Health Tip: Make Sure Your Child's Shoes Fit

(HealthDay News) -- Your little one is growing faster than you expected, and his or her feet are no exception.

Health Tip: Prevent Heat-Related Illness

(HealthDay News) -- As the weather heats up, illnesses ranging from heat exhaustion to heatstroke become more common.

Energy Drink-Vodka Combo Nearly Kills Teen

FRIDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- The near death of a German teenager who consumed huge amounts of energy drinks mixed with vodka highlights the largely unrecognized danger of such beverage combinations, researchers report.

Gene Study Sheds Light on Often Fatal Heart Condition

FRIDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers have pinpointed a genetic risk factor for a potentially fatal heart problem called thoracic aortic dissection.

Reading With Mom Can Boost Kindergarten Readiness

FRIDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- Home learning experiences such as reading books with parents can improve low-income preschool children's readiness to start school, researchers say.

Language Delays Seen in Kids in Institutions Beyond Age 2

FRIDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- Foster care boosts language development in young children who lived in institutions, new study findings show.

Dads' Parenting Style Affects Influence as Kids Age: Survey

FRIDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- Dads who know the difference between authoritative parenting and simply being authoritarian enjoy a closer relationship with their children, even as these kids become adults, a new study reveals.

HPV Vaccine May Cut Rate of Cervical Cancer 'Precursors'

THURSDAY, June 16 (HealthDay News) -- The introduction of a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program in Australia led to a reduction in high-grade cervical abnormalities that are precursors to cervical cancer, a new study reports.

Truth About Ice Cream, Snow Cones May Be Hard to Swallow

FRIDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- Ice cream, frozen yogurt and snow cones may be favorite hot weather treats, but they don't offer much in the way of nutrition, a food expert says.

Dad's Good Parenting May Help Daughters Avoid Risky Sex

FRIDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- The daughters of fathers with good parenting skills are less likely to engage in risky sexual behavior, a new study finds.

Singer Crystal Bowersox Comes to Terms With Diabetes

FRIDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- Crystal Bowersox, one of 20 finalists on American Idol last year, almost had her dreams dashed by the disease she's had since the age of 6 -- type 1 diabetes.

'Glowing Hands' Gel Shows Kids Where Dirt, Germs Linger

FRIDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- Use of a glowing gel that reveals microscopic germs on the skin may help children improve their hand hygiene, according to new research.

Deaths Exceed Births in 24% of U.S. Communities: Report

FRIDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- Last year, more people died than were born in nearly one-quarter of all U.S. counties, a new study shows.

Docs Overprescribing Antibiotics for Home-Care Patients: Study

FRIDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- Amid increased threats of drug-resistant infections, a new study reveals that doctors may overprescribe antibiotics to patients receiving ongoing medical care at home.

Scientists Turn Memory On, Off in Rats With Flip of Switch

FRIDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- Fixing faulty memories may one day be as easy as flipping a switch, according to scientists who restored brain function in rats even when they had been drugged to forget.

Nearly 900,000 Fewer Cancer Deaths Since 1990: Report

FRIDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- There has been a steady drop in cancer deaths in the United States in the past two decades, two American Cancer Society reports find.

Health Highlights: June 17, 2011

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Kids With Minor Head Injury May Not Need Hospitalization

FRIDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- Hospitalization for further observation isn't necessary for most children who've suffered minor blunt head trauma and have normal CT scans, a new study indicates.

Rise in Drug-Related Suicide Attempts by Young Men Alarms Experts

FRIDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. emergency department visits for drug-related suicide attempts by young adult males rose 55 percent between 2005 and 2009, a government report says.