Swobidu Health

Posts Tagged ‘parents’

SMITHERS — Two confirmed cases of viral meningitis have been reported at Valley High School, say school officials. Parents were informed of the situation by way of letters and a meeting last Thursday, which was attended by about 100 parents and students. While school attendance dropped last week because of parental concerns over spreading the illness, Valley Principal C. Lee Loy says attendance is back to normal this week. Last Friday, 100 students were out of school, says Loy. He also reports that the number decreased to 68 Monday, which is an average absentee rate for the school of 545 students. Fayette Schools Superintendent Dwight Dials says that his office first began receiving calls about the situation early last week. “We try to stay on top of these things,” he says. “The minute we get a call, we call the health department and our nurses. We want to be as responsible as any parent would be and make the appropriate decisions and follow all the proper protocols.” "We rely on the medical professionals in Fayette County to guide us,” says Associate Superintendent Serena Starcher. She says the county’s medical director, Donald Newell, felt strongly that school should not be closed, especially since the cases were viral and not bacterial. Dials says the situation at Valley seems stabilized, and that extra precautions have been taken to sanitize and disinfect the school. “It’s pretty much run its course, or it is in the process of doing that,” says Dials. Viral meningitis is often confused with the more serious bacterial meningitis. While the latter is a reportable disease under Centers for Disease Control regulations, says Starcher, viral meningitis is no longer reportable, meaning it poses less of a threat to public health. The Centers for Disease Control reports that viral meningitis is “serious but rarely fatal in people with normal immune systems.” Symptoms usually persist for seven to 10 days. Because the symptoms of both bacterial and viral meningitis are the same, it is common to take precautionary measures and also give antibiotics to patients with viral meningitis. Viral meningitis is most commonly contracted in the late summer and early fall months, especially in younger individuals. it is often caused by an enterovirus, a common agent of infection that presents as a “summer cold” type of illness. less common causes include mosquito bites, measles and herpes simplex viruses. The virus causes inflammation of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord. it can only be diagnosed by testing a patient’s spinal fluid. Both of the students who contracted the virus are on the middle school football team, officials said. Loy says both students with viral meningitis are also being treated for bacterial meningitis with an antibiotic regimen. While there is no known treatment for viral meningitis, the symptoms are treated with aspirin and anti-nausea medicine. Symptoms of viral meningitis are similar to those of the common cold. these include headache, stiff neck, sudden high temperature, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, sore throat and muscle ache. more severe cases will cause confusion, sensitivity to bright lights and seizures. according to the CDC, being around someone with viral meningitis poses a risk of contracting the virus that initially made the person sick, such as the enterovirus, but there is not a strong chance of developing meningitis as a result of the infection. Starcher reports that when Newell spoke with staff at Charleston Area Medical Center, they reported an increase number of viral meningitis cases this fall across the state. The letter sent home to parents on Thursday included four pieces of advice for families in preventing contracting viral meningitis or any viral illness. these include making sure the child’s immunizations are current; making sure everyone in the family washes their hands regularly, especially after using the restroom or when preparing food; practicing “cough etiquette;” and consulting the family doctor if anyone in the family is ill. — E-mail:

A lot of parents find it difficult to plan a weekly menu for their kid’s meals, which is why they can skip it all together. What they don’t know is that planned meals have more chances of being healthy as opposed to unplanned meals.

Creating a menu to follow can be easy if you are systematic about it. For starters, you should create a chart or a table where you can write the meal plans out. a small whit e board in your kitchen can work well, since you can just erase the contents each week. You can also print out an empty chart which you can fill in and change weekly. You can stick this to your fridge for easy access. when you write things down it can be easier for you to see what you have, what is lacking and where you can add variety.

Once you’ve done that you can start with a single meal. Do all breakfast meal plans first then follow it by lunch and dinner; or whatever you feel like as long as you work on one area at a time. as you think about what to put other ideas may come to you so it will be best to start with one type of meal at a time, so your mind is set on one thing.

As you plan each meal, to make sure that you cover each area, think about what the food contains. If you serve lean meat with a vegetable side dish, then that covers proteins and vegetables. If your meal is lacking in something then you can try and make up for it. If you have meat and vegetables then you will need some fruit and dairy. You can make up for this by serving yogurt with fruits for dessert. just remember that a balanced diet does not necessarily have to be all in one dish. You can always add something to balance things out.

Another thing that a lot of children complain about when it comes to eating meals is having the same food all the time. Mapping out your kids’ meals can help you avoid serving the same things over and over again. If you serve chicken for lunch then you may want to serve fish or pork for dinner. Try to serve something different each meal to avoid having your kids grow tired of things.

A good thing to do is to rotate the things that you serve a pattern like chicken, pork, fish and beef can work well. You can also have special days such as pasta Fridays or international cuisine week-ends. This gives your children something to look forward to.

Below is a two day sample menu:

Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Snack

Day 1

Granola and Fruit Bowl
Milk or Fresh Fruit Juice
Cheesy Chicken Quesadillas with Guacamole
Melon Slice
Water
Whole Wheat Pasta with Tuna- Tomato Sauce
Mango Crumble
Water or Fresh Fruit Juice
Fruit Men

Day 2

Spinach and Cheese Omelet
Bagel or Biscuits
Milk
Minestrone Soup
Toasted wheat slice
Apple
Water
Super Chicken Caesar with Fancy Grilled Cheese
Banana Cake
Water or Fresh Fruit Juice
Fruit Juice Popsicles

There is always a chance that people can become sick or injured. It is important to be prepared in that particular instance with an emergency first aid kit. It can help you, your children, or others should they need quick medical assistance right away. Cuts, scrapes, burns, and even insect bites can be resolved by having one of these items in your possession.

Traveling short distances you need to have a spare unit in your vehicle. The main problem that people often have is that they have circumstances when they need to get items which can help decrease pain or stop the result of an accident but cannot. When kits are readily available one will be able to resolve medical issues when they arise.

Children are prone to accidents. Even when parents are constantly monitoring them they can do something that you are unaware of. You can try and prevent them from getting hurt, but sometimes things happen beyond your control. You can take a handy package of supplies with you in one container which houses all the items you need.

If you live in an area where natural disasters occur frequently you may want to own a few kits for yourself or family members. Hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods can change your life in an instant. You might be required to evacuate. Government help can take a while to get to your region. Power outages happen often. in a medical situation these health kits can be a lifeline for you in your time of need.

People want to escape from the everyday stress of work, school, and other daily activities. A vacation is the answer for most. whether it is a short weekend trip or an extended stay everyone looks forward to the trip. A kit can be needed even more so when one takes a trip. If you are going to an unknown area or get sick you might want items that can relieve your pain.

Ownership of an emergency first aid kit can be beneficial for many reasons. It can help you in the event of a natural or man made disaster, protect small children when they get hurt, and be a safety measure while travelling. there is no reason why you should not have one in your possession.

Have a look at our site for details about the benefits of having a travel first aid kit in your car, now. You can also find information the best survival first aid kit supplier, today.

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This is part two of the how NOT to Put a Baby to Sleep Series.  In the first series we went over 3 methods that many people use to put their baby to sleep that they should not.  In this segment of the series we will continue to provide methods that you should not use to put your baby to sleep.  you may find them humorous, disturbing or perhaps you may think there is nothing wrong at all using the following methods.

Feeding Baby until they Fall Asleep – Many, many parents make the mistake of continually feeding their baby either by breastfeeding or bottle feeding until their baby falls asleep.  Some parents believe that feeding their baby lots of food before they go to sleep will help them sleep better and longer.  In fact, using the method to put your baby to sleep is very unhealthy.  One of the reasons it is unhealthy is that it begins a bad routine for your child, having them expect a full belly when going to sleep.  Another negative of this method is that it makes your baby feel like it has to be sucking on something when it falls asleep.  Last but not least, putting your baby to sleep this way can also cause them to have an upset stomach and will likely result in your child sleeping in a soiled or waking in the night because of it.

Letting Baby Sleep Where they may – The title of this bullet may seem confusing to some.  let me explain.  Many parents will let them baby stay up until they just pass out and never build a routine around bed time.  This of course is a bad idea and not a healthy way to put your baby to sleep either.  Routines are essential in a baby’s growth and development.  they crave routine and you should take advantage of this craving.  having a routine to put baby to sleep should include a task you do every night before bedtime.  This task may be giving baby a bath, singing, reading, massaging, etc.  If you make it a habit of doing a specific task with your baby each night he/she will begin to associate it with bed time.  having a routine will also help your baby settle down into their own crib, allowing baby to sleep without crying and fussing.

A little Bit of Cough Syrup does the Trick – I know it sounds absurd to you, but this is much more common than you may think.  Generally when someone puts a baby to sleep using cough syrup it’s not the parent. Often it is a nanny, babysitter or even a relative. they  do this so the baby will go to sleep and not bother the caregiver.  the parents will come home, ask about the baby and often the response is, “He/She is such a good kid.  He/She has been catching up on his/her sleep.”  of course this not a healthy way to put your baby to sleep, but the sad fact is some people use this horrid and disgusting technique to put a baby to sleep.

How NOT To Put Your Baby To Sleep is a series. the more readers I have, the more parts will be in the series. you may follow the series here or by visiting my very fun and informative site at babycarepointers.com.  To be continued…

THE country’s drugs watchdog has advised parents not to give over-the-counter cough and cold medicines to younger children — because they don’t work.

There was no strong evidence that the medicines worked on children under the age of six, the Irish Medicines Board (IMB) said yesterday.

And there have been some reports of side-effects — such as allergic reactions and drowsiness — linked to their use in younger children.

Dr Joan Gilvarry, director of human medicines at the IMB, said coughs and colds in young children tended to clear up in a few days.

“Using simple measures such as plenty of fluids and rest to ease the symptoms are likely to be effective, but paracetamol and ibuprofen can be used to assist in reducing the temperature if needed,” Dr Gilvarry said.

She also said honey and lemon could assist and soothe the symptoms. However, she did not recommend homeopathic medicines as there were none currently licensed here for cold and cough treatment.

“If your child is not getting better you should consult with your doctor or pharmacist.”

She said that in the case of children over six, cough and cold medicines had been proved to be effective.

“Children over six are bigger, have a different metabolism, the risk of side effects is reduced and the data available indicates that cough and cold medicines can be effective in this age group,” she said.

The IMB said that people who had given these products to children under six in the past should not be concerned.

Dr Gilvarry said parents should avoid giving products to younger children which contain antihistamines, antitussives, expectorants and decongestants.

Products affected include, amongst others, Benylin’s products for coughs and colds, Lemsip cough and decongestant products, Robitussin plus and cough solutions, Actifed Syrup and Sudafed Nasal spray.

Calpol and Nurofen for Children are pain relief medicines and not cough or cold medicines.

- Eilish O’Regan and Fiona Ellis

• Why Interdental Floss
• Dental Floss Holders
• Dental Floss Threaders
• Superfloss and Dentotape

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WHY INTERDENTAL FLOSS: Toothbrushes do not clean between your teeth. Dental floss is needed because they do clean between your teeth. If you do not floss everyday, you will get cavities between your teeth.

DENTAL FLOSS HOLDERS:

These can be used to help get to the hard to reach areas in the posterior of your mouth, or many parents use them to floss their children who have smaller mouths.

DENTAL FLOSS THREADERS:

Dental floss threaders are rigid pieces of floss that have a loop and an extention (looks like a hollow lollypop) and functions just like an enlarged needle. You thread regular dental floss through the ring/eye, then send the extention underneath tooth bridges or braces . below are illustrations of both.

SUPERFLOSS and DENTOTAPE:

Superfloss is floss with an extremely thick center, almost like thin yarn. This is used when you have large spaces between your teeth or can be used with dental floss threaders as noted above.

Dentotape is thicker than regular floss, but not as thick as superfloss. It can be used instead of regular floss, or in conjunction with, depending on what types of restorations you have in your mouth.