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Wednesday, July 7, 2021 - Pike County Journal Reporter - Page 9A
To Your Health
Summer days may mean allergies and asthma issues
PHOTO BY RACHEL McDANIEL / PIKE COUNTY JOURNAL REPORTER
Summer means growth for crops like this vineyard in Means-
ville but that can also mean problems with asthma for some.
The arrival of summer
is typically welcomed
with open arms. Warm
air, green grass, colorful
flowers and vacations are
just a few of the many
reasons to celebrate.
Spring and summer
also marks the return of
allergy season. According
to the American College
of Allergy, Asthma, and
Immunology, allergies are
the sixth leading cause
of chronic illness in the
United States.
For many people, aller
gies are a minor seasonal
nuisance that are over
come by taking over-the-
counter medications or
staying indoors on days
when allergen levels are
especially high. But the
World Allergy Organiza
tion notes that a history
of allergies is a known
risk factor for developing
asthma.
What is asthma?
The National Heart,
Lung and Blood Insti
tute defines asthma
as a chronic condition
that affects airways in
the lungs. The airways
carry air in and out of the
lungs, and when people
have asthma, these
airways can become
inflamed and narrow,
compromising a person’s
ability to breathe.
Who gets asthma?
Many asthma patients
are diagnosed during
childhood. The ACAAI
reports that most chil
dren with asthma exhibit
symptoms prior to their
fifth birthdays. Asthma
symptoms also may ap
pear in adults older than
20, and such instances
may be attributed to
adult-onset asthma. Cer
tain adults may be more
likely to get adult-onset
asthma than others. For
example, WebMD reports
that women who are
experiencing hormonal
changes, such as those
who are pregnant or in
menopause, may be more
likely to get adult-onset
asthma.
What are the symp
toms of asthma?
Some symptoms of
asthma could be mis
takenly associated with
colds or other illnesses.
A nagging cough that
lingers for days or weeks
or sudden, scary breath
ing emergencies are two
symptoms of pediatric
asthma. Parents also can
be on the lookout for
these symptoms:
• Coughing, especially
at night
• A wheezing or whis
tling sound that can be
heard when breathing,
especially when exhaling
• Trouble breathing
or fast breathing that
causes the skin around
the ribs or neck to pull in
tightly
• Frequent colds that
settle in the chest
Like pediatric asthma,
adult-onset asthma can
be easy to miss. That’s
because of natural
changes in muscles and a
stiffening of chest walls,
both of which are as
sociated with aging and
therefore often attributed
to age. A lung function
test and a methacholine
challenge test are two
ways doctors can detect
adult-onset asthma.
More information
about asthma is available
at www.accai.org.
Essential summer skin care tips
Keeping kids under 12 safe from
Skin care is not
seasonal, though efforts
to protect the skin may
need to be stepped up
during the summer.
According to Dr. Ron
Shelton, a board-certi
fied dermatologist and
assistant professor of
dermatology at Mount
Sinai Medical Center in
New York, the bulk of
sun damage to the skin
happens in the summer.
LIGHTEN UP
Choose lightweight
products for summer
usage. This includes
cleansers, makeup and
oil cleansers. Thicker
products mixed with
increased perspiration
may lead to clogged
pores and inflammation.
LATHER ON SUNSCREEN
Sunscreen with an
SPF of 30 or more is rec
ommended to protect
skin from UV damage.
USE VITAMIN C SERUMS
Vitamin C serum can
improve the appear
ance of fine lines, help
with collagen produc
tion and also prevent
hyperpigmentation.
STAY IN THE SHADE
Use sunscreen and
try to stay out of the
sun when UV rays are at
their strongest between
10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
By mid-spring 2021,
tens of millions of people
in the United States and
Canada had heeded
recommendations from
public health officials
and gotten vaccinated
against the COV1D-19
virus.
Officials with the
Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention
noted that the likelihood
for severe illness from
COV1D-19 was very low
for fully vaccinated indi
viduals, prompting many
people over the age of
12 to get vaccinated and
paving the way for them
to return to something
resembling normal life.
But what about children
under 12?
Like their parents,
children are itching to
get back to normal life,
but no one knows when
young children will be
eligible for the COV1D-19
vaccine. The American
Academy of Pediatrics
notes that children are
not little adults, so medi
cal professionals cannot
just assume vaccines will
have the same effect on
kids as they do on older
people, including adoles
cents.
Clinical trials on
thousands of children
are now underway to de
termine if the COV1D-19
vaccines are safe for
kids, but the AAP notes
that those trials will need
to be completed and
researchers will need to
determine if the shots
are safe before kids can
receive the vaccinations
en masse.
With no vaccine avail
able to young children,
parents will need to
tiptoe through another
summer balancing act
as they try to keep kids
engaged and happy but
also safe.
• Dine outside. The
CDC notes that on-site
outdoor dining where
tables are spaced six
feet apart is significantly
less risky than dining
indoors.
• Resist the tempta
tion to throw caution
to the wind. As more
adults and adolescents
become fully vaccinated,
community transmission
should go down. That
should calm parents’
fears, but they must
COVID-19
keep their guard up any
way. Kids should keep
wearing their masks
when they go to stores
or even outdoor areas
like playgrounds or ball-
games.
• Travel wisely. It’s
important that parents
keep their guard up on
summer vacations as
well. Traditional tourist
attractions may not be
wise when traveling with
children who are not
yet eligible to be vac
cinated. When choosing
a vacation destination,
choose a place you can
drive to instead of flying
so contact with people
from other households
is minimized. Consider
a private vacation rental
instead of a hotel.
Until all children can
be vaccinated against
COV1D-19, parents must
continue to be patient
and vigilant. That means
safety must once again
be a big priority this
summer.
Ik
SHEPHERDCARE
H O i P I C E
Contact:
Meredith Smith
Director of
Marketing
678-603-1321
CARE" it s not just our name, it's our lifestyle!
GRIFFIN OFFICE:
150IB Kalamazoo Dr., Griffin, GA 30224
THOM ASTON OFFICE:
201 N. Church St., Thomaston, GA 30286
We service all surrounding counties to each office.
www.ShepherdCareGA.com
SEE YOUR AD HERE:
CALL 770-567-3446
City Pharmacy
Of Zebulon
460 Thomaston St, Zebulon, GA 30295
m 770-567-8844
Monday - Friday 8:30am-6pm
Saturday 8:30am-1 2:30pm
Sunday CLOSED
To Your Health!
Tips to help you be the best you can be, to help you navigate
health care reform, to give you everyday health information -
from sunburn to symptoms of stroke.
Health Care professionals - contact us today to place your ad
and submit your article. Do your part to keep the communi
ty healthy and safe.
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For prices call 770-567-3446
or email jennifer@pikecountygeorgia.com
Publishes once a month in the
Pike County Journal Reporter and The Herald Gazette.