Child Care Health Newsletter
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Mission
To keep children safe and to lead in the promotion of healthy early childhood development through collaborative population-based interventions that support and educate the child care community.
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Are You Ready for Flu Season?
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Influenza, or the flu, is a contagious respiratory illness. While the virus can be detected year round, flu viruses commonly spread more between October and May. Peak flu activity occurs between December and January. Children younger than 5 years of age are at high risk for serious complications from the flu. Flu symptoms can be mild to severe and may include:
fever (usually high), cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, tiredness, and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting.
The best way to prevent the flu
is to get an annual flu vaccine.
To prevent the spread of flu in child care, here are a few tips:
- Encourage staff and families to get the flu shot.
- Wash hands often with soap and warm water.
- Cover the nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing. (Click here to download a "Cover Your Cough" poster.)
- Avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth.
- Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces.
- Open windows often throughout the day.
- Stay home when sick.
- Get plenty of rest and eat healthy foods.
If you have questions about the flu, want to know if children should be excluded, or have an unusually high number of children or staff who are ill, please give our program a call at 425.252.5415. We would love to be of assistance.
Want to know more about influenza,
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Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD)
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Most of us know that brushing teeth twice a day is a good habit to prevent cavities, but did you know that premature infants are at higher risk for cavities? This is because the quality or quantity of their enamel may be reduced. So, there's even more reason to take extra care of children’s teeth!
Six habits for a bright smile:
- Drink water for thirst
- Eat the rainbow in fruits and vegetables
- Give your teeth a rest – wait about 2-hours between meals and snacks to help your teeth recover
- Avoid grazing on starchy, sugary snacks and drinks
- Go to the dentist every 6 months – baby’s first visit should be by first tooth or first birthday
- Check your child’s teeth – lift the lip and check for decay once a month. If you see white or brown spots call the dentist right away
Tips on tooth brushing:
- Use a light smear of fluoridated toothpaste starting with tooth eruption (6 to 10 months of age) to age 3 years. Use a pea size amount after that.
- Brush all sides of teeth; do not rinse after brushing
- Begin flossing when child’s teeth touch
- When you can’t brush, rinse your mouth with tap water (fluoridated) after eating. Children can usually rinse their mouth at age 3 years.
- A caregiver should help a child with brushing until they can tie a shoe lace, between 6 to 8 years old.
Need help finding a dentist?
- For children 0 through 5 years old on Medicaid/Apple Health, contact me, your Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD) Program Coordinator. I can provide personalized service in accessing a dentist in your area.
- For anyone with a primary care provider at Sea Mar or Community Health Centers, their systems also provide dental care. You may like the convenience of scheduling with their dentists.
- For anyone in WA, you can contact Dentist Link. Their referral specialists can connect you to a dentist in your area that fits your needs – Apple Health, private insurance, or no insurance.
Want advice on oral health activities for your child care?
You can
contact Katy Lavenhagen
, the Nutrition Consultant on the Child Care Health Outreach Team, or you can contact me. I can be reached via email at
Dentalinfo@snohd.org
or via telephone at 425-339-5219.
Felicia Cain, MSN, RN
– Public Health Nurse
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Cold and flu season is just beginning. The types of foods we eat affect the ability for our body to fight off the germs that cause these illnesses. We’re in luck because fall is full of just the types of foods that boost our immune system to ward off viral and bacterial infections.
The antioxidant Vitamins A, C, and E strengthen our body when we are most vulnerable to sickness and are in abundance in the foods we find in Autumn. Think colorful fruits and vegetables such as winter squash, beets, carrots, cantaloupe, apricots, oranges and satsumas, nectarines, sweet potatoes to name a few!
Phytochemicals are another category of plant chemicals that help our body ward off infection. These are found in berries, grapes, plums, tomatoes, broccoli in addition to whole grains and nuts.
Antioxidants and phytochemicals from food sources work together to bolster the functioning of the immune system which is particularly important when flu germs are all around. But don’t wait until you start to feel symptoms of a cold to start eating these foods. A steady diet of colorful plants helps to keeps the germs away!
Here are some ideas for adding red, yellow and orange to your fall and winter menu:
- Cut sweet potatoes into strips and toss them canola oil and a bit of salt to make orange fries. Get the recipe!
- Use Spaghetti Squash instead of pasta as a base for your favorite spaghetti sauce. Get the recipe!
- Make a Super Hero Salad and add something red, yellow, orange, brown, green…even blue! Get the recipe!
- Make a Nectarine and berry smoothie – Add frozen berries to a cut up peach or nectarine instead of a banana for sweet and colorful breakfast drink. Get the recipe!
Check out
Harvest for Healthy Kids
to download free fruit and vegetable activity kits which include food activities, recipes, picture cards, songs and newsletter articles for 12 fruits and vegetables.
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Are you ready?
Harm from influenza disproportionately affects young children. This class provides both basic and advanced information regarding influenza. In this class, participants will identify the difference between a cold and flu, learn about how seasonal influenza is different from pandemic influenza, and find new strategies to avoid influenza illness.
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Find a full list of our 2018 classes
here.
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Contact Information
Snohomish Health District
3020 Rucker Ave., Ste. 104
Everett, WA 98201
Program Phone: 425.252.5415
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Connect with the
Child Care Health Outreach Program
The Child Care Health Outreach Program staff are available to consult with you on these and other health and safety topics by phone, by email, or at your child care.
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Connect with Snohomish Health District
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