Water, Bugs, & Asthma: Healthy Summer Kids

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Water Safety Campaign

This summer, Bryan Parks and Recreation has implemented a new water safety campaign to better promote safety at city facilities. Drowning is the number one cause of death for children younger than the age of 4 and is the third leading cause of death among children younger than 14. It occurs quickly and silently. Eighty-eight percent of drowning victims were under some sort of supervision at the time of the incident, and 75 percent of victims were missing for fewer than five minutes.

Formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning for children ages 1 to 4 years old. Bryan Parks and Recreation has partnered with the Aquatic Safety Group’s National Note & Float™ Water Safety Campaign. All Bryan Parks and Recreation aquatics facilities now offer life jackets to patrons. The program targets parents with children who cannot swim by first identifying all non-swimmers who enter the facility with color-coded wristbands, and then providing those swimmers with an appropriately sized life jacket.

Kids Can See With Lenses for Free

On July 30 from 9am to 1pm, children ages 16 and younger can join Precision Eye Care for the first Kids-Can-See-With-Lenses-for-Free one-day event. Precision Eye Care is offering free polycarbonate lenses with the purchase of frames priced $159 and greater for children age 16 and younger. The day will include a balloon artist and face painting to entertain children while shopping.

Precision Eye Care is located at 3975 State Hwy 6 S. Ste. 900 College Station, TX 77845. Visit www.bcseyes.com for more information.

Asthma Prevention Tips

Asthma is a chronic lung disease that affects approximately 7 million children. The exact cause of asthma is unknown and there is no current cure, but asthma can be controlled and managed. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends these five steps people can take to help prevent asthma attacks:

1. Take it outside: One of the most common asthma triggers in the home is second hand smoke. Until they can quit, people should smoke outside, not in their home or car. 2. Play it safe: Ground-level ozone and particle pollution can cause asthma attacks. People should check the Air Quality Index during the summer to view reports of unhealthy levels. 3. Take care: Dust mites are also triggers for asthma. For dust mite control, cover mattresses and pillows with allergen-proof covers and wash sheets and blankets once a week in hot water. 4. Check pets: Household pets can also trigger asthma. People should keep pets out of the bedroom and off furniture. 5. Break the mold: Mold is another asthma trigger. The key to controlling mold is controlling moisture. People should wash and dry hard surfaces to prevent and remove mold, and should replace moldy ceiling tiles and carpet.

For additional information about asthma, visit www.epa.gov/asthma/publications.html.

Mom’s Shots Help Prevent Illness in Baby

Protecting newborns from two serious, possibly deadly illnesses – whooping cough (pertussis) and flu – starts with Mom before the baby is born. The physicians of the Texas Medical Association urge pregnant moms and moms-to-be to get recommended shots to protect themselves and their babies.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends women get the Tdap vaccination – a combination vaccination that protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis – and flu shot during each pregnancy. While the vaccination may be given any time during pregnancy, CDC suggests pregnant moms receive it between 27 and 36 weeks of gestation, or during the third trimester.

Vaccination advice does not pertain just to mom, though. Babies can catch pertussis and flu from anyone near them. Physicians recommend parents, siblings, grandparents, childcare providers, and health care workers be up to date on their whooping cough vaccination and flu shot. For more information about protection from whooping cough and the flu, visit www.texmed.org.

Mosquito Protection and Prevention W

ith the abundant spring rain, the hot summer months will arrive with an influx of mosquitos. It is important to protect yourself and your children from mosquitos, which are often carriers of West Nile Virus, Zika, and other diseases.

The American Mosquito Control Association suggests these simple steps to help protect your family this summer:

1. Wear protective clothing. Long sleeve shirts and pants can help with protection outdoors. Light fabrics attract fewer bugs than dark clothing. 2. Use “bug lights.” These yellow lights don’t repel mosquitoes, but they don’t attract the bugs like fluorescents do. 3. Try Citronella candles. These candles can have a mild repellant effect, but not much more than other smoke-producing candles. 4. Avoid outdoor activities from dusk to dawn. During this time, mosquitoes are the most active. 5. Fix broken window and door screens. Mosquitos can enter buildings through cracked or torn screens.

When using mosquito repellants, carefully read labels and follow directions.

For more information on mosquito protection and prevention, visit www.mosquito.org.