Dr. Deb

My purse holds so much that I would surely win on Let’s Make a Deal. One deal I never planned on was poisoning a child or pet with seemingly innocuous items in that purse.

Do you know what poisons are in your purse?

1. Pill Box-

One third of the poisonings reported among children under age six are from prescription drugs commonly used by grandparents like high blood pressure, heart pills and diabetes pills.  Just one of these pills can cause severe problems, even death, in a child. Some think, “My doctor would never prescribe anything that is dangerous.” Any medication in the wrong dose has the potential to be dangerous. Child resistance only means that it took more than 5 minutes for 85% of children to open, it does not mean child proof.

A little flip box with over the counter medications like Tylenol or cold medicines can cause agitation or even fatal liver damage. Birth Control pills for new Moms or babysitters may look like candy and are easy to access but very dangerous. Iron in vitamins or particularly alone, in high dose tablets, can also be deadly.

2. Eye and Nose Drops-

Normal Saline is safe but drops with medication like Visine can be very dangerous to children and adults. Ingestion of the active ingredient, Tetrahydrozoline HCl 0.05% can cause serious side effects including:

Lowering body temperature to dangerous levels
Difficulty breathing or dropping blood pressure
Nausea and vomiting
Seizures or Coma

One common urban myth is that it will cause diarrhea (which is does not.) Those who thought were using Visine in a harmless prank have caused serious problems and even death.

3. Cigarettes and lighters

Cigarettes are toxic with second hand smoke but if ingested can cause severe stomach upset or vomiting. Lighters are colorful, like a toy, and many children accidently burn themselves or start fires. Ultimately you are setting the worst example for your child, as cigarettes are the most common cause of preventable death.

4. Alcohol Products:

Hand sanitizer, mouthwash and perfume contain alcohol and children have actually become drunk by drinking large amounts.

5. Manicure Products

Nail polish and nail polish remover can irritate the eyes, skin and mouth and upset the stomach if swallowed.  A metal nail file can easily become a weapon and should be substituted with an emery board.

6. Choking Hazards:

Mints and toothpicks from restaurants often end up in the purse and can cause significant choking hazards. Even batteries may cause choking as well as severe irritation or burns if chewed.
Other hazards include hairspray, toothpaste, baby powder, pens, insect repellents, hand cream and pens that can all cause stomach irritation.  Xylitol in Sugarless gum can cause insulin spikes in a dog with only 6 pieces resulting in liver failure.

What Do You DO if there is an accidental poisoning?

True confession: when my twins were little I had called poison control so many times that I used a fake name. Since that time, I have learned that they don’t keep track. It is open 24 hours, free and confidential.

1. Stay Calm
2. Call 911 if they are unconscious, convulsing or having difficulty breathing
3. Call poison control at 1-800-222-1222

Use a free app on your iphone if you don’t have the number

Do not give anything until you have called Poison Control

Accidental poisonings do happen and I know how embarrassing it is but always call, even if you don’t think that it is a big deal. Small things in your purse right now could cause big problems in the future.

Take care,

Dr. Deb

I’m wearing Red for Heart Health Awareness but one team will be certainly be seeing Red this Sunday when either the Steelers or the Packers are defeated in Super Bowl XLV.  Dramatic losses in Superbowl games actually increased heart attacks, especially in older people and women as published in a study this week in Clinical Cardiology.

Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women, killing 1 in 3 men and women.  More women die of CV disease than the next 5 leading causes of death combined including all forms of cancer so let me give those Packers and Steelers some advice before the big game that may help save a life.

What are the warning signs of a heart attack?

Most people know about crushing chest pain or “Hollywood Heart Attack” as a sign but only 27% were aware of all major symptoms and knew to call 9-1-1 when someone was having a heart attack. Women are more likely to have surprising symptoms other than chest pain. You may only experience one of the symptoms and if you have already had a heart attack, your next may have different symptoms than the first.

Surprising Signs of a Heart Attack

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I am not sure how I feel about New Year Resolutions. Too many times in my life I was starting that Monday diet that I followed “perfectly”…. until I didn’t. Then it was as if the floodgates opened and I made up for all the time that I felt deprived.

Perhaps that is why 80% of people that made resolutions for 2011 will break them, and most don’t make it through the end of January.  With almost 2 out of 3 people in my city overweight and 26% smoking, people do need to make some healthy changes, especially after the holidays.  Here are my “livable” New Year’s Resolution Tips that will help you to make long lasting lifestyle change.

Dr. Deb’s “Livable” Resolution Tips

1. Break It Down

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Last week a parent told me that her son knew me as not just Dr. Deb, but the Diarrhea Doctor. No surprise to me because I taught his class how they get diarrhea and that is something they won’t soon forget.  I usually give a germ talk to first graders at the start of cold season.  We discuss germs and how to fight infection, but they always remember one point in particular. You see, I ask them, “Have you ever had diarrhea?” When most raise their hands I tell them, “Well, that means that you have probably eaten someone else’s poop!” Sure it may be a crude way to explain oral-fecal contamination, but it sure gets them washing their hands!

We are in an Indian summer now but colds and infections abound so here are:
Dr. Deb’s Tips on how NOT to get Sick!

1. Wash your Hands in Zones

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I have to be honest. I was never one to get the flu shot. We really never got sick nor had any health problems in my family. I did encourage my husband who has more patient contact but never thought about it for my 4 kids or me.  I knew that sometimes the vaccine was right on and protected against the flu that was going around. I also knew that sometimes it missed and wasn’t even effective in certain years. I just didn’t think it necessary and worth possible down time from the vaccine.

I am not alone. Less than 40% of all health care workers received the H1N1 vaccine last year when it was a pandemic.  It is actually the pandemic that has changed my mind about flu shots. We did all get the H1N1 vaccine in my family and none of us had any side effects. Now, it turns out the H1N1 was not as severe as they first thought but plenty of young healthy people died from it. In fact, it is the youngest and the oldest that are most at risk from the flu. It comes down to the fact that if my child died or was hospitalized over something that I could have prevented, I could never forgive myself. The flu vaccine has a very long safety record so I feel that I should give it to my whole family now.

October marks the official start of flu season, which lasts all the way until May.

5-20% of all people (15-62 million people) will get the flu and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized each year for influenza-related complications. (more…)