Health Buzz: iPhone Outbreak App and Other Health News

Find Out Where Swine Flu's Lurking With New iPhone App

A new iPhone application called "Outbreaks Near Me" shows users the spread in their area of H1N1 swine flu and other infectious diseases including syphilis, tuberculosis, and hepatitis, Children's Hospital Boston said in a press release. Users who download the app enter a location to see the latest infectious disease reports in real time, the hospital said. HealthMap, an online database that collects and reports information on infectious diseases, powers the app, which also lets users set alerts for new outbreaks. The app was developed by researchers at the hospital and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab.

Read how the iPhone may help parents track their kids health remotely. In March, U.S. News contributor Nancy Shute wrote how it may be possible, for example, to monitor a child's blood glucose levels throughout the day, whether that child is at school or at the beach. And consider these 5 great health apps for your iPhone.

Need to Lose Weight? 10 Ways to Conquer Emotional Eating

Do you blindly turn to food as a source of comfort when you're feeling upset? Since emotional overeating doesn't provide any lasting satisfaction and can lead to health problems, it's far better to find other ways to deal with the stresses of daily life, U.S. News's January Payne writes. That's the premise of a book out this month, 50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food. Author and psychologist Susan Albers shared with Payne 10 ways to avoid emotional eating.

One tip Albers suggests is to try blogging. Blogging is a modern form of journaling, long recognized as a constructive outlet for emotions in turmoil, says Albers. Also, since blogging and social networking sites are, by their nature, interactive, "you really have to think about how your readers are going to respond to what you're writing," she says. "It makes you feel like you're not alone." Read more.

Find out if taking a mindful approach to eating, a system that involves paying close attention to your eating patterns, could also help you lose weight. Consider these 4 ways to prevent mindless eating and 7 tips to shed pounds when diets fail.

What's Normal Sexual Behavior in Young Children?

A new clinical report from the American Academy of Pediatrics gives doctors and parents a clear sense of when a child's sexual behavior may signal physical or sexual abuse, and when sexual behavior in children is normal, U.S. News contributor Nancy Shute reports.

The good news is that normal sexual behaviors like trying to see adults naked, for example, are usually fleeting and infrequent, Shute writes. But parents also need to know when a child's sexual behavior is not normal. Pediatricians say sexual behaviors that involve coercion are rarely normal and can signal physical or sexual abuse. Since coercion can be hard to explain to young children, one expert suggests saying: "It isn't nice to make someone do something he doesn't want to do." Ideally, both parents and doctors will know when it's time to be worried and take action, or when we grown-ups can say, "Hey, that's normal, I can deal with it," Shute writes. Read more.

Read about a sex-ed program for parents, taught at the office. And here's advice on talking about sex with your kids.

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