Health Journal Online

Tag: Alarm

  • Alarm Raised in Rise of Gun-Related Injuries Among Kids

    Alarm Raised in Rise of Gun-Related Injuries Among Kids

    Cook Children’s Medical Center is urging parents to lock up their firearms as they recorded a significant increase in the number of gun-related injuries among kids.

    The situation comes as school is out and children are spending more time at home, which is considered one of the factors for the development. In just the first half of this year, Cook Children’s has already treated 40 firearm injuries, which is nearing the total of 60 for the whole of last year.

    Cook Children’s Encourage Parents To Better Lock Up Firearms

    The program coordinator at the center, Eric Gonzalez, said the number is significantly higher than they expected and is probably more than what has been recorded in the last three years. He added that the situation is most likely a result of the number of firearms in households, particularly in Texas, and the fact that many of them are not properly stored.

    Gonzalez said that there are more and more guns out there every day and that firearms are becoming a prevalent part of the community, especially in Texas. Doctors argue that it is not only handguns that are worrying as BB guns, airsoft guns, and paintball guns can send children to the emergency room, according to CBS News.

    The program coordinator added that injuries caused by these items can be quite serious, noting that an airsoft gun can result in two to three inches of penetration. This means that a 9mm handgun can lead to far worse injuries.

    To prevent more injuries, Cook Children’s is encouraging parents who own firearms or similar items to follow the so-called “Three T’s.” These are, Talk to your kids, Teach them about gun safety, and Take action by locking up firearms.

    More Young Victims of Gun Violence

    On top of this, the center produced public service announcements and continues to do community outreach where it gives away lock boxes and cable locks for firearms. Summer vacation is a cause for concern because of sleepovers, which could put children in unfamiliar environments, Fox4News reported.

    The situation comes as the United States experienced a sudden rise in firearm mortality among youth in the past few years as firearms became the leading cause of death among children and adolescents in 2020.

    Other than firearm deaths, many youth who survive gunshot wounds or have been exposed to gun violence can develop negative behavioral health patterns. This was seen in increased youth suicide risk being linked to communities that are exposed to school shootings, as per KFF.



    Originally published on parentherald.com

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  • U.S. Halts Animal Imports From Mexico As Flesh-Eating New World Screwworm Sparks Alarm

    U.S. Halts Animal Imports From Mexico As Flesh-Eating New World Screwworm Sparks Alarm

    The New World screwworm, a parasitic fly that harms both cattle and humans and was once eradicated from the U.S. after more than three decades of effort, is raising new concerns amid an outbreak in Mexico. In response to the looming threat, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a halt on imports of cattle, bison, and horses through the southern border.

    The New World screwworm produces larvae that feed on the flesh and blood of livestock, pets, wildlife, birds, and, in some cases, humans, causing painful infestations that can lead to potentially fatal damage to their hosts. It was eradicated in the U.S. in 1966 after billions of dollars were spent on an operation that involved releasing hundreds of millions of sterile adult flies, which would mate with wild females and ultimately prevent them from laying viable eggs.

    The recent threat emerged after the maggot fly was detected on remote farms in Mexico with minimal cattle movement, reaching as far north as Oaxaca and Veracruz, about 700 miles from the U.S. border.

    “Due to the threat of New World Screwworm, I am announcing the suspension of live cattle, horse, & bison imports through U.S. southern border ports of entry effective immediately. The last time this devastating pest invaded America, it took 30 years for our cattle industry to recover. This cannot happen again,” the USDA Secretary, Brooke Rollins, announced in an X post.

    The first case of infestation in Mexico was reported to the U.S. in November 2024, following which the USDA shut down the border for live animal trade. Trade resumed in February 2025, after the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and Mexican authorities put in place a thorough inspection and treatment process to safely manage animal movement and reduce the risk of New World screwworm.

    The USDA announced that APHIS is deploying sterile flies by air and on the ground at key sites, focusing on southern Mexico and other parts of Central America.

    “The protection of our animals and the safety of our nation’s food supply is a national security issue of the utmost importance. Once we see increased surveillance and eradication efforts, and the positive results of those actions, we remain committed to opening the border for livestock trade. This is not about politics or punishment of Mexico, rather it is about food and animal safety,” Secretary Rollins said in a news release.

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