What Can I Do about Lead Poisoning?
Lead poisoning is a serious health problem that affects thousands of children each year. It can be caused by eating, drinking or breathing lead containing substances. Lead is very difficult to break down and pass through the body so it tends to build over time.
The most common source of lead poisonings is from paint chips in homes built before the mid 1970's. Up until then lead based paints were used. Keep children away from peeling or chipping lead paint and reachable surfaces painted with lead-based paint. Paint chips on walls; furniture or windowsills are attractive to curious young children who like to put everything in their mouths. These paint chips have a sweet taste, so young children are more likely to eat them. Glazed ceramics can also be a source for lead exposures, especially those made in foreign countries. To help decrease your risk of exposure, avoid the use of homemade beverage mugs and foreign pottery for eating and drinking.
How can I protect myself against lead poisoning? You can check your home for lead by purchasing a household lead kit. These kits are easy to use and can be bought at any local hardware or home improvement center for under $10.
How do I know if my family has been exposed to lead? In many cases, lead poisoned patients do not "look" sick. Symptoms can include loss of appetite, stomach pain, headache, sleepiness, paleness and irritability. A blood test can confirm if your child has lead poisoning. This test can be given by your doctor or local health clinic. Children should be screened starting between 12 and 15 months of age. Screening can mean early detection and less potential for future health problems. Any damage already done to the body cannot be repaired. However, with early detection and prompt attention, further harm can be avoided. If one of your children is found to have high lead levels, have all other family members checked.
If you suspect lead poisoning, or would like additional information, call the National Lead Information Hotline at 1-800-532-3394, or your local health department or the Kentucky Regional Poison Center. Early detection and prompt attention can help keep you and your family safe from lead.
Bees, Wasps, and other stings
Our calls about bee and wasp stings really seem to increase in the summer. These painful creatures are busy and we seem to get in their way. If someone is stung by a bee or wasp apply antiperspirant to the site. Yes, we said antiperspirant. There is an ingredient in antiperspirant that will reduce the swelling. When someone is stung, make sure the stinger isn’t left in the skin. It will look like a splinter. If it is there, remove it by scraping it out with a fingernail or a credit card. You don’t want to pull it out because if you squeeze it, it will release the last bit of venom and cause further pain and irritation. Once it is removed, apply the antiperspirant. If antiperspirant is not available, just wash it with soap and water. Apply cool compresses, elevate it . You can take a normal dose of Tylenol to help with the pain. If it starts to swell and itch, Benadryl may help. It is normal for the site to become swollen, painful, and red over the next day. Symptoms to worry about are swelling in or around the mouth or any difficulty breathing. If these symptoms develop, seek medical attention immediately in an Emergency Room. If, over the next few days, the site starts to look infected (redness, swelling, pain, drainage), see your doctor for treatment. If you have any questions, just call us and we can help you. Bee stings are quite painful but can be managed easily and safely
Everyone seems to be quite familiar with the tick. There is always information in the news about the diseases they can carry. The tick is a parasitic insect that attaches itself to the skin and feeds on blood. All ticks can carry disease. Because of this, we treat all ticks the same way. When you find a tick on someone, the first thing to do is remove it. The easiest way to do this is to get a pair of tweezers. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible. You want to pull the tick off with a steady, even pressure. Do not jerk it or twist it because this might break it off with part of it left in the skin. It may take a while but it will eventually release. You don’t want to use the end of a match or Vaseline or baby oil to try to make it "back out". These items will usually make the tick dig further into the skin. You want to make sure the entire tick, including the head, is removed. If you can’t get all of it out, you will need to see a doctor. Once you remove it, clean the area with soap and water. You will need to watch this area for signs of infection. If it starts to look infected (redness, swelling, pain, drainage) see your doctor for treatment. Circle the date on a calendar that you removed the tick. Over the next 30 days, if you notice any rashes or any flu-like symptoms, you need to see a doctor and let the doctor know when the tick was removed so he/she can rule out any of the tick borne illnesses. The diseases that ticks carry can be easily treated if recognized and caught early enough. If you have any questions or problems, just give us a call and we will help you. Ticks are creepy but can be easily managed with proper treatment
Do you have a Carbon Monoxide Detector?
Do you have a carbon monoxide detector in your home? Carbon monoxide can be produced by inefficient burning of any fuel source. It could come from a furnace, a water heater, a wood stove or a kerosene heater. Electrical appliances can not produce carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is odorless, colorless and tasteless. Without a detector there is no way to know it there until your sick! (or worse) In Kentucky we average more than 365 cases of carbon monoxide poisoning every year - With most of these cases occurring in the colder months when everyone closes up the house and turns on the heat. Also be careful if you have an attached garage. Do not run the car for long periods while in the garage. On very cold winter days some people like to “warm up the car”, letting it run in the garage, while they wait in the house. There have been several deaths inside the home, from carbon monoxide seeping in from the garage.