Staph infections and School

Good hygiene is the best defense against a "superbug" that has affected schools nationwide, and even killed people. The Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jack O'Connell told students last week in a Burlingame school that there is an aggressive antibiotic-resistant staph infection that can kill you out there - and it is serious. He encouraged students to wash there hands frequently and not share towels to reduce the spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA.

MRSA undermines the body's defenses by causing germ-fighting cells to explode, and the infection may be killing as many people each year as AIDS. Staph infections have been associated with hospitals and people with reduced immune functioning, but the recent outbreaks are on sports teams, in prisons, on cruise ships where people are relatively healthy, making it more dangerous.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), MRSA is spread by skin-to-skin contact with someone who has the staph infection; as well as contact with the germs on surfaces that contain the bacteria; cuts and scrapes; crowded living conditions; and poor hygiene. The infection can look like pimples or boils, and may be red, swollen, painful and have pus. There is a parents guide available at the CDPH.

Photo credit: c0ldgirl

Labels: Health Care, safety

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Stroke - Do You Know The Warning Signs?

The commercials on TV lately that say - "we care - know the signs of a stroke" - have really annoyed me, so I had to go find out what the signs of a stroke are, and teach them to my children, using the acronym "FAST." Face (numbness); Arm (weakness); Speech (Slurred), and Test (Act fast to get a test).

The symptoms of a stroke are sudden:

• Numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, sometimes only on one side;
• Confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech;
• Trouble seeing;
• Trouble walking or dizziness; loss of balance or coordination;and
• Severe headache with no known cause.

Did you know that each year in the United States there are more than 700,000 strokes? Stroke is actually the third leading cause of death in the country, and nearly 3/4s of all strokes occur in people over the age of 65. This may shake you up - the risk of having a stroke more than doubles each decade after the age of 55.

For African American, strokes are more common, and more deadly. Everyone can help prevent strokes by maintaining a healthy lifestyle including daily exercise, plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, not smoking, managing diabetes and high blood glucose with diet, exercise, and medications, keeping blood pressure under control, and maintaining a healthy weight.

A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain stops because it is blocked by a clot. here are two types of stroke - an ischemic stroke, which is caused by a clot plugging he blood vessel, and a hemorrhagic stroke, which is when a blood vessel breaks and bleeds into the brain. Both deprive the brain of blood, and brain cells start dying off immediately.

Everyone has a better chance of benefiting from treatment if they arrive at a hospital within 60 minutes after symptoms start, so knowing the symptoms of a stroke and calling 911 are critical! Stroke damage to the brain can cause paralysis, trouble thinking and speaking, and even emotional problems. If you suspect a stroke, act FAST!

Photo credit: greefus groinks

Labels: safety

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Stranger Danger

I know it is hard to talk about "strangers" with your kids without instilling fear in them, but all kids need to be aware of people around them and know what to do if a stranger approaches them in a public place, like on the Internet.

There have been several news reports lately about attempted abductions of young girls, and in at least in one case the girl was wary, resisted the approach, ran, and was safe. Young people need to know that they should be aware of strangers, report them to adults if they see someone at school they do not recognize, and that if a stranger tries to talk with them, or touch them, they need to run to the nearest business, building, or even home (although at a home, they should know not to enter it) - asking the first adult they see to call 911!

Kids approached by strangers need to be "loud, large and in charge," to keep themselves safe! It is sad that our world requires they know these skills, but they do! Talk to your kids! The McGruff web site has a nice game about Stranger Danger to help with younger kids.

Photo Credit: Lisamorgan

Labels: Parenting, safety

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Violence and Schools

The recent shootings and violence in schools might give parents the impression that schools are more dangerous than ever before, although a report by the Bureau of Justice and Statistics and the National Center for Education Statistics suggests students are twice as likely to be victims of serious violence away from schools. More murders occur at home than at school and actually, the violent crime victimization rate at school declined from 1992 to 2003.

The report is not all good news - in fact, violence, theft, bullying, drug use, and weapons are still problems in schools, particularly urban schools. Some of the specific results include:
▪ in the 2002 - 2003 school year, there were 15 student homicides and 8 suicides in the nation's schools (< 1 per million students);
▪ in 2003, 21% of students reported that street gangs were present at their school during the previous six months;
▪ in 2003, 5% of students ages 12 to 18 reported being victimized (4% had something stolen and 1% were victims of a violent crime) at school during the previous six months;
▪ in 2003 13% of students reported being in a fight on school property, although 33% of high school students reported having been in a fight during the previous year; and
▪ in 2003 students in urban schools were twice as likely as students in rural or suburban schools to fear being attacked at school or on the way to and from school.

Labels: safety, School

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