Back to school!?!

The summer break zipped right by — although it seems to have left the near-100 degree heat behind as a reminder. Area school districts have either started classes or will soon. University Health System teamed up with KSAT and other local partners to provide last-minute vaccinations at the Alamodome earlier today. If you still need back-to-school vaccinations, here’s a handy list of locations and times from San Antonio Metropolitan Health District — including the schedule of University Health System’s healthyUexpress mobile clinic. In honor of families rounding up the kids and scooting them out the door to school, we’re resurrecting ...Read More >

Safer than cigarettes? No vaping way

It’s touted as a safe alternative to cigarettes. But is vaping really that harmless? The short answer, says pediatrician Dr. Ryan Van Ramshorst, is no. Vaping is the inhalation of aerosol produced by an electronic cigarette when it heats nicotine and other chemicals. It differs from traditional cigarettes in that there is no smoke inhaled, only water vapor. While cigarettes contain over 7,000 chemicals, including nicotine, it is unknown how many chemicals are in an e-cigarette. “The ‘vapor’ released from an electronic nicotine delivery system, or E.N.D.S., is not actually a vapor, but an aerosol that contains numerous airway irritants ...Read More >

Not just a bump on the head

Whether it’s from football, soccer or even cheerleading, the number of concussions in student athletes is on the rise. So, what can you do to protect your kids from getting brain injuries while playing sports? How dangerous are concussions? Concussions are mild traumatic brain injuries that are caused by a blow or bump to the head or body resulting in the brain moving back and forth rapidly in the skull. Concussions can have long-term negative health effects including: Memory problems Sleep disturbances Emotional or mood changes Difficulty concentrating or completing tasks And in some cases, especially when multiple concussions occur, ...Read More >