Air Quality; Autism & Vaccines; Texting Teens | Medical Watch | WGNTV.com | WGN TV

Air Quality; Autism & Vaccines; Texting Teens

Monday, May 12

In tonight's Medical Watch a sad state of air.

Air Quality
The American Lung Association has released it's grades for air quality and Chicago is the worst. The report card documents unhealthy levels of the most hazardous air pollution. It can trigger asthma attacks and heart attacks. Living in the suburbs doesn't automatically help you breathe easier... choose wisely to improve conditions for ozone and particle pollution. Cook County got an "F," Lake County a "D," McHenry county got a "C," and DuPage County a "B" the best air quality locally: Will County got an "A."

Autism & Vaccines
Is autism caused by vaccines? A jury, not scientists may now decide as the debate heads into court. Two families hope their cases will bring compensation for thousands. The attorneys for two ten-year-old boys will try to prove the boys were perfectly healthy until they got vaccines with thimerosal. Experts at the Institute of Medicine have said there is no credible evidence to show vaccines containing the preservative lead to autism. Overall nearly 5,000 families have filed suit alleging a vaccine trigger for autism. One family has already settled.

Texting Teens
Can a text message trigger better health behavior ... some doctors from Cincinnati think so. They are now texting teen patients to remind them to take their medicine. Diabetics, those with asthma and kidney patients are among those getting nagging daily messages on their phones from their physicians. Studies show only 50% of teens comply with medication prescriptions. Doctors say they can get in their patient's faces by coming through the phone.