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O c to b e r 2 8 , 2 0 0 9
H ealth matters
When a Flu-Like Illness Hits
Guide tells when medical
care is necessary
As the flu season intensifies,
many people with flu-like illness
are visiting doctors’ offices and
emergency rooms.
Some of these visits are es­
sential for people to receive
care that prevents com plica­
tions and saves lives. Many
other visits, however, aren’t
necessary because most people
can safely recover from flu at
home without the need for out­
side medical care.
“We want people to get medi­
cal care when they need it,”
said Dr. G ary O xm an,
Multnomah County health of­
ficer. “We’re also concerned
that when people unnecessar­
ily visit doctors’ offices and
hospitals, they can decrease the
ability of healthcare providers
to get care to people with se­
vere flu or other conditions.”
Health officials in Oregon
and S ou th w est W ashington
have d ev elo p ed a d ecisio n
chart to help people decide
when to seek medical attention
for flu-like illness. The chart in­
cludes the following guidelines:
Adults and children with flu
Denise Revels Robinson
A child reacts as he receives the H1N1 swine flu vaccine in a nasal spray.
keep liquids down.
Additionally, children with
these symptoms need immedi­
Dr. Gary Oxman
ate emergency care: Fever in an
symptoms (fever, sore throat, infant under 3 months old; or
co u g h , h e a d a c h e , m uscle excessive irritability.
aches) who also exhibit any of
The following people should
the follow ing warning signs contact their healthcare pro­
should receive emergency care vider right away if they have
as soon as possible and call 9- flu sy m p to m s: P re g n a n t
1-1 if necessary: Confusion or women; anyone age 65 or older;
can’t be woken up; difficulty anyone with one or more of the
breathing; pain or pressure in following conditions: cancer;
chest or abdomen; blue lips or blood disorders; chronic lung
skin rash; or unable to drink or disease like asthma or emphy­
sema; diabetes; heart, kidney or Advil). Do not use aspirin for
liver disease; nervous system fever control in children under
or muscle diseases, weakened age 18. If symptoms improve
immune system; obese (over and then worsen, seek medical
250 pounds for women, 300 attention.
pounds for men); and if flu-like
The follow ing prevention
symptoms clearly improve, then measures can help prevent the
spread of flu, colds, and other
worsen.
People with flu-like illness diseases and should be o b ­
who don’t have warning signs served by everyone at all times
or any of the medical conditions of the year: Wash your hands
listed above can stay home and frequently, Cough or sneeze
rest, drink plenty of fluids, and into your arm or elbow rather
treat fever with acetaminophen than into your hands, and stay
(Tylenol) or ibuprofen ( Motrin, home if you are sick.
Food Choices for Mom, Kids
Fighting Obesity Early
Day Care next
frontier in
prevention
(AP) - Grilled chicken re­
placed the hot dogs. Strawber­
ries instead of cookies at snack
time. No more fruit juice — wa­
ter or low-fat milk only. This is
the new menu in a movement to
take the fight against obesity
to pudgy preschoolers.
Day care is the next frontier:
New Harvard research shows
few states require that child­
care providers take specific nu­
trition and physical activity
steps considered key to keep­
ing the under-5 crowd fit.
And while years of work now
have older kids starting to get
healthier food in schools, more
and more kindergarteners show
up their first day already over­
weight or obese.
T h is isn 't ab o u t p u ttin g
youngsters on a diet. It's about
teaching them early, before bad
habits form, how being active
and eating healthy can be the
norm — and that junk food, in­
cluding the chicken nuggets- Jean Carlos Rubell, 3, helps himself to grapes
type fare that we call "kid food" during preschool lunch at the Latin American
— should be a rare treat.
Community Center in Wilmington, Del. (AP photo)
Local mothers and their children will have
access to healthy new food choices under
the new supplemental nutrition program for
Women, Infants and Children.
The menu includes ftesh fruits and veg­
etables, whole grain breads, brown rice, tofu
and soy beverages and baby foods in jars.
WIC will continue to provide low fat milk,
cheese, eggs, peanut butter, legumes, break­
fast cereals and infant formula.
“This is great news for our clients,” said
Tricia Mortell, WIC program manager for
Clark County in Vancouver. “More fruits and
vegetables as part of a healthy diet can help
reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and stud­
ies show that people who eat whole grains
reduce their risk of heart disease, Type 2 dia­
betes, digestive cancers and stroke.” As part
of this effort, WIC will continue to promote
breastfeeding.
L o tte ry D o lla rs
H e lp R e s t o r e
Fish H a b ita t In
H ood R iver.
It wasn’t long ago that the waters
■ of the Pacific Northwest ran
And in those
there were fish.
■ lots of fish. But then people
■ moved here, and more people
■ moved here, doing what people
do. which isn’t always the best
® thing for fish. So fish populations
suffered. But Oregon wouldn't
be Oregon without fish, which ■
s why Lottery dollars are being
used to restore fish habitat. One '
example is Hood River, where J
with the help of Lottery funds, ?
good old fashioned Jiard work, 1
and business cooperation, the
vital tributary of Neal Creek
has been restored. Spawning]
grounds were cleaned up, I
improved, and returned to more
natural conditions to create
the cool, clear, sediment-free
¡^■w aters fish need. The result is
mi les of more healthy water
|fo r endangered Coho Salmon
and Steelhead populations to
grow. Restoring vital habitat
to endangered fish species,
it’s just one of the many ways
Lottery dollars help give back
to Oregon.
_____
It does good things?
bowwl on chooc« and dxxdd ba played for enMr*n.nnwM only
Child
Welfare
Advocate
Named
An A frican-A m erican
leader in child welfare is­
sues has been named As­
sista n t S e c re ta ry for
Children’s Administration
in the state of Washington.
Denise Revels Robinson
brings 40 years experience
working for children and
families, most recently as
executive policy advisor at
the Wisconsin Department
of Children and Families.
She also served for five
years as the director of the
Family and Children’s Ser­
vices Division of the Min­
nesota Department of Hu­
man Services, where she
led and directed state pub­
lic child welfare programs
across a county-adm inis­
tered human services sys­
tem.
“Denise is clearly a pas­
sionate and proven leader
in child welfare,” Gov. Chris
Gregoire said. “Our employ­
ees and co m m u n ities
th ro u g h o u t W ashington
will come to know her as a
leader who believes in them
and who will work with
them on behalf of the chil­
dren and families we serve.”