Health Finder

Healthfinder is an award-winning federal Web site for consumers, developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services together with other federal agencies. Since 1997, Healthfinder has been recognized as a key resource for finding the best government and nonprofit health and human services information on the Internet. Healthfinder links to carefully selected information and Web sites from over 1,500 health-related organizations. Check out the Web site at www.healthfinder.gov.

Dole Food Company's 5- A- Day Program

The Dole Food Company’s 5 A Day Program focuses on five major areas:

 

• Developing nutrition education programs to encourage elementary school children to eat five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
• Working with supermarkets to educate consumers and school children about 5 A Day.
• Presenting information at national conferences to make the promotion of fruits, vegetables and 5 A Day a high priority.
• Conducting media relations programs and events that provide information on children’s nutrition issues.
• Advocating for national, state and local nutrition policy, that affect the promotion and consumption of fruits and vegetables in the school environment

To find out more information on these programs go to www.dole5aday.com.

CDC Concussion Toolkits

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are announcing a new multimedia educational toolkit to protect teen athletes from a serious but often underestimated health threat - concussion. Concussions are a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by a blow or jolt to the head that can range from mild to severe and can disrupt the way the brain normally works. More than 300,000 sports-and recreation-related TBI’s occur in the United States each year.
This initiative, “Heads Up: Concussion in High School Sports,” includes information to prevent concussions and identify symptoms and immediate steps to take when an athlete is showing signs of a concussion.
The centerpiece of the toolkit is a video and DVD featuring a high school football player who was permanently disabled after sustaining a second concussion during a game. This player’s post-injury perspective emphasizes that it’s better to miss one game than to miss the entire season – or the promise of a healthy future. His experience highlights a rare but potentially fatal condition called second-impact syndrome, which occurs when a person who has had a concussion experiences a second blow while the brain is vulnerable. This second blow does not have to be violent or strong for its effects to be deadly or permanently disabling.

 

The toolkit also contains practical, easy-to-use information for coaches, athletic directors and trainers, teens, and parents:

• A coach’s guide with information about preventing and managing concussion and how to implement a concussion action plan;
• A wallet card and clipboard sticker for coaches, which include signs and symptoms and emergency contacts;
• Posters targeting athletes, which can be placed in high school locker rooms or heavily trafficked areas at school or in the community;
• Fact sheets for parents and athletes, in English and Spanish; and
• A CD-ROM with downloadable kit materials and other concussion-related resources.
  • “Concussions can happen to any athlete, male or female, in any sport, and they should never be ignored,” said CDC Injury Center director Dr. Ileana Arias. “It’s not smart to play injured. This toolkit will provide coaches and parents with a common sense approach to help raise awareness and prevent sports-related concussions among athletes.”

To prevent these life-changing and life-threatening events, coaches, athletic directors, parents and teens should:

• Use the right protective equipment during all practices and games.
• Know the signs and symptoms of concussion.
• Make sure their school has a year-round concussion action plan that can be used during
  games and practices.
• Keep athletes with known or suspected concussion from playing until appropriate medical
  personnel have evaluated them and given them permission to return to play.

Toolkits can be ordered and downloaded free-of-charge online at http://www.cdc.gov/ConcussionInYouthSports/default.htm . For more information about concussions, traumatic brain injury, or injury in general, visit CDC Injury Center’s website at http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/ .

Whitening Toothpastes: Do They Really Work?

Some people stand in the drugstore and wonder if toothpastes with ”whitening power” really work. Whitening toothpastes contain chemicals or polishing agents that can remove stains from the teeth. All toothpastes have mild abrasives that help remove surface stains. If your teeth are darker that they used to be because of surface stains, whitening toothpastes can brighten your smile.
On the other hand, if your teeth are darker because of deeper stains, perhaps from an injury or certain medications, whitening toothpastes will not give you effective results. Unlike bleaching, these toothpastes do not change the color of the teeth to a whiter, brighter shade. If you go this route, be sure to choose a brand that contains fluoride. Teens are still very susceptible to tooth decay.
Bleaching changes the color of your teeth without removing any tooth structure. One treatment choice is in-office bleaching. A concentrated bleaching agent is applied to your teeth and then activated with heat or light. The visits take about an hour, and usually one to four visits are needed. A more affordable choice is a bleaching kit you get from a dentist and use at home. This approach is better for older children and teens.

Diabetes Internet Resource

Nebraska Diabetes Control Program http://www.hhs.state.ne.us/dpc/ndcp.htm CDC Division of Diabetes Translation http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes Administration on Aging http://www.aoa.gov American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) http://www.diabeteseducator.org American Diabetes Association (ADA) http://www.diabetes.org American Dietetic Association (ADA) http://www.eatright.org American Heart Association http://www.americanheart.org CDC Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services http://cms.hhs.gov or http://www.medicare.gov CIMRO of Nebraska http://cimronebraska.org Department of Veterans Affairs http://www.va.gov/health/diabetes Health Resources and Services Administration http://www.hrsa.gov Indian Health Service (IHS) http://www.ihs.gov/ International Diabetic Athletes Association (IDAA) http://www.diabetes-exercise.org International Diabetes Federation (IDF) http://www.idf.org Joslin Diabetes Center http://www.joslin.org/index.asp

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRF) http://www.jdrf.org The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) http://www.cdc.gov/nchs National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators http://www.ncbde.org National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) http://ndep.nih.gov http://www.cdc.gov/team-ndep http://betterdiabetescare.nih.gov The National Eye Institute http://www.nei.nih.gov National Health Information Center http://www.health.gov/nhic National Institute of Dental Research (NIDR) http://www.nidr.nih.gov National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) http://www.diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/ National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) http://www.loc.gov/nls Nebraska Library Commission http://www.nlc.state.ne.us The Office on Women’s Health http://www.4women.gov U.S. Food and Drug Administration http://www.fda.gov FDA Diabetes http://www.fda.gov/diabetes U.S. HHSS, Office of Minority Health http://www.omhrc.gov

Nebraska Diabetes Prevention & Control Program
301 Centennial Mall South
P.O. Box 95044
Lincoln, NE 68509-5044
1-800-745-9311

Project Help, Omaha Public Schools

Project Help is a program that is funded and operated by the Assistance League of Omaha and is a program that dates back to the 1930s. The program provides coats, clothing, and shoes to needy Omaha Metropolitan area students in grades Pre-Kindergarten to ninth.
At the beginning of each school year, the Project Help staff mails out applications to the school nurses in each building. Applications are received from parents/guardians at the school their child attends. Completion of this form is assisted with the help of designated staff personnel at the school. This is usually the school’s nurse; however, teachers, counselors, and principals are also able to help in this process.
The Project Help office begins taking applications from parents on or about September 15th of each year. Deadline for submitting applications is the first Friday in December, due to a potential for lack of resources. Applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis with priority given to new applications that show a true need. The Assistance League sets up appointments to assist the family in the child getting fitted with a coat, hat and gloves at their office.
A student’s need may be determined by one of a number of factors. Some of these may be:

• A crisis such as illness or personal loss that diminished the family’s resources.

• Limited family income which may include a family on public assistance, eligible for free or reduced lunch, or whose family earnings cannot adequately provide for all basic needs of the children.

If your school would be interested in starting a similar program within your district, contact the Assistance League of Omaha at 402-342-4288

Norovirus Infections

Norovirus infections are common and can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps in infected individuals. Sometimes symptoms include low-grade fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness.

The illness is usually brief and lasts for only one or two days. The virus can be transmitted through hand-to-mouth transfer after touching surfaces or objects contaminated with the virus, by having direct contact with another person who is infected with the virus, and by eating contaminated food. Generally, there are no long-term health effects related to this illness, although some people may get dehydrated and need medical attention. The problem with dehydration is usually only seen among the very young, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems.

Symptoms of norovirus illness usually begin about 24 to 48 hours after exposure to the virus, but they can appear as early as 12 hours. People infected with norovirus are contagious from the moment they begin feeling ill until at least three days after recovery. Consequently, it is particularly important for people to use good handwashing and other hygienic practices after they have recently recovered from norovirus. Currently, there is no antiviral medication that works against norovirus, and antibiotics do not affect viruses. Norovirus illness is usually brief in healthy individuals. When people are ill with vomiting and diarrhea, they should drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.

An individual’s chances of coming in contact with a norovirus can be reduced by:

• Frequently washing hands, especially after toilet visits and changing diapers, and before preparing food;

• Thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting contaminated surfaces by using a bleach-based household cleaner (or five tablespoons bleach per gallon of water);

• Removing and washing clothing or linens that may be contaminated with virus after an episode of illness, using hot water and soap.

Persons with symptoms of gastroenteritis (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea) should not prepare food while they have symptoms and for three days after they recover from their illness.

For more information visit the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Service Web site at www.hhs.state.ne.us.

Nebraska Information Technology Commission (NITC)

Information submitted by Jan Brown, RN, from Mitchell Public Schools

Two western NE school nurses, Tammy Dean of Bridgeport and Jan Brown of Mitchell, and Cathy Clark of Bassett attended the Nov 9 NITC Telehealth Committee meeting via statewide audio-video (A-V) connection at Regional West Medical Center (RWMC) in Scottsbluff and at the Bassett Hospital. The meeting originated from Bryan/LGH East in Lincoln.

NITC Telehealth Committee Background:
The Nebraska Information Technology Commission (NITC) has nine members, and works to make state investments in information technology more accessible and responsive to the needs of Nebraskans. Among the commission’s responsibilities are developing a statewide technology plan, adopting guidelines and technical standards, and making recommendations on technological purchases to the Governor and Legislature during even numbered years. Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy chairs the NITC. (From p.3A of the October 25, 2005 Scottsbluff Star-Herald article announcing new Chadron State College president Janie Park’s appointment to the NITC Commission. The article also notes Dr. Park earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Baylor University, and her master’s and doctorate in cell and molecular biology from Florida Institute of Technology. She began her career as a registered nurse, and worked through the academic ranks at both FIT and Montana State University- Billings.)
The NITC Telehealth Committee/program was started in 1992 as a result of problems of access to [health] care in rural areas of the state. Currently they are working on electronically connecting public non-profit hospitals across the state. All but 15 of the 88 hospitals are currently connected. The next step would be to connect the state labs, the public health depts and the public clinics in the state. The step after this connection would be the schools.
The Nebraska Statewide Telehealth Network Mission Statement is: 1) To increase the quality, availability and accessibility of health care throughout the state of Nebraska, particularly as it impacts the rural population within the State. 2) This video conferencing capability is particularly important in allowing rural areas of the state to have access to other health providers and information without the need for extensive travel. 3) The Network seeks to bring together invaluable resources to improve the readiness of the state to deal with terrorist acts and threats, as well as naturally occurring disasters.

Nov 9, 2005 Telehealth Committee Meeting information:
Major parts of this meeting were discussions of the technical and paperwork issues involved with setting up telecommunications connections (referred to as the “backbone”) for Nebraska’s statewide Telehealth program. It was noted 80% of our nation lacks broadband communications in rural areas.
When we asked what the committee saw as the school nurses’ role on this committee, responses included: 1) Understand how the network is progressing, and how the backbone can be utilized to serve students. 2) Learn how to utilize the network for things such as a student case conference with interface and input from a distant provider. 3) Learn how the network can be used for educational offerings for school nurses and others. 4) The committee is hoping to provide some trial training sessions through ESU 10 in Kearney in the spring of 2006.
Next meeting is scheduled for December 14 at 10:00 CST/9:00 MST in Lincoln. Tammy Dean plans to attend that meeting via the connection at RWMC in Scottsbluff. Though the telecommunications network is still in the stage of “tweaking” and continued technical improvement, and we recognized the decrease in “networking” which occurs when all committee participants are in the same location, we agreed the immensely decreased travel time for the meeting was wonderful!

Not Too Late To Get Your Kids Active With The All Recreate On Fridays (ARF) Movement!

By Kimberly Barrett, Cardiovascular Health Program

The new year is nearly here! Nebraska adults are sure to declare a New Year’s Resolution…and many times it is focused on physical activity and healthy eating (or losing a few pounds!) What better way to meet your goals than to be an active role model for the pre-school children you influence! The All Recreate on Fridays (ARF) Movement will set the stage to get you and those youth you influence on a daily basis active…in a fun way!
In an effort to get kids more physically active, the (ARF) Movement was created and launched across Nebraska in 2004. The ARF Movement is supported by Federal Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant funds from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) awarded to the HHS Cardiovascular Health Program.
Simply put, ARF is a free incentive-based physical activity movement targeting pre-school through middle school-aged youth, being implemented across Nebraska schools, families, faith-based and youth organizations during the school year.
The goals of ARF are to:

Get kids moving and have FUN doing it

• Educate youth to be active through a variety of movements- at any time or in any place
• Create a social and physical environment that supports physical activity and healthy eating behaviors
• Provide an array of creative ideas that will support existing programs/activities to accumulate activity time
• Ultimately, prevent and reduce childhood obesity in Nebraska.

The ARF Movement supports established physical activity programs or provides the tools to get one started. ARF provides coordinators with:

• Key Physical Activity, Physical Development, and Nutrition Guidelines/Recommendations
• Innovative games and activities
• Curricular and non-curricular “Brain Boosters”
• Monthly newsletters highlighting physical activity programming, events, grants, additional activities/brain boosters, nutrition news, recipes, & games.
• Monthly activity calendar for youth
• National, state and local resources and grants
• Technical assistance.

Much like a child’s education must start at an early age, so must establishing healthy behaviors. Pre-school site coordinators keep track of physical activity time and have opportunity to turn these trackers in to receive classroom materials. Materials provided for pre-schools include stickers, action academic alphabet and number cards, music CDs, healthy snacks kids’ cookbooks, and fun physical activity-based books.
To find out more about the program or to register your site for ARF, log on to www.hhss.ne.gov/cvh and click on “All Recreate on Fridays Movement” located in the right-hand column.

Have a healthy, active winter!