Pediatric Pointers
by Dr. Joey Bell, Pembroke Pediatrics
Sun Protection ,
It seems as if we are blessed w ith
almost year roynd sunshine here in
North Carolina, and it is important
that we remember while the sun
warms us and brings us life, it can
also do damage to our skin if we get
too much of it at one time. We should
all protect ourselves I'tom the sun's
harmful rays throughout the year,
and not just in the summer. While the
sun's rays are strongest in May
through September, they can be
harmful any time. Too much
exposure to the sun can lead to
sunburn, aging, eye damage and skin
cancer.
Not many of us know that half of
all new cancers in the l.'ni'.ed States
are skin cancers, and t!..:'. the most
deadly type of skin cancer kills over
7,000 people a year. Skin cancer is
almost always due to damage from
the harmful rays of the sun, and
children are more at risk for getting
too much sun because they spend
more time outdoors than most adults.
We know they're always wanting to
play outside, and we need to make
sure it js safe for them to do so.
Children need protection front the
, sun's harmful rays in the form of sun
screen, protective clothing, and
sunglasses.
The most well known way to
protect your children from the sun is
to use sun screen. There are many
good brands on the market made
especially for children, although it is
fine to use a regular sun screen on
kids. Sunscreens come with a rating
called a SPF (sun protection factor)
which is listed on the front of the
bottle and which tells how much
protection the lotion will offer. The
higher the SPF number, the greater
the protection. It is recommended
that all children use sun screen that is
at least SPF 15.
As a parent, you can help your
children to be safe in the sun by
doing the following things: using a
sun screen with an bPF of 15,
applying sun screen 30-45 minutes
before children go outside, using a
lot of sun screen and spreading it on
thick, and by reapplying the sun
screen after kids go in the water or
sweat a lot. Kids should also wear
long sleeve shirts and pants whenever
possible, and dark colors allow
for less absorption of harmful sunrays
than do light colors. Also, any child
over one year of age should be
wearing sunglasses. Special
children's sunglasses can be found
in optical shops, and you need to
make sure that any sunglasses you
buy say "screens out 99-100% of
UVA and UVB" so that almost all of
the harmful rays are unable to reach
your child's eyes.
Remember that even on cloudy
days, about 80% of the sun's harmful
ravs still get through the clouds, so
kids need sun screen then too. And
when you are outside near water,
sand, or concrete (like at the beach or
the pool) you need to apply sunscrcn
more often because light is reflected
from these surfaces back onto
your skin. And while a beach
umbrellas is great for creating a little
shade on a hot day, it only protects
us from about half of the sun's
harmful rays. Another thing to
remember if you have teenagers at
home is that tanning beds are
especially dangerous to our skin and
should be used with caution.
While Native Americans rarely
sunburn, it is still possible to do
damage to the skin and it is
important, especially for lighter-skin
individuals, to always follow these
sun protection hints. It might seem
like a lot of hassle now, but it will be
well worth it when your kids grow up
without the skin damage that the sun
can do. And as always, the best way
to get your kids to protect themselves
from the sun is to set a good
example by following these same
suggestions yourself everyday.
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The Mississippi River begins as a small clear stream In Lake Itasca,
Minnesota, and becomes muddy when It meets the Missouri River In
St. Louis, Missouri.
HEALTH
ALERT !
The Agony Of Ecstasy
i NAPS i?A substance popular
among the "rave" culture is not
receiving rave reviews from health
experts.
The drug known as ecstasy has
seen an increase in popularity in
recent years, partly due to its reputation
as a "safe drug." However,
experts warn that such a reputation
is unwarranted?and that
many users and potential users
are unaware of the dangers associated
with ecstasy use.
i i
Being the life of the party
shouldn't mean risking your life
with drugs.
According to the American Psychiatric
Association (APA), people
take ecstasy because of its reputation
of producing a feeling of
expansive well-being in the user.
It also creates a "high" that stops
the user from feeling tired and
gives the ability to "rave all
night." There are physical changes
in the body that produce these
effects and also account for the
adverse?and often dangerous?
side effects.
These side effects may include;
"crashing," a feeling of severe
depression and overwhelming
| fatigue; increased body temperature;
dehydration; strained musf
cles; and possible heart, liver or
i kidney failure. The drug can also
cause toxic reactions in people
with asthma, heart conditions,
diabetes, epilepsy, psychosis and
depression.
For more information, visit the
APA Web site at www.psych.org.
Special Notice HI
The North Carolina Indian Housing
Authority Board of Commissioners
Annual Meeting will be
held on Monday, July 23, 2001. at
6:00 P.M. at the NCIHA Administrative
Building located at 2125
Sapona Road in Fayetteville, North
Carolina. The public is cordially
invited to attend!
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ry YOU BUILD IT^J
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OF \- Mi..~.e-arce frw
Factory Dinct
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Paraguay la the only American
nation In which an Indian language,
Guaranf, Is spoken as
much as the official language,
Spanish.
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OOCpGJO
IDEM
From the smallest project to the
largest, we have a complete line
of everything you need.
Lumber Nails Screws
Shingles Drywall Doors
Insulation-* Paint Windows
Power Tools Hand Tools Metal Studs
Complete line of plumbing and electrical supplies.
See: Milton Locklear, Aaron Thomas,
Debbie Thompson, Scott Kitchens and Staff.
PEMBROKE HARDWARE
ft BUILDING
3M Street
521-3406 521-4802
Pembroke, HC
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So if you've been told you need heart surgery, we invite you to compare. Look at what we offer. Look at
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T H E HEART>FIRST CENTER
www.firsthealth.org
' FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital 155 Memorial Drive Pinehurst Toll Free 1-866-271-9542 1