Monthly Archive for August, 2009

Insect Repellent

Published on August 18, 2009 in Prevention. 2 Comments Tags: , , .

 

Well the mosquitoes are certainly biting my children right now which leads to many complaints of having itchy skin at bedtime. Below is some information on DEET which seems to be one of the more effective repellents out there.

The AAP says it is safe to use on children 2 months and older. It should not containing more than 30 percent DEET.

What is DEET?

Products containing DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) are the most effective mosquito repellents available and appear to be safe when used as directed. DEET is also effective in repelling other insects such as ticks.

  • Don’t use sunscreens containing DEET. Sunscreens wash off; DEET is not water-soluble and can last up to 8 hours. If you have to reapply sunscreen you may be applying too much DEET.
  • Apply DEET sparingly and only on exposed skin.
  • Don’t use DEET on your child’s hands or near his or her mouth.
  • Don’t use DEET over cuts, wounds or irritated skin.
  • Wash treated clothing.
  • Don’t spray DEET near food.

 

Influenza this School Year.

Published on August 11, 2009 in H1N1 (Swine Flu), Prevention and Vaccine. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

With back to school, comes back to illnesses and I suspect things will start up early this school year. I have already seen 2 cases of influenza H1N1 otherwise known as swine flu in the last 2 weeks. Fortunately the symptoms have been mild and none have needed any antiviral medications whatsoever.

Locally, Group Health has started conducting clinical trials of the vaccine. It is one of eight federally funded Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Units.  

Parents will also be glad to know that the CDC has recently updated the isolation precautions for people with Influenza H1N1 or people with flu like symptoms. The new recommendation is that children with fever need to stay home for at least 24 hours after they are free of fever without the use of fever reducing medication.

When the vaccine does become available, usage will initially target the high risk which includes Pregnant woman, people who live with or care for children under 6 months of age, health care workers,  people between 6 months and 24 years of age and people older than 24 with chronic health conditions.

My Shins Hurt

Published on August 4, 2009 in Safety and school. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

School is just around the corner which means another season of sports and activities.  I am seeing lots of children coming in for their well visits which provides an opportunity to talk about injury prevention.  A common one in shin splints  which typically occur from a repetitive pounding type activity such as running. Starting the training period too aggressively does not allow the body to adjust. There is a lot to the old saying that slow and steady wins the race.

 

 

Shin Splints

Shin splints is a generic term referring to pain along the shin bone caused by an inflammation of tendons and muscles of the shin. Shin splints are very common and often preventable. Most cases of shin splints can be treated with RICE-Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. This treatment is easy …but hard. Hard because a big part of getting better is rest—not a fun thing for most kids. Also important is ensuring your child has properly fitting footwear with plenty of impact-absorbing material in the foot and heel area.