Grundy County Health Department
1716 Lincoln / Trenton, MO 64683
PH: 660.359.4196 FAX: 660.359.5470
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Grundy County Health Department 1716 Lincoln / Trenton, MO 64683 PH: 660.359.4196 FAX: 660.359.5470
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Public Health PostJuly - September 2005
Contents New Meningitis Vaccine Available Tips For Using A Food Thermometer
Heat-Related IllnessHeat StrokeHeat stroke is the most serious heat-related illness. It occurs when the body becomes unable to control its temperature: the body's temperature rises rapidly, the body loses its ability to sweat, and it is unable to cool down. Body temperatures rise to 106 degrees or higher within 10 to 15 minutes. Heat stroke can cause death or permanent disability if emergency treatment is not provided. Signs and Symptoms of Heat Stroke vary but may include the following:
Heat Exhaustion Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat-related illness that can develop after several days of exposure to high temperatures and inadequate or unbalanced replacement of fluids. Signs and Symptoms of Heat Exhaustion vary but may include the following:
What You Can Do to Protect Yourself
What You Can Do for Someone With Heat StressIf you see any signs of severe heat stress, you may be dealing with a life-threatening emergency. Have someone call for immediate medical assistance while you begin cooling the affected person. Do the following:
Visit www.cdc.gov for more information about heat-related illness.
From the Centers For Disease Control
Iron, Calcium, and FolatesDo you provide your child the opportunity of healthy food choices? Healthy eating begins during infancy and continues into adulthood. Teaching your child how to eat a healthy diet now builds a solid foundation for them when they become adults. Iron, Calcium and Folates are three essential nutrients that are needed daily. A growing body of evidence shows that even a minor depletion of iron stores can have a significant effect on health and well-being. Meat is one source of iron. Eating a small serving of lean beef or turkey will go a long way toward maintaining a healthy iron balance. Other foods such as eggs, fish and peanut butter are good sources of iron. Calcium is a mineral in your body that makes up your bones and keeps them strong. Ninety-nine percent of the calcium in your body is stored in your bones and teeth. The remaining 1% is in your blood and soft tissues and is essential for life and health. Without this tiny 1% of calcium, your muscles wouldn’t contract correctly, your blood wouldn’t clot and your nerves wouldn’t carry messages. There are only two ways you can get this essential 1% of calcium: from the calcium in your diet or from the calcium in your bones. Calcium is found in many foods other than milk, cheese or yogurt. It can be found in foods such as dark green vegetables, nuts, grains, and beans. What are folates? Folate is a B vitamin found in a variety of foods and added to many vitamin and mineral supplements as folic acid, a synthetic form of folate. "Adequate folate should be eaten daily and throughout the child-bearing years," said Elizabeth Yetley, Ph.D., a registered dietitian and director of FDAs Office of Special Nutritionals. Folates's potential to reduce the risk of neural tube defects is so important that the Food and Drug Administration requires food manufacturers to fortify enriched grain products with folic acid to give young women one way to get sufficient folate. Other ways to do this are to eat fruits, dark green leafy vegetables, dried beans and peas, and other foods that are natural sources of folate. For many children variety is the key. If you offer a large variety of healthy foods, your child will grow to enjoy many of them. It's important to choose healthy food; you are an important role model for your child. For more information about healthy food choices visit www.5aday.org.
New Meningitis Vaccine AvailableMeningoccal disease is a serious bacterial infection. It can cause meningitis, a severe swelling of the brain and spinal cord. It can also lead to sepsis, a dangerous and potentially life-threatening blood infection. Meningitis is very dangerous because it often begins with symptoms that can be mistaken for other common viral illnesses such as the flu. Unlike more common infections, meningitis can get worse very rapidly, and it can kill an otherwise healthy young person in 48 hours or less. Sings and symptoms of meningitis are headache, fever, stiff neck, extreme tiredness, vomiting , sensitivity to light, and a rash of small purplish black-red dots. Time is critical when it comes to treating meningitis. Seek medical attention immediately if you suspect meningitis. Up to 1 in 5 people who get meningitis will die. Of those who survive, up to 1 in 5 will suffer from permanent disabilities such as limb amputation, severe scarring, brain damage and hearing loss. Data from the CDC indicate that meningitis rates begin to rise during adolescence and peak between the ages of 15 to 24 years. Recently a conjugate meningoccal vaccine, which is a new form of the current vaccine, was licensed by the FDA. This is a longer-acting vaccine than was previously available which makes it possible to protect young people before the time of increased risk for meningitis. This vaccine is recommended for children 11 years and older. Menactra, the new vaccine, is a one-time shot. It has been demonstrated to be safe, and offers protection against 4 of the 5 most common strains of bacteria that cause the disease. For more information on this vaccine please contact the Grundy County Health Department at 359-4196 or visit the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/nip.
Source: CDC and Sanofi Pasteur Inc.
Tips For Using A Food ThermometerFor a long time, consumers have been advised to use a food thermometer when cooking meat and poultry to ensure cooking temperatures are high enough to destroy bacteria. A food thermometer helps you:
Dial thermometers have a range of temperatures featured on a round dial on top of a long metal stem. Large dial thermometers are oven-safe and good for large roasts and whole poultry. Smaller instant-read dial thermometers are not designed to stay in an oven, but are used to spot test food during and at the end of the cooking time. Most dial thermometers sense the temperature along the stem from the tip to about 2 inches up the stem. Thermometers should be checked periodically for accuracy; follow manufacturer’s recommendations. There are two ways to check the accuracy of a food thermometer:
Some dial thermometers have a calibration nut under the dial that can be adjusted. Check the package for instructions. Temperatures: Cold holding: 41 degrees F or lower Hot holding: 140 degrees or higher Pork, beef, fish and other potentially hazardous foods: 145 degrees F Ground beef and other comminuted meats: 155 degrees F Poultry: 165 degrees F Reheating: 165 degrees F or higher
Electric Breast Pump LoanWorking mothers who breastfeed must decide whether or not to wean their baby when they return to work or school. Pumping breast milk can be difficult and time-consuming with a hand pump or ordinary battery-operated pump. The Grundy County Health Department has purchased three hospital grade breast pumps for loan to county residents. There will be a $20 deposit which will be refunded to the user when the breast pump is returned in good condition. The borrower must purchase their own sterile tubing. Mothers must be away from the child a minimum of six hours per day at least four days a week to qualify for the program. Users will receive education about proper usage from Sheryl Searcy, RN, our Certified Breastfeeding Educator. The Health Department also has hand held pumps for women that do not need to pump as often.
Birth and Death CertificatesChanges in Missouri law will require citizens renewing their driver's license to show a U.S. birth certificate or other proof of citizenship beginning in July, 2005. Many people may be surprised that a Missouri birth certificate is very easy and quick to obtain at the Grundy County Health Department. The Health Department can print records statewide no matter what county of the state you were born in. The cost per copy is $15. The record is an official copy with the state seal. Although birth certificates are only available for Missouri, you may also contact the Health Department for information about where to write for vital records in other states. The Health Department can also print copies of death certificates for people who have died in the state of Missouri, records go back to 1980. Copies are $13 for the first copy and $10 for each additional copy. As the county registrar, the Grundy County Health Department also registers all birth and deaths that occur in our county. Most county residents do not know about this important service that we perform every day. It's just one of the ways that public health makes life better in Grundy County.
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Grundy County Health Department is an Equal Opportunity
Provider.
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