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♦ FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2006
6A
Houston Healthcare to hold annual Family Fair
Special to the Journal
Join Houston Healthcare for
Family Fair 2006 Aug. 5 from 10 a.m.
until 2 p.m. at the Galleria Mall in
Centerville.
More than 50 exhibit booths will
be on display offering health screen
ings, information, freebies and tips
on keeping families healthy.
“Family Fair is truly an event for
the entire family. Our goal is to pro
mote health and wellness informa
tion, along with other tips and ideas
on successful parenting and main
taining a healthy family to families
and individuals while they are in the
mall for back-to-school shopping,”
Are you, your
Special to the Journal
Vaccines help prevent infec
tious diseases and save lives.
Childhood immunizations
have been responsible for the
eradication and control of
many infectious diseases that
were once common in the
United States, including small
pox, polio, measles, diphtheria,
pertussis (whooping cough),
rubella (German measles),
mumps, tetanus, and others.
While the U.S. currently has
near record low cases of vac
cine-preventable diseases, the
viruses and bacteria that cause
them still exist.
Because children are partic
ularly vulnerable to infection
and disease, most vaccines are
given during the first five to
six years of life.
Infants and young children
need to receive the following
recommended immunizations
on time in order to be protect
ed against diseases that can
disable and kill:
■ Hepatitis B vaccine - three
to four doses recommended
with the last dose given after
24 weeks of age.
■ Diphtheria-tetanus-per
tussis (DTaP) vaccine - four
doses recommended by 18
months of age, with an addi
Insect stings, snake bites: Know when it's time to seek medical attention
Special to the Journal
Summer months mean fun
in the sun and lots of outdoor
activities.
Unfortunately, the more
time a person spends out
doors, the more likely they are
to encounter some of nature’s
more painful and poisonous
creatures. But when does a
bite or sting require a trip to
the Emergency Department?
While most insect bites
are harmless and cause only
minor swelling or itching,
some individuals are allergic
to insect stings from wasps or
bees which can cause a life
threatening allergic reaction.
Knowing when to seek
emergency medical care for
an insect bite or sting could
save a person’s life. Call 911
immediately if a person shows
signs of an allergic reaction,
such as hives; swelling of the
eyes, lips, or inside of the
throat; trouble breathing; and
dizziness or confusion.
“People who are allergic to
bee or wasp stings do not
have ‘mild’ allergic reac
tions,” explains Karen Talton,
RN, MSN, Nurse Manager for
Perry Hospital’s Emergency
Department and ICU. “They
will have a severe allergic
reaction that can be fatal.
However, in most of those
cases, the person knows they
are allergic and will have an
epinephrine pen with them
for emergencies. These pens
also need to be checked regu
larly to ensure the medicine
has not expired.”
To ease the symptoms of
an insect bite, Emergency
Department staff suggest the
following:
■ Try to remove a
stinger that can be seen. Use
a fingernail, a knife edge or
credit card to scrape against
the skin. DO NOT squeeze or
pull the stinger.
■ Apply ice or a cold
compress to reduce the pain
and swelling (keep a thin
cloth between the cold source
and the skin).
Another common creature
encountered during the sum
mer is the snake. Most snake
bites are usually harmless,
but a few can be deadly. In
the United States, poisonous
snakes include rattlesnakes,
cottonmouths, copperheads,
and coral snakes. Even non
poisonous snake bites may
says Mary Jane Kinnas, director of
marketing for Houston Healthcare.
“We want this to be an educational
event but also a fun time for children.
Highlighting this year’s event, along
with clowns and face painters, will
be Court TV’s Digital Fingerprinting
for children sponsored by Cox Media
from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.”
In addition to helping host the
Family Fair, Middle Georgia Technical
College’s Adult Literacy Program will
host their second annual “Read for
Your Life” 5K Relay/One Mile Fun
Run on Saturday, August 5.
The event will raise funds for schol
arships to help the program’s GED
tional dose at four to six years
of age.
■ Haemophilus influenzae
type b (Hib) vaccine - three to
four doses recommended by 15
months of age.
■ Inactivated poliovirus vac
cine (IPV) - four doses recom
mended by six years of age.
■ Pneumococcal conjugate
vaccine (PCV) - four doses
recommended by 15 months
of age.
■ Measles-mumps-rubella
(MMR) vaccine - two doses
recommended before six years
of age.
■ Varicella (chickenpox) vac
cine - one dose recommended
before 18 months of age.
■ Influenza vaccine (the flu
shot) - one or two doses recom
mended annually for healthy
children six to 23 months
of age and for children six
months and older with certain
medical or other risks.
■ Hepatitis A vaccine - two
doses recommended in select
ed states and where the rates
of hepatitis are at least twice
the national average.
Some parents may be hesi
tant about having their child
immunized because they are
concerned that their child may
experience a serious reaction
sometimes cause an infection
or allergic reaction.
If someone is bitten by a
snake:
■ DO NOT cut into the
bite with a knife or razor.
■ DO NOT try to suc
tion the venom out by mouth.
■ DO NOT put ice or a
cold compress on the bite.
■ DO NOT apply a tight
bandage, or tourniquet.
For ANY snake bite, call
911 immediately. While wait
ing for emergency services to
arrive, do the following:
■ Stay calm.
■ Remove any rings,
watches and tight clothing.
■ Keep the bitten
area lower than the person’s
heart.
■ Be alert for symp
toms of poisoning, such as
purple coloration, swelling,
and severe pain near the bite.
The type of medical treat
ment a person receives upon
arrival at the Emergency
Department depends on the
type of bite and how severe
it is.
The bite will be cleaned and
inspected for the presence
of venom. Depending on the
type of snake, the person may
be given antivenin. A tetanus
shot may also be administered
if the person has not had one
in the last five years.
According to Talton, the
Perry Hospital Emergency
Department sees from one to
three poisonous snake bites
each summer, mainly from
copperheads.
However, they see bites
from pet snakes year round.
“For snake bites, our staff
needs to know what type of
snake it was, the shape of
its head and eyes, and the
color of the snake,” explains
Talton. “If at all possible,
bring the snake with you to
the hospital. We prefer them
dead, of course, but we have
had people bring their live
pet snakes in with them to
the ED. Proper containment
for live snakes is greatly
appreciated!”
Another concern with both
insect stings and snake bites
is infection. That is why seek
ing prompt medical treatment
is crucial.
“We are seeing a number of
cases of community acquired
staph infections in patients
coming to the ED with what
graduates continue their educations
at Middle Georgia Technical College.
“We believe adult literacy is a wor
thy effort that enriches our com
munity,” says Emily Taylor, Health
Literacy Coordinator for Middle
Georgia Technical College.
“Our event last year created Book
Money Scholarships for 10 of our
2006 GED graduates.”
Registration for the 5K Relay/Fun
Run will start at 8:30 a.m. at the
Watson Boulevard entrance to the
Galleria Mall.
Trophies will be awarded for the
quickest running times by age and
gender categories, for the highest
children up-to-date? Vaccinate!
or that their child may get the
illness the vaccine is supposed
to prevent.
Then there is the concern
that, in some children, vacci
natioris or the organic mercury
compound thimerosal that has
been used as a preservative in
vaccines since the 19305, may
cause autism, a developmental
disorder characterized by mild
to severe impairment of com
munication and social interac
tion skills.
“Numerous studies have no
found no such link between
vaccines or thimerosal and
autism,” explains Dr. Larry
D. Stewart, a pediatrician on
the medical staffs of Perry
Hospital and Houston Medical
Center. “In an effort to reduce
childhood exposure to mer
cury and other heavy metals,
thimerosal was removed from
children’s vaccines beginning
in 1999.
Today, vaccines for infants
and young children contain
very little or no thimerosal.
Immunization is also not
just for infants and young chil
dren. There are a number of
vaccines that are recommend
ed for adolescents and adults,
particularly those who may
have missed receiving any rec-
they think is an insect bite or an infected cut or wound,” you have a wound that does see your family physician for
sting when in fact they have comments Talton. “Any time not heal properly you need to medical treatment.”
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ommended vaccines as infants
or young children. These vac
cines include:
■ Hepatitis A vaccine - rec
ommended for adolescents and
adults who live in certain states
or communities, or who have
liver disease or clotting-factor
disorders, use illegal injecting
or non-injecting drugs, travel
to developing countries where
Hepatitis A is common, or
work in Hepatitis A research
labs or with Hepatitis A-infect
ed animals.
■ Hepatitis B vaccine .
-- recommended for all ado
lescents who have not previ
ously received this vaccine and
for adults, such as healthcare
workers with certain medical
or exposure risks.
■ Inactivated poliovirus
vaccine (IPV) - recommended
for travelers, laboratory and
health care workers, and oth
ers who may have contact with
polioviruses.
■ Influenza vaccine (the
flu shot) - recommended for
all adolescents and adults 50
years or older including preg
nant women, residents of long
term care facilities, those who
have chronic heart, lung, liver
or kidney disease, asthma, or
diabetes, health care work
Houston Healthcare
Houston Medical Center • Perry Hospital • Houston Heart Institute • hhc.org
individual fundraiser, and for the
highest team fundraiser. Taylor sug
gests a minimurh donation of $lO per
person, but encourages everyone to
help spread the word about literacy
by fundraising throughout the com
munity.
Following the run, MGTC’s Adult
Literacy Program will be available
during the Family Fair for anyone
needing information about the pro
gram.
For more information about the
“Read for Your Life” 5K Relay, call
929-6796. For more information
about this year’s Family Fair, call
Houston Health Source at 923-9771.
ers and household contacts of
people at risk for influenza
related complications.
■ Measles-mumps-rubella
(MMR) vaccine - two doses
are required for adolescents
entering many middle and
high schools and post-second
ary institutions such as col
leges and vocational schools.
At least one dose is recom
mended for all adults born
after 1956 who have no medi
cal history of receiving the vac
cine or of actually having the
disease.
■ Meningococcal vaccine
- required or recommended
by many colleges for incoming
students, particularly those
living in dormitories.
■ Pneumococcal vaccine -
recommended for all adults 65
years or older as well as people
19 to 64 years old with diabe
tes or chronic heart, lung, liver
or kidney disease.
Also recommended for
Alaska Natives and certain
American Indian populations,
residents of nursing homes and
other long-term care facilities.
■ Tetanus-diphtheria (Td)
vaccine - a booster dose is rec
ommended every 10 years after
the initial series of shots for
both adolescents and adults.
I if may be your heart, bones, blood, breast, knee or any
organ. What is your doctor looking for? Quality and
clarity. The best diagnosis and treatment start from high
qualify images and test results. You have Hie power to
help. Choose Houston Healthcare and its exceptional
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We offer a full range of Diagnostic Imaging, |
and Cardiology Services including:
• PET/CT Scan • 1 5 Tesla strength MRI
• Nuclear Imaging * Cardiac Catheferizafion
• Echocardiograms ' Ultrasound
• Interventional Radiology *CT Scan
Tell your doctor The <|ualify and clarity they want is at
Houston Healthcqdßr *
imi •’ * •
Seeing is Healing.
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HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL
Heai^
9
■ Varicella (chickenpox)
vaccine - recommended for
teachers of young children,
day care workers, residents
and staff in institutional set
tings, ‘non-pregnant women
of childbearing age, students
living in dormitories, military
personnel, health care work
ers and household contacts of
immunocompromised persons
or young children if they are
unvaccinated or have never
had the disease.
“Vaccines are key to a
healthy life for people of all
ages and cultures in our com
munity,” explains Dr. Gerald
K. Brantley, an internist on the
medical staff of Perry Hospital.
“If you’re a healthy adult, you
may not spend much time
thinking about immunization.
But getting the recommended
adult immunizations is one of
the most effective ways to stay
healthy.
For more information about
immunizations, including
which ones are recommended
for children and adults, ask
your pediatrician, family phy
sician, or your local health
department.
For a referral to a physician,
call Houston Health Source at
923-9771.