Radio spots for the week of 8/15/11.  Broadcast on KKOY, KALN, KKOW, KINZ, and KIND

Topic #1

 “If your only tool is a hammer, you’ll probably treat everything as if it’s a nail”?  Abraham Maslow (who developed that triangle picture called the Hierarchy of Needs) said that.  And, when I saw 3 articles on bullying and other aggressive acts, the phrase just hit home, so to speak. Hmmm… “if your only tool is a hammer, you’ll probably treat everything as if it’s a nail”.  One article, from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, found that parents of bullies were more likely to feel angry or bothered with the child, so the child didn’t feel loved or respected.  The second article is from the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the MMWR, which found that of almost 6000 Massachusetts students, those involved in bullying were more likely to think about suicide, and to have been exposed to violence at home or other social settings.  The third article, from the journal Pediatrics, looked at almost 600 students in the 3rd through 5th grades for school nurse visits for illness and injury.  The kids involved with bullying had a much higher rate of medical problems.  And this study was done through Universities of Kansas and Nebraska so was done in our own back yard.  So evidence suggests that disrespect and minimal love can lead to violence, especially at home.  Those kids then can show violence at school by bullying and can have physical problems like headaches and stomachaches.  So why do families have trouble loving and respecting each other?  No one easy answer; but one possible problem may be that families don’t know of other ways to act, than with violence and disrespect.  “If your only tool is a hammer, you’ll probably treat everything as if it’s a nail.”  Be sure your kids learn about many different tools and when to use them, to build a healthy life.  Give that kid the tool of love and respect with that hug, I’m Dr. Greta McFarland.

Topic #2

In a study from Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and reported at the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine annual meeting, it was found that kids who participate in only one athletic sport are almost twice as likely to be injured, as those who played multiple sports.  One of the earlier studies had been done specifically with tennis players and found that of the kids who only played tennis, more suffered injuries.  So this study looked at about 130 kids, averaged age 13, who played a variety of sports.  Eighty-five came to the clinic for treatment of a sports injury, and about 70 came to receive sports physicals.  They ranked the athletes as to how specialized they were, meaning whether they participated in more than one sport.  Sixty percent of the athlete who had been injured at any time (whether they were coming for the physical or for evaluation of the injury) were specialized, meaning they only did one sport, whereas 30% of those who came for the general physical were specialized.  Those who were specialized played their sport an average of 11 hours a week compared to less than 9 hours for the uninjured kids.  The sports of tennis, gymnastics, and dance tended to occur with overuse injuries.  One theory as to the increased injury rate is to repetitive over-use of a certain muscle group.  Another theory is that if you are really good at a sport, you may do it more, thus putting yourself at risk. Younger children also tend to be more vulnerable to injury, especially if they are focusing on only one sport.  If your child is really interested in sports, check into as many safety issues for the sport as you can, and consider offering cross training in other sports to utilize more muscle groups.  Give that kid a hug, I’m Dr. Greta McFarland.

Topic #3

Time for patrolling those ticks – check twice a day so they don’t stay on the skin for more than 24 hours!  Heard of tularemia, or rabbit fever?  A long time ago, it was found mainly with those who skinned rabbits, but tularemia can come from ticks and deer flies and from handling or eating infected rodents.  So where is the hot bed of tularemia?  Right here in the 4 states!  CDC statistics (from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), from 2000-2008, showed that Missouri had the most cases with 228.  Arkansas and Oklahoma were 2nd and 3rd, and Kansas was 6th in the nation with 50 cases. General symptoms include sudden fever, aches, dry cough, joint pain, diarrhea, and progressive weakness.  Symptoms usually appear 3-5 days after exposure, but can take as long as 14 days.  Tularemia presents in 5 different ways. The most common is ulceroglandular tularemia.  It appears as a terrible looking ulcer at the place where the bacteria got into the body, usually from the tick or fly bite.  Then, some of the lymph glands usually in the armpit or groin closest to the bite will swell, hence the name ulceroglandular.  Another form is glandular which means the lymph nodes are swollen in addition to the general symptoms.  Two other forms occur when the bacteria attacks the specific areas, and are called oculoglandular or an eye infection, and the oropharyngeal variety with mouth ulcers.  The most serious and deadly form is when the bacteria is inhaled and causes pneumonia.  This can happen if someone is mowing and runs over a diseased rodent, then inhales the germs.  Prevention includes avoiding ticks by using insect repellants with DEET and wearing long pants, long sleeves, and long socks.  Check for ticks every twelve hours on your kids.  Use gloves when handling rodents like rabbits, muskrats, and prairie dogs.  Don’t mow over dead or sick animals.  Remember the tick patrol, and give that kid a hug, I’m Dr. Greta McFarland.