Resources Child Health 10 Tips to Keep Your Family Healthy This Spring
| 10 Tips to Keep Your Family Healthy This Spring |
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There are more than 200 species of ticks in the United States! If that's not bummer enough,
Lyme disease (LD), a bacterial infection brought to you by deer ticks and black-legged ticks, has been found in 49 states as well as Canada, Central America, Europe, and Asia. Ticks can be active year-round with mild weather, but are most active between April and October, when they creep and drop from branches or tall grass. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends using an insect repellent such as DEET (20 to 30 percent) or permethrin sprayed on clothing. Ask your pediatrician about use on youngsters.
Check all family members (including pets!) for ticks every day, looking in hiding places they like: behind the ears; in hairlines, armpits, and groin; just inside socks or bra straps. If you find one, flush it down the toilet or put it in a jar with rubbing alcohol. If one is biting you, don't panic. With tweezers holding the tick as close to your skin as possible, pull firmly and straight out. It will pinch, and may itch later. Let your physician know about the bite; she may prescribe a quick course of antibiotics. Diagnosis of Lyme disease is usually from symptoms which may include rash or flu-like symptoms. Ticks also carry Rocky Mountain spotted fever and ehrlichiosis, less common infections today than Lyme. Despite its name, over half of Rocky Mountain spotted fever infections are reported from the south-Atlantic region of the United States, the CDC says. Most cases of ehrlichiosis are reported from the southern, eastern, and south-central United States Prevent and Treat Spring ColdsIt's hard to overcome the feeling (or the old wives' tales) that getting chilled or wet is going to bring on a cold. But relax—if your child gets his feet wet and shivers in a spring rain, a cold is not guaranteed. Only a virus brings on a cold. Your immune system is what helps fight off those viruses, however, so indirectly, if you keep warm and dry on the outside, hydrated on the inside, and above all well-rested, you can help ward off the dreaded spring cold. Check our menu of immune-system boosting meals and other tricks to keep colds at bay. And if you or your family do catch a cold, our baby-safe remedies will help you through. Recognize Poison Ivy ... and Keep Away!Poison ivy grows all over the United States and southern Canada (and elsewhere). Contact with the plant (or the oil of the plant transferred from tools or pets) causes skin irritation and itching. The intensity varies with the amount of exposure and the individual's sensitivity. According to the Great Plains Nature Center, urushiol, the chemical that causes the reaction, is absorbed into the skin within three minutes of contact. It can be washed off with soap and water, but you're not usually near a washroom when you run into it! So the best strategy is to avoid the plant. To do that you need to learn to identify it. While many of us learn the "Leaves of three, let it be" rhyme as kids, that doesn't clarify everything: Many plants have leaves growing in clusters of three! Worse yet, poison ivy can be a ground cover (often the first plant to regrow in a disturbed area), a spindly shrub, or a woody vine climbing up larger trees. Check out some books or websites that show pictures of poison ivy, and when you're outside try to keep your little ones out of any suspicious-looking greenery. Be Aware of Poisonous PlantsAs a general rule, don't let your children eat the ornamental flowers or shrubs at your house, a friend's house, or the park. Not only is it proper etiquette to refrain from munching on the landscaping, it's for their own safety! A significant number of common plants are not good for you, or are downright poisonous to eat. Teach your children not to put leaves, stems, bark, seeds, nuts, or berries in their mouths. The poisonous plants will vary according to your climate, but some examples of plants you've likely seen in gardens, yards, woods, and parks include daffodils, eucalyptus, foxgloves (a.k.a. digitalis), hemlock trees, hydrangea, oleander, sweet peas, and wisteria. Many kinds of mushrooms can be dangerous too, so unless you are a trained mycologist, don't pick! Stop the Spread of Conjunctivitis and Fifth DiseaseConjunctivitis, or "pinkeye," is a highly contagious eye infection. Actually, any inflammation of the inner eyelid is called conjunctivitis, but bacterial conjunctivitis is the infectious kind. Symptoms are redness, puffiness, excess tearing, and often a yellowish discharge and crusty eyelashes after sleep. Treatment can include eye drops, ointment, or just time; ask your doctor. But in the meantime, avoid the spread of the disease (either from or to your family) with careful avoidance; washing of pillows, clothes, and hats; disposing of tissues and cotton balls used for medication; and plentiful hand-washing. Fifth disease (named because it was the fifth childhood rash illness identified, and also called erythema infectiosum) occurs everywhere in the world, with outbreaks usually in late winter or early spring. For most people it is a very mild virus, with a low-grade fever and cold-like symptoms accompanied by a bright red rash, usually starting on the face. Once the rash is present, the illness is no longer contagious. The virus is spread by coughs and sneezes, or other transfer of fluid from the nose, throat, and mouth. It is fairly harmless to children and adults, but could be dangerous if you are pregnant. So, with bare hands sharing swings, sandbox toys, and climbing structures once again, these kinds of infections can travel fast in the playground. Just as with cold season, wash everyone's hands often! Use Caution with Things with WheelsMild weather and longer daylight hours make it nice to be outside! More fresh air and exercise for Baby and you is ideal, but don't forget common sense precautions. Adult Bikes: According to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute, children under one year old should not be passengers on adult bikes, either in carrier seats or trailers. Thereafter, kids should always wear a helmet. Avert Water DangersThe CDC reports that there are around 3,500 drowning deaths in the United States per year. About a quarter of those victims are children under 14 years old. If you have a swimming pool, you probably already have a heightened sensitivity to kids and water safety, and know to keep the pool enclosed and the enclosure locked, and to remove all enticing toys from the water when not in use. They could tempt a child to reach over or step into the water. But it doesn't take a whole pool to cause a problem. Drownings of children under one year are more likely to happen in a tub, bucket, or toilet. Be extra mindful of watering cans, wading pools, and pet water bowls that are accessible to toddlers or crawlers. (And empty them when not in use as standing water is a breeding ground for mosquitos!) If you and your child or children are around water with another adult, never assume the other adult is watching out for them. Always have an explicit conversation to clarify who is "on duty," even if it is just confirming what you already think. Keep Informed about RecallsToy and food recalls are becoming perennial safety concerns. A new season may bring new toys out of the shed or the mall, however, so before you hand them over to Baby, check out recall updates to make sure they are not subject to a recall. |