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Shelter-in-Place' From the American Red Cross: emergency instructions In the event of a chemical, biological or nuclear attack, experts say that one of the first instructions we'll receive from authorities will be to "shelter-in-place." What does that mean? Unlike taking shelter during a storm, shelter-in-place means collecting your family and taking refuge in a small, preferably windowless room, in your home. An above-ground, interior room is best, rather than a basement room, because some chemicals settle into the ground and can seep into basement vents and windows, even if closed. Follow these steps to shelter-in-place: • Close and lock all windows and doors. • Close blinds and window shades, especially if warned of an explosion. • Close fireplace damper. • Gather your radio, emergency kit and your family into the room. • Bring your pets and their food and supplies with you. • A hard-wired phone is recommended because cellular equipment may become overwhelmed or damaged during the event. • Use duct tape and plastic sheeting (heavier than food wrap) to seal off cracks around the door, windows and any vent into the room. • Listen to the radio for announcements that all is safe or that your must evacuate the area. Be Educated What growing numbers of anaphylaxis cases means Each day can be a challenge for any child with severe allergic reactions to specific triggers. Within one to two minutes, exposure to such triggers - anything from peanuts to insect venom (such as fire ants) - can cause swelling of the airways as well as loss of blood pressure and consciousness. Even death. As many as 2 million school-aged children are affected. While 82,000 episodes of anaphylaxis are reported each year, experts believe the numbers are higher because symptoms are often confused with asthma attacks and other respiratory emergencies. Epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, can halt the symptoms of anaphylaxis by constricting blood vessels and relaxing the smooth muscles of the lungs until medical help arrives. Often carried in the form of an auto-injector, such as EpiPen, the dose is delivered through an injection to the upper thigh and relieves symptoms for 10 to 20 minutes. Allowing students to carry the drug, which must be administered within seconds once an attack occurs, has been a problem due to Zero Tolerance policies. That may soon change. The National School Emergency Medicine Bill may soon be considered by Congress. The proposed bill would allow children in all states to carry emergency medicine such as asthma inhalers and epinephrine auto-injectors while at school. Guard Against Burns How to protect your child in the house Don't let your child be one of the 300,000 children burned each year by hot objects, scalding or hot liquid spills. Children under age 5 are considered to be at a high risk for burns, with scalding as the No. 1 burn injury for those under 4. Most people associate burns with flames, when in fact, liquids burn more often than flames. Here are suggestions for reducing your family's risk of household burns: • Your child's delicate skin burns more quickly than your own. Test the bath water by moving your hand rapidly through it for several seconds. Water temperature should be less than 100 degrees. • Set water heater thermostat at "low" to maintain a temperature of 120-125 degrees. • Cook on the rear burners of the stove when possible and keep the pot handles turned inward. • Avoid using area rugs in the kitchen, especially near the stove. They can slip, causing you to trip or fall while carrying a hot pot. • Use non-slip placemats instead of tablecloths in the dining room. Young children may use the tablecloth to pull themselves up into their chair causing hot food to spill on them. • Supervise children at all times when grilling outside. Establish a three-foot "keep away zone" around the grill. • Allow your child to toast foods over an open fire only with your supervision. Flaming marshmallows can ignite clothes and hair. Sources: Water-Jel Technologies, Burn Foundation, American Burn Association Getting Started...with Michele Piazzoni A recent study at Pediathink, a child health think tank in Rochester, N.Y. suggests that secondhand smoke can cause tooth decay in baby teeth. Cotinine, a byproduct of nicotine, is believed to cause the increased rate of tooth decay. Ironically, the study did not find a correlation between secondhand smoke and tooth decay in permanent teeth. • Most new parents are advised by their pediatrician to give their children full-fat milk until age 2 because it helps with brain development. Now researchers at UC Irvine have found that feeding your baby other high-fat foods can protect newborn brain cells from damage caused by prolonged seizures - a condition that affects as many as 1-in-25 infants. A high-fat diet increases production of a specific protein, (UCP2), which is believed to protect an infant's brain cell when a seizure occurs. • Wondering what kind of breast pump you should invest in? A study comparing the four major types of milk expression - electric, battery, mechanical, and manual - to the baby's natural suck, suggests that the most efficient pump is the double-setup, electric pulsatile breast pump. Not only did the electric pump produce the most milk in the fastest manner but it was also discovered that Prolactin levels were highest. Ask your doctor for a specific brand recommendation. • Did you know that medical errors are one of the leading causes of death and injury among children? Babies in neonatal intensive care are at an especially high risk when it comes to adverse drug effects. You can help prevent such errors by being actively involved in your child's health care. Get started by visiting the American Academy of Pediatrics website at (www.aap.org) and printing out your copy of "20 Tips To Help Prevent Medical Errors in Children." The list includes important questions you should be asking your child's doctors, as well as other simple suggestions for keeping tabs on your child's care. RECALL RECAP Do you have a 2-In-1 Fold-Away Tub and Step Stool made by First Years Inc.? If so, contact the company immediately at 800.533.6708 for a new instruction sheet. When used as a tub, babies' body parts can be pinched if the product's footrest is not fully extended. Visit www.thefirstyears.com. for more information. Random House Inc. is recalling several children's board book sets that were housed in a cardboard box with a plastic handle and plastic snap, because the plastic snaps on the cardboard box can detach and pose a choking hazard. Call 800.805.8534 for specific titles and replacement details. Cautiously Optimistic Smoking, drug use down among teens Fewer teens are lighting up, getting high or drinking alcohol, according to a 2002 survey of 44,000 eighth-, 10th- and 12th-graders. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson notes, "This survey brings more encouraging news about the decline in teens' use of marijuana, ecstasy, cigarettes and alcohol." Results from the 2002 Monitoring the Future Survey revealed: • Eighth- and 10th-graders' use of any illicit drug was down significantly. • The use of ecstasy was down in all age groups but the greatest drop in use was reported among 10th-graders. • Marijuana use also was down among eighth- and 10th-graders, with use by eighth-graders at its lowest level since 1994. • LSD use has declined sharply for all age groups, particularly among the 12th-graders. Rates are now among the lowest in the history of the survey. • Steroid use remained unchanged with all ages. • The only significant increase was reported among 10th-grade students using crack and sedative use among 12th-graders. • Fewer eighth- and 10th-graders are consuming alcohol. Of those who do, fewer reported ever being intoxicated in their lifetime. • The decline in cigarette smoking continues on a downward trend among all age groups, genders and socioeconomic levels. The Monitoring the Future Survey is conducted by the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research and funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. www.nida.nih.gov FAMILY NEWS BITES CASA COLINA'S NEW FACILITY http://www.casacolina.org/ Casa Colina Centers for Rehabilitation in Pomona recently opened an outpatient rehabilitation center. The 23,000-square-foot facility is the site for many physician-led specialty programs and services and is home to more than a dozen physical exam rooms adjacent to the outpatient treatment areas. The Outpatient Center is part of a three-year rebuilding and renovation project that will cost in excess of $50 million. Other buildings already completed under the plan include the Adult Day Health Care Center, Children's Services Center and a 10-bed expansion to the Transitional Living Center. The final phase of construction, scheduled for completion in 2004, includes the new Casa Colina Hospital and on-campus "Casitas," which are living facilities for the families of Casa Colina Hosptial patients. The nonprofit center serves adults and children with disabilities. Specialized physician services currently offered at the Outpatient Center include: Arthritis/fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson' Disease and movement disorders, wound care, pain management, sports medicine and occupational health services. Information: 909.596.7733, Ext. 2227. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, JOB CHOICES Men who work in female-dominated professions, such as clerks and classroom aides, are 47 percent more likely to lash out in violence against their wives or live-in girlfriends than a control group of white-collar managers, according to a study by sociologist Scott Melzer at UC Riverside. Melzer, a postgraduate researcher, used a national data set study to compare blue-collar professions with white-collar managerial workers. "I wanted to do a more complex analysis to see what kind of effect occupations have on domestic violence," he said. Melzer found that men in female-dominated occupations were 47 percent more likely, men in physically violent occupations (i.e. police, military) were 43 percent more likely, and men in dangerous occupations (i.e. mining, emergency workers) were 23 percent more likely to commit domestic violence. Some of these findings seem like common sense. Men in violent or dangerous jobs bring that stress home in what Melzer calls a "spillover effect." The rate of domestic violence by men who have "self-selected" into a female-dominated world was a surprise. Melzer theorizes that society's expectations about the role of men in the work world could mean that a man is ridiculed by society for his choice to do "women's work" and bring that stress home. Melzer cautions against stereotyping men in blue-collar occupations as wife abusers. COLON CANCER TESTING URGED According to the most recent estimates, 14,330 Californians this year will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer, commonly referred to as colon cancer, and 5,095 will die. Yet according to the American Cancer Society, colon cancer does not have to be deadly. Unfortunately, many people resist the idea of getting screened for the disease. "Colon cancer testing can actually prevent the disease from occurring," says Terry Lynn, M.S.W., chair of the Inland Empire Council for the American Cancer Society. "We could see a huge improvement in colon cancer prevention and survival if all people 50 and older - and those at increased risk - would talk to their doctors and get tested." Early detection of the disease yields important health benefits. Information: www.cancer.org or call the Society's Cancer Information Center at 800.ACS.2345. MR. ROGERS AND WAR Mr. Rogers may be gone, but not his message. PBS has posted a website, "Helping Children Deal with Concerns of War and Violence: Timeless Wisdom from Fred Rogers." It can be found at: http://pbskids.org/rogers/parents/war.html |
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