NFL Charles Woodson Gives Back Donates $2 million to U-M Hospital

By Larry Lage
AP
Nov. 27, 2009

 

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP)—Charles Woodson(notes) wants to be known as more than a football player.

Donating $2 million to the new University of Michigan Mott Children’s Hospital and Women’s Hospital gives him a chance to do that.

The school announced Woodson’s gift on Thanksgiving before he played for the Green Bay Packers against the Detroit Lions.

Then, he intercepted two passes—returning one for a score—forced a fumble, recovered it and had a sack.

“It was a good day,” Woodson said after Green Bay’s 34-12 win in Detroit.

His donation will support pediatric research by The Charles Woodson Clinical Research Fund in the $754-million, 1.1-million square foot hospital scheduled to open in 2012.

“He’s really studied and tried to understand what the issues are in doing research in pediatrics,” Dr. Valerie Castle said. “What most people don’t know is that less than 10 percent of the National Institute of Health budget goes toward research in pediatric disease.

“When you study those patients, you often times get clues to adult diseases.”

Woodson hopes to attract the world’s best researchers who want to help children with cancer, heart disease, kidney disorders and autism.

“I want to be part of that symbol of hope,” Woodson said. “So that they can say, ‘I know I can beat this thing and there’s people out there who will help me beat it.”’

Woodson said during a visit to Ann Arbor earlier this month that becoming a father in January motivated him to make the gift, altering his outlook on life.

“It can change a lot,” he said.

Lloyd Carr, his coach at Michigan, hopes Woodson’s gift pushes his peers to also give back.

“I think it’s going to have a significant influence across the athletic world that he decided to do this,” Carr said.

Woodson acknowledged feeling awkward about allowing a Fox TV reporter and crew to follow him as he visited patients on a day off in November, but said it was part of his mission.

“Half of the battle is about awareness,” Woodson said. “When I signed on board to be a part of this team, that was going to be part of the deal. Part of making it work is me being a face or spokesman.

“I guess what bigger days can we do it to bring awareness to the cause when everybody is watching a Thanksgiving Day game?”

The native of Fremont, Ohio, helped Michigan win the national championship in 1997. He won the Heisman Trophy as a cornerback who also played wide receiver and returned punts.

His memories from college on and off the field led to him giving back financially.

“It was probably best three years of my life that I can remember, other than having my son,” Woodson said. “When people still see me, even though I have been in Green Bay and Oakland, they still talk about Michigan.”

On the Net: Charles Woodson Clinical Research Fund:

 

Source: Yahoo News

 

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

KickStart Honor Black Middle

By Derrick Stinson
KICKSTART Instructor
Black Middle School
Nov 23, 2009

I am very proud of the students in my KICKSTART program. They all work very hard and deserve all the credit in the world. Our Black Middle School karate program has a rich history of great martial artists. Always pushing to be the best, they strive to be at the cutting edge of the martial arts. They are very humble kids who invite everyone into their circle and often times become the life of the party.

They are hilarious!!!

I consider it an honor to be their teacher. As far as what Black MS has accomplished, we have won Martial Arts Mania 6 times in the past 8 years. We have three 3rd degree black belts, eight 2nd degrees, and fifteen 1st degrees that come from Black MS. Aca-demically, we have quite a few black belts who are currently in college and one serving in the armed forces.

We have many students who are Chun Kuk Do world champions, KICKSTART state champions, and many who are striving to-wards those goals everyday. In fact, I am proud of my students who have accomplished feats that even I haven’t. I had two black belts win the Chuck Norris cup in Las Vegas; one of those students even won it three times.

Some may hear our nickname in Martial Arts Mania or at other tournaments: the Wu Tang Clan. It’s our karate name that we go by when performing, nothing more or less. It unifies us, the old students and the new. Our motto is, “We are born to lose, built to win, and determined to succeed!”

Wu Tang Forever

Source: Kick Start Kids

  

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

Kids Talk About Food Pyramid

 

By Mary L. Gavin, MD
Nov. 26, 2009

The votes are in — kids like the new food guide pyramid. But it wasn’t a landslide (which means one side won by a lot more than the other). About 500 kids participated in our survey and here’s what they said:

 

       53% said they liked it

       26% said they weren’t sure

       21% said they did not like it

Except for still being a triangle, the new pyramid isn’t much like the old one. The old one was made of different-sized blocks that stood for the different food groups.

Grain foods (like breads and pasta) made the base and the tiny tip was made of fats and sweets. The new model has splashy, vertical stripes and a staircase running up one side to show the importance of exercise. One kid said it looked like “a pie graph — only triangular.”

Briana, 11, said she loves the new pyramid, especially the staircase. The new model is easier to understand. She thinks it’s trying to say: “Stay healthy and be on top of the world!”

 

More Color — Good or Bad?

Other kids said the new pyramid rocks because it’s more colorful. Five stripes stand for the five food groups. The sixth stripe stands for oils:

 

       orange — grains

       green — vegetables

       red — fruits

       blue — milk and dairy products

       purple — meat, beans, fish, and nuts

       yellow — oils

The colors weren’t an improvement for Abby, 12. She said the colors didn’t really match their groups.

“Purple for meat? Ewww!” she said.

But Jessica, 12, said the new pyramid’s colors were trying to send this message: “You have to eat all (the different food groups) to have a healthy body, just like how you need all the colors to make a ‘healthy’ rainbow.”

Other kids said the new pyramid is better because it’s more specific. For instance, the different widths of each color band give people an idea of how much they need.

And the bands get thinner at the top, to show that, in every food group, some foods are healthier than others.

Of course, you should eat more of the healthy ones. With grains, for instance, a slice of whole-wheat toast is more nutritious than a doughnut, so the wheat bread would be in the wide part and the doughnut in the narrow top.

 

Where Are the Pictures?

But the trouble for some kids was that there aren’t any pictures of foods on the new pyramid. It’s not clear that the color bands stand for food groups, or that the width of those bands means something, or that the narrowing of each band is there to make a point about the difference between whole-grain bread and sugary doughnuts.

That’s one reason Jordan, 12, preferred the old pyramid, which he called “more complete.”

“It actually shows the foods that are in each group, if you know what I mean,” he said.

Deja, 11, agreed, saying the old pyramid “is great for little kids who can’t read yet.”

 

 

Adam Asks About Sugar

Adam, 12, wishes the new pyramid was clearer about which group was which. He also wanted some more information about how much to eat.

“It does not tell me how much sugar,” Adam said.

Speaking of sugar, Adam is one smart cookie. The amount of sugar someone eats can make a big difference in his or her health. Though the new pyramid doesn’t give advice on sugar, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) does have something to say about it.

(The USDA is the group in charge of the pyramid and other nutrition stuff.)

About sugar, the USDA says that kids especially need to watch out for added sugars. Some foods, like fruit, contain natural sugars. But other foods, like candy, soda, and ice cream, usually contain a lot of added sugar.

These sugary foods often don’t have many nutrients — the vitamins and minerals your body needs to grow and keep working like it should. Sugar also contains a lot of calories, so eating too much can make someone overweight. It also can cause a lot of cavities — ouch!

As for how much sugar Adam can eat and still be healthy, that’s hard to say. We recommend that he follow the pyramid by eating a good mix of fruits, vegetables, protein foods, dairy foods, and grains.

Then, because he’s eating so much good stuff, foods with a lot of added sugars will just naturally be a small part of his diet.

 

Don’t Go It Alone

It’s good for kids to know about the food guide pyramid, but no one expects them to figure it out on their own. So don’t worry if you’re a little confused. Lots of grown-ups have trouble understanding nutrition. It’s a science after all!

If you have questions about your diet or wonder what’s healthy and what’s not, ask a parent. If your parent’s not sure, talk with your doctor, the school nurse, or your health teacher.

You also can turn to the new My Pyramid website. It’s full of information and tips about eating healthy.

And give yourself a little time to get adjusted to the new pyramid. Some kids didn’t have any specific criticisms of the new pyramid, they just seemed to be saying that they’d rather not see it change.

In all, 43% of kids said they liked the old pyramid better. Anytime something changes, you might feel a little uneasy.

Charbonet, 12, put it this way: “(The old pyramid) made things more clearer. Nothing is as good as the original.”

But Andrew, 12, welcomes the new pyramid, which, in his opinion, looks a lot better.

He said: “Change is good.”

 

Source: Kids Health

 

Editor’s Note: we would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

What is Thanksgiving?

By Yomin and Leah Postelnik
GCC/Staff
Nov. 26, 2009

We’d like to take this time to wish each of you a Happy Thanksgiving. Let us remember the true meaning of the day, to connect with and give thanks to the Almighty who bestows all blessings to each of us individually, to our families and to our state.

To remind us all of the true meaning of the day, and to remind myself what public service is about, attached is the first Thanksgiving message, the Proclamation of President Lincoln in 1863:

The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added which are of so extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict, while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore.

Population has steadily increased notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield, and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people.

I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.

And I recommend to them that… while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.

Many blessings to you and to your loved ones, always,
Source: A Better Florida

Editor’s Note: We would like to hear your stories, of the true meaning of Thanksgiving. dan@youngchronicle.com

America be Thankful for Each Other

By Robin Dugall
Nov. 26, 2009

I thank my God every time I remember you. -Philippians 1:3

Thanksgiving Day is almost here again and I’m sure that across
our country, pastors are preaching sermons pointing out the need
for Christ-followers to be thankful people. As a pastor, I’ve
made impassioned pleas for Christ-followers to rise above our
culture…to resist the temptation for the holidays to be simply
another opportunity for us to be self-focused and self-indulgent.

Thanksgiving isn’t just about eating to the brink of explosion;
shopping to the brink of bankruptcy; watching television to the
brink of insanity. I’ve tried to make the point that Thanksgiving
for a person who loves God can be so much more.

Even so, I discovered in my own life that despite what I’ve
preached, I have missed a crucial element in the process of being
a thankful follower of Jesus in my own life.

I found that over the years I have been mostly thankful for the THINGS in my life;  for food, finances, the house I have lived in, the clothes I have
worn, and so on.

While there’s nothing wrong with being thankful for these things, I have missed the boat on giving thanks for the biggest blessings of God in my life…PEOPLE.

Consider how empty, purposeless, and meaningless, our lives would be without relationships. Relationships have shaped who we are and who we are becoming.

Without exception, everyone I know has been positively influenced by another person. While it is easy to thank God for the THINGS in our lives, we should remember to be equally thankful for the PEOPLE God has placed in our lives
as well!

Let me give you just one example. I am thankful for my Aunt Patty. She had suffered a brain injury when she was a small child severe enough that by the time I was born, she had become mentally disabled.

But, when I was a child, she would play games and entertain me for hours. She loved me unconditionally. We would play The Beatles records, and pretend to be Paul McCartney and John Lennon. It was her love for music that infected my soul for the rest of my life. I thank God for her!

How about you? Who do you thank God for? This Thanksgiving, take
a few moments and thank God for the relationships in your life.
Truthfully, it can revolutionize your life.

Source: Homeword

 

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

True Meaning of Thanksgiving

By Rev. Bill Shuler 
FOXNews.com
Nov. 26, 2009

In 1621 Pilgrims joined together with Native American Indians on New England soil to enjoy a feast celebrating the Pilgrims very first harvest. Plymouth’s Governor, William Bradford, made provisions for a day of prayer and thanksgiving. 

1. Americans will consume over 45 million turkeys on Thanksgiving Day.
2. The average Thanksgiving meal will constitute between 2,400 and 4,500 calories.
3. The U.S. population will gain over 171 tons of weight this year.
4. “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live them.” — President John F. Kennedy
5. Many psychologists concur that being thankful is the healthiest of all emotions.

6. Being thankful is a key component of healthy relationships.

7. We should be thankful for what we already have before we ask for more.

8. Our thanks are best found in our giving.

9. The scriptures encourage us to give thanks in all circumstances and not to forget all God’s benefits.

10. Being thankful aligns us for wholeness.

In 1789 General George Washington declared by proclamation: “Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection, aid and favors…

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the Beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be: that we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks for his kind care and protection of the people of this country, and for all the great and various favors which he has been pleased to confer upon us.”

 

Source: Fox News

 

Editor’s Note: Rev. Bill Shuler is pastor of Capital Life Church in Arlington, Virginia. For more, go to capitallife.org.

We would like to know your special story and thoughts of your family Thanksgiving. dan@youngchronicle.com

New York’s Thanksgiving Parade Takes a New Route

By Laura Linn
Nov. 26, 2009

For millions of Americans, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is as much a part of the November holiday as the turkey and the pumpkin pie. Some parade lovers will notice that this year’s event has a new twist—or rather, a new turn.

For the first time, the New York City parade will not march down Broadway through the famous Times Square area. Instead, the bands and balloons will turn down Seventh Avenue.

Why the change? Cars and trucks are no longer allowed to drive down Broadway in the Times Square area. Last spring, the area became a pedestrian zone or area for walkers only.

So the area is now off-limits to parade floats and the cars and trucks that pull them.

This may not seem like a big change, but it is huge for the businesses in Times Square. People who run hotels, shops, and restaurants along the old route fear they may lose money now that the parade no longer marches past their doors.

“It’s not good for Times Square,” Mustapha Ben Khallouk, an electronics salesman who works in the area, told the New York Times. “Thanksgiving is one of the busiest days of the year for us—people stay all day.”

 

From the Museum to Macy’s the route was changed one other time in the parade’s 83-year history: In 1946, the starting point was moved from 145th Street to 77th Street, in front of the American Museum of Natural History.

As always, this year’s parade will end in front of the flagship, or main, Macy’s department store at Herald Square.

 

 

Balloons Still Flying high

Despite the new direction taken this year, much about the 2009 parade will remain familiar: Throngs of spectators will line the streets to enjoy marching bands, floats, and the parade’s signature giant helium balloons that fly above the crowds.

Some new balloons this year—Mickey Mouse dressed as a sailor, updated Spiderman and Ronald McDonald balloons, and the Pillsbury Dough Boy—join favorite characters such as Buzz Light-year, Snoopy, and Shrek.

 

Parades Past

The first Macy’s parade was held on Thanksgiving Day in 1924. Back then, it was called the Macy’s Christmas Parade.

Employees of the store dressed in costume and marched along with bands and live animals from New York City’s Central Park Zoo.

In 1927, the live animals were replaced with the now-famous giant helium balloons. Felix the Cat, a cartoon character that first appeared in silent films, was one of the first balloons.

Macy’s put the balloons and bands on hold from 1942 to 1944, during World War II. No one felt like celebrating, and parade supplies like helium and rubber were needed for the war effort. In 1945, the parade returned and was shown on television for the first time.

 

Parade Facts

• The 2009 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 26. It will be broadcast from 9:00 to 12:00 noon (in all time zones) on NBC.

 

• The parade is expected to attract approximately 3 million viewers in New York City and about 44 million television viewers.

 

• This year’s parade will feature 1,500 dancers, cheerleaders, singers, and performers. There will be 15 giant character balloons, 800 clowns, 24 floats, and 10 marching bands.

 

• Today, Macy’s is the world’s second-largest consumer of helium. (The United States government is the largest helium consumer.)

 

• The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has ended each year with Santa Claus, except in 1933. That year he led the parade.

 

Source: Scholastic News Online

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

McGruff: If a Bully Bothers You

By McGruff and Scruff
Nov. 25, 2009

In 1974, a neighborhood crime watch group was organized in South Dade County. Citizens met with their local law enforcement departments to ask what they could do to help the police apprehend a rapist terrorizing their community.

From this first informal meeting, communities and law enforcement began to work together to keep neighborhoods safe and free from crime.

An organization was formed, and Citizens’ Crime Watch of Miami-Dade County, Inc. (CCW) was registered as a 501(c) (3) non profit organization. Today, over 1,600 neighborhoods participate in the crime watch concept.

In 1979, the crime watch concept was introduced into the public school system at one school.

Because it succeeded in curbing school crime, the Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) requested we, CCW, expand its student crime watch program from one school to include all public schools in the county. Since that time, Youth Crime Watch of Miami-Dade (YCW) has functioned as an allied program of the public schools.

Methodology The public school system contracts with YCW to educate and train students in violence and crime prevention strategies.

Children also learn that good citizenship and personal responsibility include watching out for family, friends, schools and community. YCW maintains a presence in all M-DCPS.

The foundation of the YCW program is built upon a “school safety survey” which is administered at the school during the first few months of the school year.

It asks respondents to rank their particular safety concerns – those issues which they believe have the potential to cause harm to themselves or their schoolmates.

YCW students, student advisors, and our staff are then enlisted in the effort to resolve those issues impeding the safety, health, and education of young people. The results of the survey are prioritized and comprise the core content of the YCW program.

The YCW program is structured to teach leadership skills to students who volunteer to learn about school safety.

While they learn how to keep themselves safe, they also learn public speaking, critical thinking, leadership, and other skills that will serve them into their adult lives.

This, in turn, reinforces their self-esteem and promotes positive involvement, again curbing misbehavior, crime and violence in the school.

I’m McGruff the Crime Dog – world famous for my advice on how to stop crime before it happens, and for my great sense of humor. But seriously, my job is to help people, especially kids, learn how to be safe and make their neighborhood safer.

Something else you should know about me is that I go all over the country to talk to people about how they can take a bite out of crime. So if you see me in your town, come on up and say hi. You can recognize me by my tan trench coat – I never go anywhere without it.

This here is my nephew Scruff. He helps me show kids how they can stay safe. Scruff’s a good pup but sometimes gets himself into a bit of trouble. Lucky for him he’s got a good memory – eventually he remembers the right thing to do to get out of trouble. Want to know more about me and Scruff?

You can read more about yours truly in the story How McGruff Became the Crime Dog, and you can read some of Scruff’s adventures in these comic books.

Today we will talk about: If a Bully Bothers You

 

 

Does another kid kick, hit, pinch, punch, trip or threaten you? If so, you may have a bully.

Does someone tease you, call you names, leave you out, or spread rumors about you? You may have a bully. But you can stand up to bullies if you know what to do.

• Try to talk it out. Say, “Why are you being mean to me?”
• Walk away from the bully.
• Speak up. Say, “Stop picking on me!”
• Make a joke. If you say something funny, even about yourself, the bully might laugh and forget to pick on you.
• Stick with your friends.
• Ask an adult for help.

Do you know someone who has a bully? Well, you can help. Did you know that most of the time when a kid steps in bullying stops? Here are some things you can do.

• If you see someone being picked on, be a friend and walk away from the bully together.
• If you have a friend who bullies, take a stand and tell your friend to stop.
• If you know someone that gets picked on, ask the kid to play with you.
• Get your friends to come with you when you help someone being bullied.

If someone is hurting a kid, tell an adult.

 

Source: McGruff

 

Editor’ Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

Truth About H1N1

By Parents
Nov. 23, 2009

The following up-to-date information on the H1N1 flu virus and vaccine are essential must-knows for any parent. Dr. Richard Besser, ABC News Senior Health and Medical Editor, pediatrician, and previous director for the Centers for Disease Control, answers basic questions on how this flu strain can affect you and your family.

Dr. Richard Besser knows a thing or two about the flu pandemic. This pediatrician was the acting Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) earlier this year when H1N1 first emerged.

Here, he answers your flu questions and explains why you and your children need to get the H1N1 vaccination.

 

Q. How is H1N1 different from other strains of influenza? Is it worse?

A. This illness looks like any other flu. The flu itself isn’t any worse. What makes this flu different is that this particular strain hasn’t been seen before, so there is no natural immunity.

Older people appear to have some protection probably from exposure to similar strains before 1957, but young people are pretty much unprotected. With H1N1, we’re concerned for children.

 

Q. It’s often reported that children are at greater risk, but what does that mean? Are they at greater risk for getting H1N1 compared to seasonal influenza, or does it mean there is a greater risk for death?

A. The answer to both questions is yes. With H1N1, there is a greater risk of becoming ill, and there is also a greater risk for death for children. Each year 36,000 people die from seasonal influenza and another 20,000 are hospitalized.

About 90 percent of those affected in a typical year are our elderly. This year we’ve already seen more than 80 H1N1-related deaths in children.

That’s more childhood deaths than we see in a typical flu season, and it’s only mid-October. There are some estimates that say we could see between 30,000 and 90,000 H1N1-related deaths.

I believe those estimates are high, but the take-away is correct. We need to have a healthy respect for this flu.

 

Q. If I get H1N1, when am I contagious? How long should I stay away from people?

A. You are most contagious when you have a fever. The current recommendations are that you stay home until the fever is gone for 24 hours.

 

Q. If my child is diagnosed with H1N1, what should I be concerned about?

A. Every parent needs to know this: If the patient seems to be recovering and then gets a high fever, you need to go to the doctor as soon as possible. It could be a sign that a bacterial infection has started.

Watch for other danger signs as well. These include difficulty breathing or a blue or gray color change around the mouth. Parents know their children. If they look really sick, contact your doctor.

 

Q. Could I get H1N1 twice in one season?

A. If you truly had H1N1, meaning you tested positive for it with a good test, then no. You should not get it twice. If you were diagnosed with influenza but were not tested or if you didn’t see a doctor and think you had H1N1, then theres the possibility that you didn’t actually contract H1N1.

Anyone who falls in those categories should still get the H1N1 vaccination to protect themselves.

 

Q. Are infants susceptible?

A. Infants are susceptible. However, the vaccine is not for infants younger than 6 months old. I recommend having everyone who is in contact with infants under 6 months old get the H1N1 vaccination.

This includes parents, day-care providers, and any others who spend time with babies.

 

Q. What can parents do to protect their children from H1N1, especially those children who might have underlying medical conditions?

A. People who are sick end up with germs on their hands from touching their noses. When you touch infected hands or contaminated objects you can pick up those germs.

Then when you touch your eyes, nose, or mouth, germs can set up shop. Wash your hands often with soap or a hand sanitizer if you don’t have access to soap and water.

The temperature of the water isn’t as important as the amount of time you are washing with soap. The other thing you need to do is cover your cough or cough into the crook of your elbow.

Finally, stay home if you are sick. If you are in the high-risk category, talk to your physician about a treatment plan.

Your doctor might write you a prescription for Tamiflu that you can have on hand. (You would only fill it if needed.)

Second, you could fill the prescription and have an antiviral in the house, depending on the patient’s specific issues. There is a recommendation from the CDC to do this.

This response is more for a parent that has H1N1 and/or is high risk, not for how to protect your children.

 

Q. Who is considered high risk?

A. People 24 years of age and younger, pregnant women, healthcare workers, and people who suffer from underlying medical conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma, or neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy, are all high risk.

 

Q. If I have been diagnosed with H1N1 and am high risk, what kinds of symptoms should I be concerned about?

A. Difficulty breathing, bluish coloring to the skin, dehydration. Also, take it very seriously if you seem to be getting better and then get worse. See your healthcare provider immediately.

 

Q. Tamiflu is the most talked about antiviral treatment. Is it safe?

A. The safety profile of this drug is very good. Relenza is also effective. The benefits of using antivirals when you are sick with the flu outweigh the risk of it for people who are at risk of severe illness.

I wouldn’t expect a miracle from Tamiflu, though. It shortens the illness by less than a day in adults and about 36 hours in children. As with all medications, ask your doctor or pharmacist about possible drug side effects.

 

Q. Are there any preventive treatments?

A. Not medical treatments, but we recommend taking care of yourself and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. That means getting good rest and eating a well-balanced diet.

 

Q. Many parents say they are using probiotics and other supplements to boost the health of their children.

The hope is that these supplements will strengthen the immune system and make them more able to fight off illnesses such as H1N1. Where do you stand on that?

A. I haven’t seen good data on any of these products preventing the flu. But if a parent feels that this is good for their child and there are no risks, then it comes down to the parent’s comfort level. Discuss these approaches openly with your doctor.

 

Source: Parents

 

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

Alexander: The Food Allergy Blues

By Alexander
Nov. 24, 2009 

 

 

Dear Alexander,

(Q) Sometimes I feel sad because I have a food allergy, so I pretend to be happy. What can I do to feel better?

 

(A) Lots of kids feel sad sometimes about having a food allergy, but it’s important to remember that having a food allergy is part of what makes you unique. So keep your chin up.

Don’t forget, there are over 12 million people in the United States who have food allergies, and 2 million of those are kids just like you.

Talk to your parents when you are feeling sad and let them know how you feel. Talking to them can help out a lot. Try keeping a journal of your feelings as this can help, too.

Positive thinking is the key.

Good luck!

Your friend,

Alexander the Elephant

 

 

Source: Food Allergy

 

Editor’s Note: The information above is not designed to take the place of a doctor’s instructions. Patients are urged to contact a doctor for specific information regarding guidelines for care.

We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

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