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Help Needed for Smoke-Free Bowling Green
This year's election is critical to
getting a smoke free ordinance for Bowling Green! We are the
only major city in Kentucky with no law to protect our workers.
Slim Nash's excellent proposal was voted down last year. We need
to re-elect Slim Nash and Mayor Walker, and elect Robin Baldwin
to the Commission. Robin is the ONLY other candidate who
supports a smoke free ordinance.
Please click on the
Second Hand Smoke page
to find out how you can help! It's very important who you vote
for this November for City Commission.
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Center for Courageous Kids Opens
Camp for Children with Chronic Diseases
We are very fortunate to have the Center for
Courageous Kids opening this year in the neighboring town of Scottsville.
They can accommodate 128 children each week for 5-day sessions, all year
long. They accept children with many different conditions, including asthma,
cancer, sickle cell, arthritis, cystic fibrosis, seizures, Crohn's disease,
autism, heart disease, and many others. The best news: It's FREE!
More info on their web page:
Courageouskids.org
New Vaccines
The new Meningococcal vaccine
is here, and can be given at any age after 11 years. We will start giving it
with the 6th grade physical, but older kids can get it too, when they get
their check-up. Just call for an appointment.
We also have the new HPV vaccine for
preventing cervical cancer. Girls over age 9 can get the
vaccine, which is a three-shot series. Great news! The state
vaccine program now covers HPV vaccine for ALL GIRLS over age 9
!!
Vaccines are one of the most effective
strategies in the prevention of infectious diseases. Washing
hands often is another important way to prevent disease.
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Time for flu shots!
The AAP recommends this year that ALL children be vaccinated for the flu
EVERY YEAR. We should be getting our flu vaccine soon. Please call Jonnie to
set up a time to come in.
New Kentucky Law Requires Booster Seats
Early in 2008, Kentucky legislators signed into law legislation requiring
children younger than age 7 and between 40 and 50 inches tall to use a
booster seat. Police began enforcing the law in July.
New Vaccine Schedule (Again!)
We are now doing a 15-month checkup and giving the first
Hepatitis A vaccine then, which allows children to complete the 2-shot
series on the 2-year checkup rather than waiting until 3 years. This is a
national recommendation and it makes a lot of sense considering how
dangerous hepatitis A can be!
Dangers of Television!
This month's health-byte takes a hard look at potential harm caused by
excessive television viewing by children. The AAP recommends no more than 2
hours per day of "screen time" including computer games.
Several studies are coming out with important findings with respect to poor
school performance, violent behaviors, and high risk behaviors. Heavy TV
watchers were even more likely to drop out of school, and much less likely
to attend college or vocational training after high school.
[more....]
Food Allergies Present a Special Danger
Certain food allergies, such as peanuts and tree nuts, are far more likely
to result in a fatal allergic reaction than other allergies. Special
precautions should be taken whenever these children eat away from home, and
they should always carry injectable epinephrine with them.
[more...]
Fun Health Quiz
Got a few minutes? Try your
hand at the interactive Health Quiz!
Or sample a few Health Nibbles!
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