HABs – Say Algae You Later!

Being a Clinton County native, summer notifications of harmful algal blooms (HABs) at local beaches are nothing new. Certain places in our County provide the perfect recipe for HABs – lots of sunlight; shallow, calm water; and warm temperatures. It is important to pay attention to these alerts or notifications to keep everyone safe and healthy. They can help decide which beaches to choose for a fun day on the water with your favorite humans and dogs.

What are they?

HABs are the rapid growth of cyanobacteria (sometimes referred to as blue-green algae). These blooms create toxins that can be harmful to people and animals. Coming in contact with, drinking (or swallowing), or even inhaling these toxins can make you very sick. Symptoms vary based on which cyanotoxin (a list I cannot pronounce) but can include: stomach pain, headache, muscle weakness, dizziness, vomiting, and diarrhea. If you think you might have symptoms caused by HABs, contact your healthcare provider and let them know you suspect it may be related to cyanobacteria.

Decided you don’t feel like wasting your summer days at home sick with any of the gross symptoms listed above? Me either! Here is what to look for before going in the water.

Figure 1

Don’t go in water that:

• Smells bad.
• Looks discolored.
• Has foam, scum, algal mats, or paint-like streaks on the surface.
• Has dead fish or other animals washed up   on the shore.

 See figure 1 for examples of blooms. Before you visit a local swimming area, find out if it has a  current blooms, or a history of blooms by clicking here.

You should also NEVER drink, prepare food, cook, or make ice with untreated surface water – whether   it has an active bloom or not. Do not fill pools with water directly from lakes, rivers, or ponds.

Figure 2

Don’t forget about your fur babies.

If they are anything like mine (say hi to Cami in figure 2), getting them to leave the beach is the hardest part of the day. Dogs can be at an increased risk of poisoning by cyanobacteria because of their general behaviors – swimming, drinking the water, and eating dead animals (like fish) found near the shore. Contact your veterinarian immediately if your pet seems sick after going in or near water. Some signs and symptoms include: excessive salivation, vomiting, fatigue, staggered walking, difficulty breathing, and convulsions.

Pets or kids raced ahead and went in the water before you saw something sketchy? Don’t panic. Rinse them, and yourself, off immediately with tap water from a sink, shower, hose, or outdoor spigot. Don’t let your pets lick their fur until they have been thoroughly rinsed.

If you come across a suspected bloom, it is important that you report it. For us that means visiting the DEC page here. Be sure to take a photo of the suspected bloom, you will attach it to your report.

Some blooms are short lived, dispersing in a few days. Others last longer. Best practice is to check the database before selecting which beach to visit. If you see something you don’t like, stay out and report it. Not sure what you are seeing? When in doubt, stay out!

 

Molly Flynn
Principal Public Health Educator
Division of Health Planning & Promotion

Your One Stop Shop for Breastfeeding Support

 

Like any other expecting mom, my mother had to decide how she was going to feed me once I was born.  She told me that it was an extremely difficult decision to make because she worked full-time and didn’t know how she was going to balance everything. However, her provider explained that breastfeeding was not only a bonding experience but also the perfect balance of nutrients that her body would make specifically for me, her baby.

Nature's Way Baby Cafe (R)

With the support of my father, she made the decision to start exclusively breastfeeding.  A couple months
into our breastfeeding journey, I proved to be a very fussy baby.  My mother recalled how frustrating it sometimes was to have to reposition every time I was feeding or how expressing milk was difficult without a pump.  Through all the hurdles she faced, she continued to breastfeed until I was 18 months old.  And let me tell you, she would do it all again if she could.

If you are a breastfeeding mother, odds are you have found yourself in similar situations to what my mother had to face.  With access to the internet and an increasing number of community resources it is easier to search for information. But, sometimes you still cannot find what you are looking for and don’t know where to ask for help. That is where the Clinton County Breastfeeding Coalition comes in!

The Clinton County Breastfeeding Coalition is comprised of community organizations and local moms and meets once a month to promote and advocate for breastfeeding in our area. The coalition created and maintains the Clinton County Breastfeeding Referral Guide which is your one stop shop for evidenced based breastfeeding related help. They are also spearheading a social media campaign aimed to normalize breastfeeding while highlighting the ‘realness’ because, let’s be honest, it isn’t always rainbows and butterflies. You can expect to see one post per month on CCHD’s social media platforms from June through November 2021. You will be able to interact by posting pictures of you and your nursling(s) with #ThisIsHowWeNurse.

Example of the Clinton County Breastfeeding Coalition's Social Media Campaign 

Chances are, at some point each of us will know a mom who wants to breastfeed. Just like my mom’s doctor and my father did, I am challenging each of you to support and encourage that mom to reach her goals. Sharing this campaign on your social media is one small way you can contribute to a cultural shift in which we all view breastfeeding as normal, accepted and welcomed.

 

Alexandra Mesick

Public Health Educator

Division of Health Planning and Promotion 

Lyme Disease Cases Have Tripled in Clinton County…Here are 5 Ways to Prevent Tick Bites

As I am writing this, I have three children who are 8 years, 5 years, and almost 9 months old. Two things I always tell my children; I love you, and my job as your mom is to keep you safe! They tend to roll their eyes at the safety part (well the 8 year old and 5 year old do anywayJ). There are so many things to worry about as a parent but one thing I am extra cautious about are ticks. This is especially true from April-September (although don’t get too relaxed in late fall or winter, I found a tick crawling on my infant in mid-November).  

Ticks can carry a wide range of diseases. That is why I take extra care when it comes to not only
protecting my family but also my pets from these pesky creatures. Lyme disease (carried by the deer or black-legged tick) is the most common illness transmitted by ticks. Cases of Lyme disease have more than tripled in Clinton County since 2018, so it is more important than ever to be on the lookout for ticks.

5 Ways to Prevent Tick Bites:

1.  Know where ticks may be lurking

a. Ticks like grassy, bushy, or wooded areas but they also like to live on our pets.

b.   Always walk in the center of trails and avoid wooded and brushy areas with tall grass and leaf litter.

c.    You don’t need to be deep in the woods to get a tick bite, it can happen in our own backyards.

2. Apply insect repellent. This really deserves its own blog post, but here are a few quick tips to know before applying insect repellent on kids:

a.       Never apply insect repellent on infants younger than 2 months of age.

b.       Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered insect repellents containing, DEET, picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diolon (PMD), or 2-undecanone

                                                               i.      The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends repellents should contain no more than 30% DEET when used on children (a higher concentration does not mean more protection).

                                                             ii.      Do not use products containing OLE or PMD on children under 3 years old.

                                                           iii.      Do not use products that combine DEET and sunscreen, although these seem like a great idea, it can actually reduce the effectiveness of the sunscreen and accidentally expose your kiddo to more DEET, because the sunscreen needs to be applied more often.

3. Dress for Success

a.       Treat clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% Permetherin.  It is important to note that this should only be applied to clothing, not to skin.

b.       Dress in light colors (it makes it easier to spot ticks), long pants, a lightweight long sleeved shirt, socks, and closed shoes before heading outdoors. Put hair in a ponytail and wear a broad brimmed hat.

4. After you come inside

a.       Check clothing, gear, and pets for ticks.

b.       Throw clothes in the dryer and tumble dry them on high heat for 10 minutes.

c.        Bathe within two hours after coming indoors.

5. Daily Tick Checks:

a.       Ticks are tiny and like to hide! Regardless if you or your kids have been outside or not, check everyone’s entire body for ticks daily, paying close attention to specific areas; under the arms, in and around the ears, inside belly button, back of the knees, in and around the hair, between the legs, and around the waist.

Ugh, I found a tick, now what?!

·         First, don’t panic! The key is to remove the tick as soon as possible. Remember - not all ticks are infected and your risk of infection is greatly reduced if the tick is removed within the first 24-36 hours,

·         Use fine tipped tweezers to grab the tick as close to the skin as possible,

·         Pull upward with steady, even pressure (don’t twist or jerk the tick),

·         After removing the tick, wash the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water,

·         Check for symptoms. If any develop contact your or your child’s healthcare provider right away.

For more info on ticks or how to stay safe this summer, read our Summer Safety Guide!

 

Lindsay Dareff

Registered Professional Nurse

Division of Health Planning and Promotion

SIDS…How a Parent’s Worst Fear Can Be Prevented.

 

Becoming a parent can be overwhelming, scary and full of unknowns. Your whole world becomes consumed with caring for your newborn and you worry about every little thing. Are you doing things right? Is your baby happy and healthy? You watch them sleep and check on them constantly…but for good reason. One of the biggest concerns that new parents have is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS. Below I will explain SIDS and ways you can protect your baby from this heartbreaking syndrome.

What is SIDS?

•   Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden and unexplained death of a baby younger     than 1 year old.

·         About 2,300 babies in the United States die of SIDS each year.

·         SIDS is more likely to affect a baby who is between 1 and 4 months old.

·         SIDS is more common in boys than girls.

·         Most deaths occur during the fall, winter and early spring months.

 

What are the Risk Factors for SIDS?

• Sleeping on their stomach or their side, rather than their back.
• Overheating when sleeping.
• Sleeping on a surface that is too soft or filled with fluffy blankets or soft toys.
• Mothers who smoked during pregnancy (three times more likely to have a baby with SIDS).
• Exposure to passive smoke.
• Mothers who are younger than 20 years old at the time of their first pregnancy.
• Being born to mothers who had little, late, or no prenatal care.
• Born prematurely or with low birth weight.
• Having a sibling who died of SIDS.

What You Can Do as a Parent to Protect Your Baby:

·         Attend all prenatal care visits.

·         Don’t allow anyone to smoke around your baby.

·         Provide a safe sleep environment:

o   Always place baby on his or her back to sleep.

o   Use a firm and flat surface in a safety-approved crib, covered by a fitted sheet and free of soft and loose bedding, crib bumpers, stuffed animals, and toys.

o   Share your room with baby. Keep baby close to your bed but on a separate surface, for example, in their own crib or bassinet.

·         Breastfeed your baby.

 

Jessica Mathews, Children’s Services Program Specialist

Division of Health Care Services

Clinton County Health Department