For Wednesday, Aug. 23, WGN’s Jewell Hillery has new medical information, including:

Screen times linked to developmental delays

According to research published in JAMA Pediatrics, one-year-olds who spent long stretches of time on screens showed delays in communication and problem-solving at ages two and four. 

Toddlers who spent four hours a day on screens were twice as likely to have those delays.

Additionally, toddlers who spent more than four hours a day were five times as likely. Those same children were also more likely to have problems with fine motor skills and with social skills. 

Lead exposure from secondhand smoke

Secondhand smoke could be exposing children to lead. 

A new study analyzed lead levels in the blood of 2,800 children. 

Researchers say they found higher lead levels in kids who also had higher indicators of nicotine. 

Exposing children to lead can damage their brains and organs. 

40% of heart patients are taking recommended aspirin to prevent future cardiovascular issues

Doctors often recommend aspirin for heart attack and stroke patients to lower their risk of another cardiovascular issue. 

But a new study finds only about 40% worldwide do so. 

In the United States and the United Kingdom, the figure is closer to 65%, but in the low-income countries of Afghanistan and Ethiopia, it’s as low as 16%.

The World Health Organization has a target of at least 50%

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, claiming about 18 million deaths yearly.