Health Highlights: Nov. 13, 2019

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Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Baby Study Could Pinpoint Why People Hiccup

Hiccups appear to help babies regulate their breathing, researchers say.

Their study of 13 newborns found that hiccupping triggered brain activity that might help infants “learn how to monitor the breathing muscles,” eventually resulting in the ability to control breathing voluntarily, study senior author Lorenzo Fabrizi, University College London, U.K., said in a statement, CNN reported.

“When we are born, the circuits which process body sensations are not fully developed, so the establishment of such networks is a crucial developmental milestone for newborns,” he explained.

The researchers noted that hiccuping is common among fetuses and newborns, and begins as early as nine weeks into pregnancy, CNN reported.

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Trump Wants Vaping Meeting, But Attendees Unclear

It’s not clear who’s been invited to attend a meeting on e-cigarettes that was announced Monday by U.S. President Donald Trump.

In a tweet, he said the session would include medical experts and vaping industry and state representatives, and that “Children’s health & safety, together with jobs, will be a focus!”

But CNN contacted two dozen leading experts, health and medical organizations, industry representatives and advocacy groups on both sides of the issue, as well as elected officials, and none of those who responded said they’d received an invitation.

The White House declined to comment, CNN added.

The Trump Administration has been developing a policy on flavored vaping products. Health and advocacy groups are concerned that it will back down from a previous announcement that it would ban all flavored vaping products.

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