Image courtesy of The Green Health Spot.com

I have one child in elementary school and two in middle school.  This week I got three copies of the “When NOT to Send Your Child to School” memo.  Some of the information is so common sense, it makes me wonder, “Are there really parents out there who don’t know this?”

But it’s not always that easy of a call to make.  Sometimes you keep your child home for the child’s sake, but sometimes you keep him home for the sake of all those other kids.  And sometimes a child might display a stay-at-home symptom, but still run around like they live in the circus, and you think, “You are NOT sick!”

And of course, keeping a child at home wreaks havoc on the parents’ plans, too.  Parents have to stay home from work or arrange for child care, or if they work at home, they have to resign themselves to the fact that their day’s tasks will be lost to the demands of having a child there all day.

Still, in our little town of about 4000, we’ve had at least 2 confirmed cases of H1N1 flu (or swine flu), and rumors swirling around that one of the opposing team’s football players came to town after having been diagnosed with H1N1, and was still allowed to play.  I don’t know if that’s true, but if it is, I’m going to be highly irritated.  Like I said, sometimes you keep your kid home to protect all the other kids.

So, when should you keep your child home from school?

• Fever. The experts say that if your child’s fever is 100.4 or higher, you should keep them home.  A fever is an indication that your child’s body is fighting a bacterial or viral infection.  Be aware, though, that not all infections come with fevers–my son and I get terrible sinus infections that never sport fevers.  Also, what’s the deal with 100.4?  Do you send them off at 100.2 or 100.3?  I’m not a doctor, but it seems to me you can round down on this one.

• Bad cough or bad cold symptoms. If a child has a cold, they can go to school.  It might not hurt to send some hand sanitizer, if your school allows it (some don’t because apparently some kids have been drinking it, so they don’t spread it around, but colds are an unavoidable part of school life.  But if their symptoms are bad, like a persistent wracking or wet cough, or a stuffy head that doesn’t respond to cold medicine, keep them home.  If it’s just a cold, they feel too rotten to get anything from school, but chances are it could be a severe allergy, a sinus infection, or even pneumonia.

• Diarrhea or vomiting. If things are coming out faster than they’re going in, keep your child home.  The guideline for this is 24 hours after the last episode of those symptoms.  I don’t always follow that strictly–if a child throws up after dinner, but then feels fine, I’ll usually send them to school.  Some tummy troubles have more to do with what they’ve eaten than being sick.  But if there are repeated episodes, they shouldn’t go.

• Sore throat. A minor sore throat could just be a symptom of a cold or allergies, but if it’s more severe or if it last more than a day or two, keep your child  home and take her to the doctor.  It could be strep, which is highly contagious, or tonsillitis, which is highly annoying.

• Earache. Again, this could be part of a cold or allergies, but it could also be an ear infection or sinus infection.  A doctor’s visit is probably called for.

• Pink-eye, or conjunctivitis. The frustrating thing about pink-eye is that the child feels fine otherwise.  So, they’re home, bored, missing lessons and missing friends, but they have this itchy eye thing going on and can’t leave the house.  Fortunately, pink-eye is easily cleared up with antibiotic eye drops, but until it is, they really have to stay home.  The biggest problem is that they rub their eyes, then touch things, and spread around this very contagious condition.

• Rash. Some rashes are infectious, and some aren’t, but it’s hard to tell which is which until your child has seen a doctor.  besides, you don’t want them to be embarrassed by constant itching or discoloration.

• Stress. This one isn’t on the medical sites, but I think it should be.  Our kids deal with significant stress in their lives, and sometimes it gets to be too much.  Every  now and then–maybe once or twice a year–let them take a mental health day.  Skip school, go to lunch, let your kid curl up in your bed and sleep late.  Kids do have health problems resulting from stress, and we all need a break every now and then.

Today, the attention has been on the growing problems of Swine Flu and the H1N1 virus. But some months back, you may recall the massive recalls made on baby products that carried heavy doses of lead content, something that has surprising died down.

But that doesn’t mean that this issue has been covered completely. You just cannot take the issue for granted. And as parents, you have to determine if your child has already been contaminated or has been exposed to so much lead already. So how do you find out?

Well, there is an oral-based lead testing product that can aid you in this area. It is LeadConfirm Saliva Lead Test. This is a good way to determine and pry your child away from potential lead poisoning, a deadly and treacherous ordeal that you may eventually have to deal with.

LeadConfirm Professional is a testing product that checks if the body is affected by lead contamination and by how much. The testing is done using saliva collected through an FDA-approved device. The saliva is then placed in vials and sent to the Confirm BioSciences laboratories in a prepaid envelope included in the testing kit.

To test for lead contamination in the body using saliva samples, Confirm BioSciences utilizes advanced technology in Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with Mass Spectrometry X2 (LC/MS/MS). The results are available within five to six business days. The patient can get these results online or through telephone.

Source

Amidst the swine flu scare, first grade teacher Jennifer Fixman has decided to make a difference. She is giving away a free song called “Wash Your Hands” to help children and their families to stay healthy. “Miss Jenny” encourages everyone to download the song and video FREE from the Home page of her site, www.edutunes.com.

“Miss Jenny” has written over 200 songs for children. She hopes that all of her educational tunes, or “Edutunes,” can make life better for children world-wide.

Press

As Swine Flu (H1N1) infections intensify, people around the world are taking proactive steps to protect themselves. While wearing face masks and stocking up on over-the-counter flu medication can help you avoid this disease, The U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) is also recommending a simpler measure: frequent, thorough hand washing. With a full 80 percent of infections spread through hand contact, taking the time to properly wash hands can help prevent the spread of Swine Flu (H1N1), as well as other viruses and germs.

“Handwashing is always important, but particularly after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose, using the restroom, eating or preparing food or touching an animal,” says Eileen Lantier, RN, PhD and Associate Dean of Human Ecology at Syracuse University. Dr. Lantier also notes viruses can be transferred by shaking hands, social contact and in public places. “To effectively and thoroughly clean hands, pump an antibacterial soap into hands and lather aggressively for at least 20 seconds. After rinsing and drying, use a towel to turn off the faucet and open doors.”

To ensure you’re killing as much potentially harmful bacteria as possible, follow these five tips for effective hand washing:

• Wash your hands frequently throughout the day
• Use an antibacterial liquid soap, such as Dial Complete, the #1 Doctor-Recommended brand, for good hand hygiene
• Make sure to lather vigorously in order to increase the effectiveness of the soap in reducing dirt, germs and bacteria from your hands
• Lather and rub hands for at least 20 seconds and make sure to clean under fingernails and between fingers before rinsing with warm water
• After rinsing soap off hands, dry hands with a paper towel or cloth prior to turning off faucet, then use towel to turn off faucet to prevent recontamination. If washing hands in a public restroom, use a paper towel to open door before discarding in garbage can

Keeping the following tips in mind will further protect you and your family from spreading harmful germs:

• Remember to exercise proper hygiene. When coughing, use the crook of your elbow, as opposed to your hand, to cover your mouth. You will prevent the spread of germs and protect your hands from microbes.
• Don’t share utensils, glassware, water bottles or food.
• When blowing your nose, it’s best to use a disposable facial cloth instead of a cloth handkerchief. Germs thrive in the dark creases of a bundled handkerchief. Immediately throw the tissue away after use and wash hands thoroughly.
• Avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose, and if you do so, remember to wash your hands before and after to prevent the spread of germs.
• If you’re feeling under the weather, the best thing you can do for yourself, your family and your coworkers is to stay home and rest until you feel better.

Press

I promised I’d keep everyone informed on this, so I wanted to check in.  I’m sure you’ve heard by now that the World Health Organization has upgraded the alert status for H1N1 Influenza to 5 (out of 6).  What that means is that H1N1, which we call Swine Flu, is in danger of becoming a pandemic.  A pandemic is a disease which spreads to many or most countries on the globe. 

I said it before and I’ll say it again.  Do not panic.  The numbers of those who’ve fallen ill from this are extremely low, even if it has spread beyond the borders of Mexico into several other countries.  Yes, it should be taken seriously, but a lot of the fear we feel is manufactured by the media; don’t let the constant repetition ratchet up your anxiety level. 

H1N1 is comparable to any other type of flu that humans can get; the big difference is that we haven’t built up much of an immunity to this particular strain.  However, it presents like any other flu and is treated like any other flu. 

Here’s what the CDC says the symptoms of Swine Flu are:

The symptoms of swine flu in people are expected to be similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal influenza and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Some people with swine flu also have reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. 

Just like regular flu, right?  Of course, regular flu is no walk in the park, and the same people who are most at risk for that illness are at risk for this one, namely, the elderly, small children, and those whose health is already compromised. 

Just remember, wash your hands and make your kids wash their hands often, and if anyone in the family exhibits any of those symptoms, they should stay home.  Don’t risk going to work or school if you’re feeling bad. 

And remember, again…this is not a pandemic and we can help prevent it.  Don’t panic.

Image from cnbc.com