Though Christian Stilwell was in the audience for his high school's production of "Les Miserables" on April 14, you could just as easily find him on any number of stages.
May 25, 2011
CommunityHealth works to catch those who fall through cracks
Jackie Hudson, 46, of Chicago, works part time and is raising a child while she tries to control her diabetes. Her prescriptions cost the equivalent of a mortgage payment each month.
7:00 PM CDT, June 14, 2011
Coordinating care Medical Home Network will link hospitals, clinics and doctors serving Medicaid patients
In an unprecedented effort to improve medical care on the Southwest Side, the Cook County Health and Hospitals System, five private hospitals, and dozens of clinics and physician practices have agreed to cooperate in bolstering basic care for Medicaid patients.
5:29 PM CDT, June 14, 2011
Laughter clubs are no joke
Arms bent as if she were clutching the reins of an imaginary horse, Nydia Ramirez galloped around the room, letting loose a hearty laugh.
June 15, 2011
Controversy over public breast-feeding in Illinois has moms and health experts contemplating issue
Newborns today are more likely to be breast-fed than were babies from generations in the recent past, experts say.
8:03 PM CDT, June 13, 2011
Adults with disabilities poised to win more housing options
Thousands of Illinois adults with developmental disabilities — many of whom have spent years on a 21,000-plus waiting list for state services — will soon have more choices in housing under a proposed settlement to a long-running federal lawsuit.
11:24 PM CDT, June 12, 2011
City may put a lid on latest eco-trend
Just as Chicago consumers get the hang of reusable grocery bags, a new movement has sprouted to make local grocery shopping even greener: reusable containers.
June 11, 2011
What should consumers do about sprouts?
Now that organic beans sprouts grown in Germany have been pinpointed as the likely source of the European E. coli outbreak, consumers must confront growing doubts about the vegetable.
June 8, 2011
Homes help vets fight new enemy: Addiction
Jeff Gilbert has no military experience, but he can empathize with veterans who struggle with drug and alcohol addiction.
June 8, 2011
Clinic filling cavities, and a void
Tomas Rivera feels fortunate. He found a dentist in the Englewood neighborhood that his 6-year-old son adores.
11:15 PM CDT, June 6, 2011
University of Chicago scientists aim to develop prostheses with sense of touch
University of Chicago researchers aim to design prostheses that will not only be able to move, but would also provide amputees and quadriplegics a sense of touch.
4:23 PM CDT, June 4, 2011
Woman's cancer a factor in complex custody case
Parents diagnosed with cancer commonly fear dying before their children have grown. But an unusual child custody battle in North Carolina has raised another troubling concern: Can the illness be used against the sick parent?
June 1, 2011
Loyola clinic takes swing at tennis injuries
If the French Open has you thinking about taking your own tennis game up several notches this summer, you might want to have Loyola University Medical Center's new tennis medicine program on speed dial.
June 1, 2011
Cancer fundraiser imparts a sense of control
Tamara Habib, 26, of Chicago, has made a career out of planning for and responding to disasters.
8:38 AM CDT, June 2, 2011
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District may stop fighting Chicago River cleanup
In response to efforts to clean up the Chicago River, top officials at the taxpayer-funded agency that handles Cook County's sewage and stormwater have argued that the endeavor would waste money, cause global warming and lead to children drowning.
7:09 PM CDT, June 1, 2011
Weekend rain forces stormwater into lake
Recent steady rains forced local officials to dump more than 105 millions gallons of stormwater and raw sewage into Lake Michigan.
9:16 PM CDT, May 31, 2011
New law requires stricter guidelines for nursing homes
For years, deaths of disabled children at Illinois nursing homes faced little scrutiny. Regulators weren't always informed, coroners weren't notified — even some family members weren't told whether neglect was involved.
8:55 PM CDT, May 31, 2011
USDA testing finds 30-plus unapproved pesticides on the herb cilantro
Just in time for cookout season, some unsettling news arrives for guacamole and salsa lovers: Federal testing turned up a wide array of unapproved pesticides on the herb cilantro — to an extent that surprises and concerns government scientists.
8:55 PM CDT, May 31, 2011
Produce industry seeks to soothe fears on pesticides
Although most shoppers have never heard of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Pesticide Data Program, they may be familiar with the shopping guide known as "the Dirty Dozen."
8:04 PM CDT, May 27, 2011
Dogs, new computer models help keep beaches open
As beaches officially open this weekend, health officials are using cutting-edge computer systems, frequent water testing and even specially trained dogs to monitor water quality and keep Lake Michigan safe for swimming.
12:54 PM CDT, May 26, 2011
Drain cover recall may close many public pools
Thousands of pools around the country may not be able to open in time for the Memorial Day holiday because federal regulators say they will need to replace faulty safety equipment that can lead to swimmers getting trapped underwater and drowning.
10:28 PM CDT, May 24, 2011
With no labeling, few realize they are eating genetically modified foods
When a team of activists wearing white hazmat suits showed up at a Chicago grocery store to protest the sale of genetically modified foods, they picked an unlikely target: Whole Foods Market.
7:58 PM CDT, May 23, 2011
Air pollution: Obama administration seeks stricter limits on mercury pollution from power plants
Mercury pollution from coal-fired power plants is declining nationally after years of increases, prompted by laws in Illinois and more than a dozen other states that for the first time limited emissions of the toxic metal.
8:49 PM CDT, May 22, 2011
Patients at heart of medical device issue
Antonitsa Vlahoulis knew as she slipped into unconsciousness on the operating room table that her surgeon would choose which medical device she would receive to fix her leaky heart valve.
8:26 PM CDT, May 22, 2011
Heart-valve rings slip through FDA loophole
If you have a faulty heart valve and decide to get it replaced, a surgeon will implant an artificial one that has undergone rigorous examination by the Food and Drug Administration.
9:38 PM CDT, May 19, 2011
Probe of Tylenol murders shifts focus to Unabomber's DNA
The FBI is seeking DNA from the convicted Unabomber to determine if he was responsible for the long-unsolved Tylenol murders, linking two of the nation's most shocking crimes from the last three decades.
9:41 PM CDT, May 19, 2011
Trampoline parks launch debate over safety
When Jennifer Quinn springs into the air at Xtreme Trampolines, the 35-year-old feels like a kid again.
May 18, 2011
Robot brings dementia patients out of their shells
Frances Wolan doesn't talk much these days. But the resident of Westmont Nursing and Rehabilitation Center did have a lot to say about her new friend, Pikatti, a therapeutic robot that looks, feels and sounds like a baby harp seal.
May 18, 2011
Recovery homes reach out to Latinos
Alberto Santana has been around alcohol and drugs since he was 7 years old, first introduced by his family. Since then, the 23-year-old has been in and out of jail, hospitals and homelessness.
7:18 PM CDT, May 17, 2011
Report faults care of young psychiatric patients at Chicago Lakeshore Hospital
Inadequate staffing levels and lax supervision led to a series of alleged sexual attacks on youth at a prominent Chicago psychiatric hospital, according to a new report released Tuesday by the state Department of Children and Family Services.
May 14, 2011
EPA: Cost to clean up river wouldn't break the bank
Scouring disease-causing bacteria from the Chicago River and keeping raw sewage out of its channels could cost an average Cook County homeowner less than $7 a month, federal officials concluded as part of their order to make the urban waterway safer for recreation.
5:59 PM CDT, May 12, 2011
Illinois lawmakers target bath salts used as a drug
Following bans on salvia and synthetic marijuana, Illinois lawmakers are now trying to curb the latest store-bought choice of people looking to get high: bath salts.
7:58 PM CDT, May 12, 2011
Case studies in health mergers
When cities and counties combine health departments, they face multiple challenges.
7:58 PM CDT, May 12, 2011
A public health merger in Chicago?
Health care experts and some public officials are floating a radical idea as Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel prepares to take office: a full or partial merger of Chicago and Cook County's health departments.
8:25 PM CDT, May 11, 2011
Blind couple step out as parents
Love is blind inside the two-story brick house on Mulligan Avenue. And that is why the microwave buttons are marked with Braille. The clocks in the home all announce the time. And at 7:15 a.m., everyone is listening carefully for the school bus.
6:21 PM CDT, May 11, 2011
Paramedic revives baby pulled from Fox River
A veteran Addison paramedic says he's glad instinct kicked in when he saw a frantic woman holding a lifeless baby in her arms as he wrapped up a day of fishing in the Fox River.
8:45 PM CDT, May 11, 2011
Medical board upholds autism doctor's suspension
A geneticist who has used the hormone-suppressing drug Lupron to treat children with autism failed Wednesday to persuade the Maryland Board of Physicians to lift its summary suspension of his medical license.
May 11, 2011
Autistic actor soars above stereotypes
Minutes before the start of the Chicago Children's Theatre production of "Red Kite Round Up" on Friday, Daniel Eichengreen turned to fellow cast member Jacob Cohen and whispered one of the gags he would be performing in his featured role as the Joke Meister.
May 11, 2011
Friends cook up fundraiser to help chef
Chef Rob Macey was at the pinnacle of a successful career and in top physical health when he suffered his first grand mal seizure.
May 11, 2011
Asian group joins effort to fight smoking in Chicago
A Chicago-based health and social service agency that works with the city's Asian community plans to announce Thursday a new effort to get more Asians to stop smoking.
May 11, 2011
New pacemaker allows for MRI
The low heart rate, water retention and fatigue have all but disappeared for Bob Fouts since doctors implanted a pacemaker in the 79-year-old Korean War veteran.
8:25 PM CDT, May 4, 2011
Board: Drug therapy for children with autism was risky
A doctor nationally known for treating autism with a drug sometimes used to chemically castrate sex offenders has been suspended from practicing medicine in his home state of Maryland after state officials determined he is putting children at risk.
May 4, 2011
Public housing going smoke-free
Betty A. Smith had become accustomed to holding a tissue over her mouth to combat the secondhand smoke that would infiltrate her apartment.
May 4, 2011
Teen turns struggles into charity
Ray Vanco is a shy, unassuming teenager from Orland Park who would be quite content if strangers never knew his name or face.
5:02 PM CDT, May 3, 2011
Diagnosed with cancer, mom-to-be makes tough decision
It was a routine visit to her obstetrician early in her pregnancy, and Jill Wrobel, 30, a first-time expectant mom, had lots of questions.
7:54 PM CDT, May 2, 2011
Duerson's brain was damaged, study shows
For the family of Dave Duerson, the announcement Monday that scientists found signs of damage in his brain may shed some light on the Chicago Bears star's erratic behavior.
8:15 PM CDT, April 28, 2011
Purdue student's virus work makes a name for herself
Any time Emilia Czyszczon gets bogged down in her biological engineering studies — any time she considers taking the easy route on an assignment — she thinks about her father.
9:32 PM CDT, April 27, 2011
Ex-nursing home supervisor acquitted in deaths of 6 residents
A nursing home supervisor accused of looking the other way while a co-worker allegedly dispensed overdoses of morphine has been cleared of all charges in the case.
10:06 PM CDT, April 27, 2011
Medical marijuana could become legal in Illinois
A stricter set of rules and a surprise political alliance are helping build momentum for a long-thwarted effort to legalize marijuana for medical purposes in Illinois.
9:11 PM CDT, April 27, 2011
Judge rejects plea deal for former fugitive surgeon
For five years, former patients of Chicago surgeon Mark Weinberger's feared that the man they claim maimed them with unnecessary surgeries had made a clean getaway.
April 27, 2011
Breaking the falls
Claire Broome was at home, going through her usual routine, when she lost her footing, fell and fractured her hip.
April 27, 2011
Vision clinic takes the long view
The thought of forgoing reading because of her rapidly deteriorating eyesight terrified Joan Retzlaff after suffering complications from her wet macular degeneration.
April 27, 2011
Communities form to decrease infant mortality rate among blacks
When Kamela Beltran lost her third baby to yet another miscarriage, this one at 22 weeks of pregnancy, she was angry with God.
11:09 PM CDT, April 24, 2011
Pediatricians seek change in lax toxic chemicals law
Alarmed by studies showing children are vulnerable to toxic chemicals found in scores of consumer products, the nation's largest pediatrician group is joining a growing campaign to overhaul how the U.S. regulates hazardous substances.
3:13 AM CDT, April 26, 2011
FDA warns doctor: Stop touting camera as disease screening tool
On Dr. Joseph Mercola's popular website, women are warned against getting mammograms to screen for breast cancer.
7:11 PM CDT, April 24, 2011
Hospitals drowning in noise
At 3:15 p.m. on a weekday, the busy eighth floor of Chicago's St. Joseph Hospital is buzzing with noise. Alarms beep incessantly. The elevator dings each time the doors open. During the shift change, the "cocktail party effect" kicks in; people talk louder, straining to be heard over the hubbub.
7:11 PM CDT, April 24, 2011
Alarm fatigue a top hospital safety issue
"Alarm fatigue," or the failure of medical staff to respond to incessantly beeping devices, is one of the top conditions creating safety issues in hospitals, according to the Joint Commission, the national organization that accredits the facilities.
6:39 PM CDT, April 21, 2011
Feds and state crack down on air pollution outside Chicago school
Federal and state officials are cracking down on a smelter in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood after linking it to high levels of toxic lead in the air outside an elementary school less than two blocks away.
6:58 PM CDT, April 20, 2011
Sex ed hits the road
Jackie Gill stood confidently at the front of the classroom, her PowerPoint presentation cued and ready to go with slides of hormones, sperm and fallopian tubes.
5:30 PM CDT, April 19, 2011
Brain-controlled limb to take prosthetics a step forward, researchers hope
It had been five years since Hailey Danisewicz last thought about bending her left knee.
6:40 PM CDT, April 19, 2011
FTC goes after 'news sites' that hawk acai berry diets
The Federal Trade Commission has filed suit against 10 companies the agency says are using fake news websites to market acai berry weight-loss products.
7:36 PM CDT, April 19, 2011
Billboards that highlight black abortion disparity spark debate
When a Texas minister came to Chicago last month to launch a controversial anti-abortion billboard campaign, he highlighted a statistic that some people found shocking.
3:06 PM CDT, April 18, 2011
Too much, too soon
The first time Sharon Specht suspected that something might be wrong with her husband, Robert, was about three years ago, when she noticed him having difficulty performing little tasks.
10:41 PM CDT, April 17, 2011
Next stop: Fresh produce
In Steven Casey's Englewood neighborhood, milk and eggs, bread and bologna are easy to find.
10:41 PM CDT, April 17, 2011
Old CTA bus prepped to accept new fare
In a dark storage facility in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood, a beat-up Chicago Transit Authority bus is being prepared to roll out.
6:26 PM CDT, April 18, 2011
Quinn's spending plan threatens lifeline for many struggling families
About five years ago, Maria Limon brought her daughter to a clinic at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Eileen Limon has autism and, at the time, was nonverbal. Her mother couldn't afford the kind of therapy Eileen needed, but doctors at the publicly funded West Side clinic said they could help.
8:09 PM CDT, April 14, 2011
Just a liver transplant among neighbors
Darren Conrad still might be waiting for a liver transplant — waiting to play ice hockey again, waiting to attend his son's baseball games — if he didn't live on Brown Lane in Plainfield.
6:41 PM CDT, April 13, 2011
US surrogate babies for overseas parents
With a flag hanging outside her house, a crate of Girl Scout cookies in her living room and a dog named for Disney sensation Miley Cyrus at her feet, Laurie Thompson is about as American as it gets.
9:18 PM CDT, April 13, 2011
Illinois takes step toward banning trans fats
Illinois restaurants may soon have to find a way to cut artificial trans fats from French fries, onion rings, popcorn shrimp, pies, cakes and fried chicken.
April 13, 2011
Little Company of Mary steps up as a primary stroke center
When Joseph Smiley fainted in front of his home on a recent evening, the quick thinking of neighbors and expert doctors and nurses helped turn the life-threatening incident into a stroke success story.
4:56 AM CDT, April 11, 2011
New list offers hospital-specific data on patient safety
Over strong objections from the hospital industry, the government has published data about things that can go wrong in hospitals — falls, objects left behind during surgeries, bloodstream or urinary infections associated with catheters, incompatible blood infusions, serious bed sores and more.
6:27 PM CDT, April 7, 2011
Medicare fraud-busters target Chicago
Day after day, the delivery trucks arrived at the building on Chicago's North Side, bringing walkers, hospital beds and wheelchairs to residents.
April 6, 2011
From his bed, paralyzed athlete leads fight for health insurance
In the five weeks since paralyzed running back Rasul "Rocky" Clark told the media of his fight for health insurance after his $5 million policy expired, his family has been overwhelmed with support, he said.
April 6, 2011
From fashion world, a voice for healthy body image
Sunny Sea Gold knows all too well the many pressures that young women face with body image and their weight.
April 5, 2011
Donations to keep school's teams on the go
SPRINGFIELD — Donations from Chicago-area residents and a not-for-profit organization will keep athletes from the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired traveling to out-of-state competitions through next year.
April 5, 2011
Prevent Blindness enlists kids in battle for eye health
Some 30,000 Chicago Public Schools students will learn about eye health in a pilot program aimed to get children and their parents to take vision more seriously.
7:44 PM CDT, April 1, 2011
Conjoined twins celebrate their first birthday
Defying the odds, conjoined twins born critically ill last year in University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago have reached a major milestone: their first birthday.
12:15 AM CDT, April 1, 2011
High levels of toxic lead found in air outside Chicago school
Residents in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood complained for years about metallic-tasting smoke rolling down their narrow streets but had little evidence it was harmful.
9:03 PM CDT, March 29, 2011
Safety agency fails to investigate crib bumper cases
The nanny checked on Madison Morr twice during her afternoon nap. The second time, Madison's skin was blue — her face was pressed against the bumper pad that lined the inside of her crib.
March 30, 2011
Youths make case against smoking in public parks
Even in the great outdoors, tobacco use hurts nonsmokers. Inhaling secondhand smoke can trigger asthma and breathing difficulties inside or outside. Beyond that, many people don't realize that discarded cigarette butts contain nonbiodegradable plastics and persistent poisons, said Barbara de Nekker, community health specialist for the Lake County Department of Health.
6:36 PM CDT, March 28, 2011
More deaths identified at North Side nursing facility for disabled kids
A federally backed watchdog group says it has identified at least five more deaths involving poor care at a troubled Chicago nursing facility for disabled children and young adults, as well as a pattern of the home destroying evidence of medication errors.
9:09 AM CDT, March 25, 2011
CDC report charts local obesity, inactivity rates
At more than 220 pounds, Christina Martinez knew her lifestyle had to change dramatically if she wanted to improve her health, so she started taking aerobics classes.
11:18 PM CDT, March 23, 2011
Some CPS parents object to mandatory classroom breakfasts
For most school kids, a bowl of cereal and milk or a hot egg sandwich on a neighbor's desk would be no big deal.
8:27 PM CDT, March 22, 2011
Pediatricians say rear-facing best; moms say, 'We'll see …'
Abby Mazzei started putting her daughter in a forward-facing car seat when she turned 1. The little girl had begun to get antsy facing backward, and it was clear to her mother that it was time.
March 23, 2011
From art to intervention
Prayer alone was no longer enough for Lisa Ballantine, who watched the families fill their baby bottles with murky river water that sickened and even killed their children.
March 23, 2011
Body piercing shops still getting into compliance with 2007 Illinois registration law
The revelation this month that a Palatine shop apparently has been performing body piercings for years without proper state registration underscores that it could take more time before the growing industry is largely in compliance with the 2007 law, officials say.
March 23, 2011
Lure of free manicures brings women in for mammograms
When it came to figuring out what would entice more women to come in for mammograms, administrators at Holy Family Medical Center in Des Plaines took their cue from a sister hospital and went with free manicures.
11:00 PM CDT, March 20, 2011
An about-face on children's car seats
The nation's largest organization of pediatricians is telling its members and parents that children riding in cars should remain in rear-facing child safety seats until at least their second birthday and preferably even longer.
4:19 PM CDT, March 19, 2011
Feds probe chronic sewage overflows into lake, streams
Billed as an engineering marvel and national model, Chicago's Deep Tunnel was designed to protect Lake Michigan from sewage overflows and put an end to the once-frequent practice of dumping human and industrial waste into local rivers.
7:21 PM CDT, March 17, 2011
Research casts doubt on theory of cause of chronic fatigue
A high-profile scientific paper that gave enormous hope to patients diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, and even prompted some to begin taking potent anti-HIV drugs, has been largely discredited by subsequent research.
March 16, 2011
Taking stress out of mammograms
The words "party" and "mammogram" aren't used in the same sentence often.
6:15 PM CDT, March 16, 2011
Troubled Chicago nursing home may lose Medicaid funding
Federal authorities are moving this week to terminate Medicaid funding to the troubled Wincrest Nursing Center on the city's North Side after state and federal inspections documented residents engaged in bloody fights and drug abuse that spilled from the facility out into the surrounding community.
9:49 PM CDT, March 16, 2011
Scientists try to defuse nuclear fallout fears
Fallout from Japan's crippled nuclear reactors already is being detected thousands of miles away. But scientists who track pollution blowing across the Pacific Ocean say the amount of radioactivity should pose no danger to the United States.
March 16, 2011
Meals and exercise fit for a firefighter
At the Glenside Fire Protection District, firefighters know that being in shape will help them deal with emergencies of all kind.
11:08 PM CDT, March 15, 2011
Northwestern's use of Google apps discriminates against the blind, federal complaint says
Northwestern University is targeted in a federal complaint filed Tuesday that alleges blind students and faculty face discrimination by the university's use of Google e-mail and other programs.
8:49 PM CDT, March 15, 2011
Potassium iodide and Geiger counter sales spike after Japan disaster
Sales of Geiger counters and potassium iodide supplements that can block some radiation have surged nationwide since Friday, fueled by concerns among some Americans that radiation released from Japanese nuclear plants could spread to the United States.
March 8, 2011
Colleges urged to screen more for depression
For many young people, the excitement of attending college is often followed by the stress brought on by new challenges.
March 6, 2011
Homeopathy prospers even as controversy rages
A popular homeopathic flu remedy boasts that it comes with no side effects, no drug interactions and won't make you drowsy. But the product also lacks something most people expect to find in their medicine: active ingredients.
8:46 PM CST, March 1, 2011
Supplements lack science, safety proof
"Lost your essence after excessive lovemaking?" BioRay said it has a supplement for you.
8:17 PM CST, March 1, 2011
Paralyzed former prep athlete sees premium health coverage run out
In the days after a football injury left Eisenhower High School running back Rasul "Rocky" Clark paralyzed from the neck down, he was showered with attention from medical professionals and assured by school officials that he would be well taken care of, he said.
1:17 PM CST, February 26, 2011
Did head injuries lead to Dave Duerson's suicide?
If neuropathologist Ann McKee finds that the brain of Dave Duerson is atrophied and stained with brown, it will be a sign the former Bears safety is the latest NFL player to be linked to a disease formerly associated mainly with boxers taking repeated punches to the head.
6:47 PM CST, February 21, 2011
Teen suicide: More schools bring issue out of shadows
The paper handed to each freshman at Oak Lawn Community High School recently was filled with blunt and uncomfortable questions. Had they lost interest in everything? Did they feel they weren't as smart or good-looking as most other people? Were they thinking about killing themselves?
10:37 PM CST, February 20, 2011
You can lead kids to broccoli, but you can't make them eat
Anyone who has ever tried to sneak healthy food into kids' lunches knows what Chicago Public Schools is going through.
7:34 PM CST, February 17, 2011
Muslim teen inspires bone marrow drive
When doctors diagnosed Bilal Mallick with leukemia in January, they told his parents a bone marrow transplant often presented the best chance for survival and a cure.
February 16, 2011
New campaign urges women to call 911 at heart attack warning signs
Marla Kalish, 58, of Highland Park, started experiencing chest pressure five years ago during her morning tennis matches. When she slowed down, the pressure would always dissipate, so she chalked it up to acid reflux.
February 16, 2011
Heart attack survivor raises red flag
About 9:30 a.m. Oct. 28, Westchester resident Shirley Grant went into full cardiac arrest and was taken to the emergency room at Adventist Hinsdale Hospital.
11:22 PM CST, February 11, 2011
Woman, 61, gives birth to own grandchild
Almost 39 weeks ago, Kristine Casey set out on an unusual journey to help her daughter and answer a spiritual calling.
February 9, 2011
Carpentersville's Golfview meets Healthier School Challenge
The students of Golfview Elementary Magnet School in Carpentersville earned a special celebration amid much fanfare last week — but there was nary a cake nor sugary snack in sight.
February 9, 2011
Lake County looks within to tackle obesity
Last year, Debra Wells got a wake-up call in the form of congestive heart failure.
9:01 PM CST, February 8, 2011
Hospital offers help for women who want to halt abortions
A Chicago medical center has become one of the nation's first Roman Catholic hospitals to adopt a practice of halting second-trimester abortions for women who change their minds after the multiday medical procedure has begun.
8:24 PM CST, February 7, 2011
The danger that lurks underwater
Equipment meant to prevent powerful drains from causing people to drown in pools and hot tubs is being used across the country even though the products underwent flawed safety evaluations, then failed subsequent, more stringent tests, a Tribune investigation has found.
6:05 PM CST, February 6, 2011
Undocumented worker who became quadriplegic is moved to Mexico against his will
For almost four months, doctors and nurses at Advocate Christ Medical Center cared for the young Mexican laborer who had fallen from a roof and lost the ability to speak, breathe or move most parts of his body.
February 2, 2011
Seniors use computer program to try to stay sharp
Imagine being able to improve your brain health and fight memory loss and dementia by playing a series of games on a computer.
7:07 PM CST, January 31, 2011
Do anti-aging skin creams work?
Winter is not good to our skin. The wind chaps. The dry air wicks. The combination blows us into the arms of the billion-dollar cosmeceutical industry, which awaits with pricey over-the-counter potions and serums promising to undo the season's damage.
January 29, 2011
Value of bed rest for pregnant women questioned
Margaret Simon spent the last four months of her pregnancy lying in bed on a doctor's orders, hoping to prevent a miscarriage and a preterm birth. As a result, Simon lost her job, struggled to care for her two older children and grew so unfit that she got winded taking showers.
January 26, 2011
Surgery simulators give residents a hand in building skills
Most patients facing an operation would of course prefer an experienced surgeon over one just learning the procedure.
7:13 PM CST, January 25, 2011
Girl Scout Cookies and other sweets offer confusing labeling on trans fats
Girl Scout Cookies, whose ordering season finished last week in the Chicago area, came with an extra pledge this year.
January 24, 2011
Dawn Turner Trice: Making Alzheimer's patients comfortable
Until Bryan Le Blanc's 93-year-old mother died earlier this month, she had spent the last four years of her life in the Alzheimer's unit at Maryhaven Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in north suburban Glenview.
10:14 PM CST, January 20, 2011
Sports fans and food safety
During the Chicago Fire's season at Toyota Park, a local public health official is on site for at least one game to ensure food is safe to eat. She'll stick a thermometer in hot dogs or throw milk away that's been out too long.
January 19, 2011
Poison center offers expert advice, 'calming voice'
The day started normally for dozens of families across the state. Then, at some point, things took a turn.
January 19, 2011
Experts stress prevention with rise in whooping cough
Newborn Jolee Kuehl spent 40 days at the University of Chicago Medical Center, 14 of them on a ventilator, after catching whooping cough from her mother at just 15 days old.
6:21 PM CST, January 18, 2011
Medicare's policy on therapy comes under attack
The federal government is illegally denying thousands of chronically ill Americans needed therapies and medical services, five national organizations charged Tuesday in a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Vermont.
5:47 PM CST, January 13, 2011
Man with brain injury falls through cracks of state aid
Laura Acosta faces a reality that tears at the fabric of motherhood. She deeply loves her 22-year-old son, wants him near, yet knows there's a side of the young man that's dangerous.
Copyright © 2011, Chicago Tribune