Walking the fine line between keeping your sick kids home

Go to your local drug store and check out the shelves in the cold & flu section. They're most likely looking pretty empty right now. The cold & flu season is upon us in full force. Everyone - including my family members - seems to have some sort of ailment at the moment whether it's a cough, a fever or a sore throat. Usually, the best remedy is plenty of rest and fluids. But in this day and age, that's a luxury a lot of people can't afford. A lot of sick kids are sent to school because there is no one available to watch after them while they convalesce at home.

Being a stay-at-home parent, I'm lucky to be able to keep my kids home when they aren't feeling up to par. The only appointments I might have are my own. I can easily rearrange my schedule most of the time to fit in a couch-bound child and some homemade chicken soup. Parents who work usually have a tougher time finding someone to care for their child when he's sick. Keeping the child home sometimes means taking time off work, which might not be possible.

Sick kids need to get better. Going to school doesn't help remedy that situation. Sending sick children into a classroom isn't fair to either the sick child or the healthy ones who might catch whatever the sick child contracted. Some ailments affect different people differently. A touch of the flu might give one child only a small cough, but if an asthmatic child catches the same bug she could end up hospitalized.

In a perfect world, schools would have a "sick wing". Children could go to school with a fever, be cared for by a nurse in their own secluded room, and be a part of their class via television. Wouldn't that be great? With the way schools have been cutting back on expenses, I don't see it happening in the near future.

So what's the solution? How do we keep our kids healthy when the school is just one big Petri dish? It's very easy for me to say keep your sick kids home, but I know that's much easier said than done. Do you have any ideas that have worked for you?

After Christmas, all well bred children write thank you notes

There is no such thing as the common cold. Each one is different and rather interesting. Right now I have a headache and a sore throat. I am hot and I am cold. I wonder how many days this will last. I have heard seven to 10 days is the usual run.

I hope you are faring better down there in Arizona as the New Year 2012 swiftly approaches. It was good talking with you on Christmas Day from Pittsburgh. That was a wonderful day watching James, 11, and Carmen, 8, rip open their Christmas gifts.

I do believe their parents will be sitting them down to write thank you letters. I tell the grandkids that all well mannered children write thank you notes.

My flights out to Pittsburgh and back were a piece of cake. Everything on time. When I flew out of Grand Forks on Dec. 20, the pilot said we were cleared and No. 1 for takeoff. It kind of amused me because there wasn’t another plane on the runway.

And I tell you one thing, Shirley. If there’s anything you don’t want to watch, it is the loading of bags into the belly of the plane. They give them a heave ho and a toss. Yikes. Somehow, everything gets through and I presume mostly OK.

All in all, it is great flying out of our new airport terminal here in Grand Forks. And Delta Airlines personnel were courteous and sympathetic as they changed my return flight from Denver earlier in December because of a death in the family.

Snow has been scarce around here. So, instead of snow sculptures this week during Winter Fest at Turtle River Sate Park, they made clay sculptures Wednesday. Today’s schedule out there includes a winter scavenger hunt.

The Buena Vista Ski Area in Bemidji has been advertising great conditions. They make snow daily!

And here in Grand Forks, avid tennis players have been on the outdoor courts this week. Christmas Day found UND tennis player Callie Ronkowski doing what she most loves — playing tennis. The temperature was almost 50 degrees. Callie and her dad, Keith Ronkowski, were able to spend the morning on the court at the entrance to Lincoln Park Golf Course.

That is where Callie, a Red River High School standout, got her start with lessons from Tim Wynne. She played on six state champion tennis teams and was state individual champion for two year with Tim Wynne as her coach. She now plays at UND for Tim’s brother, Tom Wynne.

Oh, and I should tell you, Shirley, that Callie wore a fur cap for her Christmas Day tennis match.

The UND basketball team has its work cut out for it as they play Kansas on the last day of the year. The women hoopsters are spending the New Year weekend on the road, too. Tonight they play Idaho at tournament in Montana.

Love from your sister, Marilyn, with a red nose and bleary eyes on the west bank of the frozen Red River of the North.

Ease symptoms while a cold runs its course

Your head is congested, and your throat feels scratchy. You alternate between sneezing, coughing and blowing your nose.

Unfortunately, one of the 200 cold viruses has taken up residence in your body and will stay for one to two weeks.

Since so many different viruses cause colds, and they're constantly evolving, the body doesn't build up resistance to them. That's why adults average two to four colds between September and May, and kids catch six to eight colds.

Although there isn't medicine to cure a cold -and that includes antibiotics -there are remedies to ease symptoms. Here are some suggestions.

Drink plenty of liquids. Fluids can prevent dehydration, keep your nose and throat moist, and thin out mucous.

Water, soup and tea (both antioxidant laden green tea and white tea) are good choices.

Plug in the humidifier. This eases dryness in your nose and throat, especially while sleeping. Remember to change the water daily and disinfect the humidifier weekly.

Steam from a hot shower does the same thing. You can also make a steam tent by placing a towel over your head and inhaling steam from a bowl of hot water. Adding a few drops of lemon and eucalyptus oils to the water can help to kill the virus.

Gargle with saltwater three times daily. Stir one teaspoon of salt into one cup of warm water and gargle with the entire solution.

Viruses can't survive in a high-salt environment, so begin this at the onset of symptoms.

Take it easy. Slow down your pace and get extra sleep so your body can fight the cold faster. If not, you may find the virus hanging on longer or returning again within a few weeks of fighting it.

Treat other symptoms. If sneezing and a runny nose become bothersome, an antihistamine can help.

Decongestants can clear up excessive mucous.

Homeopathic cherry bark cough medicine not only eases fits of coughing, but it also soothes a sore throat. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen relieve feelings of generalized illness and headaches.

Fortify your immune system. Eat lots of antioxidant-rich produce and add plenty of infection-fighting garlic, onions and turmeric to your soup and other foods. Herbs with antiviral and immune boosting properties include ginger, goldenseal, echinacea and astragalus. They come in many forms, including capsules, liquids and teas. If you take medicine for other conditions, consult a knowledgeable professional before using herbal products.

Be courteous. Keep in mind that no one else wants your cold, so pay attention to preventing the spread of the virus to co-workers and family. Be sure to cover your mouth while coughing and sneezing, wash your hands frequently, refrain from shaking hands and stay home while sick.

The best way to deal with a cold is to take care of yourself and to be prepared by keeping foods and medicine on hand during cold season. It also helps to keep in mind that the misery is temporary and you'll be back on your feet in no time.

What's Going Around?

We still have some time before cold and flu season sets in, but flu-like symptoms are already going around.

Dr. Ron Reynolds at Beach Urgent Care in Myrtle Beach says he hasn't had a positive flu test yet, but says it's just a matter of time. The symptoms he's seeing are coughs, sore throats and some vomiting and diarrhea.

Dr. Reynolds also wants to remind people to start focusing on proper hand washing and staying away from others who are sick. He says you should get the flu shot now rather than later, so your body has time to build up immunity.

At Doctor's Care in Surfside, family nurse practitioner James Woodcock says he's diagnosing a lot of acute gastroenteritis cases lately.  He describes it as an abrupt onset of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.  It could be with or without a fever but typically the patient suffers some abdominal cramping.

The illness typically lasts 3-5 days.

Woodcock says sufferers need to remember to stay hydrated and since the illness needs to run its course, expect a few days out of school or work.

At Seacoast Primary Care in Little River, Dr. Ray Holt says he's seeing a lot of cases of poison ivy right now.  Even though it's not contagious, it can get infected if you don't treat it.

Dr. Holt says he thinks the rise in cases is because of fall weeding and planting.  A poison ivy rash looks like tiny blisters, sometimes popping up in a line.

Dr. Holt says you should wash all the clothes and gloves you wore while gardening and see a doctor for a steroid cream.

Traffic officer jailed for giving girlfriend herpes freed

A traffic officer who was jailed for giving his ex-girlfriend genital herpes today walked free from prison on bail after launching an appeal against his conviction.

David Christopher Edward Golding, 28, from Braunston, Northamptonshire, was jailed for 14 months at Northampton Crown Court last month after admitting causing grievous bodily harm.

But new evidence could cast doubt on whether it was Golding who actually passed on the sexually transmitted infection to the woman, the Court of Appeal heard today.

A prosecution-commissioned medical report suggests that it could not be proved that it was definitely Golding who gave the victim the disease.

Mr Justice Burnett, sitting at the London court, granted Golding's application for bail to allow him to go home while new evidence is gathered for his appeal.

Golding, who worked for the Highways Agency, was accused of recklessly infecting his then partner with the genital herpes virus when they were together about two years ago.

But his jailing caused outrage among sexual health groups, who said the sentence would add to the stigma attached to carriers of the 'trivial' condition.

The appeal is to be based around examination of a blood sample given by the woman some time ago, which might cast doubt on Golding's guilt, Mr Justice Burnett told the court.

'This whole matter should not go into the long grass whilst both parties seek further expert evidence,' the appeal judge added.

'It is important that this proceeds with some speed. If the conclusion following the further medical evidence is that causation really could not be proved, then the sooner that is, the better.

'As importantly, if the outcome excludes the possibility of causation by another route, then that needs to be known as quickly as possible because the appellant may, in those circumstances, have to return to custody to continue to serve his sentence.'

Granting bail pending appeals is a rare move for the Court of Appeal, but Mr Justice Burnett said Golding's was an 'exceptional' case.

His legal team may also argue that it was wrong that he pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm, rather than the less serious offence of causing actual bodily harm, which carries a lesser sentence.

At the time of the sentencing, Golding’s parents, Janet, 64, and Christopher, 59, said they were shocked by the jail term.

Mrs Golding said: ‘This is David’s first offence and we are distraught at what might happen to him in jail. He’s a good son who did not deserve this.’

Her husband said that he found the sentence ‘difficult to understand’.

The virus which causes genital herpes could cause an outbreak or lie dormant for years, during which time it is not infectious. Many people remain unaware they are infected.

Those who do display symptoms usually suffer fever, headache and tiredness and small blisters and itching.

Nigel Scott, spokesman for the Herpes Viruses Association, said Golding’s sentence was ‘outrageous’ and compared the case to prosecuting children for ‘giving their friends chicken pox’.

He added: ‘It is such a trivial infection that most people don’t notice it. It has exactly the same medical implications and consequences as an ordinary facial cold sore.’

Marian Nicholson, director of the HVA, added: ‘Many of those who are diagnosed are reluctant to disclose their status but this is because of the unnecessary stigma, not because it is serious ... emphatically it is not.’

The appeal is unlikely to return to court for at least a month, but Golding will be allowed to go home while further investigation is undertaken.

Top travel tips for emergency food aid

According to over fifties travel review and advice website Silver Travel Advisor food isn’t just for eating, it can also be invaluable as a freely available medical aid and even a life saver, particularly when travelling.

Here are Silver Travel Advisor’s top tips for `Medicines on the Menu’ while on holiday:-

Freely available in bars and shops worldwide Coca-Cola can be used to take the pain out of a wasp sting, but never use on a bee sting. Cola contains phosphoric acid, which counters the akaline wasp sting whereas bee stings are acidic and Cola would have no effect.

The pain of jellyfish stings can be alleviated immediately by dousing the area with vinegar and rinsing with salt water (the sea will do). Remove the tentacles by scraping them off with a sea-shell or credit card and apply a cold compress. Never rinse stings with alcohol or fresh water or the pain and stinging will get worse.

Tomatoes are invaluable travel companions. To stop itching and swelling, apply raw tomato to insect bites. Simply apply a slice to the bite. If hair takes on a tinge of green after swimming in a chlorine laden pool, simply comb tomato sauce through it. And two cupfuls of tomato juice added to a warm bath helps dispel the odours of excess perspiration, especially in hot climates. Sit in the tomato infused water for 15 – 20 minutes and you’ll be ready to face the heat again.

A cold or sore throat is a miserable holiday companion. Infuse a mug of boiled water with ginger to create a fast and simple cure for sore throats, especially if caught in a monsoon or on the promenade on a wet afternoon in Bognor. Ginger can also be taken to suppress nausea and alleviate motion sickness.

Raid the condiment pots in the hotel or restaurant for salt and apply directly to mouth ulcers. It’ll sting like crazy at first, but the soreness of the ulcer fades like magic. Alternatively if a glass of water and a sink are at hand, regular saltwater mouth washes have the same effect.

Yoghurt is one of the greatest and healthiest food aids. It’s an antibiotic, an immunity booster and helps clear up travellers’ diarrhea, it also soothes ulcers and rids women of yeast infections. Check the label first to make sure it contains a live acidophilus culture.

Found naturally throughout Asia and the Far East and in supermarkets worldwide, cinnamon has an antimicrobial action and can quickly settle nausia and upset stomachs. Eat it in stews, on toast, in desserts and teas and a daily does will keep the doctor away.

The Greeks apply a lighted match to a small container of ground coffee to keep wasps away. Just a couple of teaspoons on a saucer or small dish will smoulder for hours, it’s cheap to top up and even if the wasps persist, it smells nice.

To counteract the anxiety caused by airport queues, flight delays and general travel stresses, bite on a banana. This happy fruit’s 105 calories and 14g of sugar provides a mild blood sugar boost which helps the brain produce mellowing serotonin.

For an emergency sunscreen, slice open an avodaco. This oil-rich, nutrient rich and delicious fruit offers rapid skin penetration which quickly protects, softens and soothes the skin. When the sun is behind the clouds, or proprietary sunscreen is at hand, apply to the skin, avocados can be used as a skin moisturizer, cleansing cream, makeup base, bath oil, and hair conditioner.

Silver Travel Advisor’s MD, Debbie Marshall, said “It’s well worth knowing some of the healing properties of common foods when travelling. Conventional medicines aren’t always readily available, pharmaceutical labels may be written in an unfamiliar language, prescriptive quantities can be ambiguous when quite often nature has a ready, freely available remedy that will bridge the gap until more conventional aid can be found”.

Fine line between protecting children and overreacting to health problem

This is both a medical question and a sociocultural question. As a parent, this is, then, a delicate question. A balancing act.

A review of medical information websites is both useful and frustrating. The public information I've researched agrees on the following:

Herpes simplex 1 (oral herpes) is a virus. Most people contract the virus in infancy or childhood. Once contracted, the virus remains forever. Person to person, however, there is great variability in how the virus then behaves. Lots of people are permanently asymptomatic. Others have occasional outbreaks. Some have frequent outbreaks. When the virus is dormant, the risk of contagion is virtually nil.

During a herpes outbreak, the virus is contagious. More troublesome is the occasion of asymptomatic viral shedding, when a patient is contagious but shows no symptoms of outbreak. In a world of public school and play dates, there is no way to be alerted to this situation.

The frustrating part is the wide range of medical opinions about the "where and how" of catching this virus. The obvious situation is easy to avoid: no mucous membrane contact with a contagious person. Since children don't tend to kiss each other, we can breathe easy. But my research turned up conflicting opinions about other risks of transmission. One doctor writes: "Despite popular myth, it is almost impossible to catch herpes from surfaces, towels, or washcloths." Another medical site says that you can catch the virus through skin-to-skin contact. And still another says you can catch the virus from "eating from the same utensil or sharing a towel."

So, medically speaking, we're stuck between what we "know we know" -- remind your children not to make out with children who have open cold sores! -- and sorting out the equation of other relative risks we're willing to assume.

In quality parenting, there's a line between faithfully educating and protecting our children from risk/harm and teaching them to be obsessive about germs, cleanliness and the normal risks of living. I'm not saying anybody made me The Decider about this line. Just saying that there is a line. On the one hand, I want my children to be safe, to live responsibly and to value their health. On the other hand, I want them to thrive, to live well and happily. This requires risk.

I think the option of "politely passing" on a play date with a child who has a herpes outbreak is not one of the options. I'm not trying to be funny, but, in our culture, it is unlikely that you'd call another parent to inquire about the children getting together, but "tag" the invitation with "but first let me ask if your child has herpes simplex 1 and is he/she currently having an outbreak?" I'm saying you're not going to know about this unless and until you see that the child is having an outbreak. Which is when you're going to have to deal with it, either by assuming the risk, or by taking the child back home and explaining to the parent(s) your grounds for doing so.