HERE’S TO YOUR HEALTH -
WINTER NEWSLETTER
Publication of the Braintree School Nurses Volume 6, Issue 2 February, 2016
Welcome back to the 2015 – 2016 school year!
The school nurses wish you a happy and healthy 2016!
Winter Fun in the Sun
Use Sunscreen - Although it might seem odd in the winter, you need to use sunscreen (with a minimum SPF of 15) when you're skiing, sledding, skating, or snowboarding. Sunlight reflects off all that bright white snow and ice and back onto your face — so cover up with sunscreen, and put on some lip balm that contains sunscreen (even when it's cloudy outside).
Dress for Cold Temperatures: Frostbite and hypothermia are potential dangers. Make sure your kids wear the right clothing to keep them warm and safe.
· Wear sensible winter clothing, hats, gloves, mittens, snow pants, and winter jackets, snow boots that are waterproof and warm. Change into something dry if clothing gets wet.
· Make your kids wear helmets, especially if they are 12 years old or younger. Helmets that are made for winter sports are best, but if you don’t have one, make sure they wear a bike helmet or something similar.
Safety Tips: Sledding
Sledding is a favorite outside winter activity for children of all ages. Though it seems like harmless fun, sledding accidents send thousands of kids and teens to hospital emergency rooms each year. Head injuries are the most common sledding injuries seen in emergency rooms. Most sledding injuries involve collisions with objects or people. You can keep your kids safe, by following these safety tips.
Choose the Right Sledding Hill: Hills that are coated with snow look like great places for sledding, but be careful when picking a place for your kids to sled. Not all hills are safe.
Here are a few guidelines to follow when it comes to picking the right spot to sled:
· Select a hill that is not too steep and has a long flat area at the bottom for your kids to glide to a stop
· Avoid hillsides that end near a street or parking lot
· Avoid hillsides that end near ponds, trees, fences, or other hazards.
· Make sure the hill is free of obstacles such as jumps, bumps, rocks, poles, or trees before your kids start sledding.
· Pick hills that are snowy not icy. Icy slopes make for hard landings if kids fall off a sled.
· Always sled during the daytime, when visibility is better. If they do go sledding at night make sure the hillside is well lit and all potential hazards are visible.
Get the Right Kind of Sled: The best sleds can be steered by their riders and have brakes to slow them down. Avoid sleds that can’t be steered, such as tubes, saucers, or toboggans, and never use a sled substitute like a lunch tray or cardboard box. Good sleds are relatively inexpensive to buy and are well worth the extra money.
Some Simple Sledding Safety Rules:
· Be sure a responsible adult is present to supervise. In the event someone does get injured there should always be an adult on hand to administer first aid, and if necessary take the injured person to the emergency room. Call 911 for serious injuries, including neck or head injuries.
· Young kids (5 and younger) should sled with an adult, and kids under age 12 should be watched at all times.
· Children should always sit face-forward. Never let them sled down a hill backwards, or while standing, and make sure they don’t go down the hill face-first, as this greatly increases the risk of head injury.
· Insist that kids go down the hill one at a time and with only one person per sled (except for adults with young kids).
· Don’t let kids build an artificial jump or obstacle on the sledding hill.
· Remind kids to keep their arms and legs within the sled at all times. If they fall off the sled, tell them to move out of the way. Teach them that if they are on a sled that won’t stop, to roll off it and get away from it.
· Encourage your child to walk up the side of the hill and leave the middle open for others sledding down
· Never allow a child to ride on a sled that is being pulled by a moving vehicle.
· Don’t wear scarves or any clothing that may get caught in a sled and pose a risk of strangulation.
While it is unlikely that kids will be injured when sledding, the possibility definitely exists. Just take a little extra time to dress them properly and make sure they follow these safety guidelines. They will have a better time, and you will rest easier knowing that you have less to worry about.
Skiing and Snowboarding
Before you hit the slopes to ski or snowboard, make sure you have the right equipment — and that it fits you correctly. Many kids get injured because the equipment they use is too big for them. It may have belonged to an older brother or sister and they are hoping that they can "grow into it." Equipment that is too big will make it hard for you to stay in control.
Helmets are a must for skiing and snowboarding. Goggles will protect your eyes from bright sunlight and objects that could get in the way and poke you in the eye (like tree branches). Just like with inline skating, snow boarders’ need knee pads and elbow pads. Some snow boarders who are just learning wear specially padded pants to cushion their falls!
Participating in winter sports is a lot of fun. But…………
Getting hurt is not. Take these five steps to prevent injuries so you can stay in the game:
1. Wear protective gear, such as helmets, protective pads, and other gear.
2. Warm up and cool down.
3. Know the rules of the game and follow all safety rules!
4. Watch out for others.
5. Don't participate when you are injured.
Source: http://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/outdoor/safety_sledding.html
http://kidshealth.org/kid/watch/out/winter_sports.html
Submitted by: Cheryl Campbell, RN, Morrison; Ellen Wright, RN and Ellen Stenmon RN, South Middle
FROSTBITE
Frostbite is an injury that occurs when the skin and underlying tissues freeze. When this happens the skin becomes cold and red, numb, and then hard and pale. The most common parts of the body where frostbite occurs are the fingers, toes, nose, ears, cheeks and chin. When the skin is exposed to cold windy weather, it is the most vulnerable to frostbite. Frostbite can also happen on skin that is protected by gloves and other clothing.
The first stage of frostbite is frostnip and does not cause permanent skin damage. Very mild frostbite can be treated with something as simple as rewarming one’s skin. Medical intervention is required to treat any more involved frostbite as it can be very damaging to the skin, tissues, muscle and bones; in severe cases it can cause infection and nerve damage.
The following are signs and symptoms of frostbite:
· Cold prickly feeling skin
· Numbness
· Red, white, bluish-white or grayish yellow skin
· Waxy-looking or hard skin
· Joint and muscle stiffness
· In severe cases, blistering after warming
Frostbite occurs in numerous phases:
· Frostnip. Frostnip is very mild and the first stage of frostbite. During this stage, the skin feels very cold and turns red. Prickling feeling and numbness will occur in the affected areas with continued exposure. Pain and tingling may ensue as the skin warms; skin is not permanently damaged from frostnip.
· Superficial Frostbite. During the second stage of frostbite, the skin becomes reddened white or pale in color. Although the skin may feel soft, ice crystals may form in the tissue. If the skin begins to feel warm it could be a sign of serious skin involvement. Treating frostbite with warming at this stage may make the skin appear mottled, blue or purple; burning, swelling or stinging may also occur. Fluid-filled blisters can appear 24-36 hours after rewarming the skin.
· Severe (deep) Frostbite. Frostbite affects all layers of the skin as it progresses. One may experience pain, discomfort, loss of sensation and numbness in the area affected. In extreme cases, one may also lose use of muscles and joints. 24-48 hours after rewarming, large blisters occur which then turn black and hard as the tissue dies.
Seek medical attention when the following are experienced:
· Signs and symptoms of superficial or deep frostbite
· Increased swelling, pain redness or discharge in the frostbitten area
· Temperature
· Additional unexplained symptoms
If hypothermia (a condition in which one’s body loses heat faster than it’s produced) is suspected, get emergency medical care. Signs and symptoms of hypothermia include the following:
· Extreme shivering
· Speech that is slurred
· Loss of coordination and drowsiness
Source: Mayo Clinic Staff/ Submitted by Judy Sellon RN, Flaherty School
Why Is Sleep Important?
Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right times can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety.
The way you feel while you're awake depends in part on what happens while you're sleeping. During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. In children and teens, sleep also helps support growth and development.
The damage from sleep deficiency can occur in an instant (such as a car crash), or it can harm you over time. For example, ongoing sleep deficiency can raise your risk for some chronic health problems. It also can affect how well you think, react, work, learn, and get along with others.
Healthy Brain Function and Emotional Well-Being
Sleep helps your brain work properly. While you're sleeping, your brain is preparing for the next day. It's forming new pathways to help you learn and remember information.
Studies show that a good night's sleep improves learning. Whether you're learning math, how to play the piano, how to perfect your golf swing, or how to drive a car, sleep helps enhance your learning and problem-solving skills. Sleep also helps you pay attention, make decisions, and be creative.
Studies also show that sleep deficiency alters activity in some parts of the brain. If you're sleep deficient, you may have trouble making decisions, solving problems, controlling your emotions and behavior, and coping with change. Sleep deficiency also has been linked to depression, suicide, and risk-taking behavior.
Children and teens that are sleep deficient may have problems getting along with others. They may feel angry and impulsive, have mood swings, feel sad or depressed, or lack motivation. They also may have problems paying attention, and they may get lower grades and feel stressed.
Physical Health
Sleep plays an important role in your physical health. For example, sleep is involved in healing and repair of your heart and blood vessels. Ongoing sleep deficiency is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke.
Sleep deficiency also increases the risk of obesity. For example, one study of teenagers showed that with each hour of sleep lost, the odds of becoming obese went up. Sleep deficiency increases the risk of obesity in other age groups as well.
Sleep helps maintain a healthy balance of the hormones that make you feel hungry (ghrelin) or full (leptin). When you don't get enough sleep, your level of ghrelin goes up and your level of leptin goes down. This makes you feel hungrier than when you're well-rested.
Sleep also affects how your body reacts to insulin, the hormone that controls your blood glucose (sugar) level. Sleep deficiency results in a higher than normal blood sugar level, which may increase your risk for diabetes.
Sleep also supports healthy growth and development. Deep sleep triggers the body to release the hormone that promotes normal growth in children and teens. This hormone also boosts muscle mass and helps repair cells and tissues in children, teens, and adults. Sleep also plays a role in puberty and fertility.
Your immune system relies on sleep to stay healthy. This system defends your body against foreign or harmful substances. Ongoing sleep deficiency can change the way in which your immune system responds. For example, if you're sleep deficient, you may have trouble fighting common infections.
Daytime Performance and Safety
Getting enough quality sleep at the right times helps you function well throughout the day. People who are sleep-deficient are less productive at work and school. They take longer to finish tasks, have a slower reaction time, and make more mistakes.
After several nights of losing sleep—even a loss of just 1–2 hours per night—your ability to function suffers as if you haven't slept at all for a day or two.
Lack of sleep also may lead to microsleep. Microsleep refers to brief moments of sleep that occur when you're normally awake.
You can't control microsleep, and you might not be aware of it. For example, have you ever driven somewhere and then not remembered part of the trip? If so, you may have experienced microsleep.
Even if you're not driving, microsleep can affect how you function. If you're listening to a lecture, for example, you might miss some of the information or feel like you don't understand the point. In reality, though, you may have slept through part of the lecture and not been aware of it.
Some people aren't aware of the risks of sleep deficiency. In fact, they may not even realize that they're sleep-deficient. Even with limited or poor-quality sleep, they may still think that they can function well.
For example, drowsy drivers may feel capable of driving. Yet, studies show that sleep deficiency harms your driving ability as much as, or more than, being drunk. It's estimated that driver sleepiness is a factor in about 100,000 car accidents each year, resulting in about 1,500 deaths.
Drivers aren't the only ones affected by sleep deficiency. It can affect people in all lines of work, including health care workers, pilots, students, lawyers, mechanics, and assembly line workers.