“Even so, the risk of SIDS can be greatly reduced. Most important: babies younger than 1 year old should be placed on their backs to sleep — never facedown on their stomachs or on their sides. Sleeping on the stomach or side increases the risk for SIDS.  When considering which babies could be most at risk, no single thing is likely to cause a SIDS death. Rather, several risk factors might combine to cause an at-risk infant to die of SIDS.”

Kids Health (kidshealth.org)

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

This condition is the unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a seemingly healthy baby less than a year old. SIDS is sometimes known as crib death because the infants often die in their cribs.

Although the cause is unknown, it appears that SIDS might be associated with defects in the portion of an infant’s brain that controls breathing and arousal from sleep.

Researchers have discovered some factors that might put babies at extra risk. They’ve also identified measures you can take to help protect your child from SIDS. Perhaps the most important is placing your baby on his or her back to sleep.

Causes

A combination of physical and sleep environmental factors can make an infant more vulnerable to SIDS. These factors vary from child to child.

Physical factors

Physical factors associated with SIDS include:

• Brain defects. Some infants are born with problems that make them more likely to die of SIDS. In many of these babies, the portion of the brain that controls breathing and arousal from sleep hasn’t matured enough to work properly.
• Low birth weight. Premature birth or being part of a multiple birth increases the likelihood that a baby’s brain hasn’t matured completely, so he or she has less control over such automatic processes as breathing and heart rate.
• Respiratory infection. Many infants who died of SIDS had recently had a cold, which might contribute to breathing problems.

Sleep environmental factors

The items in a baby’s crib and his or her sleeping position can combine with a baby’s physical problems to increase the risk of SIDS. Examples include:

• Sleeping on the stomach or side. Babies placed in these positions to sleep might have more difficulty breathing than those placed on their backs.
• Sleeping on a soft surface. Lying face down on a fluffy comforter, a soft mattress or a waterbed can block an infant’s airway.
• Sharing a bed. While the risk of SIDS is lowered if an infant sleeps in the same room as his or her parents, the risk increases if the baby sleeps in the same bed with parents, siblings or pets.
• Overheating. Being too warm while sleeping can increase a baby’s risk of SIDS.

Risk factors

Although sudden infant death syndrome can strike any infant, researchers have identified several factors that might increase a baby’s risk. They include:

• Sex. Boys are slightly more likely to die of SIDS.
• Age. Infants are most vulnerable between the second and fourth months of life.
• Race. For reasons that aren’t well-understood, nonwhite infants are more likely to develop SIDS.
• Family history. Babies who’ve had siblings or cousins die of SIDS are at higher risk of SIDS.
• Secondhand smoke. Babies who live with smokers have a higher risk of SIDS.
• Being premature. Both being born early and having a low birth weight increase your baby’s chances of SIDS.

Maternal risk factors

During pregnancy, the mother also affects her baby’s risk of SIDS, especially if she:

• Is younger than 20
• Smokes cigarettes
• Uses drugs or alcohol
• Has inadequate prenatal care

“I started running four years ago to quit smoking. Now, I run to show my son, Fritz, that you can do anything you set your mind to, so long as you are willing to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Team NDSS has been a great way for me to help NDSS continue their important work for our kiddos and family members. Wearing NDSS gear at local races here in Arkansas has given me a chance to talk to other runners, dispel myths about Down syndrome and promote the work of NDSS.”— Chris Attig

National Down Syndrome Society (ndss)

“Physiologically, kindness can positively change your brain. Being kind boosts serotonin and dopamine, which are neurotransmitters in the brain that give you feelings of satisfaction and well-being, and cause the pleasure/reward centers in your brain to light up. Endorphins, which are your body’s natural pain killer, also can be released.  It is not just how you treat other people — it is how you extend those same behaviors and intentions to yourself as well.”

MAYO CLINIC

“Kindness has been shown to increase self-esteem, empathy and compassion, and improve mood. It can decrease blood pressure and cortisol, a stress hormone, which directly impacts stress levels. People who give of themselves in a balanced way also tend to be healthier and live longer. Kindness can increase your sense of connectivity with others, which can directly impact loneliness, improve low mood and enhance relationships in general. It also can be contagious. Looking for ways to show kindness can give you a focus activity, especially if you tend to be anxious or stressed in some social situations.”

MAYO CLINIC
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“Your liver is a large and complex organ. It is responsible for breaking down and eliminating naturally occurring toxins as well as many types of medications. It also acts as a chemical factory, producing bile (necessary for digestion), clotting factors, other proteins in the blood, as well as cholesterol and various forms of fats. The other major function of the liver is to store and release carbohydrates.  Since chronic liver disease cannot be cured, prevention is key. “.

Beth Israel Lahey Health Winchester Hospital

“Norovirus is a very contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea. Anyone can get infected and sick with norovirus. Norovirus is also known as the winter vomiting bug. It is the commonest cause of gastroenteritis. The virus is usually transmitted via the fecal-oral route . You can get norovirus from:

Norovirus is a very contagious virus that can infect anyone. You can get it from an infected person, contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces. The virus causes your stomach or intestines or both to get inflamed. This leads you to have stomach pain, nausea, and diarrhea and to throw up. These symptoms can be serious for some people, especially young children and older adults.

Anyone can be infected with norovirus and get sick. Also, you can have norovirus illness many times in your life. Norovirus illness can be serious, especially for young children and older adults.

Norovirus is the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis in the United States. Each year, it causes 19-21 million illnesses and contributes to 56,000-71,000 hospitalizations and 570-800 deaths. Norovirus is also the most common cause of foodborne-disease outbreaks in the United States.

The best way to help prevent norovirus is to practice proper hand washing and general cleanliness.

Norovirus can be found in your stool (feces) even before you start feeling sick. The virus can stay in your stool for 2 weeks or more after you feel better.

You are most contagious

• when you are sick with norovirus illness, and
• during the first few days after you recover from norovirus illness.

You can become infected with norovirus by accidentally getting stool or vomit from infected people in your mouth. This usually happens by

• eating food or drinking liquids that are contaminated with norovirus,
• touching surfaces or objects contaminated with norovirus then putting your fingers in your mouth, or
• having contact with someone who is infected with norovirus (for example, caring for or sharing food or eating utensils with someone with norovirus illness).

Norovirus can spread quickly in closed places like daycare centers, nursing homes, schools, and cruise ships. Most norovirus outbreaks happen from November to April in the United States.

SIGNS/SYMPTOMS OF NOROVIRUS: Diarrhea/Vomiting/Nauses/Dehydration/Stomach Pain/Fever/Headache/Bodyaches.

If you have norovirus illness, you can feel extremely ill and throw up or have diarrhea many times a day. This can lead to dehydration, especially in young children, older adults, and people with other illnesses.

A person usually develops symptoms 12 to 48 hours after being exposed to norovirus. Most people with norovirus illness get better within 1 to 3 days.

You are most contagious when you have symptoms with the norovirus, during the first few days after you have recovered from norovirus.

You can become infected with norovirus by accidentally getting stool or vomit from infected people in your mouth. This usually happens by

• eating food or drinking liquids that are contaminated with norovirus,
• touching surfaces or objects contaminated with norovirus then putting your fingers in your mouth, or
• having contact with someone who is infected with norovirus (for example, caring for or sharing food or eating utensils with someone with norovirus illness or kissing someone with the virus).

What areas are with higher probability in having the disease?  PUBLIC PLACES in particularly the following:

Norovirus can spread quickly in closed places like daycare centers, nursing homes, schools, and cruise ships. Most norovirus outbreaks happen from November to April in the United States.  I personally was on a cruise that ended up having this and was from the previous trip the ship took but didn’t find out about it till I saw a note with my husband on our pillows in our ship room at that point we were given the opportunity to cancel and reschedule our trip.  Cruise line tactic to now have you cancel the trip and not return your bags till the end of the ship cruise along with all that going through security like us we stayed on and took the chance.  I ended up not with it or my husband and the cruise went to simple infection control techniques to strict when it affected the people which offended many but not us.  Being an RN several years I understood they were doing better infection control tactics but should have started from day one and explained to all.  That could be hard on a cruise of people not just from USA.

Protect Yourself and Others from Norovirus

• Practice proper hand hygiene
  Wash your hands carefully with soap and water, especially after using the toilet and changing diapers and always before eating or preparing food. If soap and water aren’t available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. These alcohol-based products can help reduce the number of germs on your hands, but they are not a substitute for washing with soap and water.
• Take care in the kitchen
  Carefully rinse fruits and vegetables, and cook oysters and other shellfish thoroughly before eating.
• Do not prepare food while infected
  People with norovirus illness should not prepare food for others while they have symptoms and for at least 2 days after they recover from their illness. Also see For Food Workers: Norovirus and Working with Food.
• Clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces
  After throwing up or having diarrhea, immediately clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces using a bleach-based household cleaner as directed on the product label. If no such cleaning product is available, you can use a solution made with 5 tablespoons to 1.5 cups of household bleach per 1 gallon of water.
• Wash laundry thoroughly
  Immediately remove and wash clothing or linens that may be contaminated with vomit or stool. Handle soiled items carefully—try not to shake them —to avoid spreading virus. If available, wear rubber or disposable gloves while handling soiled clothing or linens and wash your hands after handling. Wash soiled items with detergent at the maximum available cycle length and then machine dry.

Regarding the treatment,  unfortunately there is no specific medicine to treat people with norovirus illness. Norovirus infection cannot be treated with antibiotics because it is a viral (not a bacterial) infection. If you have norovirus illness, you should drink plenty of liquids to replace fluid lost from throwing up and diarrhea.  Give children an oral rehydration solution (like pedialyte) to replace lost fluids and  electrolytes.  Avoid sugary drinks, which can make diarrhea worse, as well as alcohol and caffeinated beverages, which can dehydrate you further.

Good hygiene is the key to preventing an infection with norovirus, especially when you are in close surroundings with a lot of other people.

“National Bullying Prevention Month is a campaign in the United States founded in 2006 by PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center. Initially held the first week in October, the event was expanded in 2010 to the entire month.  Celebrating 15 year (2006-2015) anniversary! ”

PACER (www.pacer.org)

“ADHD Awareness Month is celebrated every October,  the facts to know on ADHD

• Males are almost three times more likelyTrusted Source to be diagnosed with ADHD than females.
• During their lifetimes, 13 percent of menTrusted Source will be diagnosed with ADHD. Just 4.2 percent of women will be diagnosed.
• The average ageTrusted Source of ADHD diagnosis is 7 years old.
• Symptoms of ADHD typically first appear between the ages of 3 and 6Trusted Source.
• ADHD isn’t just a childhood disorder. About 4 percent of American adults over the age of 18 deal with ADHD on a daily basis.”

Healthline (www.healthline.com)