Nurse’s Notes for August 2010

August 1

Parents & Teens:  It is time for band and sport practice to begin!  To avoid dehydration, drink 8-10 oz. of water every 10-15 minutes.  If exercising for longer than 90 minutes, drink 8-10 oz. of a sports drink (with no more than 8 percent carbohydrate) every 15-20 minutes (http://sportsmedicine.about.com)

August 8

Tips for back-pack shopping at http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/augschool.cfm:

  • Choose a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back.
  • Pack light. Organize the backpack to use all of its compartments. Pack heavier items closest to the center of the back. The backpack should never weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of the your child’s body weight.
  • Always use both shoulder straps. Slinging a backpack over one shoulder can strain muscles.
  • Consider a rolling backpack. This type of backpack may be a good choice for students who must tote a heavy load. Remember that rolling backpacks still must be carried up stairs, and they may be difficult to roll in snow.

August 15

Bullying is wrong, and can be equally traumatic for kids who are innocent bystanders!  Here are a few tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics for you to share with your child if he/she witnesses bullying.

  • Tell your child not to cheer on or even quietly watch bullying.
  • Encourage your child to tell a trusted adult about the bullying.
  • Help your child support other children who may be bullied. Encourage your child to include these children in activities.
  • Encourage your child to join with others in telling bullies to stop.

August 22

Cultivate a Kinder Heart.  A study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison shows that heart patients who undergo forgiveness counseling – they learn to work through and overcome hostile feelings, and thus grudges, they hold toward others – have significantly fewer heart symptoms, such as angina, than those who don’t get the counseling. (Mahoney, S., June 2010 Prevention, pg. 34)

August 29

Still using hydrogen peroxide to clean scrapes and cuts?  Don’t!  Dr. Alfred Sacchetti, spokesperson for the American College of Emergency Physicians, states that though peroxide can kill bacteria, it can also damage healthy tissue as well.  To clean a small wound, rinse the area gently with soap and water, dab on a little antibiotic ointment and cover with a bandage.  Doctors and nurses sometimes do use peroxide to remove dried blood from sutures [stitches] after the wound has already healed. (Gelman, L., July 2010 Prevention, pg. 18)

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