In our round-up of health news this week, how a new gadget can help detect autism, eating nuts to reduce breast cancer risk and how taking a paracetamol every day cuts down the risk of heart disease.
The system works by recording a whole day's worth of a child's speech
A new pocket-sized gadget could slash the time it takes to detect autism.
The device can pick up signs of the behavioural condition in young children up to three years earlier than current methods.
This extra time could be crucial because research shows that the earlier autism is detected, the better a child responds to treatments such as speech and language therapy.
The new system, the LENA Autism Screening Service, works by recording a whole day's worth of a child's speech.
It is then plugged into a special computer program that compares the child's recording with that of other youngsters already known to have the condition.
Tests show the system is up to 90 per cent accurate in detecting autism in toddlers.
The device, which costs around £130, is available only in the U.S. but will hopefully be available in the UK in the near future.
A handful of nuts cuts risk of breast cancer
Eating nuts may help reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. According to a study based on 30,000 teenagers, eating nuts lowers the risk of proliferative benign breast disease (BBD), a marker of breast cancer risk.
Reseachers at Harvard University asked the women to fill in a questionnaire about their diet - then looked at how many developed the condition four years later.
Results showed that intake of two or more servings (around two ounces) of any type of nut a week lowered the risk by 36 per cent compared to those who had less than one serving a month.
They also found that women who had the highest levels of fibre - more than 25 grams - had a 25 per cent lower risk of BBD.
It's thought the omega-3 fatty acids in nuts have anti-cancer effects. High-fibre foods are also rich in vitamins, zinc and anti-oxidants known to protect against cancer.
Pop a paracetamol for healthy heart
Could popping a daily paracetamol reduce the risk of heart disease?
In a new study, Australian researchers found the painkiller appears to block an enzyme thought to play a part in damaging the heart.
The enzyme myeloperoxidase produces hypochlorous acid, a 'free radical' that can damage tissues and possibly trigger heart attacks.
So far, tests have only been carried out on rats. But the researchers hope to set up trials to see if the drug can one day rival aspirin for its benefit.
'Because it's a very cheap drug, there could be the potential to get very large numbers of people to take it as a preventive measure against heart disease,' said Professor Michael Davies, who led the study at the heart research institute, Sydney.
'However, we would have to make sure there are no long-term side effects from taking it for months or years.'
Excessive use of the drug in high doses can cause liver and kidney damage.
source: dailymail
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