A 2006 study in The Pediatric Journal of Orthopedics found 37% of children experience back pain due to carrying heavy backpacks.

Essential hospital workers say HCA Healthcare's billions in profits are not translating into livable pay or enough hands at the bedside. As contract talks unfold, Kansas City-area employees are taking their demands for better wages, staffing and workplace respect to the public.

Springfield, Missouri residents now have a new way to get life-saving naloxone without having to ask for it. The fire department has installed self-service, weatherproof boxes stocked with free opioid rescue kits, giving people around-the-clock access to medication that can reverse an overdose.

Did you know that the term “dog days of summer” actually has nothing to do with canines? Jon Katz, author of Dog Days says it actually goes back to the Romans belief that Sirius, the brightest star in the “big dog” constellation rose with the sun to create great days of heat.

Anxiety and stress can sometimes appear as disruptive physical symptoms like stomach aches, headaches and changes in sleep or appetite. To avoid classroom disruptions, Missouri experts encourage parents to have conversations about mental health with their child ahead of the new school year.

In the wake of a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on transgender athletes in girls' and women's sports, Missouri lawmakers now have a clearer legal path if they choose to make the state's law permanent. The state law, which restricts transgender athletes from competing on girls' and women's sports teams, is set to expire in August 2027 unless lawmakers act.

John Adams wrote his wife, Abigail that July 4th “ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more."

Health experts say Missouri women are not immune to a national rise in cardiovascular disease risk. New research points to increasing rates of high blood pressure and obesity among both older adults and younger women, raising concerns about future increases in heart attacks, strokes, and other heart-related conditions.

The Skin Cancer Foundation reports that sunburn accelerates skin aging and is a leading cause in the majority of cases of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.

Hospital leaders say gaps in Missouri's care system can leave young patients waiting for services and placements even after their immediate medical needs have been addressed. Proposed legislation would require state agencies to respond more quickly when children need ongoing care