Monthly Archives: April 2016

Mosquitoes are back!

During our recent warm spell, you may have heard the distinctive, high-pitched buzz of a mosquito passing by, and you realize that this is the beginning of several months of those little pests.

Pests they are, yes, but mosquitoes can also carry serious diseases. Some of the mosquito-borne illnesses are limited to tropical or subtropical areas, but some can also affect us here.

West Nile Virus, for example, is carried by mosquitoes and can infect humans and animals. It usually causes no symptoms at all, but in some instances can cause encephalitis, which can even be fatal.

Recently we’ve heard  about the Zika virus. It is spread by mosquitoes (and can also be sexually transmitted). So far, the virus hasn’t come this far north except by someone who has traveled to an affected area, and those who returned infected from their travels have not spread it to others. To read about the possible spread of Zika to new areas this year, and to learn about its symptoms and results, you can find a series of informative articles by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) here. Zika is especially dangerous in pregnant women because it can cause very serious birth defects.

Good health means good prevention, so it is always advisable to keep insects at bay.

  • Avoid mosquitoes by remembering that they are most active at dawn and dusk, and they love damp, dark areas like woods, mulched gardens, areas around ponds, etc. Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when you think you may be exposed to mosquitoes, and use repellent. Never use a repellent on a child younger than two months, and never spray directly into a child’s face (spray it on your hands first, then rub onto the face). An article about insect repellents from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) gives great information about repellents and children.
  • Be proactive in eliminating as many mosquitoes as possible from your home and yard. The Health Department of Northern Kentucky gives these suggestions on their website:
    • Survey property for areas of standing water. Dispose of tin cans, old tires, buckets, unused plastic swimming pools or other containers that collect and hold water. Do not allow water to accumulate in the containers for more than two days.
    • Install or repair screens. Some mosquitoes like to come indoors. Keep them outside with well-fitting screens on both windows and doors.

And, Dr. Riebel in our practice says that her favorite form of mosquito control for our area is the purple martin! These lovely birds love to fly around your yard in the evening, scooping up insects.

Have a safe and healthy warm-weather season, and try to keep mosquitoes and the diseases they carry at bay.

© 2016, MBS Writing Services, all rights reserved

The consequences of lead poisoning in children

The tragic, preventable events in Flint, Michigan, have brought to the nation’s attention the results of lead poisoning, especially in children. It’s a good time to remember that lead poisoning can be a risk, no matter where you live.

 

How are children exposed to lead? Lead can be inhaled in polluted air (which is why lead was removed from gasoline decades ago). Children can be exposed through paint containing lead, either by eating paint chips or when lead paint is removed and is introduced into the air. They can also ingest lead through tainted drinking water, which is what has happened in Flint.

 

Children are at greater risk than adults because their bodies absorb higher percentages of lead. In addition, their developing bodies are more easily and irreversibly damaged.

 

Some of the worst and most obvious problems that result from lead poisoning occur in the central nervous system. Brain development can be greatly affected, especially in those under the age of two. Such problems are permanent.

 

Other severe effects can include anemia, kidney problems, endocrine issues (including the inhibiting of normal growth), and gastrointestinal concerns (like vomiting and constipation). Both small motor and large motor skills suffer from lead poisoning.

 

Because lead so severely affects the central nervous system, children often exhibit serious behavioral problems like aggression, impulsive behavior, and difficulty with attention—problems that don’t end with childhood. Later in life, these individuals experience a much higher than normal incidence of substance abuse.

 

The growing understanding of the severity of the consequences of lead poisoning has caused the Centers for Disease Control and prevention to modify its definition of toxic lead levels over the past several decades to one twelfth of its former measurement (from 60 micrograms/deciliter in 1970 to 5 mcg/dL in the current definition).

 

So, what can we and you do to prevent lead poisoning? First, make sure you limit your child’s exposure to lead. If you’re concerned because you live in an older home, you can have your water tested to be certain that no lead is leeching into the system from pipes. Make sure that any lead paint has been removed.

 

In our office, we assess lead levels at the one year checkup. In addition, we have increased our frequency of using a verbal questionnaire to screen for risks, starting at six months of age.

 

Together, we can reduce or eliminate your child’s risk of toxic lead exposure.

 

 

***Much of the information in today’s blog was gleaned from “Pediatric News,” Vol. 50, number 3, March 2016.

 

© 2016, MBS Writing Services, all rights reserved