National Immunization Awareness Month

Posted on August 11, 2016 by Andrew Rubin

Doctor Giving Male Patient Injection

August is National Immunization Awareness Month. The importance of this designation is to make people aware about the different types of vaccines they should get throughout their lifetime. Vaccines are important to keep the body healthy by building up an immunity to serious diseases. If you would like to make an appointment with a physician at Jamaica Hospital, please call .

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

How Does Hot Weather Affect Asthma ?

Posted on August 4, 2016 by Andrew Rubin

Exhausted female runner suffering angina pectoris

It is a fact that breathing difficulties associated with asthma are affected by hot weather. Anyone who has walked a few blocks when it is hot and humid outside will know that breathing seems to be more difficult. This is especially true for anyone who suffers from asthma. One possible cause of this is due to the hot, humid air irritating the airways causing inflammation which will lead to symptoms of an asthma attack. Another reason is that hot and humid air is heavier and therefore a person may have to struggle to breathe..
In hot weather months there is an increase in the amount of ozone in the air and also a higher concentration of dust and fine particles which can cause existing respiratory conditions to worsen especially in the very young and the elderly.
Some of the environmental factors that affect the respiratory system are:
• Higher levels of carbon dioxide and higher temperature can lead to more spores and mold in the air.

• Higher temperatures can lead to more greenhouse gases being produced.

• Environmental production of pollutants from vehicles and factories become trapped in the atmosphere.

These environmental conditions can cause chest pain, wheezing, and coughing, and reduced lung function for those who suffer with asthma.
Irritants that affect breathing function have definitely worsened over the years due to climate changes. People are being treated more frequently in the emergency rooms across the country due to lack of clean air to breathe.
To help avoid asthma attacks in hot weather it is recommended to:
• Stay indoors as much as possible in an air conditioned environment
• Avoid strenuous activity
• Keep hydrated
• Try to limit being outdoors during the hottest time of day
To schedule an appointment with a physician at Jamaica Hospital who can help treat breathing difficulties, please call 718-206-7001.

History of Sunscreen

Posted on July 21, 2016 by Andrew Rubin

The use of sunscreen is highly promoted and protecting our skin from the harmful effects of the sun’s rays has become a major concern as we learn more about the damages it causes. Today we are able to choose from many brands that offer the level of protection we need- but did you know the concept of sunscreen is nothing new? In fact, sunscreen was used by ancient Egyptians.

The Egyptians were known to use rice bran extracts, jasmine and lupine extracts as a sunscreen because they realized these ingredients had the ability to absorb the sun’s very strong rays. These chemicals are still used today in some of the modern sunscreen products.

Modern sunscreen products really started to become popular in the 1930’s. A South Australian chemist, HA Milton Blake created a sunburn cream that had some limited success. This was followed by the introduction in 1936 by the L’Oreal Company of a sunscreen product that was very effective at providing protection from the sun’s rays. In 1938 a chemist by the name of Franz Greiter developed a cream called Glacier Cream that provided added protection. He is also credited for identifying the sun protection factor (SPF) that became a standard measurement of sunscreen effectiveness.
In 1944 an American pharmacist patented a sunscreen product that eventually would become Coppertone.

Later developments in this field produced products that would protect the skin from the UVA and UVB rays from the sun. Manufacturing sunscreen is a multi-billion dollar industry that continues to evolve. With more and more literature being published about the sun’s harmful effects on the skin, people will always be looking for better ways to stay protected as too much exposure can lead to skin cancer and other dermatologic conditions.

HPV

Posted on July 13, 2016 by Andrew Rubin

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is considered to be the most commonly transmitted sexually related disease in the United States. It is a virus that is transmitted from one person to another during sexual contact. It affects both sexes, but usually the rate of infection is twice as high for women than for men. While the body has the ability to fight off the disease naturally, most of the time, in some cases it can cause health related problems. Many people who are infected are not even aware that they have it.
Complications of HPV:
• Genital warts
• Vaginal cancer
• Cervical cancer
• Anal cancer
• Cancer of the penis
• Cancer of the mouth and throat
There is no cure for HPV, usually treatment is for the condition that it causes. There are two vaccines, Cervarix and Gardasil available which can help to prevent the disease. Both will protect against cervical cancers in women, Gardasil will protect against genital warts and cancers of the anus, vulva, and vagina. Gardasil is also available for males. The recommendation is that these vaccines be given to girls and boys at 11 or 12 years of age. Women can get the vaccine up until the age of 27 and men can get the vaccine up to the age of 22.
If you would like to make an appointment with a pediatrician at Jamaica Hospital, please call 718-206-7001.

Summertime Blues

Posted on June 28, 2016 by Andrew Rubin

Sad mother and son in summer green park

Its summertime and that usually means more hours of daylight and warmer weather to enjoy outdoors. While summer is usually a time of year to be cheerful and happy, for some people it can bring on a bit of sadness. Although this condition is typically associated with winter months, it also affects people during the summer. The terminology that is used for this type of sadness is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). People with SAD during the summer months are often showing signs of anxiety.
Some common reasons people may feel sad in summertime:
• Fear of the outdoors
• Money is tight and can’t afford a vacation
• Feeling uncomfortable about body image
• Seeing pictures on social media of everyone else having a better time than you
• Summer heat may drain your energy and enthusiasm
• Sleep deprivation is common because of longer hours of sunlight – getting up earlier and going to sleep later.
The best way to deal with the summertime blues is to speak to a professional who is experienced in handling these conditions. If you would like to speak to a mental health professional at Jamaica Hospital, please call 718-206-7071.

Avoid Serious Injury When Grilling – Practice These Safety Tips

Posted on June 15, 2016 by Andrew Rubin

Warm weather brings people outdoors for all kinds of activities. One of the most popular is outdoor grilling. Whether it be the all – American hotdogs and hamburgers, chicken, steak, fish and vegetables, everything tastes better on a grill, but grilling can be dangerous if precautions aren’t taken.

Following these rules will make grilling safe:

• Keep the grill at least ten feet away from your house, garage, porch, and automobile
• Always keep the grill clean
• Remove any grease and fat build up
• Keep a hose fire extinguisher, or a bucket of water nearby
• Check for leaks if you are using a gas grill
• Make sure the area is well ventilated
• Keep away from decorations and other flammable objects
• Keep small children away from the grill
• Never leave the grill unattended
• Keep the lid open when starting the fire to avoid build-up of gas
• Do not grill indoors with an outdoor grill
• Do not overload the grill with food

Don’t let your summer grilling be memorable for the wrong reasons. Every year people end up with serious injuries because they weren’t careful. Remember that a grill uses a flame to cook and regardless of it being charcoal or gas that is fueling it, it can get out of control quickly. Take your time and do it the right way and you will have a wonderful meal every time.

Prom Night – Trauma Prevention

Posted on June 1, 2016 by Andrew Rubin

Prom night is one of the most memorable evenings in a young adult’s life. A young woman or a young man will spend countless hours preparing for it; considering everything from who will I go with to what will I wear and where will we go will be a major focus leading up to the big night. All of this can be very exciting, but it can also lead to great stress and sometimes, some not so great decisions.
There are a few things everyone can do to make sure that the evening goes smoothly:
• Know the group of people you will be going with.
• Don’t drink anything from a previously opened container or from a glass that was left unattended
• Tell family members or a trusted adult who you are going to be with
• Make sure to check in during the evening with your friends
• Always wear a seatbelt when riding in a motor vehicle
• Don’t drink and drive – alcohol related accidents and fatalities spike during prom season.
Parents should be aware of their children’s plans for the night. They should have a discussion with their child about the dangers of alcohol, especially when consumed in excess, and of the hazards of taking drugs. Encourage your child to keep in contact during the night and to know that you will be available to pick them up in case of trouble. Groups of people often get together and hire a limousine to get the prom goers from place to place. This eliminates the risk of having a young driver getting behind the wheel that night.
The night of your prom will be something you remember for the rest of your life. Make smart decisions and it will be remembered for the right reasons.

National Asthma and Allergy Month

Posted on May 12, 2016 by Andrew Rubin

The month of May has been designated as “National Asthma and Allergy Month by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Spring is the beginning of the peak season for asthma and allergy sufferers. Asthma affects over 25 million Americans, 6.3 million of them are under the age of 18. More than 50 million people in the United States have some type of allergy and that number is increasing every year.
If a person knows that they have asthma, it is suggested that they avoid things that can trigger an attack. Triggers are anything that the body is sensitive to that causes the airways to become inflamed.
Common triggers are:
• Pollen
• Changes in weather
• Dust
• Stress
• Exercise
• Chemicals
Symptoms of asthma are shortness of breath, wheezing, chest tightness, and coughing. There is no cure for asthma however there are medications that can help to keep it controlled.
Allergies are a very common chronic illness that lasts a long time or occurs frequently. Allergies occur when the body comes in to contact with a substance that causes the immune system to overreact.
Some of the more common substances people are allergic to are:
• Food
• Insect bites
• Latex
• Mold
• Pets
• Pollen
• Medications
Symptoms of allergies may include watery eyes, sneezing, itchiness, rash, hives and difficulty breathing. Severe cases can lead to anaphylactic shock which is potentially life threatening due to a lowering of the blood pressure and a dilation of the blood vessels, if not treated quickly.
Doctors can perform tests to see how you respond to small amounts of allergens. There are ways to treat allergies, the best method though is to avoid things that you know will cause a reaction in the first place. There are medications available to control allergic reactions and doctors can give injections that act to train the immune system to not overreact to these substances.
To schedule an appointment at Jamaica Hospital with a physician to discuss controlling asthma and allergies, please call 718-206-7001.

Young girl in autumn park blowing nose. Standing in park in warm clothing.

Hand Hygiene Day

Posted on May 5, 2016 by Andrew Rubin

washing hands

Since 2005, the World Health Organization has been leading a global effort to improve hand hygiene in order to reduce infections among healthcare workers and the patients that they care for. This initiative is recognized on May 5th every year throughout the world.
Proper hand hygiene is very important in keeping germs from spreading from person to person. Hands should be washed:
• Before, during and after preparing food
• Before eating
• Before and after taking care of a person who is ill
• Before treating a wound
• After using the bathroom
• After sneezing, coughing or wiping a runny nose
• After taking out the garbage
• Before coming in to contact with a baby
• After touching pets
Usually warm water and soap are sufficient to clean your hands. If the cleanliness of the water is questionable, a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol can be used, keeping in mind that it may not remove all chemicals from the skin and doesn’t kill all types of germs.
There is no exact amount of time that hand washing should take but a good rule of thumb is about 20 seconds or about the same amount of time that it takes to sing the Happy Birthday song.

Teaching a Baby to Walk

Posted on April 11, 2016 by Andrew Rubin

Father teaching a baby to walk in bedroom

One of the major milestones in a child’s life is the day they take those first steps. Every child is different and though most children take their first steps around the time of their first birthday, it can occur as early as nine months or as late as 18 months. Babies are so busy learning all kinds of skills, and they develop at different times, but usually before their 18th month they show signs of being able to walk.
Some early signs of getting ready to walk are:
• Crawling
• Rolling around
• Standing
• Using arms and legs to move around
By placing a baby on their tummy regularly, they should begin to lift their heads and begin to strengthen their back muscles. This is also important for preparing the body to stand upright and to begin walking.
Teaching a baby to walk requires a lot of patience, and every child will learn at their own pace. Walking requires learning to balance, becoming coordinated, building confidence, and strengthening the muscles in the arms and legs. Every baby learns differently. One way to start is by holding the baby under their arms and allowing them to bounce either on your lap or against a hard surface. This will help to strengthen their leg muscles and also teach them how to bend their knees. You can arrange furniture in a way that they can hold on to something as they go across a room.
Once a baby is able to stand upright, let them hold on to a low table and move around on their own slowly. You can hold both of their hands and let them take steps, and after some practice, you can let go of one hand so they feel a little independence.
It is recommended that you not put the baby in a walker. Many people over the years have used them because they are relatively easy and their children turned out just fine but child development experts don’t recommend them. They have been banned in Canada and the American Academy of Pediatrics in the United States is trying to have them banned as well because of the high incidence of injuries that they are responsible for.
It is important to take safety precautions when there is a baby learning to walk in the house. These include:
• Remove tables and objects with sharp edges
• Cover electric outlets
• Remove objects from table tops that can be grabbed
• Child proof cabinets and doors
• Be careful of electric cords
• Remove rugs that they can slip on
Get a toddler toy that the child can push or pull that will make walking something fun to do. As they gain confidence, they will want to walk at every opportunity they can get.
Word to the wise, once a baby learns to walk, you will need to keep a close eye on their every movement because they tend to look at this new freedom as a game to keep you on your toes.
If your child doesn’t show any signs of trying to move themselves around by the first birthday, speak to your pediatrician about these important milestones. To schedule an appointment with a pediatrician at Jamaica Hospital please call 718-206-7001.