When Bud began to complain to his wife about back pains, Anna assumed it was just the normal aches and pains that come with age. when a painful rash appeared across the left side of Bud’s back, their doctor diagnosed herpes zoster, commonly known as shingles.

Anna and Bud were shocked because most doctors, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, normally recommend a shingles vaccine to those over 60. Bud is 52.

Shingles usually presents as a blister-like rash on one side of the body and can be accompanied by flu-like symptoms, including fever, headache or nausea.

Chickenpox and shingles are caused by similar viruses and, if you had chickenpox as a child, the virus can remain dormant in your body and be awakened by a triggering factor such as physical or emotional stress — manifesting in shingles. certain drugs can also increase your risk for shingles, such as alpha blockers, which are sometimes prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis.

A case of shingles can last three to five weeks and, although it may be extremely painful, most afflicted people will recover without serious complications and will not get shingles again.

Shingles can spread to someone who has not had chickenpox, but that person will not get shingles — they will develop chickenpox. The frightening statistic is that 1 out of every 3 people in the United States will develop shingles, and there are an estimated 1 million cases each year in this country. Risk for the disease increases with age, which is why the vaccine is sometimes recommended by doctors for older patients.

Bud had chickenpox before age 1, which made him more likely to get shingles at a younger age. Anna does not know if she had chickenpox as a child; she is an only child and her parents are deceased.

Anna’s situation gives rise to a good suggestion for all of us, which is to do the best we can to chronicle our illnesses, vaccines and medications, as well as those of our children. More and more hospitals and doctors are now required to keep medical records digitally stored for their patients, but what if the information is not available? What if you die and have not given information about childhood illnesses and family medical history to your children? Your children could find themselves in Anna’s situation — not sure if she should get a shingles vaccine or be otherwise concerned about exposure to the virus.

take a few minutes to document as much information as you can about your medical history, the childhood illnesses of your children and as much history as you can about your parents, grandparents and siblings. Give a copy of the information to your children and place a copy with your other important legal documents — particularly your advance health care directive — then keep the information current. if you become incapacitated, this written history will need to speak for you.

Liza Horvath has over 25 years experience in the estate planning and trust fields and is the manager of the trust department of a local bank. if you have a question, call 915-0272 or email liza@montereytrust.com.

You can’t prevent every trip to the emergency room, but simple steps can keep you safe — or keep you alive when the worst happens.

Americans made more than 119 million visits to emergency rooms in 2006, according to the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care. among the most common causes cited by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are trauma, abdominal pain, chest pain, fever and acute upper respiratory infection.

To find out how to cope with those issues, we turned to experts.

To help you keep out of the ER, they say you should be getting ongoing care from a primary physician who may be able to catch small problems before they escalate. at the same time, they echo the position of the American College of Emergency Physicians: Don’t hesitate if you are experiencing bleeding you can’t stop, gaping wounds, breathing troubles, chest pain, extreme pain, vomiting that will not stop, extremely high fever or suicidal thoughts.

In addition, they note that the danger signs for children sometimes vary from those for adults; parents should consult with their pediatricians for symptoms that warrant an ER visit, such as any fever in a baby less than 3 months old.

When it comes to preventing and coping with the most common ER problems, here’s the advice we received from Dr. Matt Bush, Medical City Dallas Hospital’s Medical Director of Emergency Services; Dr. Ketan Trivedi, emergency department medical director at Methodist Mansfield Medical Center; and Dr. Halim Hennes, medical division director of pediatric emergency medicine at Children’s Medical Center.

Prevention: Use bike helmets, seat belts and motorcycle helmets when you ride. Watch children in grocery carts to make sure they don’t fall. be wary of sharp objects. Practice safety measures around swimming pools.

Before heading to the ER: Immobilize broken arms and legs with a straight object wrapped alongside the bone with a bandage. Create a sling for an arm with a large cloth pinned with a safety pin over the shoulder.

Put an ice pack on any area that is swelling. Stop bleeding with pressure. Apply gauze and wrap the bandage around the gauze. be aware that anyone taking blood thinners is at increased risk for excessive bleeding and should share that information with the ER staff. Know the signs of concussion and get checked out immediately if the person shows signs of headache, nausea, confusion or slurred speech after hitting his head.

Use CPR immediately on someone who doesn’t have a pulse. Each second without oxygen can cause permanent damage to the organs.

Prevention: Maintain a healthful lifestyle, and don’t be a weekend warrior who exercises inconsistently. see your family practitioner regularly and be aware of your stroke and heart attack risk. Sweating and shortness of breath are red flags for a serious problem.

Before heading to the ER: call 911 and go in an ambulance, where technicians can help if your condition worsens. Baby aspirin helps thin the blood, which can avoid clots in most cases but can make things worse if the problem is aortic dissection, or bleeding of the main artery from the heart.

Prevention: Make good food choices, because abdominal pain can be caused by indigestion. if it is, over-the-counter stomach medication may offer relief.

Pain can also be caused by food poisoning, appendicitis, diverticulitis, inflammation or colitis. Expectant mothers should ask about a possible ectopic pregnancy. if a head injury is involved, let the ER staff know immediately, as this could be a sign of a fatal blood clot.

Before heading to the ER: if you’re vomiting, stay hydrated. Drink a half-ounce of clear liquid every 15 minutes and continue as long as it stays down. take ibuprofen and aspirin for pain and fever as needed.

Respiratory diffi culty

Prevention: be aware of triggers for breathing problems — smoke or allergies — and avoid them if possible. People with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, are at the greatest risk for respiratory difficulty. if you have signs of bronchitis, see your family practitioner before it leads to pneumonia.

Before heading to the ER: People with breathing conditions should use an inhaler and go to the doctor immediately for treatment. Stay calm, as hyperventilation can aggravate the problem.

Prevention: Avoid germs by washing hands frequently and not sharing drinks or utensils. Cough into your sleeve rather than your hand. Use hand sanitizers. Check with your primary care physician to make sure you are up to date on vaccinations.

Before heading to the ER: Babies younger than 3 months, senior citizens, cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, patients taking steroids and people with a weakened immune system should go to the hospital with any fever, says the American College of Emergency Physicians.

Danger signs for otherwise healthy people can be a fever of 104 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, a fever that lasts for more than four to five days, trouble breathing, a change in behavior, headache or neck stiffness. be alert to exposure to bacterial or viral infections if the person is not vaccinated or has been recently exposed to possible parasites or bacteria in the water.

Bacteria can cause potentially fatal infectious diseases if they get into cuts and wounds. Wash open or infected areas well with soap and water and apply antibiotic ointment and bandages. Bring fever down with acetaminophen or ibuprofen and stay hydrated.

Even ER doctors find themselves rushing to the hospital sometimes. Trivedi recalls being at a play with his wife and three children when the youngest, who was 2, started playing with his wife’s purse. “one minute she had a quarter in her hand and the next minute it disappeared,” he recalls. “I asked her, ‘Where is that quarter?’ and she pointed to her mouth.”

The American Academy of Family Physicians advises taking a child who has swallowed a battery or something sharp or metal like a coin to a doctor immediately. Even though most small objects will pass through the gut without causing problems, things can get stuck in a child’s windpipe that could prove dangerous even in the absence of obvious symptoms such as vomiting, gagging, drooling, not eating, stomach pain, coughing or wheezing.

Happily, the X-ray at the ER showed that the coin passed safely through his daughter’s system. But Trivedi doesn’t regret the trip.

“better safe than sorry,” he says.

A Johns Hopkins Children’s Center study shows that air cleaners can significantly reduce household air pollution and lower rates of asthma symptoms among kids living in homes with smokers.

The improvements are similar to those achieved by using anti-inflammatory asthma drugs.

However, the level of air nicotine remained, leaving kids at risk of some effects of secondhand smoke.

So, the study researchers concluded in the Aug. 1 issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine that air cleaners should only be used as a temporary measure as smokers seeks to quit.

“Air cleaners appear to be an excellent partial solution to improving air quality in homes of children living with a smoker but should not be viewed as a substitute for a smoke-free environment,” lead investigator Arlene Butz, an asthma specialist at the Children’s Center and professor of pediatrics at the Hopkins University School of Medicine, said in a statement.

The researchers followed 115 children for six months. Asthma is the most common chronic illness among children, with some 6.5 million affected in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

About a third of U.S. kids live with a smoker.

In recognition of Lyme Disease Awareness month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reminding Americans to learn about this common tickborne disease and take steps to protect themselves if they live in or visit areas with Lyme disease activity.

Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vectorborne illness (or disease transmitted to humans by ticks, mosquitoes or fleas) in the United States, with nearly 30,000 confirmed cases reported in 2009. Between 1992 and 2009, the reported annual number of Lyme disease cases more than tripled, with children most at risk for the disease. Children are more at risk because they spend more time playing outdoors and in high grass or leaves, where the ticks that spread Lyme disease are found.

Lyme disease is transmitted to people through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. These ticks are most active during may through July, so it’s especially important that people living in affected regions take steps now to prevent Lyme disease when they go outside. About 95 percent of reported cases in 2009 were from just 12 states. In descending order of reported cases, they are: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Wisconsin, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Delaware, Maine and Virginia.

To prevent Lyme disease and other tickborne diseases, CDC recommends that people:

Avoid areas with high grass and leaf litter and walk in the center of trails when hiking.

Use repellent that contains 20 percent or more DEET on exposed skin for protection that lasts several hours. Parents should apply repellent to children; the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends products with up to 30 percent DEET for kids. always follow product instructions!

Use products that contain permethrin to treat clothing and gear, such as boots, pants, socks and tents or look for clothing pre-treated with permethrin.

Bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors to wash off and more easily find crawling ticks before they bite you.

Conduct a full-body tick check using a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body upon returning from tick-infested areas. Parents should help children check thoroughly for ticks. Remove any ticks right away.

Typical symptoms of Lyme disease include fever, headache, fatigue, and a large, expanding skin rash that may have a bull’s-eye appearance. If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. anyone who develops a fever or a rash after being bitten by a tick or spending time in tick-infested areas should seek prompt medical care. most patients with Lyme disease can be treated successfully with a few weeks’ of antibiotics, especially if treated early.

Lyme disease prevention begins with recognizing the risks and taking action. For more information on Lyme disease, please visit cdc.gov/Lyme.

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Carol Ware Duff  MSN, BA, RN: Hepatitis C virus can destroy your liver.

Hepatitis C Virus Can Cause Liver Failure

Becoming infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) creates a disease of the liver which can lead to a chronic infection and is now the leading cause of liver illness. Vaccines against hepatitis a and hepatitis B exist, but no vaccine is available for this form of hepatitis. 

For those who develop chronic hepatitis C, the chance of developing cirrhosis of the liver is between 20 percent and 30 percent within 20 to 30 years.  

Acute HCV infections have become rarer, but still occur and will eventually produce a chronic infection in between 70  and 80 percent of those who do become infected with the hepatitis C virus.  

While the United States has seen a decrease in cases of chronic HCV, up to 210 million people may be affected by HCV infection and HCV has become the leading cause of liver cancers in Europe.  According to the CDC (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), during the middle of the 1980s approximately 70 Americans out of every million of the population developed acute hepatitis C.  There has been a 90 percent decrease in cases of acute hepatitis C between the years of 1994 and 2006 with about seven new cases per million.  

According to the CDC, between 2007 and 2009 there has been an increase in hepatitis C cases in the 15 to 24 age group with the use of shared needles and a history of taking drugs through the nose.  While Massachusetts has been the first state to report this increase, there is a fear that this trend may be spreading to other states. 

How Can someone be Infected with HCV?

Hepatitis C can be spread by blood to blood contact which in developed countries may be through blood transfusions of unscreened blood or blood products (clotting factors, platelets, immunoglobulin, plasma, and Rhogam), although due to vigorous screening measures, there has been no documented transfusion-related case of hepatitis C in the U.S. for over ten years.  

Two other infection sources are shared needles during injected drug use or rarely through sexual exposure.  unlike the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV,) there must be opened sores (some sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) produce sores which can bleed) or the ability of blood products to be passed directly to another person’s blood supply during sexual activity.  before the screening process for hepatitis C virus, there were cases of hepatitis C infection in those who received organ donations from an infected person. 

In developing countries the primary source of HCV infection is from unsterilized needles and inadequately screened blood and blood products but all the above mentioned conditions can also be a factor in the spread of HCV infection.

Occupational accidental blood exposure, due to blood spatter or accidental sticks from infected needles, can occur.  Contact sports can also result in blood to blood exposure.  Improperly sterilized dental and medical equipment may harbor the virus.  Needles and injection equipment, hemodialysis equipment,  jet air guns, and oral hygiene instruments can all be sources of virus exposure if they are not adequately sterilized. 

 Tattoos and body piercings can be a source of transmission of HCV if the instruments have been used on someone with HCV and have not been adequately sterilized. Personal items such as  razors, manicuring scissors, pedicure equipment, and toothbrushes and dental floss, cancer sores and cold sores may become contaminated with blood.  Any issue that produces bleeding can be the cause of spread of HCV from person to person. 

HCV can be passed from the mother to the neonate (vertical transmission) infrequently during the delivery process.  In mothers who are HCV RNA positive at the time of delivery the risk of transmission is six out of 100 deliveries and among women who are both HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and HCV positive during delivery the transmission will be approximately 25 out of 100. 

Approximately 60 percent of hepatitis C viral infection comes from injection drug use, 15 percent from sexual contact, 10 percent from blood transfusions before screening, 10 percent unknown, and 5 percent  from other ( contamination, hemodialysis, health care work and passed from mother to neaonate during the birth process).  

Acute and Chronic Hepatitis C

Acute hepatitis C refers to the first 6 months after infection with HCV although symptoms may appear within a day if infection was caused by any method of intravenous injection. Between 60% and 70% of people infected develop no symptoms during the acute phase unless infection was caused by direct access to the blood stream as crossing the blood brain barrier is then made up to 100 times easier. Main symptoms consist of general cold and flu like symptoms. In the minority of patients who experience acute phase symptoms, they are generally mild and nonspecific, and rarely lead to a specific diagnosis of hepatitis C. Symptoms of acute hepatitis C infection include decreased appetite, fatigue, abdominal pain, jaundice, itching, and flu-like symptoms.

The natural course of chronic hepatitis C varies considerably from one person to another. Although almost all people infected with HCV have evidence of inflammation on liver biopsy, the rate of progression of liver scarring (fibrosis) shows significant variability among individuals. accurate estimates of the risk over time are difficult to establish because of the limited time that tests for this virus have been available.

Recent data suggest that among untreated patients, roughly one-third progress to liver cirrhosis in less than 20 years. another third progress to cirrhosis within 30 years. the remainder of those infected with HCV appear to progress so slowly that they are unlikely to develop cirrhosis within their lifetimes.

Factors that have been reported to influence the rate of HCV disease progression include age (increasing age associated with more rapid progression), gender (males have more rapid disease progression than females), alcohol consumption (associated with an increased rate of disease progression), HIV co-infection (associated with a markedly increased rate of disease progression), and fatty liver (the presence of fat in liver cells has been associated with an increased rate of disease progression).

Symptoms specifically suggestive of liver disease are typically absent until substantial scarring of the liver has occurred. however, hepatitis C is a systemic disease and patients may experience a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations ranging from an absence of symptoms to a more symptomatic illness prior to the development of advanced liver disease. Generalized signs and symptoms associated with chronic hepatitis C include fatigue, flu-like symptoms, joint pains, itching, sleep disturbances, appetite changes, nausea, and depression.

Once chronic hepatitis C has progressed to cirrhosis, signs and symptoms may appear that are generally caused by either decreased liver function or increased pressure in the liver circulation, a condition known as portal hypertension. possible signs and symptoms of liver cirrhosis include ascites (accumulation of fluid in the abdomen), bruising and bleeding tendency, varices (enlarged veins, especially in the stomach and esophagus which may unexpectedly rupture and cause uncontrolled bleeding), jaundice, and a syndrome of cognitive impairment known as hepatic encephalopathy.  Hepatic encephalopathy is due to the accumulation of ammonia and other substances normally cleared by a healthy liver.

What exactly is Hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C is one of the five known hepatitis viruses (A, B, C, D, E) caused by the hepatitis C virus which infects the liver.  sometimes a person will have no outward symptoms of having this infection, but once the virus is firmly established in the body the infection can lead to liver scarring (fibrosis) and then to advance scarring (cirrhosis).  Cirrhosis may take many years to develop.   Eventually there can be liver failure which could lead to the need for a liver transplant and/ or to liver cancer.  the newly transplanted liver will then become subject to the hepatitis C virus if the virus is still active in a person. 

Medical history can be a key to suspected chronic hepatitis C infection.  Key factors would be history of IV drug use or inhaled substance use, a history of tattoos and/ or piercings, abnormal liver function tests and enzymes found during routine blood testing, unexplained symptoms, and infrequently during screenings for routine blood donation. 

Hepatitis C is passed from person to person through blood contact.  Acute hepatitis C denotes the first six months after infection.  Symptoms are those of the common cold and flu with a decreased appetite, feeling tired, abdominal pain, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes), and itching.  Sixty to 70 percent of those infected will have no immediate symptoms unless the viral infection was caused by the direct entrance to the blood stream (sharing of needles with infected person).  the hepatitis C virus is usually detectable within one to three weeks after infection and antibodies will be present in the subsequent three to fifteen weeks after infection.  Many people exposed to the hepatitis C virus will be able to automatically rid themselves of the virus during this acute phase. 

Persistent infections are common and most of these patients develop chronic hepatitis C which by definition is the infection lasting more than six months.  Again, chronic infection with the hepatitis C virus may produce no symptoms for the patient, although it is the leading cause of liver disease in the United States.  the course of chronic infection can vary from person to person, but generally there will be an inflammation of the liver with eventual scarring.  the amount of and timing of the scarring is variable.  if left untreated, one third of those infected will develop cirrhosis of the liver in less time than twenty years and another one third will take thirty years to progress to full cirrhosis.  the remaining one third will develop cirrhosis so slowly that they will probably die before developing cirrhosis.   Increasing age, alcohol consumption, and fatty liver (presence of fat cells in the liver) have all been associated with the progression of the disease.   Symptoms of chronic infection may be joint pains, fatigue, flu-like symptoms, disturbances in sleep patterns, itching, depression, nausea, and alteration in appetite.

Chronic hepatitis C, which has progressed to cirrhosis, will present with the symptoms normally associated with liver disease.  These would be due to increased pressure in the liver circulatory system (portal hypertension)  and/or a decreased ability of the liver to function.  Signs of liver cirrhosis are jaundice, accumulation of fluid in the abdomen (ascites), increased bruising and bleeding, enlarged veins in the stomach and esophagus which are apt to bleed (possibly to the extent of causing death due to abrupt blood loss), and hepatic encephalopathy which is caused by the accumulation of byproducts (ammonia) of normal food usage, but accompanied by the inability of the liver to filter out these harmful byproducts. 

Co-infection with HCV and HIV occurs in approximately 35 percent of the patients in the U.S.  both diseases are blood- borne and can be present in related populations.   the addition of HCV in a person with HIV will generally cause a more rapid progression of chronic hepatitis C to cirrhosis and then to liver failure.  There are treatments for patients with both HIV and HCV infections. 

Treatments

The scope of this article does not deal with the specifics of drug treatments.  Your healthcare provider would be your best source of information on treatments.   Currently treatments with interferon (pegylated interferon alpha) and ribavirin (anti-viral)  are used, but there are ongoing studies and drug developments. 

References

Crax, Antonio.  Journal of Hepatology online February 28, jhep-elsevier.com/home.

Hendrik, Bill.  Signs of Rise in Hepatitis C Cases Among Young. Accessed on May 12, 2011.  medscape.com/viewarticle/742550

Loomba, R., M. M. Rivera, R. McBurney,  Y. Park; V. Haynes-Williams,  B. Rehermann; H. J. Alter,S. K. Herrine, T. J. Liang, J. H. Hoofnagle & T. Helle.  the Natural History of Acute Hepatitis C: Clinical Presentation, Laboratory Findings and Treatment Outcomes.  Posted: 05/05/2011; Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics. 2011;33(5):559-565. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing

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The source for this column’s idea actually comes from a parent who, in exasperation, declared that his kids were driving him crazy. He then jokingly asking if there was a vaccine out there that can be used to eliminate Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (often referred to as ADHD).

Another parent actually had momentary thoughts of selling the kids to the highest bidder and even was willing to go with any bidder at all.

Obviously, these parents were joking as they continue to deal with the stresses of raising kids with ADHD. yet, the comments (despite their attempt at some humor) revealed the depths of distress these parents were experiencing. the problem is not small, either. in 2006, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 4.5 million children ages 5 to 17 had been diagnosed with ADHD.

This disorder, in which the main behavioral themes include impatience, impulsivity, inattention to detail, difficulty concentrating and staying focused, forgetfulness, disorganization, being always on the go and so many more annoying traits, can wear out parents, siblings, grandparents and even teachers.

As one author noted, “The brutal reality about children — they’re such powerful stressors that small perforations in relationships can turn into deep fault lines.”

No doubt, the energy of married couples shifts when kids come into the world, and naturally so, but the shift can be disastrous at times. This can be especially true for single parents and even happily married couples when the added stressor is a child with ADHD.

Often the symptoms on first glance at a child’s behavior at home might be viewed by parents as mischievous and may elicit a command from mom or dad “I’m going to count to three” or “OK, you need to go to time-out.”

When school enters the picture, a teacher may begin to notice areas of concern, such as not paying attention, talking, frequent need to be redirected, always seeking attention and coming across as the class clown. Then come the notes from the teacher to mom and dad indicating that Johnny is not turning in homework assignments. the parents discover that what homework Johnny did attempt to complete wasn’t anywhere near what had been assigned. Next is a parent-teacher conference, in which the reality sinks in that the problems at home also are occurring at school.

But there could be an explanation, and referral for a complete assessment by the family physician, pediatrician and/or mental health professional just might reveal that the symptoms and behaviors meet the criteria for considering ADHD. once the diagnosis can be confirmed, medications can do wonders in helping bring about some stability and focus, plus some relief for mom and dad. with good medication management under the supervision of appropriate medical professionals, the light at the end of the tunnel can finally be visible.

The critical pieces include:

n Confirmation of the diagnosis, which then sets a course of action.

n Medication based on a well-developed social/medical history and documentation of symptoms and behaviors.

n Structure, with a routine established even through the summer, so transition from summer break to the rigors of school can be made with minimal stress.

n Constancy, with parents maintaining a routine of communication with the teacher who is in daily contact with the child.

Medications can be a real concern for parents, since stimulants are the most commonly prescribed. the medications in this class of drugs can create a tolerance that sometimes necessitates increasing the dosage, not at all unusual with kids who are in their rapid growth spurt. A visit to the health care professional always includes checking weight and height.

As one author noted, medications often can be a family affair; it’s not at all unusual for more than one person in the home to be on ADHD medicine. This even can include one of the parents.

Such medications are fast-acting, with onset within 30 to 60 minutes, peaking at one to two hours and lasting from two to five hours. Extended release preparations are helpful to reduce the need for school dosing. And, there are longer-acting amphetamines as well.

Sometimes stimulant medications do not work because patients do not tolerate them well. in such cases, there are other medications available. Often, the best source of help for the physician in determining dosing amounts and frequency comes from the person taking the medicine. We always seek our patients’ input on how they think they’re doing; this includes the children. the best source of information on these medications is your family physician, pediatrician, advance practice nurse or psychiatrist.

Don’t give up. with persistence and perseverance, most children will come to grips with the realities of their everyday life and recognize the importance of taking their medications.

Professionals who work with ADHD are available in our communities. Please don’t hesitate to contact someone when help is needed.

Mary Lou Petrisko is a licensed clinical social worker and registered play therapist and Cheryl Thomas is an advanced practice nurse with Mulberry Center Inc. Contact the organization at (812) 436-4221 or comments@south[SR]western.org.

Mothers may play a key role in whether their daughters get the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, even if the daughters have already left the nest.

A new study found college-age women who talked with their mothers about the HPV vaccine were nine times more likely to get it than those who did not discuss it.

"It is an encouraging finding, because it shows that communication between mothers and daughters can be very helpful, even if it may be difficult sometimes," said study researcher Janice Krieger, an assistant professor of communication at Ohio State University.

However, researchers noted that the study was small and focused on students at one particular university, so its findings might not be representative of the population as a whole.

Many mothers and daughters may be uncomfortable talking about the HPV vaccine because it is designed to prevent the spread of a sexually transmitted virus, Krieger said.

But getting the three-shot vaccination series is important because a persistent HPV infection may cause cervical cancer, the researchers said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that girls and women ages 11 to 26 receive the vaccine. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection, and will infect about half of sexually active people in the United States during their lifetimes.

Two vaccines are currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration to protect girls and women against HPV: Gardasil, manufactured by Merck & Co., and Cervarix, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. The study involved 182 mother-daughter pairs. all of the daughters were Ohio State students, and their average age was 20.

The daughters mailed a questionnaire about the HPV vaccine to their mothers and completed a similar questionnaire themselves.

Overall, 137 of the mother-daughter pairs said they had talked about the HPV vaccine; the other 45 pairs reporting not discussing the vaccine.

Results showed that daughters who discussed getting the vaccine with their mothers, and those who reported believing that the vaccine was safe and effective in preventing HPV-related diseases, were more likely than the others to get the vaccine .

The researchers also found that fears about susceptibility to HPV and about the severity of HPV-caused illness – on the parts of mothers or daughters – were not related to whether they talked about the issue.

"Fear does not seem to be the motivator," Krieger said.

The data don't show what the women talked about when they discussed the HPV vaccine, but Krieger said she suspects that one topic was the vaccine's cost, which has been reported to range from $360 to $600 for the series of three shots.

That could be one reason few young women are vaccinated. It also would be one reason why it is important to get mothers involved, even after their daughters reach adulthood, Krieger said.

"most women in early adulthood don't have a lot of extra money, and even if they do, a preventive vaccine like the HPV vaccine may not be high on their list of things to buy," she said.

One recent study found that just one-third of teens and young women who start the three-dose vaccine series actually finish, and almost three-quarters don't start it at all.

"Mothers may be afraid to bring up the topic, but it doesn't have to be a conversation focused on sex. Mothers can talk about how the HPV vaccine is safe and effective, and that it prevents cancer," Krieger said.

The study appears in the January issue of the journal Human Communication Research.

Pass it on: Moms may play an important role in persuading their college-age daughters to get the HPV vaccine.

• FDA Approves Gardasil to Prevent Anal Cancer
• HPV Vaccine Sees Poor Completion Rates
• Cervical Cancer: Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention

Follow MyHealthNewsDaily on Twitter @MyHealth_MHND.

• Original story: Young Women Get HPV Shots after Talking It Over with Mom

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December 28, 2010 2:00 AM

As winter takes hold of the Seacoast, we appreciate Rye Fire Chief William Sullivan reminding residents to take measures to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

Carbon monoxide, or CO, is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause sudden illness and death. the gas is produced when we burn fuel to heat our homes. all fuels produce CO during combustion.

Sullivan issued his reminder this week after a close call in Rye, where a CO detector may have saved a family from serious illness or death, and another case in Newburyport, Mass., where a father carried his children out of a CO-poisoned house that had levels 17 times higher than the threshold of concern.

The Centers for Disease Control lists symptoms of CO poisoning as headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain and confusion. “CO poisoning can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms mimic other illnesses,” the CDC writes. “People who are sleeping or intoxicated can die from CO poisoning before ever experiencing a symptom.”

Avoid CO poisoning by making sure all heating equipment is in proper working order and properly vented. Homes should have CO detectors, which are relatively inexpensive and easy to install. Place a detector on each floor of a home and between living and sleeping spaces. he also recommends inspecting heating systems each season.

Don’t be shy about calling for help if you think you have a CO problem. “At the first hint of any problems, dial 911 and get the Fire Department to respond,” Sullivan said.

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Westmorland, California (NAPSI) – Considering adults average two to four colds a year and approximately 15 percent of Americans come down with the flu annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there’s a chance that you will find yourself under the weather-but easing your suffering may be easier than you realize.

A sore throat is often one of the first signs that you are coming down with something. according to the American Academy of Family Physicians, many things can cause a sore throat. these include infections with viruses, such as colds and flu; sinus drainage; allergies; and cigarette smoking, among others. Fortunately, the sniffling, sneezing, runny, scratchy stuff can often be relieved with everyday household items and ingredients.

Honey, for example, has been used for centuries to help alleviate some of the symptoms associated with a common cold. A study by a Penn State College of Medicine research team found that honey may offer an effective and safe alternative to over-the-counter cough medicine. the study found that a small dose of buckwheat honey given before bedtime provided better relief of nighttime cough and sleep difficulty in children than no treatment or dextromethorphan (DM), the cough suppressant in many over-the-counter cold medications.

For relief of irritating throat symptoms, the National Honey Board suggests trying a spoonful of honey to soothe and coat your throat. take a spoonful as often as you need to relieve the irritation. since it’s also important to stay hydrated, you may want to add honey to a steaming cup of tea to help soothe your throat. For added vitamin C, try mixing in orange, grapefruit or lemon juice.

This recipe for an all-natural Honey Citrus Soother may help your sore throat:

Honey Citrus Soother (Makes 4 servings) 3 tea bags, green or black 1 cinnamon stick 3 cups boiling water ¼ cup honey 1 cup grapefruit juice Place tea bags and cinnamon stick in a 1-quart teapot. Add boiling water; steep 3 to 5 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick and tea bags; discard. Stir in honey and grapefruit juice.   Other easy ways to relieve cold and flu symptoms include: • A humidifier: To open the nasal passage without any irritating side effects, place a steam or warm-mist humidifier in your bedroom. Dry air can make cold and flu symptoms feel worse. the humidifier combats the dry air while providing moisture to your entire body. • Sleep: the age-old advice that sleep is the best cure to the common cold is, well, true. Sleep and immunity are tightly linked. those who get less sleep are three times as likely to get sick as those who averaged at least eight hours, according to the Archives of Internal Medicine. • Head outdoors: Vitamin D is emerging as an important infection fighter, according to the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine. being exposed to sunlight increases your vitamin D intake and, therefore, increases your infection-fighting ability. • Chicken soup: You hear it time and time again, but does it really work? the answer is yes. A study conducted by the University of Nebraska found that chicken soup contains anti-inflammatory qualities that activate the release of mucus, reducing congestion and proving that chicken soup is in fact a great remedy for your stuffy nose and congested chest. Learn More

Flu symptoms could spread from one person to the next as Canadian health officials warn that the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe this holiday season with the convergence of the flu and the holidays.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website, common flu symptoms include:

• High fever
• Headache
• Coughing
• Sore throat
• Running and/or stuffy nose
• Aching body
• Diarrhea/vomiting

How can you tell the difference between the flu and the cold?

According to WebMD.com, flu symptoms include having a high fever, while those experiencing a common cold rarely have a fever. Furthermore, a person who experiences the flu could also experience fatigue and weakness for weeks, while the incident of fatigue and weakness in those with the cold is usually “quite mild.”

With the coming holiday, researchers are suggesting that to prevent the spread of the flu, greeting during the holiday should be limited to giving “air kisses,” as the flu is transmitted mostly transmitted through saliva.

Visit ThirdAge.com’s “Flu and Cold” page to learn more about how you can stay healthy and well this holiday season.