A heads-up on headfirst dives

July 15, 2009

MADISON, Wis. – How low will you go? You'd better know the answer if you're diving headfirst into water. Not knowing the depth of the lake, river or even backyard pool can lead to disaster in an instant – the kind of disaster that changes lives forever.

Dr. Greg Rebella, assistant professor of emergency medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, saw this for himself several years before he started his medical career when a diving injury left his close friend a quadriplegic at age 19.

"The real tragedy is the personal loss of the ability to function independently," he said. "Spinal cord injuries from diving accidents can be devastating on many levels and nearly 100 percent avoidable by exercising good judgment."

According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Database, most diving injuries involve males in their twenties. Other key statistics show:

• Most diving injuries occur in private residential pools.
• Three-fourths of the individuals said they were not familiar with the depth of the water before diving.
• Seventy percent of the injuries happened after a headfirst dive and 94 percent occurred when there was no lifeguard or supervision available.
Rebella said people should know the depth of the water first, and to be safe, jump in feet first.

"You are asking for trouble if you dive headfirst into any body of water where you don't know the depth," he said. "When you jump in feet first, you have the ability to decrease acceleration by landing on your legs. When you dive headfirst, everything is going down on the top of the head or flexing the neck."

Rebella said high schools have joined in the effort to reduce head injuries from dives by making it illegal for competitive swimmers to jump into water less than three and a half feet during all swimming and diving meets.

"This is pretty wide-reaching when you consider the number of high school kids involved in swimming," he says.

Lynne Sears, trauma program coordinator at the University of Wisconsin Hospital, said alcohol provides an added danger.

"Consumption of alcohol takes away your ability to think clearly," she says. "If you don't know the area well, you may hit your head on a big boulder, lose consciousness and drown."

Rebella said it's important for parents to educate young children about water safety, and see to it the area has adequate supervision.

"Parents can help prevent serious injuries by teaching their kids how to play safely in the water and do the right thing," he said. "It's also the parents' responsibility to know the depth of the pool, instruct their children not to dive headfirst, and find out if someone will be there to watch over their children. They have to reinforce the need for water safety."

Other injuries caused by ill-advised headfirst dives into shallow waters include serious lacerations, bruises and broken teeth.

Pay tribute to loved ones touched by breast cancer throughout October

July 15, 2009

‘Ride to Empower’ during Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Are you ready for a challenge? Join Breast Cancer Network of Strength’s newest event, the Ride to Empower®, and test your endurance while you pay tribute to loved ones touched by breast cancer. The Ride is a destination bike ride in Red Rock Canyon, Nevada, with fully-supported route lengths ranging from 100-miles to less than 32 miles.

Depending on the fundraising package you choose, travel, food, bike transport and lodging expenses for the event may be covered. Network of Strength will provide you with cycling guidance and fundraising support.

For more information or to register, visit www.networkofstrength.org/ride or call 877-963-7223 x2730.

Breast Cancer Network of Strength® provides immediate emotional relief to anyone affected by breast cancer through the YourShoes™ 24/7 breast cancer support center, which includes the country’s only toll-free breast cancer hotline staffed exclusively by breast cancer survivors.

Breast Cancer Network of Strength raises money to fund YourShoes, several outreach programs, breast health awareness workshops, wigs and prostheses banks for women with limited resources, and advocacy on breast cancer related policies.

Peer counselors can be contacted at 1-800-221-2141, with interpreters available in more than150 languages.

Ten surprising food allergy dangers

July 15, 2009

LAKE FOREST, Calif. – As the number of children with potentially fatal food allergies continues to grow, an increasing number of parents are learning not to take anything for granted. When ingestion of even a tiny amount of a common food can be deadly, staying safe often means an extremely high level of vigilance.

Here are 10 surprising places where food allergens are often found:

1. Pet Food: Toddlers may want to have a bite, or a food-allergic individual may get a slobbery “kiss” from a dog that has a mouth full of allergen-containing food.

2. Children’s Museums: Interactive exhibits may contain food-related items, such as ground-up walnut shells (that look like coarse sand) in paleontology displays.

3. Stuffed Toys: The “stuffing” in stuffed animals, bean bags, and other stuffed items may actually be crushed nut shells.

4. Soaps and Shampoos: May contain milk, nuts, wheat, or other food ingredients.

5. Movie Theatre Seats: Likely to be covered with butter and candy residue.

6. Play Dough: Contains wheat and possibly other allergens.

7. Hotel Rooms: Bits of food may be hiding under the bed, behind the furniture, etc., where a baby or toddler is likely to find them.

8. Bird Feeders: Birds tend to spread the bird seed – which can contain nuts, seeds, wheat, milk, and other allergens – all over the yard.

9. Clowns’ Pockets: Clowns and other entertainers at children’s events often throw candy to the crowd.

10. Open Containers of Otherwise Safe Food: Someone who had allergenic food residue on their fingers may have put their hand in the bag or box, thereby “contaminating” the entire batch.

Linda Coss, author of “How to Manage Your Child’s Life-Threatening Food Allergies – Practical Tips for Everyday Life,” gives those who are managing severe food allergies the following advice: “Don’t make any assumptions about where allergens may or may not be. Ask a lot of questions. Read the ingredient label on anything that has one, including non-food items. And always make sure your emergency medication is close at hand!”

Ms. Coss is also the author of two popular food allergy cookbooks, “What’s to Eat?” and “What Else is to Eat?” Both books provide recipes for cooking without dairy, egg, peanut or tree nut ingredients.

Copyright © 2009 Sonoran News