Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (July 7, 2005)
Page 8 The INDEPENDENT, July 7, 2005 ——— Health Notes By Audeen Wagner The first day of summer arrived a couple of weeks ago, school is out, the sun is shining - well, sometimes. Summer is here, and it brings with it some pitfalls for health and safety. Vernonia Family Medicine is offering some sug gestions to help us all enjoy the summer season. Here are just a few tips: Travel safety : The American Academy of Pediatrics offers a guide for fam ilies regarding car safety for children. It can be accessed online at <www.aap.org>. Most parents know and follow the rules about car seats for their kids, starting with the trip home from the hospital. The Academy stress es that the safest place for all children to ride is in the back seat. The important thing is to buckle up (yourself and the child!), and to make sure that the seats are properly installed (the majority are NOT installed correctly, according to the authorities). There is a safety hot line to call if there are questions about child passenger safety: 888-DASH- 2-DOT (888-327-4236). Certified technicians are available to talk about any aspect of child safety while traveling. Call from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday. Creepy Crawlers. Summer is the time for all kinds of insects, such as mosquitoes, ticks, spiders, bees, wasps, and many more! If you are traveling into drier, warmer climates, ticks are a concern; the threat is much less in our part of the world, but they are still prevalent, so it’s wise to know how to recognize them and handle the critters, just in case. Ticks are the leading carriers of disease to humans in the US. What to do if you find one helping itself to a “blood meal” on your body? There are different ways to remove them, and everyone has their favorite. The big concern in removing a tick is to prevent possible transmission of disease. The recommended method for removing a tick is to use a small pair of tweezers, and carefully flip the tick over onto its back. Grasp the tick firmly with the tweezers as close to the skin as possible. Apply gentle pulling until the tick comes free. Once removed, don’t crush the tick because you might transmit disease. Rinse it down a sink or flush it down the toilet. Then thoroughly cleanse the bite area with soap and water and observe the area for several days for development of a reaction to the bite, such as a rash or signs of infection. Apply antibiotic cream to the area. Clean and disinfect any instruments that were used, and wash your hands thoroughly. And be sure to see your doctor if there is any sign of infection or rash. A note about spiders: Most spider bites cause only slight reactions in children or adults and can be safely treated at home. However, there can be severe reactions to spider bites that need imme diate professional attention - some can even be life-threatening if left untreated. Signs of a severe allergic reaction are: swelling of the face or mouth; difficulty swallowing or speaking; chest tightness, wheezing or difficulty breathing; dizziness or fainting; and abdominal pain with nausea or vomiting. Generally, treating any insect bites or stings is pretty basic: watch for signs of infection, and Think Prevention. Insect repellents are useful, you should use one containing 10% to 30% DEET. Apply only to exposed skin, do not use under clothing. Never use repellents over cuts or irritated skin. Do not apply to eyes and mouth, and do not let your child handle any product. When using on children, apply to your own hands and then put it on the child. Again, there is a number to call with questions: The National Pesticide Infor mation Center number is 1-800-858-7378, call between 6:30 am Caden Allen and 4:30 p.m.(Pacific Time), 7 days a week. The NPIC website is McLaughlin <http://npic.orst.edu>. More next time: Skateboard safety, Fun in the sun, Bees and Skin cancer. Stay tuned! The Mammovan. Next mammovan date is Wednesday, July 20. Make your appointment at the clinic, 503-429-9191. —-- •----------—---T... .... ' ' ..... * ........... f ............... ........... "----- A l oot Bath that detoxes the whole body as a therapeutic aid for increased vitality and well being. You'll never feel the same about Foot Baths! For an appointment, call Sue Minger at 503-429-7565 or Marie Krahn at 503-429-5180 Caden Allen McLaughlin was bom April 28, 2005, to Jes sica and Deric McLaughlin of Vernonia. He weighed 8 pounds, 12 ounces and was 19-1/2 inches long. Online hotline set up for HIV/AIDS Cascade AIDS Project (CAP) and the Oregon Depart ment of Human Services (DHS) announced on June 27 the launch of the state’s first comprehensive HIV/AIDS on line hotline. Since 1987, CAP has operated the state’s HIV/AIDS telephone hotline, funded in part by DHS, and has been the primary HIV/AIDS re source available to the public. The new hotline adds an inter net component that further ex pands the reach of the hotline. The online hotline database link can be found on the front page of Cascade AIDS Pro ject’s website <www.cascad eaids.org>. According to CAP Executive Director, Thomas Bruner, “since it started, the telephone hotline has served over 150,000 people. Going on-line allows us to help so many more people all around Oregon with the information they need for support, referral and re sources. If someone has an HIV/AIDS-related question in Roseburg, Medford, LaGrande or Coos Bay, yet are afraid to pick up the phone, they now have the means to confidential ly obtain an immediate and po tentially life-saving response any time of the day or night, 365 days a year.” Dr. Mel Kohn, State Epi demiologist for DHS, agrees. “HIV/AIDS affects people all over Oregon - rural and urban, rich and poor, Black and White, male and female. We are pleased to be providing funding to Cascade AIDS Project for this important work.” The on-line database is a user friendly system that allows searching by county or statewide for HIV educational information and all types of HIV related service resources. The listings range from financial, housing and medical to support groups, advocacy links and so cial organizations. The launch comes on the heels of the Center for Disease Control & Prevention’s (CDC) announcement last week that over 1 million people in the United States are now HIV positive - the highest number ever recorded in the country - and that 25 percent of those people do not know they have HIV since they have never been tested for HIV. In Oregon currently, approximately 5500 people are estimated to be liv ing with the HIV virus. Since 1980, 3032 Oregonians have died from AIDS. Cascade AIDS Project (CAP) is the leading provider of HIV/AIDS prevention support and advocacy in Oregon and southwest Washington. Over 6,000 families in CAP’S service area have a loved one living with HIV. Last year, CAP edu cated 22,971 individuals about HIV prevention, 40 percent’ of whom were children and youth. CAP supported and housed 2,201 men, women and youths with HIV/AIDS and their family members, including 297 chil dren. To make this possible, 570 youth and adults volun teered over 15,000 hours of service. ---------------------------- ----------- Waicoma Additions He joined his brother, Cas sidy, at the family home. Grandparents are Don and Jennifer Soderback, and Gor don and Marsha McLaughlin, all of Vernonia. Great-grandparents are Lila and Larry Bair of Yamhill and Margaret Fenimore of Forest Grove. Ethan Matthew Rielee Davis Ethan Matthew Rielee Davis was bom June 7, 2005, the first child of Heather and Matthew Davis of Vernonia. He weighed 8 pounds, 10 ounces and was 21-1/2 inches long. Grandparents are Gary and Patty Davis of Vernonia and Dave and Sue Rodweller of Carrollton, Ohio.
