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Single people face late cancer diagnosis, doctors develop sleep app for kids and celebrity advert saves infant lives

People with cancer who are older, single or female are more likely than others to be diagnosed late, The Telegraph reports this morning.

A review by Cancer Research UK found that women, older people and those who were unmarried, divorced or widowed were more likely to be diagnosed in emergency situations.

Lead author Dr Liz Mitchell, senior research fellow at the Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, said: ‘It may be that some patients don’t go to their GP about early cancer symptoms – especially if they live alone – or they become ill very quickly, leading to an emergency diagnosis in hospital. But our review shows that other factors such as a person’s age and gender might also have an influence.’

Elsewhere, the BBC reports that doctors at a children’s hospital have developed an app to help children and teenagers to get a proper night’s sleep, after being overwhelmed with appointments about the problem.

The ‘Kids Sleep Dr’ builds up a picture of a child’s sleep patterns over a week and then delivers personalised advice on things like exercise or scheduled waking to help address late sleeping or ‘night terrors’.

And a St Johns Ambulance advert voiced by such luminaries as David Walliams, Johnny Vegas and Sir John Hurt has helped saved at least 36 babies from choking, a report in The Independent reveals.

Apparently the 40-second advert – the Chokeables – reminded parents what to do if their child choked on an object or food.


          

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