October 01, 2008
Get Your Flu Shot Every Fall!
Getting a flu shot every year is the best way to prevent the flu. Each year, 5% to 20% of the population gets the flu, of whom 200,000 are hospitalized and 36,000 die. The flu is often mistaken for a cold, but it can be much more serious for the young, the elderly, and others with poor health. New this year, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommended that all children 6 months to 18 years old get an annual flu shot. The best time to get a flu shot is October or November, however getting a shot later than that can still offer protection. Fight the flu this year and get a flu shot. Call your doctor or visit an Onondaga County Health Department clinic near you. To make an appointment for an Onondaga County Health Department Flu Clinic click here or call 435-5752.
Need a Mammogram?
October is breast cancer awareness month and a perfect time to get your mammogram if you are due. The American Cancer Society recommends that women get a mammogram every year beginning at age 40. Call your health care provider today to schedule an appointment for your mammogram. No health insurance? No problem…call the Cancer Screening Services Program of Onondaga County at 435-3653 and ask about getting a no-cost mammogram.
Safe Sleep for Baby
October is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month. Having a safe place for your baby to sleep is the most important step you can take to reduce your baby's risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), suffocation and accidental death. Follow these steps to reduce the risk of SIDS, suffocation and accidental death:
1. Babies should always sleep on their backs.
2. Cribs are the safest place for babies to sleep whether babies are breastfed or bottle-fed. Cribs should:
· meet current safety standards.
· have a firm mattress that fits snug in the crib.
· not have any blankets, stuffed animals, pillows, or bumper pads.
3. The crib should be placed in the parents' room, near their bed, for the first six months.
4. Never smoke around a baby. Secondhand smoke and smoking while pregnant affects the normal breathing of an infant.
5. Never sleep in a bed or on a couch with a baby. Babies should always sleep alone.
6. Use a sleeper or layer clothing instead of using a blanket in baby's crib.
7. Never put a baby to sleep on:
· Couches
· Adult beds
· Air mattresses
· Waterbeds
· Recliners
· Pillows
· Beanbag chairs
· Cribs with mattresses that do not properly fit
· Heavy blankets, comforters, or other soft surfaces
For more information, or for a brochure on safe sleep, call Syracuse Healthy Start at 435-2920.
Walk Your Child to School!
Safe Kids Greater Syracuse will educate children about walking safely as part of the 2008 International Walk to School Day. More than 50 children and caregivers from Peanut Butter Nursery School will participate in the Safe Kids Walk This Way program on Wednesday, October 8, 2008.
After a brief educational program on how to be a safe pedestrian, parents and grandparents will walk children around the school to demonstrate important safety behavior and to get some daily exercise. Caregivers will be asked to assess the walk route they take for safety, unusual happenings, and ease of crossing streets. Poor ratings will be reported to school administrators and local officials. Parents and caregivers around the county are asked to join in this effort. Walk Your Child to School. Make it a habit. For more information on Walk Your Child to School, call Safe Kids Greater Syracuse at 435-3280.
Food for a Healthy Smile
Brushing and flossing your teeth is just the beginning of a healthy mouth. Did you know that what you eat also affects the health of your teeth and your risk for tooth decay? Raw vegetables and fresh fruits help protect teeth from decay and diseases. These foods are less likely to cause decay than foods high in sugar. Vegetables and fruits have vitamins A and C that help your body build and maintain healthy teeth and gums. The high amounts of fiber in vegetables and fruits also protect your teeth and gums. When eating vegetables and fruits you are lowering acid levels in your mouth and cleaning your teeth of food particles during the chewing process.
So, eat plenty of vegetables and fruits during meals and as healthy snacks to strengthen your teeth. Some good examples of high fiber fresh fruits and vegetables to enjoy for better oral health are: apples, berries, oranges, grapefruit, melons, pineapple, pears, tangerines, celery, broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, and tomatoes. For more information and resources visit the American Dental Association website at www.ada.org. Want more healthy tips? Call the Eat Well Play Hard Program at 435-3280.
Making Lead Poisoning History
While lead-based paint and leaded gasoline have been banned for more than 25 years, children are still at risk for lead poisoning. Simple ways to protect your child from becoming lead poisoned include:
· Wash your child's hands and toys often.
· Keep paint in good repair. Never dry sand, scrape or burn off lead paint in homes built before 1978 unless you know the paint is lead free.
· Do not allow your child to play near chipping, peeling paint or in dirt.
· Remove loose paint chips with a wet paper towel.
· Wet mop floors and wet wipe walls and windowsills.
· Read the packaging before purchasing a product. Some items will have a statement indicating that the item may contain lead. If your child is at the stage of putting things (other than food) into his or her mouth, don't buy it.
· Have your child tested for lead even if he or she seems healthy. New York State requires all children to be tested at one year and again at two years of age.
To learn more about lead poisoning call the Onondaga County Health Department's Lead Poisoning Control Program at 435-3271. Let's make lead poisoning…history.
Household Fire: What Would You Do?
October is Fire Prevention month. Prepare, practice, and prevent the unthinkable…a household fire. Does your family have a fire safety plan? Teach children how the household's smoke alarms sound. Teach all your family members how to: stop, drop, and roll; crawl under smoke; cover their mouth and nose; and, to feel if the door handles are hot before opening the door. Practice a family escape plan and plan an outside meeting place that is away from the house. Daylight savings time is a good time to put new batteries in your smoke alarms. Call your local fire department for additional information.
Cervical Cancer Screenings- Make your appointment today!
Did you know that cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide? The good news is that most cervical cancers can be prevented, by avoiding risk factors and by having Pap tests. The major cause of cervical cancer is the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). This is spread through sexual contact, so having unprotected sex, especially at a young age, increases a woman's chances of developing cervical cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends that all women begin regular Pap tests 3 years after they start having sex, but no later than age 21. The test should be done every year, along with a pelvic exam. The Partnership for Healthy living offers no cost/low cost Pap tests and pelvic exams at locations throughout Onondaga County. Click here for a complete list of Health Department clinics and call 435-3653 to make your appointment today! Remember that early detection saves lives.
Facilitated Enrollment (Public Health Insurance Enrollment)
October is Child Health Month. Facilitated Enrollment offers families in Onondaga County the opportunity to enroll in the Public Health Insurance program that will meet their medical and dental needs. Community-based enrollers offer an easy way for families to apply for Family Health Plus, Medicaid and Child Health Plus. Facilitated Enrollers will meet with families at convenient times and locations to complete an application and gather the necessary papers needed to determine their eligibility for health insurance. Contact the Facilitated Enrollment referral line at 435-6808 to find out how you can apply for health insurance for your children.
Improving the Health and Wellness of People with Disabilities
October is Disability Awareness Month. Today, about 50 million Americans, or 1 in 5 people, are living with at least one disability, and most Americans will experience a disability some time during the course of their lives. You can do a lot to improve the health and wellness of people with disabilities. For instance, you can:
· See the whole person, not just the disability.
· Speak directly with the person with a disability, rather than through a third party.
· Speak with adults as adults, and children as children.
· Ask the person with a disability if he or she needs any help. Do not assume help is needed.
· Be aware and patient of the extra time it might take a person with a disability to speak or act.
· Respect what a person with a disability can do. See the ability in disability.
· Understand that not having access to work, school, health care, or fun things to do can cause more problems than a disability itself.
· Be the person who makes a difference.
Click here for more information about making a difference in the life of someone with a disability.
Source: CDC
October is National Down Syndrome Awareness Month
Down Syndrome, one of the most common genetic birth defects, affects about 1 in 800 babies. There are approximately 350,000 individuals with Down Syndrome in the U.S. The individuals affected usually have some degree of developmental delay, heart defects and other health problems. The severity of these problems varies by individual.
The Early Intervention Program, offered through the Onondaga County Health Department's Special Children Services, provides services for children birth to age three with special needs who have a developmental delay or diagnosed condition such as Down Syndrome. Services include speech language, occupational therapy, physical therapy, special education and other educational and therapeutic services. There is no out of pocket expense to families for Early Intervention Services. Children can be referred to the Early Intervention Program by a family member, physician or other concerned individual for an evaluation to determine if they are eligible for the program. To make a referral, call 435-3230.
|
|
|
|
