Empowering You to Get Well, Stay Well and Live Well!

JULY, AUGUST,SEPTEMBER 2014ISSUE 3 VOL. 3

at homeHealthy Living

www.hhc.org

Safety and Fun in the Summer Sun

Each July Fourth, thousands of people, most often children and teens, are injured while using consumer fireworks.

Facts & Figures In 2011, fireworks caused an estimated 17,800 reported fires, including 1,200 total structure

fires, 400 vehicle fires, and 16,300 outside and other fires.

These fires resulted in an estimated eight reported civilian deaths, 40 civilian injuries and $32 million in direct property

damage.

In 2011, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 9,600 people for fireworks related injuries;

61% of 2010 emergency room fireworks-related injuries were to the extremities and 34% were to

the head.

The risk of fireworks injury was highest for children ages 5 - 19

and adults 25 - 44.

Source: www.nfpa.org

Before your family celebrates, make sure everyone knows about

firework safety and follows these safety tips recommended by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commis-sion:

• Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks. Firecrackers, sparklers, and rockets are dangerous for children and can reach almost 1800 degrees Fahrenheit - hot enough to melt some metals. • Avoid buying fireworks that are packaged in brown paper because this is often a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays and that they could pose a danger to consumers. • Always have an adult supervise all fireworks activities. Parents don't realize that young children can suffer injuries from even sparklers. • Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse.

Back up to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks. • Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully. • Never point or throw fireworks at another person. • Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap. • Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly. • Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers. • After fireworks complete their burning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding it to prevent a trash fire.

Better yet, consider a safer choice for your family and attend a public fire-works display conducted by trained professionals.Sources: www.cpsc.gov www.nfpa.org www.kidshealth.org

American Heart Association Heartsaver CPR AED Training

This course is recommended for anyone with limited or no medical training who needs a course completion card in CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) use to meet job, regulatory or other requirements such as a caregiver, lifeguard, security guard, airport employee, retail, teacher, etc., as well as for anyone

non-medical who would like to take a CPR course. Participants will receive an American Heart Association Heartsaver CPR/AED card upon course completion.

Cost is $15 and must be paid in advance at the EduCare Department at the Houston Health Pavilion. NOTE: this class is not recommended for health care professionals needing CPR training.

Saturday, July 12, August 28:30 – 11:30 am

Houston Medical Center Learning Center 110 Hospital Drive, Warner Robins

Call 923-9771 to pre-register.

www.hhc.org

Connecting People, Community and Care

2

Summer Water Safety

With warm weather here, many of us will be spending time

around the water this summer. Swim-ming in pools and open water such as lakes and the ocean can be a great way to spend your summer with your children. However, the informa-tion on unintentional drowning rates is alarming.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), chil-dren ages 1 to 4 have the highest drowning rates, and drowning is the second leading cause of death for children between the ages of 1-14. Below are a few reminders to help make your swim season safe for your family.

• Always supervise your children while they are in and around the water. Even if life- guards are on duty, nothing can replace a parental eye as added coverage. • Flotation devices should not be used as a substitute for

supervision. The American Red Cross recommends young children or inexperienced swimmers wear US Coast Guard approved life jackets

around water. Do not ever consider young children “drown proof” because they have had swimming lessons; young children should always be watched carefully while swimming. • Teach your children to swim with a friend or buddy every time. • Be careful of breath holding

games. Shallow water black- out can happen to anyone. • Teach your children about the dangers of drain entanglement and entrapment and teach

them to never play or swim near drains or suction outlets.• Learn CPR. It will give you tremendous peace of mind. Review frequently with your children the basic safety rules of the facility you use. Set limits on how deep your child is allowed to go. It is also recommended to have your children take breaks throughout the day so they don’t become exhausted

swimming.

Lastly, teaching your children how to swim and participating in swimming lessons can save their life. It’s an investment worth making! Following these water safety tips can help make summer safe and fun.

For more information on water safety tips: www.redcross.org.

Sources: www.redcross.org; www.cdc.gov

www.hhc.org

Connecting People, Community and Care

3

Preventing Tick Bites and Lyme Disease

When warm weather arrives, you might get the urge to walk

barefoot through the grass. But before you stroll through your lawn or head out on a hiking trail, protect yourself and your loved ones from ticks that often lurk in tall grass, thick brush, and wooded areas. Many ticks carry disease, so do what you can to keep ticks from taking a bite out of you.

Tick-borne diseases are found in many areas across the country, and they’re on the rise. The diseases are often clustered in specific regions. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, for instance, occurs mainly in the mid-Atlantic and southern states.

Lyme disease is the most com-mon tick-borne illness. It’s found mainly in the Northeast and upper Midwest. Each year, more than 30,000 cases are reported in the United States, and many more likely go unreported. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that as many as 300,000 Americans get Lyme disease each year.

Ticks are tiny 8-legged creatures that can be hard to see. Deer ticks which

can carry the bacterium that causes Lyme disease are especially small. The young “nymphs” are only the size of poppy seeds. Adult deer ticks aren’t much larger—about the size of a sesame seed. If an infected deer tick chooses you for its next blood meal, the bite can transmit Lyme disease or another infection to you.

Tick-borne diseases tend to share certain symptoms. Symptoms can in-clude headache, fever, muscle or joint pain, and extreme fatigue. People with Lyme disease usually get an expand-ing red rash that sometimes resembles a bull’s-eye.

If left untreated, the infection can spread and cause rashes in other parts of the body. Some people may develop

nerve problems, arthritis, or other disorders. But even if Lyme disease isn’t caught until later stages, most people fully recover after treatment with antibiotics.

Most bites from disease-causing ticks occur in the spring and summer months, when ticks are most active

and when people are spending more time outside.

Help keep ticks off your skin by wearing long sleeves, long pants, and long socks or use an insect repellant that contains at least 20% DEET (for the skin) or permethrin (for clothes). To avoid ticks, walk in the center of trails and steer clear of tall vegetation.

If you’ve been in an area where ticks are common, bathe or shower as soon as possible, and wash or tumble your clothes in a dryer on high heat. Check your body carefully for ticks. They dig and burrow into the skin before they bite and feed. Remov-ing ticks right away can help prevent disease. If you develop a rash or fever after removing a tick, see your doctor.

To Remove a Tick:

Promptly remove ticks to reduce the risk of tick-borne diseases.

* Use fine-tipped tweezers. * Grab the tick close to the skin and gently pull upward to remove the entire tick. * Don’t use home remedies like petroleum jelly, nail polish, or a lit match to try to detach ticks. * After removing the tick, clean bite area and wash your hands thoroughly. * If you develop a fever, severe headache, or a rash within weeks of removing the tick, see a doctor.

Source: www.cdc.gov

Source: http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/issue/may2014

www.hhc.org

Connecting People, Community and Care

4

Vaccines help prevent infectious diseases and save lives. Childhood immunizations have been responsible for

the eradication and control of many infectious diseases that were once common in the United States (US), including smallpox, polio, measles and others. While the US currently has near record low cases of vaccine-preventable diseases, the viruses and bacteria that cause them still exist. Tens of thousands of people in the US still die from these and other vaccine-preventable diseases. By staying up-to-date on the recommended vaccines, individuals can protect themselves, their families, friends and their communities from serious, life-threatening infections.

Because children are particularly vulnerable to infection and disease, most vaccines are given during the first five to six years of life. To keep immunizations up-to-date, they should be performed during well child checkups, which are routinely done at two weeks of age, two months, four months, six months, 12 months, 15 months, two years and annually after age two. Children who are beginning kindergarten, as well as those entering sixth grade also need booster immunizations. A schedule of recommended immunizations for children and teens can be found online at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/index.html.

If you have questions or need more information about the vaccines recommended for your child, you can ask your pediatrician or your local health department. If you need a pediatrician, call Houston Healthcare’s HealthSource at 923-9771.

August is Immunization Awareness MonthTime to Vaccinate! Recommended Vaccines foR

childRen BiRth to 6 YeaRs

Family Fair 2014Helping Families Be Healthy!

Saturday, August 2nd

10 am - 2 pmGalleria Mall, Centerville

• Free Health Screenings & Education

• Recreational & Physical Activity Ideas

• Family Entertainment

• Information on Low-Cost or Free Community Resources for Families

Source: www.cdc.gov

1. Hepatitis B vaccine: 3 - 4 doses with the last dose given after 24 weeks of age.

2. Diptheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTaP) vaccine: 4 doses by 18 months of age, with extra dose between 4 - 6 years of age.

3. Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib): 3 - 4 doses by 15 months of age.

4. Inactivated polio virus vaccine (IPV): 4 doses by 6 years of age.

5. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV): 4 doses by 15 months of age.

6. Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine: 2 doses before age 6.

7. Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine: 1 dose before 18 months of age.

8. Influenza vaccine (the flu shot): 1 or 2 doses each year for ages 6 months and older.

9. Hepatitis A vaccine: 2 doses recommended for lasting protection (first dose from 12 - 23 months of age with second dose 6 - 18 months later).