Phone: (660) 425-6324
Fax: (660) 425-7642
Mike O'Neal, Administrator
E-mail: onealm@lpha.mopublic.org
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Harrison County Health Department Newsletter
IN THIS ISSUE:
Beating the After Christmas Blahs!
Be Lead Aware Before You Repair
How time flies! It doesn’t seem that long ago that we started 2008.
2008—Another year of changes. We lost a long-time Environmental Public Health Specialist; had a “fill-in” who did a wonderful job; then in June our new EPHS began and is up-and-running 2 days a week in Harrison County. We also lost our Emergency Planner and a new person began the first of the year. Then, to finish with the changes of contracted personnel, our WIC Nutritionist left us but a fantastic new one has replaced her as well.
--Concerning emergency planning, we continue to work on our pandemic flu planning, including the generation of a “local operating plan in the event of a pandemic” and an “anti-viral plan”. Emergency planning is a never-ending task.
--We have a few new employees; a change in audit procedure; changes in hospice regulations; and on and on.
Changes are inevitable. Many times it is for the better. But one thing that hasn’t changed is the quality of the staff I manage here. They are extremely professional and competent. More importantly, they care about our clients—You! They make my job much easier and I feel very fortunate to be working with them.
And lastly, I continue to be blessed by God, blessed with a wonderful family and blessed with a wonderful church family. Harrison County is a wonderful place to call home.
May you have the happiest and healthiest of holidays!
God Bless! Mike O’Neal
Beating the After Christmas Blahs!
It is no wonder that we sometimes get that let down, something is missing
feeling after the holidays. We work so hard getting ready for Christmas
with shopping, wrapping, cooking and cleaning that when its all over with we
wonder, “was it all worth it?” I have personally searched the web, catalogs
and stores in earnest for that perfect gift for someone only to get to see
the reaction on their face when they open the package. When that moment
arrived, due to all the chaos of a small living room, large amount of
people, and grandkids begging to be next one to open a present, I missed
getting to see them open the package. Ever happen to any of you? Then,
since we are the half of the planet that’s in the depth of winter, this is
the time of year when the cold, dreary days can really get to you. Add that
to the after-Christmas let down, and that makes it easy to have some pretty
grumpy days. Beating the Blahs can be as simple as getting a little
sunshine everyday and some good old fashioned fresh air. We tend to coop up
in the house where its warm and forget that we need some sunshine full of
Vitamin D and several good lungfulls of crisp winter air. Getting out daily
for a short brisk walk can get you feeling better and have a better
attitude. Some other ideas to keep the blahs at bay are: get dressed as
soon as you can in the am, staying in your jammies make it easier to slump
down on the couch, rearrange the furniture, dig out some art supplies and
get creative, burn a great-smelling candle, cook a meal you’d normally eat
in summer, and rent some movies and have a movie night. Start the positive
thoughts that spring is coming a little closer every day. It’s just a
matter of time!
Be Lead Aware Before You Repair
Lead is a highly toxic metal that serves no purpose in the human body. Getting lead in your mouth or breathing it in may cause lead poisoning. Lead poisoning in children, even in small amounts, can cause permanent negative effects on a child’s development and behavior. They can have a reduced IQ, learning disabilities, hyperactivity and irritability. If the lead exposure is in greater amounts it can cause brain damage and even death. In pregnant women, lead can cause premature births, smaller babies, and decreased mental ability, learning disabilities and slowed growth in the infant. These are the reasons lead testing and careful remodeling are so important. Any home built before 1978 can have surfaces painted with lead –based paint. When you start a repair or remodeling job and are sanding, cutting and demolishing walls you can create hazardous lead dust and chips.
Before you start your project cover toys, floors and furniture that can’t be removed from the room. It would be best for all children to be away from the work area entirely. Always wet-clean surfaces that could have lead dust on them. Working wet will also reduce the dust in the air. Some general safety guidelines are:
· Regularly clean floors, windowsills and other surfaces with soap and warm water.
· Wash bottles, pacifiers, stuffed animals and toys often.
· Wash children’s face and hands before eating, after playing and before bed.
· Give your children a healthy, nutritious diet. Iron, vitamin C and calcium help protect against the effects of lead.
· Children should eat 4-6 small meals a day because empty stomachs absorb more lead than full ones.
· Have your child tested for lead. A simple blood test can be done by your doctor or the Harrison County Health Department will do them for free.
Lead is a childhood hazard we can do something about!
Energy Drinks - Good or Bad for Kids?
Drinking energy drinks has become a fad among teens. Teenagers and young adults spent almost $3.6 billion on heavily caffeinated drinks in 2006 with names like Monster Energy, Red Bull, Amp Energy and Full Throttle. Edgy packaging, vibrant colors, promises of performance enhancement and exotic flavors are part of what makes them so popular. They are supposed to increase energy, metabolism or stamina, and increase mental alertness. The problem is it is not clear whether these drinks can be harmful. These drinks are not safe for young children due to the caffeine content and it is actually unclear how much caffeine many of these drinks contain because it is not labeled on the can.
Teens often do not realize how much caffeine they are drinking and do not know how easy it is to become dependent on caffeine. Some people are more sensitive to stimulants than others, so some teens may get a bad case of the jitters without the caffeine. Other negative effects may include anxiety attacks and increased blood pressure. Teens that use energy drinks too late in the evening may discover the insomnia effects of the caffeine-containing drinks.
As the market of these drinks expand, some brands are pushing the caffeine levels to new highs. One drink, called Cocaine, made by Redux Beverages, contains about three times as much caffeine as Red Bull. Teens that drink more than one of these high caffeine energy drinks at a time are at a risk for dependence to caffeine and side effects if they do not get enough caffeine afterwards.
Energy drinks that contain alcohol (alcopops) are an additional concern and risk. Due to the caffeine, which is a stimulant and the alcohol which is a depressant, teens that drink alcopops may not feel the full effects of the alcohol. This feeling of being alert may lure teens into driving or other risky behaviors. Parents should be aware of the dangers of energy drinks with or without alcohol.
Services Provided By Harrison County
Health Department
PUBLIC HEALTH Ø
Office Day & Countywide Blood Pressure Clinics Ø
Immunizations Ø
Cholesterol screenings and TB testing Ø
School Health Services Ø
Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Ø
Communicable Disease Surveillance & Reporting Ø
Vita Records (Birth and Death Certificates) Ø
Prenatal Health Ø
Public Health Nursing Visits Ø
Health Education Ø
Car Safety Seat Inspection Site Ø
Environmental services- inspections of restaurants, school kitchens,
motels, grocery stores and child care centers. Water testing, truck
wrecks involving food, food training, and other services such as Lead and
Radon testing. Ø
Well Child Clinics Ø
Emergency Planning HOME
HEALTH Ø
Nurses and Nursing Assistants (a staff member is on call 24 hours/7
days per week) Ø
Physical, Speech and Occupational Therapy HOSPICE v
Person’s certified by a Physician to have a prognosis of less than six
months to live v
Inability to pay does not disqualify a client for services. v
Medicare/Medicaid and State of Missouri Certified Program