MEDICATION SAFETY TIPS 

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THE RISE AND SHINE NEWSLETTER shared the following information about medication poisonings in kids, poison control centers, and poison help resources available to you.

Why is this important to you as a parent or caregiver?

Medications are the leading cause of child poisoning today. Each year, half a million parents call poison control because their child got into a medication they shouldn’t have or took more of their medication than prescribed. And those are the kids we know about! More children get brought to the Emergency Department for medication poisonings than for car crashes.

What exactly are we talking about when we say “medicine”?

Medicine can be prescribed by a doctor or purchased over the counter (OTC). Examples can include adult medicines, vitamins and supplements, children’s cough and cold medicines, children’s gummy vitamins, eye drops, and diaper rash products. Don’t be fooled into thinking over-the-counter medicines are safer than prescriptions. Both can cause serious harm to kids. Most poisonings in kids come from medicines you can buy without a prescription, like pain medications and anti-allergy medications. Read more 

How To Keep Your Children Safe Online 

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Bill here from Pixel Privacy shared that 1 in 5 children who use the internet has been sexually solicited. 1 in 4 has seen unwanted pornography. Nearly 60% of teens have received an email or instant message from a stranger (half have replied.)    Do we have your attention?

The internet is a great place to hang out. Not only can all sorts of information be found there (some correct, some not so much), but it’s also a great way to stay in touch with friends and family.

Sadly, the internet is also a dangerous place to hang out – particularly for children.

Cyberstalkers, child molesters, inappropriate content, cyberbullies, and more are lurking, waiting for an opportunity to reach out to your children. Such an experience could possibly damage a child for the rest of their life.

In this article, I’ll share my knowledge about protecting your kids from the dark side of the internet. We’ll look at how to monitor their computer and mobile device usage, how to set parental controls to ensure they can’t view inappropriate content, and much more.

We’ll also take a look at what it might mean if your child suddenly closes an app or shuts off their computer or mobile device when you walk into the room. Also, we’ll discuss what to do if your child is being cyberbullied. Read more 

A Hat, Scarf, and Sunscreen?? 

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College of DuPage Nursing Student Melissa Zielke wrote for Healthy Health in the winter months everyone remembers their hats, scarves, gloves, and coats, but is anyone remembering sunscreen? Sunscreen is most often thought of in the hot and sunny months, however, the cloudy, cold days of winter require the application of sunscreen as well. Sunscreen offers protection from the ultraviolet rays of the sun.

The Risk

The sun’s UV rays can cause damage to the skin in about 15 minutes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020) states that 4.3 million adults are treated for basal and squamous cell cancers per year, which are the most common types of skin cancer (2020). The American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD, 2020) warns that an estimated 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their life. Sun protection can help minimize the risk of skin cancer and keep the skin healthy and protected.

Why Use Sunscreen in the Winter?

The CDC (2020) recommends using sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher even on cool or cloudy days. Sunscreen contains chemicals that help protect the skin from UV rays. The (AAD, 2020) states that on cloudy days, up to 80% of UV rays can penetrate the skin. Snow, water, and sand can increase the need for sunscreen because they can reflect the rays of the sun. Sunscreen should be used every day that you will be exposed to the sun, even if the sun is hiding behind the clouds.

Read more 

15 Bicycle Safety Facts, Statistics, and Tips 

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CyclingH0w shared with Healthy Lombard that the benefits of cycling are well documented. It’s a fun way to get fit. It causes less strain and injury if done correctly. Cycling also allows you to accomplish other tasks, such as getting to work or buying groceries, while also exercising. It is, therefore, understandable why cycling is an increasingly popular activity among Americans.

Notwithstanding all the benefits of cycling, many cyclists are getting injured or killed on US roads. For instance, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 857 cyclists were killed and 47,000 injured in the United States in 2018. What is of concern is that the NHTSA figures show that the number of cyclist fatalities in the United States has been on a steady increase since 2009, dipping only slightly in 2013 and 2017.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that cyclists are more susceptible to injury and death from crashes than motor vehicle occupants. This makes it evident that there is an urgent need to change the situation. As a cyclist, you play an essential part in ensuring your safety on the roads.

This article presents some bicycle safety facts, statistics, and tips to help every cyclist remain safe at all times on our roads. Mostly, we get our data from the US Department of Transport’s NHTSA and other interest groups dedicated to cyclists’ safety.

1. Most Accidents Happen in Urban Areas

As can be expected, urban areas are the epicenter of road accidents for cyclists. For instance, 71% of cyclists’ deaths in 2016 occurred in urban areas, while the rest of the same year’s deaths happened in rural areas.

Urban arterial roads (high capacity roads that deliver traffic from collector roads to freeways) have the highest percentage of cyclist fatalities. These roads are responsible for around 44% of cyclist deaths. Read more 

Understanding Screen Addiction and Responsible Digital Use 

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Holly Niblett, from the Digital team, asks, “Have you been spending more time on your phone or laptop?”
The way we spend our time has been changing as a result of COVID-19. Whether it’s during a lockdown or as we adjust to new norms, it’s likely you’ve been spending more time on your devices.

The pandemic may have encouraged more screen-related bad habits, but the risks were always there. How does your time online make you feel? Are you able to switch off when you need to?

The time we spend in front of screens has a huge influence on our lives. Take control and ensure your digital devices have a positive impact on your life.

How technology use has changed

Thinking back to a time when digital devices didn’t exist or weren’t easily accessible may feel like ancient history. But it really wasn’t that long ago. Internet use, including emails, only became more widespread when broadband allowed the signal in one line to be split between telephone and internet in the early 2000s.

Fast-forward to 2008, and 17% of people owned a smartphone, according to Ofcom data. A smartphone does a lot more than make phone calls and send text messages. Back when you could have only browsed the internet home by kicking someone off a landline phone, shopping, or watching a film on a phone might have felt impossible. But by 2018, smartphone ownership was up to 78%, and 95% among 16-24 year-olds, many of whom would feel lost without their smartphones.

According to Ofcom, the proportion of people accessing the internet on their mobile has increased from 20% in 2008 to 72% in 2018. What’s more:

  • 64% say the internet is an essential part of their life
  • 72% of adults say their smartphone is their most important device for accessing the internet
  • 71% say they never turn off their phone
  • 78% say they could not live without it

Adjusting to Alzheimer’s 

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College of DuPage Nursing Student Erin G. Hanrahan shared with Healthy Lombard that Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “We cannot do kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.” If you have a loved one or know of someone with Alzheimer’s Disease, you most likely have experienced the toll it takes on you and that individual, emotionally, physically, and possibly economically. Dementia is an umbrella term and is defined as the generalized impairment of intellectual functioning that interferes with social and occupational ability. Alzheimer’s Disease falls under this umbrella. Unfortunately, this disease is not a normal part of aging. However, there are ways to cope with the stresses that Alzheimer’s tends to cause and ways to promote your loved one’s optimal health and wellbeing.

When an individual is told that they have Alzheimer’s they may feel embarrassed, angry, saddened, fearful, in denial, and even relief. It is important to recognize, listen to, and understand these feelings as normal. There are some ways to help the individual who is affected by this disease cope with these new feelings. For example, if they have a difficult time completing simple, familiar tasks like doing their laundry, it will be helpful for you to assist them. You can help re-familiarize them with each step, but start off by asking them, “Hey, can you please separate your clothes into colors and whites?” When they complete this task, they will feel useful and happy to help you. Read more 

Understanding your outlets to avoid a house fire 

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Save On Energy shared that according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), electrical malfunctions are the second leading cause of residential fires in the U.S. Your electrical outlets can be a source of these fires if they’re not being used properly.

Now that we’re spending more time at home, most of us are also spending more time in the kitchen. You may be making coffee, while someone else is microwaving a meal, and yet another person is using the toaster oven.

And then, we’re all charging our laptops, tablets, and phones, watching TV, and playing video games.

“As many of us continue to work from home, having a reliable productive set up is important,” says Eamon Lynch, director of the warranty service at Power Home Remodeling, a full-service exterior home remodeler. “I recommend testing your home’s outlets and electrical current to make sure everything is in working condition.” Read more 

Safe Meat Serving Temperatures 

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Angry bbq shared that there’s nothing more embarrassing than dedicating your time to a wonderfully grilled piece of meat, only to cut into it and discover that it is still raw on the inside. After hours of hard work and focus, having to fire up the grill again and throw the meat back on is incredibly frustrating. When learning to grill there is nothing more important than knowing the temperature to cook your meat to. Otherwise, it can end up in illness and in some severe cases; death.

Safe Meat Serving Temps…

Beef 160 degrees Fahrenheit
Chicken 165 degrees Fahrenheit
Turkey 165 degrees Fahrenheit
Pork 145 degrees Fahrenheit
Ground Pork 160 degrees Fahrenheit
Lamb (roast) 145 degrees Fahrenheit
Lamb (ground, chops) 165 degrees Fahrenheit
Fish 145 degrees Fahrenheit

Read more 

Camping First Aid Kits: What Do You Need To Bring? 

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The CampCorner wrote that accidents happen, especially when you spend time in the great outdoors. Skinned knees, burned fingers, splinters, sunburns, bug bites – there are dozens of ways that a first aid kit can come in handy when you are camping. The purpose of first aid is to assess the situation, ask for help if needed, and then care for health problems that arise suddenly. You can provide comfort and keep small injuries from becoming bigger problems.

Of course, in the case of a serious illness or injury, it is extremely important to call for help immediately. Most campgrounds post emergency contact information on their printed maps or near the communal bathrooms. It is good to know which number you would need to call in the event of an emergency and to make sure that you know where you would go to get cell phone reception if you do not have a strong signal in your campsite.

There are many pre-packaged first aid kits available for sale, or you can choose to assemble your own. Many of the recommended items in this article are probably already in your medicine cabinet at home!

If you are assembling your own kit, it is easy to customize it according to your needs. If you buy a prepackaged first-aid kit, make sure it has everything you need. Some first aid kits will advertise that they contain ‘one hundred pieces,’ but if eighty of those pieces are bandages and ten others are pain relievers, you might end up underprepared.

Read more 

Five Ways to Help you Shovel Snow 

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College of DuPage Nursing Student  Abigale Janouch is thinking ahead as she shares that some think winter is beautiful while others dread those cold snowy days. Snow can be beautiful, but it’s also a pain to shovel. Those who do shovel, shudder at the thought of the feeling of that burning sensation you get in your legs, arms, and back. Shoveling snow is an intense exercise and takes a lot of energy. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC, 2020), a 185-pound person can expect to burn about 266 calories after just a half-hour of shoveling. Shoveling snow does come with health risks, however.

Since we do not shovel snow in ideal weather, rather in cold, windy, and icy weather, the weather may be one of the most dangerous aspects of shoveling. When the temperature drops below freezing, your heart works harder to maintain body heat.

The mix of the extreme weather and intense exercise puts too added stress on the heart and may trigger a heart attack. Those who have high blood pressure or a past history of heart disease are at an increased risk of having a heart attack when exercising intensely. It is, therefore, advisable to discuss whether or not shoveling snow is a good idea before heading out into the cold to perform this strenuous exercise. Read more