Popular Posts

Friday, June 18, 2010

Featured Condtion/Disease: RWI


We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday.  Today's topic is Recreational Water Illness (RWI).

Definition

Recreational water illnesses (RWIs) are illnesses that are spread by swallowing, breathing, or having contact with contaminated water from swimming pools, spas, lakes, rivers, or oceans. Recreational water illnesses can cause a wide variety of symptoms, including gastrointestinal, skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic, and wound infections. The most commonly reported RWI is diarrhea.

Most Common Areas

RWIs can be spread through use of swimming pools, hot tubs, decorative water fountains, oceans, lakes, and rivers.

More Information

To get more information about RWI, click here.  


*Most of the information provided here is from the CDC site, click here to visit their site.
 

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Oil Spill Off the Coast of Florida

Most of us are familiar with the oil spill off the coast of Louisiana.  There's now a web site to track the spill's dimensions.   Developed by NOAA with the EPA, U.S. Coast Guard, and the Department of Interior, the site, http://www.geoplatform.gov/gulfresponse/,  offers you a “one-stop shop” for spill response information.  The site integrates the latest data the federal responders have about the oil spill’s trajectory with fishery area closures, wildlife data and place-based Gulf Coast resources — such as pinpointed locations of oiled shoreline and current positions of deployed research ships — into one customizable interactive map.

The Center for Disease Control also has a page dedicated to the potential effects of the oil spill should it appear on your local coast line, here. The CDC mentions four possible categories that you may be exposed to hazardous substances related to the spill:
  • Air
  • Water
  • Food
  • Dispersants


Friday, June 4, 2010

Featured Condtion/Disease: Down Syndrome

We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday.  Today's topic is Down Syndrome.

Definition:

Down Syndrome is caused by having an extra chromosome. Chromosomes are part of the nucleus of the cell, containing the information that makes up a person. Individuals with Down Syndrome have 47 chromosomes instead of the usual 46. A typical child has two copies of chromosome 21. Children with Down Syndrome have three copies of this chromosome, causing changes in the development of the body and the brain. 

Signs

  • Slanted eyes with folds of skin at the inner corners.
  • Short, broad hands with a single crease along the palm.
  • Flat bridge of the nose.
  • Short, low-set ears.
  • Short neck.
  • Small head.
  • Tongue sticks out.
  • Broad feet with short toes.
  • Low muscle tone, causing muscles to feel floppy.
  • Levels of mental retardation vary by child.
More Information

To get more information about Down Syndrome, click here. 

*Most of the information provided here is from the Teach More/Love More site, click here to visit their site.