Tag Archives: west nile virus

Top Summer Health Risks Part 2

Last time I talked about two top summer health risks, how to prevent them and how to treat them. While we tend to think more about preventive measures in the winter during cold and flu season, we should also be prepared to combat the health risks of summer. Summer will be a lot more fun when you can avoid getting sick or injured. Here is the rest of what you need to know to keep yourself and your family safe. Poison Ivy (and Poison Oak, Poison Sumac) No one wants to get the itchy and sometimes painful rash that comes … Continue reading →

Top Summer Health Risks

While those of us with kids all breath a sigh of relief when we get past the winter and cold and flu season, it is important to know that summer comes with its own set of health risks. Here is what you need to know to stay healthy this summer. West Nile Virus West Nile Virus causes flu-like symptoms, including fever, joint pain and headaches. It is contracted through the bite of an infected mosquito, and if you get it, you’ll come down with symptoms within two to fifteen days. Not everyone who is exposed will get sick. If you … Continue reading →

Insect Repellent and Young Children

Protecting my children is the number one priority, but one thing that I tend to avoid is insect repellent. I figure that putting additional chemicals on my kids is not the best idea, that is until now. These days, a mosquito bite is not just an annoyance, but it can also be the harbinger of serious illness, such as West Nile Virus. Add to that the fact that I have a strange and not too common condition that could be inherited and is affected by bug bites. I tend to have big reactions to bug bites, with the bite swelling … Continue reading →

Mosquitoes and Your Home–Fight the Bite

Mosquitoes are a pain no matter where you live. But in the area where I live, the mosquito problem could reach dangerous proportions… or so warns our local health department. Blame it on Mother Nature. We had a wetter than normal early-to-mid-May followed by record-breaking heat during the last 10 days of the month. It has not only resulted in lawns with grass four feet tall, but it has created prime breeding areas for mosquitoes, some of which could be carriers of the West Nile Virus. West Nile Virus is a serious illness that has been known to kill animals … Continue reading →