Elderly people who get about by walking are less likely to suffer mental decline or even dementia, a study says. Brain scans revealed that older people walking between six and nine miles a week appeared to have more brain tissue in key areas.
New research from the Dyspraxia Foundation reveals that children and young people with dyspraxia are being denied access to sport and leisure activities because of poor awareness of the condition.
A motion of no confidence in the leadership of a multiple sclerosis (MS) charity over the closure of respite care centres has failed. The residential centres in York, Surrey (Brambles in Horley), Warwickshire and East Lothian (Leuchars) face closure if they are not taken over by other organisations. The MS Society says its reviews aims to give patients and carers "more choice and control".
Parents of children in Scotland who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) could soon be offered special parenting classes. The NHS in Scotland has issued recent guidelines for treating the condition which includes a recommendation that parents receive "behavioural training". Doctors have said the guidance should not be viewed as an attempt to blame parents for their child's behaviour. An estimated 5% of school age children in the UK are thought to have ADHD.
Parents need lessons in how to cope with their children's unruly behaviour, new guidelines on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) say. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) says drugs such as Ritalin should be avoided - and must not be given to the under-fives.
A large international study has revealed several genetic variants which are linked to people with asthma. In all, more than 500,000 tests were performed on the genes of 10,000 children and adults with the condition, and 16,000 non-asthmatics. The Imperial College-led research, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, could point to new targets for drugs. Experts said gene testing could not predict who would get the condition.
