Archive for April, 2009

Just when you thought the flu season was coming to an end Swine Flu swept in and has been infecting people all over the world. To date there have been over 90 lab confirmed cases and one death in the United States alone.

Swine Influenza is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A (H1N1) influenza viruses that causes regular outbreaks in pigs. People do not normally get Swine Flu. However, the recent outbreak is a never-before seen combination of human, swine, and avian influenza viruses.

Swine Flu has similar symptoms of regular human flu (fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue) and ranges in severity from mild to severe (diarrhea and vomiting).

No one is exempt from catching the flu but there are steps you can take to avoid it. They’re common, you’ve heard them before, but just in case let’s review.

1. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too. Some people wear masks (also referred to as surgical, dental, medical procedure, isolation, and laser masks) or particulate respirators. The best ones at blocking viruses are the respirators.

2. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness. The CDC also recommends you keep sick children home from school and have a plan for day care if you cannot be with them.

3. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Throw away each tissue after use. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. It’s such a simple gesture of common courtesy yet so often forgotten.

4. Frequently Washing your hands to help protect you from germs. What’s that old saying…while washing your hands sing the “ABCs” or “Happy Birthday” to make sure you’re washing your hands long enough to get rid of the gunk. If you’re on the go, keep some hand sanitizer or handy wipes in your car or bag.

5. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth – germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

6. Practice other good health habits – get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, avoid sugar, and eat nutritious food.

In addition to these six tips keeping a sanitary home and workspace also helps. Thoroughly disinfecting commonly used household and workspace fixtures and electronics (doorknobs, railings, keyboards, telephones, cell phones, remote controls, etc.) with an antimicrobial hand wipe will also help kill germs and bacteria.  

Stay safe.

Watch CDC podcast giving instructions on how to put on and take off disposable respirators.

Source: CDC

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Did you know that over 51 million school hours are lost each year because of dental-related illness?

Brushing your teeth seems like a simple step that is part of everyday life. Flossing and brushing daily is just part of basic dental care. Eating regular nutritious meals and avoiding frequent between-meal snacking also aides in oral health.

So, what else is missing? Good dental hygiene also means seeing a dentist and/or dental hygienist every six months for regular checkups. However, children and adolescents don’t always receive the professional dental care they need.

Let’s take a look at some statistics:

Children from families without medical insurance are 2.5x less likely than insured children to receive dental care. Children from families without dental insurance are 3x more likely than insured children to have unmet dental needs.

Does your child have a cavity so big that the school nurse could find it with a flashlight? More than half of children ages 5 – 9 have had at least one cavity or filling.

What childhood disease is 5x as common as asthma and 7xs as common as hay fever? If you guessed tooth decay you’re right. 78% of 17 year olds have experienced tooth decay and more than 7% have lost at least one permanent tooth to decay.

Children with untreated oral disease often deal daily with pain and not being able to eat comfortably or chew well. Aside from physical pain there is also the possibility of mental anxiety due to embarrassment of discolored and/or damaged teeth.

What is being done at your school to educate children about good dental practices? Are there oral hygiene curriculum guides that you, as a school nurse or teacher, follow? Are there local dentists or health clinics that come to your school as part of a dental health education day?

Check out HealthyTeeth.org for kid-friendly oral health facts and quizzes.

Source: CDC

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A few random facts about sexual assault and young adults…

• 10.8% of high school girls and 4.2% of high school boys were forced to have sexual intercourse at some point in their lives
• 13.7% of college undergraduate women were victims of at least one sexual assault since entering college
• College women are 4xs more likely than the general population to be a victim of sexual assault

On April 8, 2009 President Obama declared the month of April to be Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). The goal of SAAM is to raise public awareness about sexual violence and to educate people on how to prevent sexual violence.

To help raise awareness about sexual assault Kristen Stewart, of “Twilight” fame, donated her time to film a public service announcement for Security On Campus, Inc.

Check out Kristen Stewart’s PSA:

Sexual assault affects people of all ages across the U.S. Not only does sexual assault impact the victim but their family, friends, coworkers, etc. as well. Victims of sexual assault contend with the physical and emotional consequences from an attack. Sexual assault could also lead to long-term health problems. In a physical sense it could result in chronic pain, a life-altering disability or sexually transmitted diseases. In a mental sense it could mean feelings of worthlessness, embarrassment, trust issues, etc. Sometimes the emotional harm is more painful than the actual attack. Yet, a vast majority of victims do not report the assault to police.

Sexual health and education go in hand in hand with sexual assault and its repercussions.  Help educate your family, friends and coworkers about sexual assault. For more information and SAAM promotional materials visit the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. 

Source: NSVRC.org, SecurityOnCampus.org

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As the parent of a responsible teenager would you be okay with letting them make their own decision as to when to take an over-the-counter medication or prescription drug?

Many families have Advil, Tylenol or prescribed drugs in their medicine cabinets. Most parents know when their teenager is in need of a pain reliever or cold and cough medicine. As the parent of a trustworthy child why wouldn’t you be okay with sending your child to school with symptom appropriate medicine or prescribed drugs?

There’s just one obstacle – the school. What is your school’s policy regarding over-the-counter meds and prescription drugs? Many schools have strict policies as to what’s acceptable for students to carry on them and what needs to be kept in the school office or health room.

In Fairfax County, the mother of an Oakton High School student felt her heart drop when her daughter was suspended for two weeks and recommended for expulsion. She must have done something very serious, right? This was her punishment for being caught taking her birth control pill (which her mother knew she was taking) during lunchtime.

Remember the case of the 13 year old Arizona student who was strip-searched in 2003 because administrative personnel suspected she was carrying ibuprofen pills? The case will be reviewed by the Supreme Court later this month.

These are obviously extreme cases. There is a flipside to the argument. Many schools have incorporated zero tolerance policies on drugs for near two decades. Your teen may be responsible what about their peers? Is it possible they’re abusing over-the-counter and/or prescription drugs found right in their home medicine cabinet and bringing them to school?

According to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, one in five teens in Arizona admits to abusing prescription drugs. Maricopa County features a prevention campaign geared towards parents with public service announcements and billboards stating, “Don’t be your kid’s dealer.”

As open and informative with your teenager as you may be sometimes it’s just not enough. Your teenager could be earning great grades, participating in school activities and be leading what you consider an ordinary life. However, whether due to peer pressure or the misconception that over-the-counter and prescription drugs are safer than street drugs, sometimes curiosity gets the best of them.

How do you feel about over-the-counter and prescription drug use among teens? Do you trust your teen but not others so as a precaution you keep all meds locked away? Do you feel if they’re responsible and know when to take them and when not to that it’s okay to bring them to school without notifying the school nurse or administrator? Do you hand deliver any meds to the school nurse or office staff with directions on when to use? How do you handle these situations?

Sources: WashingtonPost.com, AZCentral.com

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Noroviruses, also called Norwalk-like viruses and caliciviruses, belong to a family of viruses that cause the stomach flu. The stomach flu may also be referred to as gastroenteritis, food infection, food poisoning, and acute nonbacterial gastroenteritis.

This highly contagious virus may be spread through contaminated water or foods (shellfish and salad ingredients are most often infected with the viruses) and from person to person (touching contaminated surfaces and then putting your hand in your mouth or sharing foods or utensils with an infected person).

Babson College, in Massachusetts, was temporarily shut down due to an outbreak of stomach flu believed to be caused by norovirus. Over a period of six days 131 students had visited the school’s health services clinic complaining of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea—all symptoms associated with norovirus.

The school reopened on Wednesday, April 1, after a thorough cleaning. The school used bleach-based cleansers. Students were also given cleaning supplies to sanitize their rooms and were also encouraged to frequently (and thoroughly) wash their hands.

In Pennsylvania about 200 students stayed home or left Coolbaugh Elementary last Friday complaining of vomiting and diarrhea. Of the 603 students, one out of three suffered from symptoms associated with norovirus. The district sanitized the building and buses over the weekend.  

To prevent Norovirus infections follow these tips:

• Wash your hands! This cannot be expressed enough. Before eating or preparing food, using the restroom, changing a diaper, etc.
• Wash fruits and vegetables and steam oysters before consuming
• Do not prepare food if you have symptoms of norovirus and for three days after you recover
• Clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces immediately after vomiting or having diarrhea using bleach-based cleaners
• Immediately remove and wash soiled clothing or linens after vomiting or having diarrhea using hot water and soap
• Flush vomit and/or stool down the toilet and make sure the surrounding area is kept sanitized  

Although these tips seem like just basic common sense when you’re in a hurry or in an emergency situation sometimes you can forget the simplest of things. 

If you fall victim, symptoms will begin about 24 to 30 hours after exposure, however some people may not show any symptoms. To avoid dehydration it is extremely important to drink lots of fluids. There is no real treatment for this virus but if you keep yourself well hydrated and sanitize your surroundings it’s likely you’ll feel better within 48 to 72 hours.

Sources: WebMD, Pocono Record, Scientific American

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