For Monday, Oct. 9, WGN’s Dina Bair has new medical information, including:

Study finds more evidence of ‘long term cold’ symptoms

More research on the existence of long colds after a study by London’s Queen Mary University finds people may experience long-term symptoms after acute respiratory infections that test negative for COVID-19. 

Common symptoms like coughing and stomach pain remain more than four weeks after the initial infection. 

The study suggests more research needs to be done to find out why some people suffered extended symptoms and others don’t. 

Autism diagnosis may change in toddlers by 6

Not all children who receive an autism diagnosis as toddlers will still have that diagnosis once they reach elementary school.  

Researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital found that 37% of the toddlers with autism they studied no longer met the criteria for the condition by the age of six.  

The subjects were diagnosed between 12 and 36 months of age and received community-based interventions. 

The lead researcher says the key takeaway is the importance of continuing to get developmental follow-ups for all kids with an early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. 

Running may ease depression, study says

Running may be as helpful as medication in easing depression. 

A new study out of Holland compared the effects of antidepressants and running on anxiety, depression and overall health over a 16-week period. 

At the end of the 16 weeks,  44% of the people in both the running group and those who chose medication showed improvements in their depression and anxiety symptoms. 

Running also showed improvements in physical health, while antidepressants had a slightly negative impact. 

Researchers stress there’s room for both therapies in managing depression.