http://www.wechealthunit.org daily 1 2007-05-08T21:19:14Z http://www.wechealthunit.org/healthy-living/news/copy_of_extreme-heat-alert Windsor-Essex County – Dr. G. Allen Heimann, Medical Officer of Health for Windsor-Essex County, has rescinded the Extreme Heat Alert for Windsor-Essex County. No publisher mjanisse 2007-07-11T16:39:58Z News Item http://www.wechealthunit.org/healthy-living/news/copy3_of_extreme-heat-alert Dr. G. Allen Heimann, Medical Officer of Health, is asking area residents to take steps to prevent heat illness during periods of high temperatures and humidity. No publisher mjanisse 2008-07-25T19:29:08Z News Item http://www.wechealthunit.org/diseases-conditions/glossary/heat-and-humidity The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit advises residents to take steps to prevent heat related illness when high temperatures and humidity hit our area. "The combination of high heat, high humidity and smog can be very dangerous." states Dr. Heimann, Medical Officer of Health. "High risk groups include the elderly, infants and preschool children, people with chronic illnesses like heart conditions, those who are obese, people involved in strenuous outdoor activity and people taking certain medications." Normally, the body has ways of keeping itself cool, by letting heat escape through the skin, and by evaporating sweat (perspiration). If the body does not cool properly or does not cool enough, the victim may suffer a heat-related illness. Anyone can be susceptible although the very young and very old are at greater risk. Heat-related illnesses can become serious or even deadly if unattended. Preventing heat related illness - Dress for the heat. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing and sunscreen (SPF >15) when outdoors. Light colors will reflect away some of the sun's energy. It is also a good idea to wear hats or to use an umbrella. - Drink water. Carry water or juice with you and drink continuously even if you do not feel thirsty. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which dehydrate the body. - Eat small meals and eat more often. Focus on fruits and vegetables, they provide the body with an additional source of fluids. - Slow down. Avoid strenuous activity. If you must do strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day, which is usually in the morning between 4:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. - Stay indoors, in an air-conditioned environment, when possible. Avoid direct sunshine as much as possible. Sunburn slows the body's ability to cool itself. If your home does not have air conditioning, go to a shopping mall, the public library, community center or a friend's place. - Take regular breaks when engaged in physical activity on warm days. Take time out to find a cool place. If you recognize that you, or someone else, is showing the signals of a heat-related illness, stop activity and find a cool place. Remember, have fun, but stay cool! Points to remember: - Shorten, lower the intensity, cancel or move indoors any sport practices or competitions. Mandatory fluid breaks should be included every 10 - 15 minutes (athletes must be required to drink fluids during these breaks). All fluid loss must be replaced following the practice or competition. - Infants and young children are at especially high risk for Heat Illness. Ensure they drink plenty of fluids on a regular basis throughout the day. - Never leave children alone in a parked car - even for a few minutes. - Visit relatives, friends and neighbors who are at risk of heat related illnesses and ensure they are informed and set up to deal with the heat and humidity. - Contact a pharmacist or your physician to inquire if medications that you are taking might increase your risk of dehydration and Heat Illness and what you should do about it. - Seek medical attention if you have or observe signs if heat illness in someone else. Types of Heat Illness - Heat cramps: Heat cramps are muscular pains and spasms due to heavy exertion. They usually involve the abdominal muscles or the legs. It is generally thought that the loss of water and salt from heavy sweating causes the cramps. - Heat exhaustion: Heat exhaustion is less dangerous than heat stroke. It typically occurs when people exercise heavily or work in a warm, humid place where body fluids are lost through heavy sweating. Fluid loss causes blood flow to decrease in the vital organs, resulting in a form of shock. With heat exhaustion, sweat does not evaporate as it should, possibly because of high humidity or too many layers of clothing. As a result, the body is not cooled properly. Signs and symptoms; cool, moist, pale, flushed or red skin; heavy sweating; headache; nausea or vomiting; dizziness; and exhaustion. Body temperature will be near normal. - Heat stroke: Also known as sunstroke, heat stroke is life-threatening. The victim's temperature control system, which produces sweating to cool the body, stops working. The body temperature can rise so high that brain damage and death may result if the body is not cooled quickly. Signs and symptoms; hot, red and dry skin; changes in consciousness; rapid, weak pulse; and rapid, shallow breathing. Body temperature can be very high How is a heat illness treated? Heat cramps:If you have heart problems or are on a low-sodium diet, get medical attention for heat cramps. If medical attention is not necessary, take these steps: - Stop all activity, and sit quietly in a cool place. - Drink clear juice or a sports beverage. - Do not return to strenuous activity for a few hours after the cramps subside, because further exertion may lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke. - Seek medical attention for heat cramps if they do not subside in 1 hour. Heat exhaustion: Seek medical attention immediately if any of the symptoms are severe and/or the person has heart problems or high blood pressure Otherwise, help the person to cool off, and seek medical attention if symptoms worsen or last longer than 1 hour. Cooling measures that may be effective include the following: - Cool, nonalcoholic beverages - Rest - Cool shower, bath, or sponge bath - An air-conditioned environment - Lightweight clothing Heat stroke is a life-threatening situation! Help is needed fast. Call 9-1-1. Move the person to a cooler place. Quickly cool the body. Wrap wet sheets around the body and fan it. If you have ice packs or cold packs, place them on each of the victim's wrists and ankles, in the armpits and on the neck to cool the large blood vessels. (Do not use rubbing alcohol because it closes the skin's pores and prevents heat loss.) Watch for signals of breathing problems and make sure the airway is clear. Keep the person lying down until help arrives. DO NOTs - DO NOT underestimate the seriousness of heat illness, especially if the victim is a child, is elderly, or is injured. - DO NOT give the victim medications that are used to treat fever (such as aspirin). They will not help, and they may be harmful. - DO NOT give the victim salt tablets. - DO NOT overlook possible complications resulting from a victim's other medical problems (such as high blood pressure). - DO NOT give the victim liquids that contain alcohol. They will interfere with the body's ability to control its internal temperature. - DO NOT give the victim anything by mouth (not even salted drinks), if heatstroke is suspected. The Heat Index Environmental Temperature Fº (Cº) 70º (21) 75º(24) 80º(27) 85º(29) 90º(32) 95º(35) 100º(38) 105º(41) 110º(43) 115º(46) 120º(49) Relative Humidity Apparent Temperature Fº (Cº) 0% 64º(18) 69º(20) 73º(23) 78º(26) 83º(28) 87º(31) 91º(33) 95º(35) 99º(37) 103º(39) 107º(42) 10% 65º(18) 70º(21) 75º(24) 80º(27) 85º(29) 90º(33) 95º(35) 100º(38) 105º(41) 111º(44) 116º(47) 20% 66º(19) 72º(22) 77º(25) 82º(28) 87º(30) 93º(33) 99º(37) 105º(41) 112º(44) 120º(49) 130º(54) 30% 67º(19) 73º(23) 78º(26) 84º(29) 90º(33) 96º(36) 104º(40) 113º(45) 123º(51) 135º(57) 148º(64) 40% 68º(20) 74º(23) 79º(26) 86º(30) 93º(34) 101º(38) 110º(43) 123º(56) 137º(58) 151º(66) 50% 69º(20) 75º(24) 81º(27) 88º(31) 96º(36) 107º(42) 120º(49) 135º(57) 150º(66) 60% 70º(21) 76º(24) 82º(28) 90º(33) 100º(38) 114º(46) 132º(56) 149º(65) 70% 70º(21) 77º(25) 85º(29) 93º(34) 106º(41) 124º(51) 144º(62) 80% 71º(22) 78º(26) 86º(30) 97º(36) 113º(45) 136º(58) 90% 71º(22) 79º(26) 88º(31) 102º(39) 122º(50) 100% 72º(22) 80º(27) 91º(33) 108º(42) Apparent Temperature Heat-stress risk with physical activity and/or prolonged exposure. 90º-104º (32-40) Heat cramps or Heat Exhaustion possible 105º-130º (31-54) Heat cramps or Heat Exhaustion likely. Heat Stroke possible. 130º and up (54 and up) Heat Stroke very likely. Caution: This chart provides guidelines for assessing the potential severity of heat stress. Individual reactions to heat will vary. Heat illnesses can occur at lower temperature than indicated on this chart. Exposure to full sunshine can increase values up to 15º F. Chart provided from the Center for Disease Control. Websites: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Ontario Ministry of the Environment - Air Quality Index No publisher Mike 2007-07-09T15:44:42Z Glossary definition http://www.wechealthunit.org/healthy-living/nutrition/presentations/wet-your-whistle/wet-your-whistle-presentation-notes No publisher knohavicka 2006-09-12T21:20:05Z Article http://www.wechealthunit.org/diseases-conditions/glossary/ploneglossarydefinition.2008-04-03.6852846505 What is C. difficile? C. difficile is a spore bacterium that is naturally found in the feces (stool). What is C. difficile disease? Good bacteria kill C. difficile in the bowel. When certain antibiotics are used for illnesses the good bacteria can be killed as well. When the good bacteria are killed C. difficile is able to grow and produce toxins. The toxins can damage the bowel and cause diarrhea. C. difficile disease is usually mild but it can cause serious illness. In severe cases surgery may be needed. Death can occur in extreme cases of C. difficile disease. C. difficile is the most common cause of infectious diarrhea in hospitals and long-term care facilities. What are the symptoms of C. difficile disease? • Watery diarrhea, more than 3 bowel movements in a 24 hour period, or anything that is unusual for that particular person • Fever • Abdominal pain or tenderness • Loss of appetite • Nausea Who gets C. difficile disease? C. difficile usually occurs after antibiotic use. The elderly, those who are immunocompromised, anyone undergoing chemotherapy, and those who have other serious illnesses are at increased risk. A lengthy stay in a healthcare setting and bowel surgery can also increase the risk of C. difficile disease. How is C. difficile disease diagnosed? If you have symptoms of C. difficile a sample will be taken of the watery stool. A laboratory test will be performed to see if C. difficile toxins are present. What is the treatment for C. difficile disease? Treatment depends on how sick you are. People with mild symptoms may not need any treatment other than drinking plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration and a fever reducer containing acetaminophen. For more severe disease antibiotics designed to kill C. difficile are required. It is very important to take all medication as prescribed by your doctor. Never use over-the-counter medication to stop the diarrhea. This can make the illness worse. Contact your doctor if diarrhea does not go away or comes back. How does C. difficile spread? Surfaces such as: toilets, doorknobs and handles, bedpans, and shared commode chairs can become contaminated with C. difficile bacteria. This bacterium is not seen with the naked eye but our hands can become infected by touching one of these surfaces. If we touch our mouth without washing our hands, we can become infected. Our soiled hands can also spread the bacterium to other surfaces or people. Preventing the spread of C. difficile in a healthcare setting 1. Wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds with soap and warm water. 2. Wash your hands often if you work in, or are visiting someone in a long-term care facility or hospital, especially after using the toilet. 3. Use hand sanitizers at the entrance of hospitals and long-term care facilities when available. 4. Patients in hospital who are infected with C. difficile disease may be restricted to their room. 5. All staff entering a C. difficile patient’s room should wear a gown and gloves. 6. The surfaces and equipment in a C. difficile patient’s room should be cleaned thoroughly. Preventing the spread at home Healthy people who are not taking antibiotics are at very low risk for C. difficile disease.Certain hygiene practices should be followed to prevent the spread of any illness: 1. Wash your hands after using the toilet or touching dirty surfaces and before preparing meals or eating. 2. Clean your house with an all-purpose household cleaner. Follow directions on the label. 3. Wet surfaces with cleaner, scrub well and let air dry. 4. When cleaning, pay special attention to areas that may be soiled with feces such as the toilet and sink. Remove visible feces and clean as described above. 5. Wash clothes and other fabrics separately if they are heavily soiled with feces. Rinse off feces, clean in hot water with soap, and dry in the dryer on high heat if possible. Dry clean when appropriate to do so. 6. Clean dishes in the dishwasher or sink. If washing dishes in the dishwasher, no extra disinfection is needed. When using the sink, wash dishes with soap and hot water. Then rinse dishes in another sink using a bleach solution of 5 ml (1 teaspoon) of bleach per 495 ml (2 cups) of water. Let dishes air dry. Do not wipe with a towel. pdf version of this fact sheet For more information visit It's Your Health: Clostridium difficile Health Canada Clostridium difficile Fact Sheet Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Clostridium difficile (C. difficile): Questions and Answers Public Health Agency of Canada No publisher mkingsley 2008-04-03T20:03:43Z Glossary definition http://www.wechealthunit.org/school-health/physical-activity/air-quality-and-children-s-health Poor air quality can contribute to a number of serious health problems including lung disease and chronic respiratory infections. No publisher hbarrington 2008-06-05T20:10:50Z Article http://www.wechealthunit.org/school-health/physical-activity/air-quality-and-children-s-health-1/air-quality-and-children-s-health Poor air quality can contribute to a number of serious health problems including lung disease and chronic respiratory infections. No publisher hbarrington 2008-06-05T20:19:23Z Article http://www.wechealthunit.org/family-health/health-and-wellbeing/articles/air-quality-and-children-s-health Poor air quality can contribute to a number of serious health problems including lung disease and chronic respiratory infections. No publisher dsilvester Health and Wellbeing Family Health 2007-06-25T17:34:13Z Article