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MAKING HEALTH POSSIBLE KIDS EXPLAIN FLU SHOTS WATCH THE VIDEOS
ISSUE #8 • OCT 2020
BOOMERANG | ISSUE #8 | ©2020 | PUBLISHED BY HANCOCK HEALTH
IN THIS ISSUE 4
Talking About Your Feelings
6
The Flu
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Bike Safety
10
Your Bones
16
Recipe
17
MyPlate Food Guide
18 20
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How many feelings can you name? Happy, sad, scared? That’s a good start.
Help stop the spread
Why is it so important?
Look what your made of.
Pizzadillas with red sauce
When Sinuses Attack Games, Puzzles & Jokes
FUN FACTS ABOUT 1. Ireland is believed to be the birthplace of Halloween. 2. Jack O’ Lanterns were originally made from Turnips. 3. Jack O’ Lanterns came from the legend, Stingy Jack. Stingy Jack was a farmer, when died he was turned away from both heaven and hell. 4. Samhainophobia is the fear of Halloween. 5. All Hallows Eve, Witches Night, Lamswool, Snap-Apple Night, Samhain and Summer’s End are all names for Halloween. 6. In Mexico, they celebrate Dias de Los Muertos or Day of the Dead on November 1st. It is a big celebration that honors family and friends who have passed away. 7.
The word witch comes from the old Saxton word “wica” meaning “wise one.”
8. Black cats were once believed to be witch’s assistants who protected their powers. 9. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown aired in 1966 and is still a must watch Halloween show today. 10.
Trick-or-treating originated from the ancient Celtic tradition of putting out treats and food to calm down spirits who roamed the streets at Samhain, a sacred festival that marked the end of the Celtic calendar year.
11. Trick-or-treating became popular in the US in the 1930’s.
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talking about YOUR FEELINGS Reviewed by: D’Arcy Lyness, PhD Date Reviewed: January 2018
How many feelings can you name? Happy, sad, scared? That’s a good start. Can you name some more? How about playful, joyful, calm? Mad, upset, worried. Confused, lonely, nervous. Grateful, glad, cozy. Loved, friendly, peaceful. There are so many feelings to name. Try coming up with some of your own. No matter how you feel — good or bad — it’s healthy to put your feelings into words. Talking about feelings helps us feel close to people who care. It helps us feel better when we’re sad or scared. Putting feelings into words helps us use selfcontrol when we feel mad or upset. If your little brother took something of yours, you can say, 4
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“Hey, I’m annoyed that you took that without asking me. Next time, please ask.” No need to get in a big fight over it. Just say how you feel and why, without yelling. KNOW YOUR FEELINGS It’s easier to talk about your feelings if you know how you feel and why. Try these easy steps: 1. Think of the name for how you feel. (Let’s say you feel nervous.) 2. Think of why you feel that way. (Let’s say you are nervous because you have a spelling test tomorrow.) 3. Put them together into words. (Say to yourself, “I feel nervous about my spelling test tomorrow.”) If you don’t know why you feel a certain way, you can still talk about it. You can say, “I feel upset, but I don’t know why.”
PICK SOMEONE TO TALK TO A parent, grandparent, or a friend can be a good person to talk to. It’s easier than you think. You can start by going to the person and saying, “Can we talk for a minute?” Then say how you feel and why. Let the other person listen. Maybe they will give you advice. Or say something kind. Maybe they will help you laugh, or give you a hug. Or say, “Don’t worry, I’ll help you study your spelling words.” Just saying how you feel and why helps you start to feel better. It helps to know you are not alone with a problem or worry. TALK ABOUT FEELINGS ANY TIME You don’t have to wait for a big problem to talk about your feelings. You can say how you feel any time. It’s a good thing to practice. Talking about feelings doesn’t have to be a big talk. You can make a short and simple comment.
LIKE THIS:
• • • •
“Dad, I’m really glad we’re having pizza tonight! Thanks!” “I’m excited about the game tonight. I think the coach will let me start.” “I’m so relieved because I did really well on my math test!” “I felt so awkward when I asked Kyle to the dance, and I was so happy when he said yes!”
You don’t have to talk about every feeling you have. But noticing your feelings and saying how you feel and why is good practice. The more you do it, the easier it gets. Talking about your feelings is a healthy way to express them. And when you have difficult feelings you need to talk over, you’ll be ready.
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THE FLU. STOP THE SPREAD
You — yes, you! — can help keep people from getting sick this flu season. How? It's not too hard. Just take these steps: • Get the flu vaccine. • Wash your hands often, especially before eating and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose. • Keep your sneezes and coughs to yourself (use a tissue or your elbow instead of your hand). • Keep your hands out of your eyes, mouth, and nose. You may have heard all this before. But flu season is a great time to actually start doing them. By following these tips, you might be able to keep yourself from getting sick and prevent germs from spreading and making other people sick. GERMY HANDS Do you notice something about the tips above? Most of them involve your hands. That's how a lot of germs get in our bodies in the first place — whether it's a cold, chickenpox, or the flu. Germs get on our hands and we put our hands in our eyes, noses, and, especially, our mouths. Sometimes you just can't help it. You have to pick
up your sandwich, floss your teeth, and do stuff like that. Our hands get plenty of opportunities to touch our eyes and noses too. CHECK YOUR HAND-WASHING SKILLS The best habit of all these good habits is hand washing. When you wash your hands, you rinse away germs that you might have picked up here or there. When you do this before you eat, for instance, it keeps those germs from ending up in your body, where they can make you sick. Sure, you know you're supposed to wash your hands. But make sure you do it right: 1. 2. 3. 4.
Use warm water (not cold or hot) when you wash your hands. Use whatever soap you like. Some soaps come in cool shapes and colors or smell nice. Antibacterial soaps are OK to use, but regular soap works fine. Work up some lather on both sides of your hands, your wrists, and between your fingers. Don't forget to wash around your nails. This is one place germs like to hide. Wash for about 15 to 20 seconds — about how long it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" two times. Rinse and dry well with a clean towel.
Reviewed by: Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph, MD Date Reviewed: September 2019
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bike SAFETY Reviewed by: Kate M. Cronan, MD Date Reviewed: February 2019
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It’s a beautiful day — what could be more perfect than a bike ride? But wait! Before you pull your bike out of the garage, let’s find out how to stay safe on two wheels.
WHAT’S THE RIGHT BIKE FOR ME? Riding a bike that is the right size for you helps to keep you safe. To check the size:
WHY IS BIKE SAFETY SO IMPORTANT? Bike riding is a lot of fun, but accidents happen. The safest way to use your bike is to get places, not to play. Every year, lots of kids need to see their doctor or go to the emergency room because of bike injuries.
• •
WHY SHOULD KIDS WEAR A BIKE HELMET? Wearing a helmet that fits well every time you’re on a bike helps protect your face, head, and brain if you fall down. That’s why it’s so important to wear your bike helmet whenever you are on a bike. Bike helmets are so important that the U.S. government has created safety rules for them. Your helmet should have a sticker that says it meets the rules set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). If your helmet doesn’t have a CPSC sticker, ask your mom or dad to get you one that does.
Making a safety checklist is important. Ask your mom or dad for help: • • • •
When you are on your bicycle, stand straddling the top bar of your bike so that both feet are flat on the ground. There should be 1 to 3 inches (2.5 to 7.6 centimeters) of space between you and the top bar.
Make sure your seat, handlebars, and wheels fit tightly. Check and oil your chain regularly. Check your brakes to be sure they work well and aren’t sticking. Check your tires to make sure they have enough air and the right amount of tire pressure.
WHAT SHOULD I WEAR WHEN I RIDE MY BIKE? Wear a bike helmet every time you ride, even if Wearing bright clothes and putting reflectors on your bike also can help you stay safe. It helps you’re going for a short ride. And follow these other people on the road see you. And if they see rules: you, that means they’re less likely to run into you. You’ll also want to make sure that nothing will get • Make sure your bike helmet fits you well. • Always wear your helmet the right way so it caught in your bike chain, such as loose pant legs, will protect you: Make sure it covers your backpack straps, or shoelaces. forehead and don’t let it tip back. Always Wear the right shoes — sneakers — when you bike. fasten the straps. Sandals, flip-flops, shoes with heels, and cleats • Don’t wear a hat under your helmet. • Take care of your helmet and don’t throw it won’t help you grip the pedals. And never go around. If it’s damaged, it won’t protect you as riding barefoot! well when you need it. • Get a new helmet if you fall while you’re on Riding gloves may help you grip the handlebars — and make you look like a professional! your bike and hit your head. • Put reflective stickers on your helmet so Don’t wear headphones because the music can distract you from noises around you, such as a car drivers can see you better. blowing its horn so you can get out of the way.
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WHERE IS IT SAFE TO RIDE MY BIKE? You need to check with your mom and dad about:
HOW DO I SIGNAL MY TURNS? Hand signals are like turn signals and brake lights for bikers. It helps cars and trucks know what you will do next so they don’t run into you. Don’t • Where you’re allowed to ride your bike change directions or lanes without first looking • How far you’re allowed to go behind you, and always use the correct signals. • Whether you should ride on the sidewalk or in Use your left arm for all signals: the street. Kids younger than 10 years should ride on the sidewalk and avoid the street. • Left turn: After checking behind you, hold • Common things that can get in the way like your arm straight out to the left and ride rocks, children or pets, big puddles forward slowly. • Stop: After checking behind you, bend your No matter where you ride, daytime riding is the elbow, pointing your arm downward in an safest. So try to avoid riding your bike at dusk upside down “L” shape and come to a stop. and later. And always keep an eye out for cars and • Right turn: After checking behind you, bend trucks. Even if you’re just riding on the sidewalk, your elbow, holding your arm up in an a car may pull out of its driveway into the path of “L” shape, and ride forward slowly. (Or, hold your bike. If you’re crossing a busy road, walk your your right arm straight out from your side.) bike across the street. Now that you’ve learned those hand signals, you WHAT ROAD RULES SHOULD I KNOW? get a big thumbs-up for finding out more about If you’re allowed to ride on the street, follow bike safety! these road rules: • • • • • • • • • •
Always ride with your hands on the handlebars. Always stop and check for traffic in both directions when leaving your driveway, an alley, or a curb. Cross at intersections. When you pull out between parked cars, drivers can’t see you coming. Walk your bike across busy intersections using the crosswalk and following traffic signals. Ride on the right-hand side of the street, so you travel in the same direction as cars do. Never ride against traffic. Use bike lanes wherever you can. Don’t ride too close to parked cars. Doors can open suddenly. Stop at all stop signs and obey traffic (red) lights just as cars do. Ride single-file on the street with friends. When passing other bikers or people on the street, always pass to their left side, and call out “On your left!” so they know that you are coming.
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Reviewed by: KidsHealth Medical Experts
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Think back to last Halloween for a minute. Wherever you looked, there were vampires, ghosts, or bony skeletons grinning back at you. Vampires and ghosts don’t really exist, but skeletons sure do! Every single person has a skeleton made up of many bones. These bones give your body structure, let you move in many ways, protect your internal organs, and more.
It’s time to look at all your bones — the adult human body has 206 of them! WHAT ARE BONES MADE OF? If you’ve ever seen a real skeleton or fossil in a museum, you might think that all bones are dead. Although bones in museums are dry, hard, or crumbly, the bones in your body are different. The bones that make up your skeleton are all very much alive, growing and changing all the time like other parts of your body. Almost every bone in your body is made of the same materials: • The outer surface of bone is called the periosteum (say: pare-ee-OSS-tee-um). It’s a thin, dense membrane that contains nerves and blood vessels that nourish the bone. • The next layer is made up of compact bone. This part is smooth and very hard. It’s the part you see when you look at a skeleton. • Within the compact bone are many layers of cancellous (say: KAN-sell-us) bone, which looks a bit like a sponge. Cancellous bone is not quite as hard as compact bone, but it is still very strong. • In many bones, the cancellous bone protects the innermost part of the bone, the bone marrow (say: MAIR-oh). Bone marrow is sort of like a thick jelly, and its job is to make blood cells.
HOW BONES GROW When you were a baby, you had tiny hands, tiny feet, and tiny everything! Slowly, as you grew older, everything became a bit bigger, including your bones. A baby’s body has about 300 bones at birth. These eventually fuse (grow together) to form the 206 bones that adults have. Some of a baby’s bones are made entirely of a special material called cartilage (say: KAR-tel-ij). Other bones in a baby are partly made of cartilage. This cartilage is soft and flexible. During childhood, as you are growing, the cartilage grows and is slowly replaced by bone, with help from calcium. By the time you are about 25, this process will be complete. After this happens, there can be no more growth — the bones are as big as they will ever be. All of these bones make up a skeleton that is both very strong and very light. YOUR SPINE Your spine is one part of the skeleton that’s easy to check out: Reach around to the center of your back and you’ll feel its bumps under your fingers. The spine lets you twist and bend, and it holds your body upright. It also protects the spinal cord, a large bundle of nerves that sends information from your brain to the rest of your body. The spine is special because it isn’t made of one or even two bones: It’s made of 33 bones in all! These bones are called vertebrae (say: VER-tuh-bray) and each one is shaped like a ring.
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There are different types of vertebrae in the spine and each does a different kind of job:
this cage by running your fingers along the sides and front of your body, a few inches below your heart. If you breathe in deeply, you can easily feel • The first seven vertebrae at the top are called your ribs right in the front of your body, too. Some the cervical (say: SIR-vih-kul) vertebrae. thin kids can even see a few of their ribs right These bones are in the back of your neck, just through their skin. below your brain, and they support your head and neck. Your head is pretty heavy, so it’s Your ribs come in pairs, and the left and right lucky to have help from the cervical vertebrae! sides of each pair are exactly the same. Most • Below the cervical vertebrae are the thoracic people have 12 pairs of ribs, but some people are (say: thuh-RAS-ik) vertebrae, and there born with one or more extra ribs, and some people are 12 in all. These guys anchor your ribs might have one pair less. in place. Below the thoracic vertebrae are five lumbar (say: LUM-bar) vertebrae. All 12 pairs of ribs attach in the back to the spine, Beneath the lumbar vertebrae is the sacrum where they are held in place by the thoracic (say: SAY-krum), which is made up of five vertebrae. The first seven pairs of ribs attach vertebrae that are fused together to form one in the front to the sternum (say: STUR-num), single bone. a strong bone in the center of your chest that • Finally, all the way at the bottom of the spine holds those ribs in place. The remaining sets of is the coccyx (say: COK-siks), which is one ribs don’t attach to the sternum directly. The next bone made of four fused vertebrae. three pairs are held on with cartilage to the ribs above them. The bottom sections of the spine are important when it comes to bearing weight and giving you The very last two sets of ribs are called floating a good center of gravity. So when you pick up ribs because they aren’t connected to the sternum a heavy backpack, the lumbar vertebrae, sacrum, or the ribs above them. But don’t worry, these ribs and coccyx give you the power. When you dance, can’t ever float away. Like the rest of the ribs, they skip, and even walk, these parts help keep you are securely attached to the spine in the back. balanced. YOUR SKULL In between each vertebra (the name for just one Your skull protects the most of the vertebrae) are small disks made of cartilage. important part of all, the These disks keep the vertebrae from rubbing brain. You can feel your skull against one another, and they also act as your by pushing on your head, spine’s natural shock absorbers. When you jump especially in the back a few in the air, or twist while slamming a dunk, inches above your neck. the disks give your vertebrae the cushioning The skull is actually made they need. up of different bones. Some of these bones protect your YOUR RIBS brain, whereas others make Your heart, lungs, and liver up the structure of your face. If you touch beneath are all very important, and your eyes, you can feel the ridge of the bone that luckily you’ve got ribs to keep forms the hole where your eye sits. them safe. Ribs act like a cage of bones around your chest. And although you can’t see it, the smallest bone in It’s easy to feel the bottom of your whole body is in your head, too.
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The stirrup bone behind your eardrum is only .1 to .13 inches (2.5 to 3.3 millimeters) long! Want to know something else? Your lower jawbone is the only bone in your head you can move. It opens and closes to let you talk and chew food. Your skull is pretty cool, but it’s changed since you were a baby. All babies are born with spaces between the bones in their skulls. This allows the bones to move, close up, and even overlap as the baby goes through the birth canal. As the baby grows, the space between the bones slowly closes up and disappears, and special joints called sutures (say: SOO-churs) connect the bones. YOUR HANDS As you sit and type at the keyboard, while you swing on a swing, even when you pick up your lunch, you’re using the bones in your fingers, hand, wrist, and arm. Each arm is attached to a shoulder blade or scapula (say: SKA-pyuh-luh), a large triangular bone on the upper back corner of each side of the ribcage. The arm is made up of three bones: the humerus (say: HYOO-muh-rus), which is above your elbow, and the radius (say: RAY-dee-us) and ulna (say: UL-nuh), which are below the elbow. Each of these bones is wider at the ends and skinnier in the middle, to help give it strength where it meets another bone. At the end of the radius and ulna are eight smaller bones that make up your wrist. Although these bones are small, they can really move! Twist your wrist around or wave and you’ll see how the wrist can move. The center part of your hand is made up of five separate bones. Each finger on your hand has three bones, except for your thumb, which has two. So between your wrists, hands, and all your fingers, you’ve got a grand total of 54 bones — all ready to help you grasp things, write your name, pick up the phone, or throw a softball!
YOUR LEGS Sure, your arm, wrist, hand, and finger bones are great for picking up the phone, but how are you supposed to run to answer it? Well, with the bones of the legs and feet! Your legs are attached to a circular group of bones called your pelvis. The pelvis is a bowl-shaped structure that supports the spine. It is made up of the two large hip bones in front, and behind are the sacrum and the coccyx. The pelvis acts as a tough ring of protection around parts of the digestive system, parts of the urinary system, and parts of the reproductive system. Your leg bones are very large and strong to help support the weight of your body. The bone that goes from your pelvis to your knee is called the femur (say: FEE-mur), and it’s the longest bone in your body. At the knee, there’s a triangular-shaped bone called the patella (say: puh-TEL-luh), or kneecap, that protects the knee joint. Below the knee are two other leg bones: the tibia (say: TIHbee-uh) and the fibula (say: FIH-byuh-luh). Just like the three bones in the arm, the three bones in the leg are wider at the ends than in the middle to give them strength. The ankle is a bit different from the wrist; it is where the lower leg bones connect to a large bone in the foot called the talus (say: TAL-iss). Next to the talus are six other bones. But the main part of the foot is similar to the hand, with five bones. Each toe has three tiny bones, except for your big toe, which has just two. This brings the bone total in both feet and ankles to 52! Most people don’t use their toes and feet for grabbing stuff or writing, but they do use them for two very important things: standing and walking. Without all the bones of the foot working together, it would be impossible to balance properly. The bones in the feet are arranged so the
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foot is almost flat and a bit wide, to help you stay upright. So the next time you’re walking, be sure to look down and thank those toes! YOUR JOINTS The place where two bones meet is called a joint. Some joints move and others don’t. Fixed joints are fixed in place and don’t move at all. Your skull has some of these joints (called sutures, remember?), which close up the bones of the skull in a young person’s head. One of these joints is called the parieto-temporal (say: par-EYE-ih-toh TEM-puh-rul) suture — it’s the one that runs along the side of the skull. Moving joints are the ones that let you ride your bike, eat cereal, and play a video game — the ones that allow you to twist, bend, and move different parts of your body. Some moving joints, like the ones in your spine, move only a little. Other joints move a lot. One of the main types of moving joints is called a hinge joint. Your elbows and knees each have hinge joints, which let you bend and then straighten your arms and legs. These joints are like the hinges on a door. Just as most doors can only open one way, you can only bend your arms and legs in one direction. You also have many smaller hinge joints in your fingers and toes. Another important type of moving joint is the ball and socket joint. You can find these joints at your shoulders and hips. They are made up of the round end of one bone fitting into a small cup-like area of another bone. Ball and socket joints allow for lots of movement in every direction. Make sure you’ve got lots of room, and try swinging your arms all over the place. 14
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Have you ever seen someone put oil on a hinge to make it work easier or stop squeaking? Well, your joints come with their own special fluid called synovial fluid (say: SIH-no-vee-ul) that helps them move freely. Bones are held together at the joints by ligaments (say: LIH-guh-mints), which are like very strong rubber bands. TAKING CARE OF BONES Your bones help you out every day so make sure you take care of them. Here are some tips: Protect those skull bones (and your brain inside!) by wearing a helmet for bike riding and other sports. When you use a skateboard, in-line skates, or a scooter, be sure to add wrist supports and elbow and knee pads. Your bones in these places will thank you if you have a fall! If you play sports like football, soccer, lacrosse, or ice hockey, always wear all the right equipment. And never play on a trampoline. Many kids end up with broken bones from jumping on them. Broken bones can eventually heal, but it takes a long time and isn’t much fun while you wait. Strengthen your skeleton by drinking milk and eating other dairy products (like low-fat cheese or frozen yogurt). They all contain calcium, which helps bones harden and become strong. Be active! Another way to strengthen your bones is through exercise like running, jumping, dancing, and playing sports. Take these steps to be good to your bones, and they will treat you right!
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PIZZADILLAS WITH RED SAUCE
Note: These are great warm from the skillet or cold, packed for lunch with a container of sauce for dipping. Prep Time: 10–15 minutes WHAT YOU NEED: • 4 whole-wheat tortillas (8 inches) • 2/3 cup fresh or frozen spinach, finely chopped • 2/3 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded • 1 cup marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade) • Cooking spray EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES: • A 10- to 12-inch skillet • Thin spatula (metal preferred) WHAT TO DO: 1. Lay 2 tortillas on a flat surface. Divide spinach and cheese between the tortillas. 2. Top with remaining 2 tortillas. 3. Place skillet over medium heat. Lightly coat pan with cooking spray. 4. Gently slide 1 pizzadilla into the pan and cook until light golden brown on one side (about 1–2 minutes). 5. Using a thin spatula, gently flip over the pizzadilla and cook for 30–60 seconds more or until cheese is fully melted. 6. Remove pizzadilla and cut into triangles. Repeat with remaining pizzadilla. 7. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping. 8. You can wrap and refrigerate leftovers to take to school for lunch. Nutritional Analysis (per serving): • 170 calories • 10g protein • 5g fat • 2.5g sat. fat • 27g carbohydrate • 4g fiber • 10mg cholesterol • 550mg sodium • 3g sugars Serves: 4 Serving Size: half a pizzadilla Note: Nutritional analysis may vary depending on ingredient brands used. 16
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Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD
MYPLATE FOOD GUIDE Reviewedby: by: Mary Reviewed Mary L. L. Gavin, Gavin, MD MD Date Reviewed: reviewed: January Date January2018 2018
MyPlate Is a Symbol for Healthy Eating MyPlate is the model for healthy eating in the United States. Experts at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the agency in charge of nutrition, created the colorful plate to help people remember to: • •
Eat a variety of healthy foods. Eat less of some foods and more of others.
The plate features four sections — vegetables, fruits, grains, and protein — plus a side order of dairy in blue. The big message is that fruits and vegetables take up half the plate, grains and protein take up about one-quarter of the plate. The divided plate also helps keep portion sizes in check. Super-big portionscan cause weight gain. WHAT’S A GRAIN AGAIN? You know what fruits and vegetables are. But here’s a reminder about what’s included in the three other food groups: protein, grains, and dairy:
• Protein: Beef; poultry; fish; eggs; nuts and seeds; and beans and peas like black beans, split peas, lentils, and even tofu and veggie burgers. Protein builds and maintains the tissues in your body. • Grains: Bread, cereal, rice, tortillas, and pasta. At least half of the grains you eat should be whole-grains, such as whole- wheat bread, oatmeal, and brown rice Whole grains have more fiber and help you feel full. • Dairy: Milk, yogurt, cheese, and fortified soy milk. With MyPlate, the dairy circle could be a cup of milk, but you also can get your dairy servings from yogurt or cheese. Choose low-fat or nonfat dairy most of the time. The plate can be used for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. That may make you wonder: Do I really have to eat vegetables with breakfast? The answer is no, but aim to eat a variety of food groups at each meal. And if your breakfast doesn’t include a veggie, consider a vegetable at snack time or more vegetables at dinner. The plate also shows how to balance your food groups. There’s a reason the protein section is smaller: You don’t need as much from that group. Eating more fruits and vegetables will help you eat fewer calories overall, which helps you keep a healthy weight. Eating fruits and veggies also gives you lots of vitamins and minerals. Boomerang
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WHEN SINUSES ATTACK Reviewed by: KidsHealth Medical Experts
Uh-oh. You're sneezing, coughing, and you have a bright red nose. You figure it's just another cold, but this one sticks around way too long. Is it really a cold? Maybe not. It could be a problem with your sinuses. WHAT ARE SINUSES? The sinuses (say: SY-nih-siz) are air-filled spaces found in the bones of the head and face. There are four pairs of sinuses, or eight in all. They're on either side of the nose in your cheeks, behind and between the eyes, in the forehead, and at the back of the nasal cavity. Like the inside of the nose, the sinuses are lined with a moist, thin layer of tissue called a mucous membrane (say: MYOO-kus MEMbrayne). These help moisten the air you breathe it in. They also makes mucus, that sticky stuff in your nose you might call snot. The mucus traps dust and germs that are in the air. On the surface of the cells of the mucous membrane are microscopic hairs called cilia (say: SIL-ee-uh). The cilia beat back and forth in waves to clear mucus from the sinuses through a narrow opening in the nose and then move the mucus toward the back of the nose to be swallowed. Gross, huh? If you have a cold or allergies, the membrane gets irritated and swollen and makes even more mucus. WHEN GOOD SINUSES GO BAD What about that cold that won't go away?
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A cold virus can: • Damage the delicate cilia so that mucus is not swept away • Make the mucous lining of the nose swollen, which narrows and blocks the small opening from the sinuses into the nose • Lead to more mucus, which is often thicker and stickier, making it harder to flow out of the sinuses
When the tiny openings that drain the sinuses get blocked, mucus gets trapped in them. This makes a good home for bacteria, viruses, or fungi to grow. If a cold lasts for more than 10 to 14 days (sometimes you may have a lowgrade fever), you may have sinusitis (say: syne-yuh-SY-tis). This means an infection of the sinuses. Sinusitis is a pretty common infection; in fact, millions of people in the United States have sinusitis each year. SINUSITIS CAN LAST A WHILE Doctors call sinusitis acute when a cold lasts more than 10 to 14 days. It's called chronic sinusitis when a person has symptoms for more than 3 months. In either case, a kid might have: • A fever • A lasting runny nose with discharge that's yellow or green • Daytime cough (your cough may be worse at night) • Puffy eyes, especially in the morning • Bad breath Less often, a kid could have headache or pain behind the eyes, forehead, and cheeks. WHAT WILL THE DOCTOR DO? If you might have a sinus infection, your doctor will probably check your ears and throat and take a look in your nose. The doctor may also check your sinuses by tapping or pressing on your forehead and cheeks. If you have a sinus infection, the doctor may prescribe an antibiotic. If bacteria are causing the problem, an antibiotic will help by killing the bacteria. If it's a virus, antibiotic medicine won't work. In the case of a bacterial infection, the antibiotic should help you feel better in a few days. A decongestant or nasal spray might also be prescribed to help you feel better. If the sinus infection is chronic, the doctor may have you take medicine for a couple of weeks, just to be sure all the bacteria are knocked out. Sometimes, if a sinus infection is not getting better, comes back even after you take all your medicine, or if the doctor is thinking about doing surgery, he or she might send you to have a CT scan of the sinuses. The CT scan is a special X-ray that takes a picture of your insides. It doesn't hurt, and it makes it much easier for the doctor to see what's going on. Your doctor can clearly see what the sinuses look like and then decide what kind of treatment will help you get better faster. The good news about sinusitis is that it's not contagious . So if you feel well enough, you can go to school or go outside and play. In no time, you'll be over your infection — and you'll be saying so long to sinusitis! Boomerang
19
HUMAN
SKELETON See how many words you can find from the list below.
What do you get when you cross a vampire and a snowman? Frost bite! What did one plate say to the other plate? Dinner is on me! Why did the student eat his homework? Because the teacher told him it was a piece of cake! When you look for something, why is it always in the last place you look? Because when you find it, you stop looking.
BONES
RIBS
CALCIUM
SKELETON
CLAVICLE
SPINE
FEMUR
STERNUM
PATELLA
STIRRUP
RADIUS
TIBIA
1
END
START
