11 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
PAKISTAN: World's first postgraduate diploma on Halal industry launched
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10 Temmuz 2012 Salı
9 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi
MALAYSIA: New era for Malaysian Halal standard
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The Halal issue in this country will no longer be a seasonal topic in the media when the new Malaysia Halal Standard is enforced by Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM). The Halal issue always receives more attention just before Ramadan and according to Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Fadillah Yusof this was due to confusion by consumers on current Halal standards as many bodies are involved in this country on the matter.
Travel Evacuation Insurance
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The BAD NEWS: Did you know? Most medical insurance plans aren't accepted when you travel internationally. Many foreign hospitals require patients to demonstrate ability to pay before treatment is started. Unfortunately this can result in delayed treatment and high medical bills for individuals who thought they were covered.
The GOOD NEWS: Passport Health has found the best deals on travel insurance. You can even print your insurance ID card immediately! No watching the mail and hoping your card arrives before you depart. From medical coverage and emergency evacuation to trip cancelation and lost baggage we've got you covered. The 24 hour assistance service with a toll free phone number provides immediate assistance if you forget your medication or need care at a local medical facility. The assistance center will make arrangements for your care and for payment of medical expenses. This service is essential while traveling abroad.
It's fast and easy. Why not get a quote for your next trip and take along the additional peace of mind. You will be pleasantly surprised at the very affordable pricing.
The GOOD NEWS: Passport Health has found the best deals on travel insurance. You can even print your insurance ID card immediately! No watching the mail and hoping your card arrives before you depart. From medical coverage and emergency evacuation to trip cancelation and lost baggage we've got you covered. The 24 hour assistance service with a toll free phone number provides immediate assistance if you forget your medication or need care at a local medical facility. The assistance center will make arrangements for your care and for payment of medical expenses. This service is essential while traveling abroad.
It's fast and easy. Why not get a quote for your next trip and take along the additional peace of mind. You will be pleasantly surprised at the very affordable pricing.
Passport Health to Attend The Philadelphia Inquirer Travel Show
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Friday, January 21, 2011
Passport Health to Attend The Philadelphia Inquirer Travel Show
1/21/2011- Passport Health’s Executive Director for New Jersey, Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley, Mr. Ken Bear, New Business Development and Marketing Director, Mr. Robert Socha,as well as members of the clinical staff will be attending the Philadelphia Inquirer Travel Show this weekend at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA.
“We are proud to be representing Passport Health as a national travel medicine entity at the Philadelphia Inquirer Travel Show this weekend.” Stated Ken Bear. “We look forward to establishing connections with other great businesses in the travel industry.”
They will be among several hundred other travel enthusiasts and travel promoters including the Africa Travel Association (ATA) of which Passport Health’s Corporate Director of Business Development, Jorge Castillo, is an international board member.
“We are working together with the ATA to promote safe travel into the African Continent, and all destinations around the globe”, stated Mr. Castillo. “In addition to serving hundreds of thousands of travelers to countries like India, China, Brazil and Mexico, we are cognizant of the opening of the African Continent. American companies are beginning to move into Africa. Most recently Massmart, South Africa’s third largest retailer with operations in 14 African nations approved Wal-mart’s bid to purchase 51% of its shares.”
“We are prepared and ready to continue to provide our clients with the best pre-departure medical care whether they are traveling for business, leisure or to volunteer. Our goal is to assure that each traveler is well informed and immunized so that his/her trip is a complete success,” he concluded.
Passport Health has 170 locations nationwide, including several in Center City Philadelphia, the Greater Philadelphia area and New Jersey.
For more information, please call 800-741-0504, or visit http://www.passporthealthphilly.com
Passport Health to Attend The Philadelphia Inquirer Travel Show
1/21/2011- Passport Health’s Executive Director for New Jersey, Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley, Mr. Ken Bear, New Business Development and Marketing Director, Mr. Robert Socha,as well as members of the clinical staff will be attending the Philadelphia Inquirer Travel Show this weekend at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA.
“We are proud to be representing Passport Health as a national travel medicine entity at the Philadelphia Inquirer Travel Show this weekend.” Stated Ken Bear. “We look forward to establishing connections with other great businesses in the travel industry.”
They will be among several hundred other travel enthusiasts and travel promoters including the Africa Travel Association (ATA) of which Passport Health’s Corporate Director of Business Development, Jorge Castillo, is an international board member.
“We are working together with the ATA to promote safe travel into the African Continent, and all destinations around the globe”, stated Mr. Castillo. “In addition to serving hundreds of thousands of travelers to countries like India, China, Brazil and Mexico, we are cognizant of the opening of the African Continent. American companies are beginning to move into Africa. Most recently Massmart, South Africa’s third largest retailer with operations in 14 African nations approved Wal-mart’s bid to purchase 51% of its shares.”
“We are prepared and ready to continue to provide our clients with the best pre-departure medical care whether they are traveling for business, leisure or to volunteer. Our goal is to assure that each traveler is well informed and immunized so that his/her trip is a complete success,” he concluded.
Passport Health has 170 locations nationwide, including several in Center City Philadelphia, the Greater Philadelphia area and New Jersey.
For more information, please call 800-741-0504, or visit http://www.passporthealthphilly.com
On Site Travel Medicine Clinics
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Have more than a few people traveling to the same destination? Passport Health will come on-site to your company, school, church, or other organization to deliver the same quality care you experience in any of our offices. Our on-site clinical team can provide a full and comprehensive line of services including all vaccines, required paperwork, consent forms, vaccine information sheets, record keeping, payment and disposal of medical waste.
If requested, our staff can work with you to develop promotional materials, such as email messages, brochures or posters, well in advance to help you promote attendance at your clinic.
Our Travel Medicine Specialists are well versed in vaccines and can adapt a program to suite your specific needs. Employers have little more to do than select a date and provide us with a space to vaccinate.
Have more than a few people traveling to the same destination? Passport Health will come on-site to your company, school, church, or other organization to deliver the same quality care you experience in any of our offices. Our on-site clinical team can provide a full and comprehensive line of services including all vaccines, required paperwork, consent forms, vaccine information sheets, record keeping, payment and disposal of medical waste.
If requested, our staff can work with you to develop promotional materials, such as email messages, brochures or posters, well in advance to help you promote attendance at your clinic.
Our Travel Medicine Specialists are well versed in vaccines and can adapt a program to suite your specific needs. Employers have little more to do than select a date and provide us with a space to vaccinate.
Whooping Cough, Make sure you're vaccinated!
To contact us Click HERE
Eight children in Hunterdon have recently been diagnosed with whooping cough — including those whose families declined to have them vaccinated or failed to get all of their necessary shots, state and county health officials said today.
An Ocean County health department spokeswoman also confirmed two infants who developed symptoms in December have been diagnosed with the highly contagious bacterial respiratory infection.
The infected children in Hunterdon County range in age from 4 to 15, and are all getting treated at home, said Carl Rachel, spokesman for the Hunterdon County Division of Public Health.
Whooping cough mimics the symptoms of a cold but then develops into "uncontrolled coughing spells," according to the county website. Nationally, the illness annually kills 10 to 20 people who are typically less than a year old, the website said.
New Jersey requires children enrolled in preschool or day care public to be vaccinated against whooping cough, also known as pertussis. But state law allows parents to cite religion and medical conditions as a reason to seek an exemption.
Most people can avoid contracting the infection — spread by coughing and sneezing — with a series of four shots beginning when a child is two months old. Public health professionals recommend people ages 10 to 64 get booster shots.
Of the eight children sickened in Hunterdon County, "several were immunized; of those immunized cases, some did not have the complete series of pertussis vaccines appropriate for their age," said state health department spokeswoman Donna Leusner.
"Vaccines in general are not 100 percent effective in preventing infections, but vaccinations still can lessen the degree of illness, even if a child is not fully immunized," she said.
Rose Puelle of the Hunterdon County Division of Public Health Preparedness, confirmed some of the sick children "were vaccinated in the past, and some not for personal or medical reasons."
"Most people who complete a vaccine series including the recommended boosters have the maximum protection available to prevent illness," Puelle said. "It affords everyone in the community, including those most susceptible such as infants and immuno-compromised, the best chance of avoiding the serious consequences of disease."
In Ocean County, neither of the infected infants was vaccinated against whooping cough, county health department spokeswoman Leslie Terjesen. Both babies required hospital care, although one has since been discharged, she said.
A vocal minority of parents oppose mandatory vaccines. Sue Collins, co-founder of the New Jersey Alliance for Informed Choice in Vaccination, said vaccines are not guarantees against disease. "I know that Hunterdon had several cases a few years ago and those were in vaccinated children," she wrote in an e-mail. "From what I understand now, the strain of pertussis seems to be circulating in some communities and other states does not match the strain in the vaccines."
Since January 2011, 51 confirmed cases of whooping cough in New Jersey have been reported to the state health department. In 2009, health officials confirmed 39 cases of whooping cough in Hunterdon County.
The outbreak in Hunterdon began in the fall, according to the state.
Call or click Passport Health today
800-741-0504
www.passporthealthusa.com/new-jersey
Eight children in Hunterdon have recently been diagnosed with whooping cough — including those whose families declined to have them vaccinated or failed to get all of their necessary shots, state and county health officials said today.
An Ocean County health department spokeswoman also confirmed two infants who developed symptoms in December have been diagnosed with the highly contagious bacterial respiratory infection.
The infected children in Hunterdon County range in age from 4 to 15, and are all getting treated at home, said Carl Rachel, spokesman for the Hunterdon County Division of Public Health.
Whooping cough mimics the symptoms of a cold but then develops into "uncontrolled coughing spells," according to the county website. Nationally, the illness annually kills 10 to 20 people who are typically less than a year old, the website said.
New Jersey requires children enrolled in preschool or day care public to be vaccinated against whooping cough, also known as pertussis. But state law allows parents to cite religion and medical conditions as a reason to seek an exemption.
Most people can avoid contracting the infection — spread by coughing and sneezing — with a series of four shots beginning when a child is two months old. Public health professionals recommend people ages 10 to 64 get booster shots.
Of the eight children sickened in Hunterdon County, "several were immunized; of those immunized cases, some did not have the complete series of pertussis vaccines appropriate for their age," said state health department spokeswoman Donna Leusner.
"Vaccines in general are not 100 percent effective in preventing infections, but vaccinations still can lessen the degree of illness, even if a child is not fully immunized," she said.
Rose Puelle of the Hunterdon County Division of Public Health Preparedness, confirmed some of the sick children "were vaccinated in the past, and some not for personal or medical reasons."
"Most people who complete a vaccine series including the recommended boosters have the maximum protection available to prevent illness," Puelle said. "It affords everyone in the community, including those most susceptible such as infants and immuno-compromised, the best chance of avoiding the serious consequences of disease."
In Ocean County, neither of the infected infants was vaccinated against whooping cough, county health department spokeswoman Leslie Terjesen. Both babies required hospital care, although one has since been discharged, she said.
A vocal minority of parents oppose mandatory vaccines. Sue Collins, co-founder of the New Jersey Alliance for Informed Choice in Vaccination, said vaccines are not guarantees against disease. "I know that Hunterdon had several cases a few years ago and those were in vaccinated children," she wrote in an e-mail. "From what I understand now, the strain of pertussis seems to be circulating in some communities and other states does not match the strain in the vaccines."
Since January 2011, 51 confirmed cases of whooping cough in New Jersey have been reported to the state health department. In 2009, health officials confirmed 39 cases of whooping cough in Hunterdon County.
The outbreak in Hunterdon began in the fall, according to the state.
Call or click Passport Health today
800-741-0504
www.passporthealthusa.com/new-jersey
8 Temmuz 2012 Pazar
Hearing Screening
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Did you know that hearing loss can be screened for in children too young to talk? Using a device called an Otoacustic Emissions Screener or OAE screener we can do just that. Hearing loss can come on at any time in childhood. If detected early, we can protect the remaining hearing and start with adaptive devices like aids if necessary. With those simple steps we can maintain improved childhood development.
If your child has not had her hearing checked in the last year, ask that it be done at the next well visit.
Kevin M. Windisch MD, FAAP
Sparks Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine
975 Roberta Lane #101B
Sparks NV 89431
775-359-7111
If your child has not had her hearing checked in the last year, ask that it be done at the next well visit.
Kevin M. Windisch MD, FAAP
Sparks Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine
975 Roberta Lane #101B
Sparks NV 89431
775-359-7111
Unknown disease kills 60 Cambodian kids in 3 months
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Article via The Star :
" The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that an unidentified disease has killed 60 Cambodian children within the last three months and the agency is working with Cambodian health ministry to investigate the cause.
According to the WHO, the symptoms of the disease include high fever and neurological involvement or respiratory difficulty.
So far, 61 cases of the disease were reported, all under seven years old. Only one patient has survived the disease.
"WHO is working with the Ministry of Health to conduct an investigation. At this point in time, little information is available, as the investigation is still ongoing," said Dr Pieter van Maaren, representative of WHO-Cambodia, in an e-mail to China's Xinhua news agency.
Cambodian Minister of Health Mam Bunheng told Xinhua on Wednesday that his officials and WHO officials have been working closely to identify the disease and way of disease spread."
" The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that an unidentified disease has killed 60 Cambodian children within the last three months and the agency is working with Cambodian health ministry to investigate the cause.
According to the WHO, the symptoms of the disease include high fever and neurological involvement or respiratory difficulty.
So far, 61 cases of the disease were reported, all under seven years old. Only one patient has survived the disease.
"WHO is working with the Ministry of Health to conduct an investigation. At this point in time, little information is available, as the investigation is still ongoing," said Dr Pieter van Maaren, representative of WHO-Cambodia, in an e-mail to China's Xinhua news agency.
Cambodian Minister of Health Mam Bunheng told Xinhua on Wednesday that his officials and WHO officials have been working closely to identify the disease and way of disease spread."
Concern grows over swine flu outbreak in Bolivia
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Article via Channel News Asia :
" An epidemic of swine flu has infected almost 900 people and claimed 11 lives in Bolivia, health officials said Tuesday.Although most of the cases occurred in the last few weeks, the outbreak does not rise to the level of a national epidemic, officials said.
"At the national level, the situation is under control. The most affected area is in the west," Johnny Rada, director of the ministry of health's epidemiology service, told AFP.According to official tallies, 873 cases have been reported across the country, of which 606 are in the western department of La Paz and 60 in the department just south of it, Oruro.
There have also been 167 cases reported in the large eastern department of Santa Cruz, and 36 in central Cochabamba department.A health alert has been issued for La Paz and Oruro, which, according to Rada, will permit health workers to intensify preventative measures.
Deputy Health Minister Martin Maturano also urged Bolivians to take precautions, such as eating well and frequently washing their hands.Bolivian authorities have not said whether the strain of the virus originated as swine or avian flu -- in other words whether it first spread to humans from pigs or birds."
" An epidemic of swine flu has infected almost 900 people and claimed 11 lives in Bolivia, health officials said Tuesday.Although most of the cases occurred in the last few weeks, the outbreak does not rise to the level of a national epidemic, officials said.
"At the national level, the situation is under control. The most affected area is in the west," Johnny Rada, director of the ministry of health's epidemiology service, told AFP.According to official tallies, 873 cases have been reported across the country, of which 606 are in the western department of La Paz and 60 in the department just south of it, Oruro.
There have also been 167 cases reported in the large eastern department of Santa Cruz, and 36 in central Cochabamba department.A health alert has been issued for La Paz and Oruro, which, according to Rada, will permit health workers to intensify preventative measures.
Deputy Health Minister Martin Maturano also urged Bolivians to take precautions, such as eating well and frequently washing their hands.Bolivian authorities have not said whether the strain of the virus originated as swine or avian flu -- in other words whether it first spread to humans from pigs or birds."
New Zealand : Influenza rates in Canterbury soar
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Via Stuff :
" Influenza rates in Canterbury have soared in the past week and are now above the national average. A handful of swine flu cases have also been reported. The national average stands at about 20 cases per 100,000 people.
Last week, the Canterbury average jumped to 50 cases per 100,000. Canterbury District Health Board planning and funding general manager Carolyn Gullery said the number of people suffering from influenza had increased in the past week. ''We had been tracking below the national average, but now we've gone above it, which is not a good sign for us,'' she said.
''It's definitely causing concern and we'll be monitoring it closely over the coming weeks.'' The board would continue to encourage people to have flu vaccinations, she said, but immunisation rates were below last year's levels. ''There's been less take-up with the under-18 age group,'' she said. ''Last year was really good, but this year hasn't been a repeat of that."
" Influenza rates in Canterbury have soared in the past week and are now above the national average. A handful of swine flu cases have also been reported. The national average stands at about 20 cases per 100,000 people.
Last week, the Canterbury average jumped to 50 cases per 100,000. Canterbury District Health Board planning and funding general manager Carolyn Gullery said the number of people suffering from influenza had increased in the past week. ''We had been tracking below the national average, but now we've gone above it, which is not a good sign for us,'' she said.
''It's definitely causing concern and we'll be monitoring it closely over the coming weeks.'' The board would continue to encourage people to have flu vaccinations, she said, but immunisation rates were below last year's levels. ''There's been less take-up with the under-18 age group,'' she said. ''Last year was really good, but this year hasn't been a repeat of that."
The pathology of Alzheimer's
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Alzheimer's disease is one of those potentially inevitable, maybe preventable, what the heck is really causing it diseases that came on to the medical scene in the 20th century. Essentially, as a person ages the brain atrophies slightly, and in some people they experience age-related memory problems and other cognitive effects of making it through a longer life than previous generations of humans. In other people, pathological changes to the brain induce a more pronounced memory issue that then manifests as dementia - this is Alzheimer's disease.
The disorder is diagnosed based on symptoms because the changes to the brain can't be confirmed until autopsy, showing the protein plaques in the brain tissue and spongy consistency that causes the cognitive changes. Aberrant protein beta-amyloid has long been blamed as the source of the plaques, causing Alzheimer's to be related to prion diseases and spongiform encephalopathies like mad cow, but inappropriate aggregations of naturally occurring tau protein might also be to blame, making the disease more complex and multifactorial.
Read about tau and how it relates to nerve degeneration.
The disorder is diagnosed based on symptoms because the changes to the brain can't be confirmed until autopsy, showing the protein plaques in the brain tissue and spongy consistency that causes the cognitive changes. Aberrant protein beta-amyloid has long been blamed as the source of the plaques, causing Alzheimer's to be related to prion diseases and spongiform encephalopathies like mad cow, but inappropriate aggregations of naturally occurring tau protein might also be to blame, making the disease more complex and multifactorial.
Read about tau and how it relates to nerve degeneration.
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| From the National Institute on Aging |
7 Temmuz 2012 Cumartesi
Yellow Fever What is it?
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Yellow Fever is preventable by a safe, effective vaccine. International regulations require proof of Yellow Fever vaccination for travel to and from certain countries. For purposes of international travel, Yellow Fever vaccine must be approved by the World Health Organization and administered by an approved Yellow Fever Vaccination Center. Passport Health is an approved Yellow Fever Vaccination Center. After obtaining the vaccine you will receive an International Certificate of Vaccination (ICV) completed, signed and validated with the official stamp. Because Yellow Fever vaccine is very safe and the disease risk is high, the CDC recommends this vaccine for adults and children over 9 months who will be traveling to high-risk areas.
Reactions to the vaccine are generally mild. Two percent to five percent of vaccines have mild headaches, body aches and a low-grade fever, or other minor symptoms several days after vaccination. Immediate hypersensitivity reactions, such as rash, are uncommon and occur mostly in persons with a history of egg allergy.
Protection Against Yellow Fever
It is important to remember barrier methods, as there may still be a risk of contracting other mosquito-borne illnesses. Passport Health's controlled release insect repellent contains DEET in the appropriate concentrations for use on exposed body parts. Travelers should reduce skin exposure and use mosquito netting whilst asleep. Permethrin should be applied to clothing and netting for added protection.
www.passporthealthnj.com
800-741-0504
Reactions to the vaccine are generally mild. Two percent to five percent of vaccines have mild headaches, body aches and a low-grade fever, or other minor symptoms several days after vaccination. Immediate hypersensitivity reactions, such as rash, are uncommon and occur mostly in persons with a history of egg allergy.
Protection Against Yellow Fever
It is important to remember barrier methods, as there may still be a risk of contracting other mosquito-borne illnesses. Passport Health's controlled release insect repellent contains DEET in the appropriate concentrations for use on exposed body parts. Travelers should reduce skin exposure and use mosquito netting whilst asleep. Permethrin should be applied to clothing and netting for added protection.
www.passporthealthnj.com
800-741-0504
Travel Alert Japan post earthquake-tsunami
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March 11, 2011 Japan was hit by an 8.9 earthquake and tsunami. Flood waters and standing waters pose various risks, including infectious diseases, chemical hazards, and injuries. Increased incidence of Diarrheal diseases, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Polio, Hepatitis A & B, Meningitis, and Measles, Mumps, Rubella can arise after a natural disaster. Radiation is also a risk in Japan now. The adverse health effects of radiation exposure can range from mild effects, such as skin reddening, to serious effects such as cancer and death, depending on the amount of radiation absorbed by the body, the type of radiation, the route of exposure, and the length of time a person was exposed. Travelers should be aware and properly protected before traveling to Japan. In January 2010, Haiti was hit by a 7.0 earthquake. It is estimated that 230,000 people died and 300,000 people were injured. Cholera was first detected in October 2010, and to date 3759 deaths have been reported. The outbreak is expected to continue for a period of years unless the current poor water and sanitation conditions are resolved. Increased incidence of Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Polio, Hepatitis A & B, Meningitis, Tuberculosis and Measles, Mumps, Rubella have been reported. Even before the earthquake, Haiti had the highest tuberculosis rate in the Americas. In normal times, Haiti sees about 30,000 new cases of tuberculosis each year. Dengue Fever and Malaria are both endemic in Haiti. Travelers should be aware and properly protected against present diseases in Haiti.
Meningitis Vaccine for School
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New Jersey requires meningitis vaccination for all first-time four-year college and university students living on campus.
All first-time college and university students who are living on campus must be vaccinated against meningitis.
Passport Health Offices in Lawrenceville, Morristown, East Brunswick and Shrewsbury, New Jersey have the vaccine available to New Jersey residents through a federally funded program for a total cost of $40.00
Call for your appointment today. 1-800-741-0504
www.passporthealthnj.com
New Jersey requires meningitis vaccination for all first-time four-year college and university students living on campus.
All first-time college and university students who are living on campus must be vaccinated against meningitis.
Passport Health Offices in Lawrenceville, Morristown, East Brunswick and Shrewsbury, New Jersey have the vaccine available to New Jersey residents through a federally funded program for a total cost of $40.00
Call for your appointment today. 1-800-741-0504
www.passporthealthnj.com
Whooping Cough, Make sure you're vaccinated!
To contact us Click HERE
Eight children in Hunterdon have recently been diagnosed with whooping cough — including those whose families declined to have them vaccinated or failed to get all of their necessary shots, state and county health officials said today.
An Ocean County health department spokeswoman also confirmed two infants who developed symptoms in December have been diagnosed with the highly contagious bacterial respiratory infection.
The infected children in Hunterdon County range in age from 4 to 15, and are all getting treated at home, said Carl Rachel, spokesman for the Hunterdon County Division of Public Health.
Whooping cough mimics the symptoms of a cold but then develops into "uncontrolled coughing spells," according to the county website. Nationally, the illness annually kills 10 to 20 people who are typically less than a year old, the website said.
New Jersey requires children enrolled in preschool or day care public to be vaccinated against whooping cough, also known as pertussis. But state law allows parents to cite religion and medical conditions as a reason to seek an exemption.
Most people can avoid contracting the infection — spread by coughing and sneezing — with a series of four shots beginning when a child is two months old. Public health professionals recommend people ages 10 to 64 get booster shots.
Of the eight children sickened in Hunterdon County, "several were immunized; of those immunized cases, some did not have the complete series of pertussis vaccines appropriate for their age," said state health department spokeswoman Donna Leusner.
"Vaccines in general are not 100 percent effective in preventing infections, but vaccinations still can lessen the degree of illness, even if a child is not fully immunized," she said.
Rose Puelle of the Hunterdon County Division of Public Health Preparedness, confirmed some of the sick children "were vaccinated in the past, and some not for personal or medical reasons."
"Most people who complete a vaccine series including the recommended boosters have the maximum protection available to prevent illness," Puelle said. "It affords everyone in the community, including those most susceptible such as infants and immuno-compromised, the best chance of avoiding the serious consequences of disease."
In Ocean County, neither of the infected infants was vaccinated against whooping cough, county health department spokeswoman Leslie Terjesen. Both babies required hospital care, although one has since been discharged, she said.
A vocal minority of parents oppose mandatory vaccines. Sue Collins, co-founder of the New Jersey Alliance for Informed Choice in Vaccination, said vaccines are not guarantees against disease. "I know that Hunterdon had several cases a few years ago and those were in vaccinated children," she wrote in an e-mail. "From what I understand now, the strain of pertussis seems to be circulating in some communities and other states does not match the strain in the vaccines."
Since January 2011, 51 confirmed cases of whooping cough in New Jersey have been reported to the state health department. In 2009, health officials confirmed 39 cases of whooping cough in Hunterdon County.
The outbreak in Hunterdon began in the fall, according to the state.
Call or click Passport Health today
800-741-0504
www.passporthealthusa.com/new-jersey
Eight children in Hunterdon have recently been diagnosed with whooping cough — including those whose families declined to have them vaccinated or failed to get all of their necessary shots, state and county health officials said today.
An Ocean County health department spokeswoman also confirmed two infants who developed symptoms in December have been diagnosed with the highly contagious bacterial respiratory infection.
The infected children in Hunterdon County range in age from 4 to 15, and are all getting treated at home, said Carl Rachel, spokesman for the Hunterdon County Division of Public Health.
Whooping cough mimics the symptoms of a cold but then develops into "uncontrolled coughing spells," according to the county website. Nationally, the illness annually kills 10 to 20 people who are typically less than a year old, the website said.
New Jersey requires children enrolled in preschool or day care public to be vaccinated against whooping cough, also known as pertussis. But state law allows parents to cite religion and medical conditions as a reason to seek an exemption.
Most people can avoid contracting the infection — spread by coughing and sneezing — with a series of four shots beginning when a child is two months old. Public health professionals recommend people ages 10 to 64 get booster shots.
Of the eight children sickened in Hunterdon County, "several were immunized; of those immunized cases, some did not have the complete series of pertussis vaccines appropriate for their age," said state health department spokeswoman Donna Leusner.
"Vaccines in general are not 100 percent effective in preventing infections, but vaccinations still can lessen the degree of illness, even if a child is not fully immunized," she said.
Rose Puelle of the Hunterdon County Division of Public Health Preparedness, confirmed some of the sick children "were vaccinated in the past, and some not for personal or medical reasons."
"Most people who complete a vaccine series including the recommended boosters have the maximum protection available to prevent illness," Puelle said. "It affords everyone in the community, including those most susceptible such as infants and immuno-compromised, the best chance of avoiding the serious consequences of disease."
In Ocean County, neither of the infected infants was vaccinated against whooping cough, county health department spokeswoman Leslie Terjesen. Both babies required hospital care, although one has since been discharged, she said.
A vocal minority of parents oppose mandatory vaccines. Sue Collins, co-founder of the New Jersey Alliance for Informed Choice in Vaccination, said vaccines are not guarantees against disease. "I know that Hunterdon had several cases a few years ago and those were in vaccinated children," she wrote in an e-mail. "From what I understand now, the strain of pertussis seems to be circulating in some communities and other states does not match the strain in the vaccines."
Since January 2011, 51 confirmed cases of whooping cough in New Jersey have been reported to the state health department. In 2009, health officials confirmed 39 cases of whooping cough in Hunterdon County.
The outbreak in Hunterdon began in the fall, according to the state.
Call or click Passport Health today
800-741-0504
www.passporthealthusa.com/new-jersey
Flu Shot Clinics for Corporations
To contact us Click HERE
A flu immunization program can increase company productivity, reduce absenteeism and medical costs and show employees that your company cares about them and their health. Corporations lose millions each year because their employees become ill. Absence due to sickness causes lost time and slowed productivity. Most importantly, ill employees can spread the disease; suffer pain, discomfort, and even lost wages – sometimes needlessly.Call or click us today to schedule your First Class on site Flu Shot Clinic.1-800-741-0504www.passporthealthusa.com/new-jersey
5 Temmuz 2012 Perşembe
Travel Alert! Malaria
To contact us Click HERE
Each year, more than 250 million cases of malaria are reported worldwide, killing between one and 3 million people. 90% of malaria-related deaths take place in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Torres Strait Islands (Australia) 5 cases have been reported recently. In Mumbai India 137 cases have been reported since April 2010 to present. In Andhra Pradesh India 2 deaths have been reported this year and 311 cases were reported in February alone. In the city of Quillabamba, Peru 9 cases have been recently reported. Rizal Philippines is usually considered a low risk area, however about 200 cases and 2 deaths were reported in 2010. In South Africa 2 deaths were reported in Limpopo Province recently. In Sri Lanka there have been 580 cases reported in the last year; spread of the disease has increased by 25%. In Swaziland over 20 cases have been reported so far this year. Tropical malaria manifests with flu-like symptoms and high fever. It is recommended to use prophylactic anti-malarial medications as well as mosquito repellents containing DEET on exposed skin and Permethrin on outer clothing, mosquito netting and bedding.
Call Passport Health today for an appointment 1-800-741-0504 www.passporthealthnj.com
Each year, more than 250 million cases of malaria are reported worldwide, killing between one and 3 million people. 90% of malaria-related deaths take place in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Torres Strait Islands (Australia) 5 cases have been reported recently. In Mumbai India 137 cases have been reported since April 2010 to present. In Andhra Pradesh India 2 deaths have been reported this year and 311 cases were reported in February alone. In the city of Quillabamba, Peru 9 cases have been recently reported. Rizal Philippines is usually considered a low risk area, however about 200 cases and 2 deaths were reported in 2010. In South Africa 2 deaths were reported in Limpopo Province recently. In Sri Lanka there have been 580 cases reported in the last year; spread of the disease has increased by 25%. In Swaziland over 20 cases have been reported so far this year. Tropical malaria manifests with flu-like symptoms and high fever. It is recommended to use prophylactic anti-malarial medications as well as mosquito repellents containing DEET on exposed skin and Permethrin on outer clothing, mosquito netting and bedding.
Call Passport Health today for an appointment 1-800-741-0504 www.passporthealthnj.com
Be protected from hepatitis A or hepatitis B infection
To contact us Click HERE
What is TWINRIX?
TWINRIX is a vaccine for adults 18 years of age or older. It is injected into your upper arm muscle. It is used to help protect against hepatitis A and hepatitis B infections, which can affect the liver. TWINRIX may not fully protect everyone who receives the vaccine, especially those with immune system disorders. TWINRIX is not used for the “treatment” of hepatitis A or hepatitis B.
Who should get TWINRIX?
There are many things that could put you at risk for either hepatitis A or hepatitis B. You should talk to a healthcare provider to find out more.
How does TWINRIX work?
TWINRIX works by causing the body to produce its own protection (antibodies) that prevent hepatitis A and hepatitis B virus infection. The vaccine cannot give you a hepatitis A or hepatitis B infection.
What are the benefits of using TWINRIX?
TWINRIX provides protection against two of the most common forms of hepatitis, hepatitis A and hepatitis B, through a single vaccine series. You can get separate shots for hepatitis A and hepatitis B, but that would mean a total of 5 shots in 4 visits to a healthcare provider. With the standard schedule for TWINRIX, you only need 3 shots in 3 visits to Passport Health
What is TWINRIX?
TWINRIX is a vaccine for adults 18 years of age or older. It is injected into your upper arm muscle. It is used to help protect against hepatitis A and hepatitis B infections, which can affect the liver. TWINRIX may not fully protect everyone who receives the vaccine, especially those with immune system disorders. TWINRIX is not used for the “treatment” of hepatitis A or hepatitis B.
Who should get TWINRIX?
There are many things that could put you at risk for either hepatitis A or hepatitis B. You should talk to a healthcare provider to find out more.
How does TWINRIX work?
TWINRIX works by causing the body to produce its own protection (antibodies) that prevent hepatitis A and hepatitis B virus infection. The vaccine cannot give you a hepatitis A or hepatitis B infection.
What are the benefits of using TWINRIX?
TWINRIX provides protection against two of the most common forms of hepatitis, hepatitis A and hepatitis B, through a single vaccine series. You can get separate shots for hepatitis A and hepatitis B, but that would mean a total of 5 shots in 4 visits to a healthcare provider. With the standard schedule for TWINRIX, you only need 3 shots in 3 visits to Passport Health
Protect your newborn, get yourself vaccinated
To contact us Click HERE
Parents and family members are the primary source of pertussis transmission to vulnerable infants
It is estimated that up to 3.3 million cases of pertussis occur each year in adults and adolescents in the United States
Studies show that when the source can be identified, family members are the source of transmission in up to 83% of infant cases
With a household attack rate reaching 90% to 100%, pertussis is highly contagious
Despite CDCb recommendations, only 6% of adults reported receiving Tdap vaccine from 2005 through 2008
Immunization with Tdap vaccine may help protect adults and adolescents against pertussis, and help reduce the risk of transmission to vulnerable infants.
Call for your appointment today 732-345-0029 or 1-800-741-0504, www.passporthealthnj.com
Parents and family members are the primary source of pertussis transmission to vulnerable infants
It is estimated that up to 3.3 million cases of pertussis occur each year in adults and adolescents in the United States
Studies show that when the source can be identified, family members are the source of transmission in up to 83% of infant cases
With a household attack rate reaching 90% to 100%, pertussis is highly contagious
Despite CDCb recommendations, only 6% of adults reported receiving Tdap vaccine from 2005 through 2008
Immunization with Tdap vaccine may help protect adults and adolescents against pertussis, and help reduce the risk of transmission to vulnerable infants.
Call for your appointment today 732-345-0029 or 1-800-741-0504, www.passporthealthnj.com
Tdap, Meningitis, Pneumonia and HPV Vaccines for only $40.00 at Passport Health in New Jersey
To contact us Click HERE
Passport Health offices in East Brunswick, Lawrenceville, Morristown, and Shrewsbury are proud to be a part of the ARRA Vaccine program. Tdap, Meningitis, Pneumonia and HPV Vaccines are in stock and available.
The vaccines are provided by the Federal Government at no cost to New Jersey residents.
NJVFC children excluded
Passport Health will Charge an office visit fee of $23.36 plus an administration fee of $16.64
Total cost to recipient is $40.00
Menactra approved for ages 2-55 only
Menveo approved for ages 11-55 only
Pneumovax 23 approved for ages 2 and up
Tdap approved for ages Boostrix 10-64, Adacel 11-64
Gardasil ** approved for ages 9-26
Cervarix ** approved for ages 10-25
** indicates series necessary for optimal immunity.
$ 40. charge is per dose.
Passport Health is not a Medicare Provider and does no insurance billing or filing of forms.
Payment is by cash or credit card only( no Checks).
Medically coded receipts are provided.
1-800-741-0504
www.passporthealthnj.com
vaccineprograms@passporthealthnj.com
Passport Health offices in East Brunswick, Lawrenceville, Morristown, and Shrewsbury are proud to be a part of the ARRA Vaccine program. Tdap, Meningitis, Pneumonia and HPV Vaccines are in stock and available.
The vaccines are provided by the Federal Government at no cost to New Jersey residents.
NJVFC children excluded
Passport Health will Charge an office visit fee of $23.36 plus an administration fee of $16.64
Total cost to recipient is $40.00
Menactra approved for ages 2-55 only
Menveo approved for ages 11-55 only
Pneumovax 23 approved for ages 2 and up
Tdap approved for ages Boostrix 10-64, Adacel 11-64
Gardasil ** approved for ages 9-26
Cervarix ** approved for ages 10-25
** indicates series necessary for optimal immunity.
$ 40. charge is per dose.
Passport Health is not a Medicare Provider and does no insurance billing or filing of forms.
Payment is by cash or credit card only( no Checks).
Medically coded receipts are provided.
1-800-741-0504
www.passporthealthnj.com
vaccineprograms@passporthealthnj.com
Whooping Cough, Make sure you're vaccinated!
To contact us Click HERE
Eight children in Hunterdon have recently been diagnosed with whooping cough — including those whose families declined to have them vaccinated or failed to get all of their necessary shots, state and county health officials said today.
An Ocean County health department spokeswoman also confirmed two infants who developed symptoms in December have been diagnosed with the highly contagious bacterial respiratory infection.
The infected children in Hunterdon County range in age from 4 to 15, and are all getting treated at home, said Carl Rachel, spokesman for the Hunterdon County Division of Public Health.
Whooping cough mimics the symptoms of a cold but then develops into "uncontrolled coughing spells," according to the county website. Nationally, the illness annually kills 10 to 20 people who are typically less than a year old, the website said.
New Jersey requires children enrolled in preschool or day care public to be vaccinated against whooping cough, also known as pertussis. But state law allows parents to cite religion and medical conditions as a reason to seek an exemption.
Most people can avoid contracting the infection — spread by coughing and sneezing — with a series of four shots beginning when a child is two months old. Public health professionals recommend people ages 10 to 64 get booster shots.
Of the eight children sickened in Hunterdon County, "several were immunized; of those immunized cases, some did not have the complete series of pertussis vaccines appropriate for their age," said state health department spokeswoman Donna Leusner.
"Vaccines in general are not 100 percent effective in preventing infections, but vaccinations still can lessen the degree of illness, even if a child is not fully immunized," she said.
Rose Puelle of the Hunterdon County Division of Public Health Preparedness, confirmed some of the sick children "were vaccinated in the past, and some not for personal or medical reasons."
"Most people who complete a vaccine series including the recommended boosters have the maximum protection available to prevent illness," Puelle said. "It affords everyone in the community, including those most susceptible such as infants and immuno-compromised, the best chance of avoiding the serious consequences of disease."
In Ocean County, neither of the infected infants was vaccinated against whooping cough, county health department spokeswoman Leslie Terjesen. Both babies required hospital care, although one has since been discharged, she said.
A vocal minority of parents oppose mandatory vaccines. Sue Collins, co-founder of the New Jersey Alliance for Informed Choice in Vaccination, said vaccines are not guarantees against disease. "I know that Hunterdon had several cases a few years ago and those were in vaccinated children," she wrote in an e-mail. "From what I understand now, the strain of pertussis seems to be circulating in some communities and other states does not match the strain in the vaccines."
Since January 2011, 51 confirmed cases of whooping cough in New Jersey have been reported to the state health department. In 2009, health officials confirmed 39 cases of whooping cough in Hunterdon County.
The outbreak in Hunterdon began in the fall, according to the state.
Call or click Passport Health today
800-741-0504
www.passporthealthusa.com/new-jersey
Eight children in Hunterdon have recently been diagnosed with whooping cough — including those whose families declined to have them vaccinated or failed to get all of their necessary shots, state and county health officials said today.
An Ocean County health department spokeswoman also confirmed two infants who developed symptoms in December have been diagnosed with the highly contagious bacterial respiratory infection.
The infected children in Hunterdon County range in age from 4 to 15, and are all getting treated at home, said Carl Rachel, spokesman for the Hunterdon County Division of Public Health.
Whooping cough mimics the symptoms of a cold but then develops into "uncontrolled coughing spells," according to the county website. Nationally, the illness annually kills 10 to 20 people who are typically less than a year old, the website said.
New Jersey requires children enrolled in preschool or day care public to be vaccinated against whooping cough, also known as pertussis. But state law allows parents to cite religion and medical conditions as a reason to seek an exemption.
Most people can avoid contracting the infection — spread by coughing and sneezing — with a series of four shots beginning when a child is two months old. Public health professionals recommend people ages 10 to 64 get booster shots.
Of the eight children sickened in Hunterdon County, "several were immunized; of those immunized cases, some did not have the complete series of pertussis vaccines appropriate for their age," said state health department spokeswoman Donna Leusner.
"Vaccines in general are not 100 percent effective in preventing infections, but vaccinations still can lessen the degree of illness, even if a child is not fully immunized," she said.
Rose Puelle of the Hunterdon County Division of Public Health Preparedness, confirmed some of the sick children "were vaccinated in the past, and some not for personal or medical reasons."
"Most people who complete a vaccine series including the recommended boosters have the maximum protection available to prevent illness," Puelle said. "It affords everyone in the community, including those most susceptible such as infants and immuno-compromised, the best chance of avoiding the serious consequences of disease."
In Ocean County, neither of the infected infants was vaccinated against whooping cough, county health department spokeswoman Leslie Terjesen. Both babies required hospital care, although one has since been discharged, she said.
A vocal minority of parents oppose mandatory vaccines. Sue Collins, co-founder of the New Jersey Alliance for Informed Choice in Vaccination, said vaccines are not guarantees against disease. "I know that Hunterdon had several cases a few years ago and those were in vaccinated children," she wrote in an e-mail. "From what I understand now, the strain of pertussis seems to be circulating in some communities and other states does not match the strain in the vaccines."
Since January 2011, 51 confirmed cases of whooping cough in New Jersey have been reported to the state health department. In 2009, health officials confirmed 39 cases of whooping cough in Hunterdon County.
The outbreak in Hunterdon began in the fall, according to the state.
Call or click Passport Health today
800-741-0504
www.passporthealthusa.com/new-jersey
4 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
Black Hills-area wildfires scorch 6,000 acres
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Wildfires are now burning on about 6,000 acres in southwestern South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming. The White Draw Fire near Edgemont is the largest at nearly 5,000 acres. It's about 50% contained. Fire crews are dealing with the crash of an Air Force air tanker that killed at least one person but fire spokesman Brian Scott says crews are focusing on getting the blaze under control because that's their job. The Parker Peak Fire near Hot Springs has grown to about 1,000 acres, and is 10% contained. The Highlands Fire has scorched about 400 acres between Newcastle, Wyo., and Custer, S.D., and is 60% contained. It has destroyed five structures and damaged two others. The Soldier Fire near Beulah, Wyo., is five acres and 50% contained.
Huey Helicopter Removes Crashed Plane From White Mountain
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According to Sweetwater County Deputy Dick Blust,Jr., last Friday, Deputy Sheriff Mike Merkley guided a recovery team from Beegles Aircraft Service of Greeley, Colorado, to the remote scene of a June 22nd plane crash on the western slopes of White Mountain about 13 miles north of Green River.
Unable to reach the crash site with their usual ground unit plus special transport trailer, Eddy Schumacher of Beegles Aircraft contacted pilot Bob Hawkins of Sky Aviation, based in Worland, who flew to the scene in a yellow 1969 Bell UH-1H helicopter - commonly called a “Huey,” the rotary-wing workhorse of the Vietnam conflict - to extract Van Amburg’s Beech.
Unable to reach the crash site with their usual ground unit plus special transport trailer, Eddy Schumacher of Beegles Aircraft contacted pilot Bob Hawkins of Sky Aviation, based in Worland, who flew to the scene in a yellow 1969 Bell UH-1H helicopter - commonly called a “Huey,” the rotary-wing workhorse of the Vietnam conflict - to extract Van Amburg’s Beech.
Air Force planes again ready for fire missions
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Five Air Force C-130 tankers are ready to resume firefighting flights after the crash of another tanker over the weekend killed four crew members and injured two. The military said none of the planes had been called on as of Tuesday afternoon. A sixth C-130 will be available by Wednesday. A C-130 crashed Sunday while fighting a wildfire in the Black Hills of South Dakota. That prompted officials to ground the seven remaining planes in the fleet. The C-130 that crashed was from an Air National Guard wing based in Charlotte, N.C. Another C-130 from that unit has returned to Charlotte. The military said the dead are Lt. Col. Paul K. Mikeal (MY-kuhl), Maj. Joseph M. McCormick, Maj. Ryan S. David (dah-VEED) and Senior Master Sgt. Robert S. Cannon.
Authorities recover body after tubing accident
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The Casper Fire Department has recovered the body of a man who fell from his inflatable tube in the North Platte River late last month. The man, whose name has not been released, fell into the water June 26 while trying to grab a cooler from the tube. His body was found Monday morning tangled in debris downstream from where he disappeared. Craig Kidder with the fire department says the man is believed to have drowned.
Two Pronghorn Accidentally Shot
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After two recent accidental pronghorn antelope deaths officials with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department are reminding anyone who is target shooting to pay attention to their target and what is beyond that target. Rawlins Game Wardens Brady Frude and Bill Brinegar investigated two accidental pronghorn antelope deaths, one at the Sinclair rifle range and one at the Rawlins Outdoor Gun Club. “If you are going to a range that is new to you look at your surroundings before you start target practice,” Brinegar said. “The two pronghorn were shot by non-residents who were not familiar with the local pronghorn that are accustomed to the sounds of gunshots. Look down range at your target and what is beyond that target before you do any shooting.”
2 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi
Developmental Screening
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Developmental screening should take place at the majority of well child/infant visits. It consists of the usage of various statistically validated tools to monitor child development. The most common tool that you will hear reference to is the Denver II Developmental Screen. This tool is fameous because it was the first of it's kind but is not too useful since it has never been shown to be sensitive or specific.
We use a tool called the Ages and Stages Tool. This tool breaks development up into 5 categories: Gross motor, Fine motor, problem solving, personal/social and speech. We will discuss each domain in more detail including major milestones in future episodes.
I hope that this has shed some light on the subject of developmental screening and perhaps raised some questions for you.
Kevin M. Windisch MD, FAAP
Sparks Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine
975 Roberta ste 101 B
Sparks NV 89431
(775) 359-7111
We use a tool called the Ages and Stages Tool. This tool breaks development up into 5 categories: Gross motor, Fine motor, problem solving, personal/social and speech. We will discuss each domain in more detail including major milestones in future episodes.
I hope that this has shed some light on the subject of developmental screening and perhaps raised some questions for you.
Kevin M. Windisch MD, FAAP
Sparks Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine
975 Roberta ste 101 B
Sparks NV 89431
(775) 359-7111
Major Gross Motor Milestones
To contact us Click HERE
Following on our last discussion of developmental testing lets look at each category and some of the major milestones we are interested in.
The category of gross motor includes the use of the large muscles of the trunk and extremities.
Children should be able to lift their head off the table for a second by 2 months and look around by 4 months. Frequently children can roll front to back by 4 months (but we some times don't see this now that we put children to sleep on their back). They should be able to sit unsupported for 2-3 seconds or in a tripod position by 6 months. They should begin to crawl, scoot or roll around by 6 months as well. By 12 months your child should be able to stand and cruise around holding on to furniture and by 15 months should be able to take 1-2 steps unsupported. By 18 months your child should be able to go up stairs with one hand held and by 24 months should be able to throw or kick a ball, climb and go up and down stairs without help.
I hope that this has helped
Kevin M. Windisch MD, FAAP
Sparks Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine
975 Roberta Lane # 101 B
Sparks, NV 89431
775-359-7111
The category of gross motor includes the use of the large muscles of the trunk and extremities.
Children should be able to lift their head off the table for a second by 2 months and look around by 4 months. Frequently children can roll front to back by 4 months (but we some times don't see this now that we put children to sleep on their back). They should be able to sit unsupported for 2-3 seconds or in a tripod position by 6 months. They should begin to crawl, scoot or roll around by 6 months as well. By 12 months your child should be able to stand and cruise around holding on to furniture and by 15 months should be able to take 1-2 steps unsupported. By 18 months your child should be able to go up stairs with one hand held and by 24 months should be able to throw or kick a ball, climb and go up and down stairs without help.
I hope that this has helped
Kevin M. Windisch MD, FAAP
Sparks Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine
975 Roberta Lane # 101 B
Sparks, NV 89431
775-359-7111
Major Speech Milestones
To contact us Click HERE
Sorry I've been away for so long.
Many people are conerned about their child's speech. Here are the major developmental milestones:
Babies should begin to coo at 4 months. This is a consanant free sound "OOOEEEAAA".
They should be babbling by 4 months "BABBAABAGOO".
They typically have two words by 12 months Mama and one other.
We expect to see 3-5 words by 15 months and 15 words by 18 months.
At two years we hope to see at least 1 two word sentence such as "Mama, NO!" and a 50 word vocabulary. Typically strangers can understand 1/2 of their speech at two.
By three they should have too many words to count and several prepositions such as over, under, in, out, on and should be understandable by strangers 2/3 of the time.
If your child isn't meeting these milestones, ask your physician for formal screening.
Kevin M. Windisch, MD, FAAP
Sparks Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine
975 Roberta Lane #101B
Sparks, NV 89431
775-359-7111
Many people are conerned about their child's speech. Here are the major developmental milestones:
Babies should begin to coo at 4 months. This is a consanant free sound "OOOEEEAAA".
They should be babbling by 4 months "BABBAABAGOO".
They typically have two words by 12 months Mama and one other.
We expect to see 3-5 words by 15 months and 15 words by 18 months.
At two years we hope to see at least 1 two word sentence such as "Mama, NO!" and a 50 word vocabulary. Typically strangers can understand 1/2 of their speech at two.
By three they should have too many words to count and several prepositions such as over, under, in, out, on and should be understandable by strangers 2/3 of the time.
If your child isn't meeting these milestones, ask your physician for formal screening.
Kevin M. Windisch, MD, FAAP
Sparks Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine
975 Roberta Lane #101B
Sparks, NV 89431
775-359-7111
Social Milestones
To contact us Click HERE
Here are some common social milestones. I hope that this helps you to understand where your baby is. When in doubt ask your pediatrician to screen your child with one of the validated screening tools that are so widely available:
At 2 months your child should smile at you in response to your smile at 4 months your child should stare at his own hand and smile spontaneously. At 6 months your child should reach out for a toy. At 9 months should be able to feed herself fingerfoods. at 12 months, most babies can play pat-a-cake. At 15 months most babies can begin to imitate work around the house and hold a cup.
I hope that this helps you to see what we are looking for with our patients.
Kevin M. Windisch MD, FAAP
Sparks Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine
975 Roberta Lane # 101 B
Sparks NV 89431
775-359-7111
At 2 months your child should smile at you in response to your smile at 4 months your child should stare at his own hand and smile spontaneously. At 6 months your child should reach out for a toy. At 9 months should be able to feed herself fingerfoods. at 12 months, most babies can play pat-a-cake. At 15 months most babies can begin to imitate work around the house and hold a cup.
I hope that this helps you to see what we are looking for with our patients.
Kevin M. Windisch MD, FAAP
Sparks Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine
975 Roberta Lane # 101 B
Sparks NV 89431
775-359-7111
Problem Solving Milestones
To contact us Click HERE
This category is one that most parents have some difficulty grasping. It encompasses the cognitive domain.
By two months a child should be following things with his eyes and getting bored if activities don't change. At 4 months a child should let you know if she is happy or sad, respond to affection and play peek a boo. By 6 months a child should enjoy playing with others, recognize strangers and enjoy looking at himself in the mirror. At 9 months a child should look at things as they fall and look for toys that she's seen you hide. At 12 months a child should be able to look at a picture of a common object when you name it.
I hope that this has helped to demystify things for you.
Kevin M. Windisch MD, FAAP
Sparks Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine
975 Roberta Lane # 101B
Sparks NV 89431
775-359-7111
By two months a child should be following things with his eyes and getting bored if activities don't change. At 4 months a child should let you know if she is happy or sad, respond to affection and play peek a boo. By 6 months a child should enjoy playing with others, recognize strangers and enjoy looking at himself in the mirror. At 9 months a child should look at things as they fall and look for toys that she's seen you hide. At 12 months a child should be able to look at a picture of a common object when you name it.
I hope that this has helped to demystify things for you.
Kevin M. Windisch MD, FAAP
Sparks Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine
975 Roberta Lane # 101B
Sparks NV 89431
775-359-7111
1 Temmuz 2012 Pazar
Traveler Alert: Protection Against Malaria
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Malaria in humans is caused by one of four protozoan species. All species are transmitted by the bite of an infected female mosquito. Occasionally Malaria transmission occurs by blood transfusion or congenitally from mother to fetus.
Signs and Symptoms of Malaria
Malaria is characterized by fever and flu-like symptoms, including chills, headache, body aches and fatigue; these symptoms may occur at intervals. Malaria may be associated with anemia and jaundice, and may cause kidney failure, coma and death. Deaths due to Malaria are preventable. The estimated risk of a traveler acquiring Malaria varies markedly from area to area. A Passport Health Travel Medicine Specialist will help you to determine your risk and Malaria prevention measures.
Protective Measures Against Malaria
Because no currently available drug regimen guarantees 100\% protection against Malaria, prevention of infection requires taking antimalarial medication as directed in addition to prevention of mosquito bites. Mosquitoes that carry Malaria have nocturnal feeding habits, thus Malaria transmission occurs primarily between dusk and dawn. Measures to reduce mosquito contact during critical hours include:
•Remaining in well-screened or air conditioned areas
•Using mosquito nets treated with Permethrin
•Wearing clothing that covers most of the body and has been treated with Permethrin
•Using insect repellents containing appropriate levels of DEET
•Using insecticides in living and sleeping areas where appropriate
Passport Health carries CDC and WHO recommended insect repellents for purchase.
Antimalarial Drugs
Most antimalarials act in the bloodstream to suppress clinical symptoms by inhibiting parasite development in red blood cells. Regardless of duration of stay in a Malarious area, antimalarials should be taken by all travelers. The regime for all Malaria medications include the need to be taken before arrival, during the visit, and after departure from a Malaria risk area. This approach assures adequate blood levels of the drug, enables the traveler to switch to another drug in the event of side effects and gets the traveler in the habit of taking the drug on a regular basis. Because antimalarials do not actually prevent the disease, continued dosing with antimalarials after departure from an endemic area ensures that the drug will kill any lingering parasites. A Passport Health Travel Medicine Specialist will counsel you on recommended antimalaria medications specific to your travel destination. Antimalaria medications may be prescribed for you by the Travel Medicine Specialist and many locations may have antimalaria medications available for purchase.
Follow-Up
Regardless of the drug regimen used, it is still possible to contract Malaria during travel and to become ill following departure from a malarious area. Travelers should seek medical attention as soon as possible if a fever illness develops during a trip or the first year following exposure. Malaria may be fatal if treatment is delayed.
So, if you are asking yourself, "what travel shots do I need? or where to get the Malaria vaccine", call 732-345-0029 for your appointment today!
www.passporthealthnj.com
Malaria in humans is caused by one of four protozoan species. All species are transmitted by the bite of an infected female mosquito. Occasionally Malaria transmission occurs by blood transfusion or congenitally from mother to fetus.
Signs and Symptoms of Malaria
Malaria is characterized by fever and flu-like symptoms, including chills, headache, body aches and fatigue; these symptoms may occur at intervals. Malaria may be associated with anemia and jaundice, and may cause kidney failure, coma and death. Deaths due to Malaria are preventable. The estimated risk of a traveler acquiring Malaria varies markedly from area to area. A Passport Health Travel Medicine Specialist will help you to determine your risk and Malaria prevention measures.
Protective Measures Against Malaria
Because no currently available drug regimen guarantees 100\% protection against Malaria, prevention of infection requires taking antimalarial medication as directed in addition to prevention of mosquito bites. Mosquitoes that carry Malaria have nocturnal feeding habits, thus Malaria transmission occurs primarily between dusk and dawn. Measures to reduce mosquito contact during critical hours include:
•Remaining in well-screened or air conditioned areas
•Using mosquito nets treated with Permethrin
•Wearing clothing that covers most of the body and has been treated with Permethrin
•Using insect repellents containing appropriate levels of DEET
•Using insecticides in living and sleeping areas where appropriate
Passport Health carries CDC and WHO recommended insect repellents for purchase.
Antimalarial Drugs
Most antimalarials act in the bloodstream to suppress clinical symptoms by inhibiting parasite development in red blood cells. Regardless of duration of stay in a Malarious area, antimalarials should be taken by all travelers. The regime for all Malaria medications include the need to be taken before arrival, during the visit, and after departure from a Malaria risk area. This approach assures adequate blood levels of the drug, enables the traveler to switch to another drug in the event of side effects and gets the traveler in the habit of taking the drug on a regular basis. Because antimalarials do not actually prevent the disease, continued dosing with antimalarials after departure from an endemic area ensures that the drug will kill any lingering parasites. A Passport Health Travel Medicine Specialist will counsel you on recommended antimalaria medications specific to your travel destination. Antimalaria medications may be prescribed for you by the Travel Medicine Specialist and many locations may have antimalaria medications available for purchase.
Follow-Up
Regardless of the drug regimen used, it is still possible to contract Malaria during travel and to become ill following departure from a malarious area. Travelers should seek medical attention as soon as possible if a fever illness develops during a trip or the first year following exposure. Malaria may be fatal if treatment is delayed.
So, if you are asking yourself, "what travel shots do I need? or where to get the Malaria vaccine", call 732-345-0029 for your appointment today!
www.passporthealthnj.com
Travel Health on your Mission Trip
To contact us Click HERE
As a mission, volunteer or intercountry adoption traveler, you will be exposed to more risks than the average international vacationer. Typically you will be traveling to the more remote areas of underdeveloped countries. The sanitation, food preparations and health care will be sub-standard to what you are familiar with at home. Even the most careful traveler can become ill.
Expert Support for Mission or Volunteer Coordinators,
Team Leaders and Members
When planning a mission trip, it is important to include pre-trip medical preparations in your planning and budgeting. Passport Health's Travel Medicine Specialists will review with you the immunizations required and recommended for the area you will be visiting, based on the time of year, length of stay and your activities while you are there. Passport Health utilizes advice from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the US Department of State, the world's leaders in all areas of disease, outbreaks, warnings and knowledge of immunizations. Recommendations and requirements are constantly updated. At Passport Health, we monitor these conditions daily to ensure we give the best possible information to our travelers.
Many organizations do not include the upfront costs of immunizations in their planning, or ignore them all together. Team members should be up to date on all routine adult immunizations, such as Tetanus/Diphtheria, Hepatitis A and B, Measles/Mumps/Rubella, to name a few. This is in addition to the destination-specific travel immunizations needed. It is dangerous to ignore the importance of being immunized. Don't be fooled by 'No one got sick last time we traveled there.' The immunization cost is a fraction of what it will cost if just one person becomes sick or injured.
Passport Health can tailor a program and price options that fit your groups' needs and budget. It will include the information, routine and travel immunizations, medications and specialty travel health products.
Travelers receiving immunizations from Passport Health will receive an official immunization record to keep with his or her travel documents.
Passport Health also offers hard to find specialty travel health products. Many mission groups strongly encourage their team members to consider such products as they know they are some of the best on the market and not available once they've reached their destination.
The work performed by mission and volunteer travelers all over the world is so important and the rewards so fulfilling, illness or injury should not hinder a team's or individual member's ability to complete their assignment.
Experienced coordinators know proper planning for small or large groups means working early to get team members prepared. Passport Health is your one stop travel health planning partner.
Call us today for morre information 732-345-0029 or 800-741-0504
www.passporthealthni.com
As a mission, volunteer or intercountry adoption traveler, you will be exposed to more risks than the average international vacationer. Typically you will be traveling to the more remote areas of underdeveloped countries. The sanitation, food preparations and health care will be sub-standard to what you are familiar with at home. Even the most careful traveler can become ill.
Expert Support for Mission or Volunteer Coordinators,
Team Leaders and Members
When planning a mission trip, it is important to include pre-trip medical preparations in your planning and budgeting. Passport Health's Travel Medicine Specialists will review with you the immunizations required and recommended for the area you will be visiting, based on the time of year, length of stay and your activities while you are there. Passport Health utilizes advice from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the US Department of State, the world's leaders in all areas of disease, outbreaks, warnings and knowledge of immunizations. Recommendations and requirements are constantly updated. At Passport Health, we monitor these conditions daily to ensure we give the best possible information to our travelers.
Many organizations do not include the upfront costs of immunizations in their planning, or ignore them all together. Team members should be up to date on all routine adult immunizations, such as Tetanus/Diphtheria, Hepatitis A and B, Measles/Mumps/Rubella, to name a few. This is in addition to the destination-specific travel immunizations needed. It is dangerous to ignore the importance of being immunized. Don't be fooled by 'No one got sick last time we traveled there.' The immunization cost is a fraction of what it will cost if just one person becomes sick or injured.
Passport Health can tailor a program and price options that fit your groups' needs and budget. It will include the information, routine and travel immunizations, medications and specialty travel health products.
Travelers receiving immunizations from Passport Health will receive an official immunization record to keep with his or her travel documents.
Passport Health also offers hard to find specialty travel health products. Many mission groups strongly encourage their team members to consider such products as they know they are some of the best on the market and not available once they've reached their destination.
The work performed by mission and volunteer travelers all over the world is so important and the rewards so fulfilling, illness or injury should not hinder a team's or individual member's ability to complete their assignment.
Experienced coordinators know proper planning for small or large groups means working early to get team members prepared. Passport Health is your one stop travel health planning partner.
Call us today for morre information 732-345-0029 or 800-741-0504
www.passporthealthni.com
Why Passport Health?
To contact us Click HERE
First Class Medical Care for Travel Anywhere
Passport Health is the largest provider of travel medical services in the United States with convenient locations nationwide. Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure we can prepare you for your trip with destination-specific travel information, immunizations, travel shots, specialty travel products, and international travel health insurance in all our travel clinics.
Good Health. . . Don't Forget to Take It With You!
Exciting destinations, exotic foods, engaging customs. . . International travel, whether for personal or business reasons, can be challenging if you are not prepared. Disease, illness, crime, and injury happen unexpectedly to even the most experienced traveler. Planning for good health on an international trip is as important as buying tickets or obtaining a visa and passport. That is why Passport Health's mission is to provide information, travel vaccines, and travel medications for you, the international traveler.
Passport Health is a leading provider of travel health information and immunizations for international travelers, major corporations, universities and other international organizations. Our nationwide staff is comprised of professionals that include board-certified physicians and registered nurses who have completed rigorous training in the field of travel medicine and immunology. We are a state certified Yellow Fever vaccine provider.
First Class Medical Care for Travel Anywhere
Passport Health is the largest provider of travel medical services in the United States with convenient locations nationwide. Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure we can prepare you for your trip with destination-specific travel information, immunizations, travel shots, specialty travel products, and international travel health insurance in all our travel clinics.
Good Health. . . Don't Forget to Take It With You!
Exciting destinations, exotic foods, engaging customs. . . International travel, whether for personal or business reasons, can be challenging if you are not prepared. Disease, illness, crime, and injury happen unexpectedly to even the most experienced traveler. Planning for good health on an international trip is as important as buying tickets or obtaining a visa and passport. That is why Passport Health's mission is to provide information, travel vaccines, and travel medications for you, the international traveler.
Passport Health is a leading provider of travel health information and immunizations for international travelers, major corporations, universities and other international organizations. Our nationwide staff is comprised of professionals that include board-certified physicians and registered nurses who have completed rigorous training in the field of travel medicine and immunology. We are a state certified Yellow Fever vaccine provider.
Travel Alert E. coli
To contact us Click HERE
June 8 (Bloomberg) -- Germany's top health official said the deadly E. coli outbreak appeared to be waning as local authorities defended their handling of the crisis.
At least 2,743 people have been stricken by E. coli since May 2, up from 2,429 yesterday, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said today. The bacteria have caused 25 deaths, an increase of 2 from yesterday, the Stockholm-based agency said.
The outbreak's cause may never be found, Health Minister Daniel Bahr said at a news conference. The Robert Koch Institute, Germany's disease-control agency, reiterated that people shouldn't eat lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and salad ingredients such as vegetable sprouts.
"It's not the time yet to sound the all-clear, but after the analysis of figures and data at the Robert Koch Institute there's reason for justified optimism that the worst is behind us," Bahr said in Berlin today.
German officials have been struggling to pin down the source of the infections for several weeks, and have come under fire for delays as well as twice pointing to a cause for the outbreak too hastily.
The country's decentralized federal system may have compounded a lack of leadership and prevented a speedy response to the crisis, according to Baerbel Hoehn of the Green Party.
'More Confusion'
"To get to the root of all this, the German agriculture minister must say 'I'll take charge, I'll coordinate everything," Hoehn said today on N24 television. "Instead, too many people with new ideas are constantly coming to the fore, which only serves to create more confusion."
Germany may review its response after the outbreak to determine what could be improved, though there's no need to change the structure of the system, Stefan Gruettner, social minister of the state of Hesse and chairman of a meeting of health ministers from the country's 16 states, said in an interview today.
"We don't need centralism," Gruettner said. "Everything went well."
Germany initially blamed Spanish cucumbers, and on June 5 officials said sprouts from an organic farm played a role in the outbreak. Tests from the farm in Lower Saxony state have showed no evidence of the bacteria.
Disease Clusters
There are eight E. coli clusters linked to the sprout farm, Agriculture Minister Ilse Aigner said at the Berlin news conference. Lower Saxony still sees a connection between the outbreak and the farm in the town of Bienenbuettel even though tests have come up negative, Agriculture Minister Gert Lindemann told N24 in an interview today.
"We have, as yet, no bacterial results, and I don't know if we'll ever have these," the Lower Saxony minister is cited as saying. "But the epidemiological chain between the sites of the outbreak and the Bienenbuettel site yesterday became stronger rather than weaker."
Tests on 471 samples from Lower Saxony have come back negative, with another 382 still being tested, the state said in an e-mailed statement today. Nine samples taken from the farm have tested negative for the bacteria, and eight tests are still being conducted, the state said.
Infections among some employees of the Bienenbuettel facility support a link, Lindemann told the German news channel today.
The strain of E. coli involved in the outbreak produces a toxin that attacks the kidneys and blood vessels. Most cases have occurred in adult women, and among people from northern Germany or who have recently traveled there, the ECDC said.
EU nations reported 722 people have developed a potentially fatal kidney complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome after being infected with E. coli, the agency said today. That's an increase from 674 cases yesterday.
--With assistance from Rainer Buergin in Berlin, Niklas Magnusson in Hamburg, Rudy Ruitenberg in Paris and Emma Ross- Thomas in Madrid. Editors: Phil Serafino, David Risser, Marthe Fourcade.
When planning a trip call us for pre depature travel health services 1-800-741-0504
www.passporthealthnj.com
June 8 (Bloomberg) -- Germany's top health official said the deadly E. coli outbreak appeared to be waning as local authorities defended their handling of the crisis.
At least 2,743 people have been stricken by E. coli since May 2, up from 2,429 yesterday, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said today. The bacteria have caused 25 deaths, an increase of 2 from yesterday, the Stockholm-based agency said.
The outbreak's cause may never be found, Health Minister Daniel Bahr said at a news conference. The Robert Koch Institute, Germany's disease-control agency, reiterated that people shouldn't eat lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and salad ingredients such as vegetable sprouts.
"It's not the time yet to sound the all-clear, but after the analysis of figures and data at the Robert Koch Institute there's reason for justified optimism that the worst is behind us," Bahr said in Berlin today.
German officials have been struggling to pin down the source of the infections for several weeks, and have come under fire for delays as well as twice pointing to a cause for the outbreak too hastily.
The country's decentralized federal system may have compounded a lack of leadership and prevented a speedy response to the crisis, according to Baerbel Hoehn of the Green Party.
'More Confusion'
"To get to the root of all this, the German agriculture minister must say 'I'll take charge, I'll coordinate everything," Hoehn said today on N24 television. "Instead, too many people with new ideas are constantly coming to the fore, which only serves to create more confusion."
Germany may review its response after the outbreak to determine what could be improved, though there's no need to change the structure of the system, Stefan Gruettner, social minister of the state of Hesse and chairman of a meeting of health ministers from the country's 16 states, said in an interview today.
"We don't need centralism," Gruettner said. "Everything went well."
Germany initially blamed Spanish cucumbers, and on June 5 officials said sprouts from an organic farm played a role in the outbreak. Tests from the farm in Lower Saxony state have showed no evidence of the bacteria.
Disease Clusters
There are eight E. coli clusters linked to the sprout farm, Agriculture Minister Ilse Aigner said at the Berlin news conference. Lower Saxony still sees a connection between the outbreak and the farm in the town of Bienenbuettel even though tests have come up negative, Agriculture Minister Gert Lindemann told N24 in an interview today.
"We have, as yet, no bacterial results, and I don't know if we'll ever have these," the Lower Saxony minister is cited as saying. "But the epidemiological chain between the sites of the outbreak and the Bienenbuettel site yesterday became stronger rather than weaker."
Tests on 471 samples from Lower Saxony have come back negative, with another 382 still being tested, the state said in an e-mailed statement today. Nine samples taken from the farm have tested negative for the bacteria, and eight tests are still being conducted, the state said.
Infections among some employees of the Bienenbuettel facility support a link, Lindemann told the German news channel today.
The strain of E. coli involved in the outbreak produces a toxin that attacks the kidneys and blood vessels. Most cases have occurred in adult women, and among people from northern Germany or who have recently traveled there, the ECDC said.
EU nations reported 722 people have developed a potentially fatal kidney complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome after being infected with E. coli, the agency said today. That's an increase from 674 cases yesterday.
--With assistance from Rainer Buergin in Berlin, Niklas Magnusson in Hamburg, Rudy Ruitenberg in Paris and Emma Ross- Thomas in Madrid. Editors: Phil Serafino, David Risser, Marthe Fourcade.
When planning a trip call us for pre depature travel health services 1-800-741-0504
www.passporthealthnj.com
Whooping Cough, Make sure you're vaccinated!
To contact us Click HERE
Eight children in Hunterdon have recently been diagnosed with whooping cough — including those whose families declined to have them vaccinated or failed to get all of their necessary shots, state and county health officials said today.
An Ocean County health department spokeswoman also confirmed two infants who developed symptoms in December have been diagnosed with the highly contagious bacterial respiratory infection.
The infected children in Hunterdon County range in age from 4 to 15, and are all getting treated at home, said Carl Rachel, spokesman for the Hunterdon County Division of Public Health.
Whooping cough mimics the symptoms of a cold but then develops into "uncontrolled coughing spells," according to the county website. Nationally, the illness annually kills 10 to 20 people who are typically less than a year old, the website said.
New Jersey requires children enrolled in preschool or day care public to be vaccinated against whooping cough, also known as pertussis. But state law allows parents to cite religion and medical conditions as a reason to seek an exemption.
Most people can avoid contracting the infection — spread by coughing and sneezing — with a series of four shots beginning when a child is two months old. Public health professionals recommend people ages 10 to 64 get booster shots.
Of the eight children sickened in Hunterdon County, "several were immunized; of those immunized cases, some did not have the complete series of pertussis vaccines appropriate for their age," said state health department spokeswoman Donna Leusner.
"Vaccines in general are not 100 percent effective in preventing infections, but vaccinations still can lessen the degree of illness, even if a child is not fully immunized," she said.
Rose Puelle of the Hunterdon County Division of Public Health Preparedness, confirmed some of the sick children "were vaccinated in the past, and some not for personal or medical reasons."
"Most people who complete a vaccine series including the recommended boosters have the maximum protection available to prevent illness," Puelle said. "It affords everyone in the community, including those most susceptible such as infants and immuno-compromised, the best chance of avoiding the serious consequences of disease."
In Ocean County, neither of the infected infants was vaccinated against whooping cough, county health department spokeswoman Leslie Terjesen. Both babies required hospital care, although one has since been discharged, she said.
A vocal minority of parents oppose mandatory vaccines. Sue Collins, co-founder of the New Jersey Alliance for Informed Choice in Vaccination, said vaccines are not guarantees against disease. "I know that Hunterdon had several cases a few years ago and those were in vaccinated children," she wrote in an e-mail. "From what I understand now, the strain of pertussis seems to be circulating in some communities and other states does not match the strain in the vaccines."
Since January 2011, 51 confirmed cases of whooping cough in New Jersey have been reported to the state health department. In 2009, health officials confirmed 39 cases of whooping cough in Hunterdon County.
The outbreak in Hunterdon began in the fall, according to the state.
Call or click Passport Health today
800-741-0504
www.passporthealthusa.com/new-jersey
Eight children in Hunterdon have recently been diagnosed with whooping cough — including those whose families declined to have them vaccinated or failed to get all of their necessary shots, state and county health officials said today.
An Ocean County health department spokeswoman also confirmed two infants who developed symptoms in December have been diagnosed with the highly contagious bacterial respiratory infection.
The infected children in Hunterdon County range in age from 4 to 15, and are all getting treated at home, said Carl Rachel, spokesman for the Hunterdon County Division of Public Health.
Whooping cough mimics the symptoms of a cold but then develops into "uncontrolled coughing spells," according to the county website. Nationally, the illness annually kills 10 to 20 people who are typically less than a year old, the website said.
New Jersey requires children enrolled in preschool or day care public to be vaccinated against whooping cough, also known as pertussis. But state law allows parents to cite religion and medical conditions as a reason to seek an exemption.
Most people can avoid contracting the infection — spread by coughing and sneezing — with a series of four shots beginning when a child is two months old. Public health professionals recommend people ages 10 to 64 get booster shots.
Of the eight children sickened in Hunterdon County, "several were immunized; of those immunized cases, some did not have the complete series of pertussis vaccines appropriate for their age," said state health department spokeswoman Donna Leusner.
"Vaccines in general are not 100 percent effective in preventing infections, but vaccinations still can lessen the degree of illness, even if a child is not fully immunized," she said.
Rose Puelle of the Hunterdon County Division of Public Health Preparedness, confirmed some of the sick children "were vaccinated in the past, and some not for personal or medical reasons."
"Most people who complete a vaccine series including the recommended boosters have the maximum protection available to prevent illness," Puelle said. "It affords everyone in the community, including those most susceptible such as infants and immuno-compromised, the best chance of avoiding the serious consequences of disease."
In Ocean County, neither of the infected infants was vaccinated against whooping cough, county health department spokeswoman Leslie Terjesen. Both babies required hospital care, although one has since been discharged, she said.
A vocal minority of parents oppose mandatory vaccines. Sue Collins, co-founder of the New Jersey Alliance for Informed Choice in Vaccination, said vaccines are not guarantees against disease. "I know that Hunterdon had several cases a few years ago and those were in vaccinated children," she wrote in an e-mail. "From what I understand now, the strain of pertussis seems to be circulating in some communities and other states does not match the strain in the vaccines."
Since January 2011, 51 confirmed cases of whooping cough in New Jersey have been reported to the state health department. In 2009, health officials confirmed 39 cases of whooping cough in Hunterdon County.
The outbreak in Hunterdon began in the fall, according to the state.
Call or click Passport Health today
800-741-0504
www.passporthealthusa.com/new-jersey
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