Thursday, December 15, 2011
The DuPage County Health Department offers tips to ensure trees, decorations and lights look pretty and work safely.
Those holiday decorations are beautiful to look at with lights twinkling and tinsel sparkling. Taking steps to make sure the lights, decorations and trees are used properly will make the holidays safer. When decorating for the holidays its important to take safety measures to keep all the sparkle from going up in flames or causing family members injury, according to officials. The DuPage County Health Department offers a number of tips to keep your holidays merry and bright this holiday season. Here are some tips for tree, light and decoration safety: Source: DuPage County Health Department
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
The DuPage County Health Department and a Meijer dietician offer tips to leave Thanksgiving diners in a happy food coma.
If you haven't already bought that turkey or started to defrost it, times a wasting. Thanksgiving cooking shouldn't be stressful and it really shouldn't be a health risk. With a few simple touches and proper cooking, a great turkey will serve as the cornerstone of a pleasing and sleep-inducing meal. The DuPage County Health Department along with Meijer’s Registered Dietitian Shari Steinbach have offered advice and a few techniques that will make cooking that Thanksgiving dinner a safe and tasty meal. The bird can induce a great Tryptophan coma among all of your relatives, including the ones you like. The DuPage County Health Department offers the following tips when it comes to thawing and cooking safety:
Thursday, October 13, 2011
The department is taking appointments for three flu shot clinics happening over the next three months.
Children in need of a flu shot and who qualify can attend a special flu shot clinic this weekend. The DuPage County Health Department will be offering three flu shot clinics over the next three months; the first takes place Saturday at the department’s Wheaton office. The flu shots are available to children who have no insurance, have insurance that does not cover immunizations or are recipients of Medicaid and All Kids Health Insurance, according to the health department. The clinics are scheduled on Oct. 15, Nov. 19 and Dec. 17 at the Health Department’s Wheaton office, 111 N. County Farm Road. The flu shots will be given by appointment only. To make an appointment call the DuPage County Health Department at 630-682-7400. There is a $15 …
41.864236
-88.142869
111 N County Farm Rd, Wheaton, IL
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Wednesday, September 28, 2011
The DuPage County Health Department has confirmed that a Westmont woman died from the virus.
The DuPage County Health Department has confirmed that West Nile virus has claimed the life of a Westmont woman. The woman who died from the virus was in her 70s, according to the Health Department. No other details were available due to privacy restrictions. The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 10 human cases of West Nile virus in Illinois so far this year, including a Cook County man in his 60s who died earlier this month, according to the DuPage County Health Department. The virus is transmitted from a mosquito that becomes infected with the virus from feeding on an infected bird. People may become ill after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Most people infected with West Nile virus have no symptoms of the illness …
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
The DuPage County Health Department shares tips to help students avoid staph infections.
Sending the kids off to school is an exciting time for parents and students. Whether students head back to the classroom or off to college, they sometimes make questionable hygiene choices. For those college-age kids, they revel in freedom and making their own rules, like showering once a week and not doing laundry until every bit of clothing has been worn or re-worn. Younger students may not think twice about sharing cups, utensils or leaving dirty uniforms in lockers. While it’s hard to police everything children may do, maintaining good personal hygiene is important to student health, and according to the DuPage County Health Department, it is vital to preventing staph infections, like Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, also…
Thursday, August 18, 2011
DuPage Health Department warns summer is peak bat season—and along with bats comes the threat of rabies.
Are there actually people out there who think it would be a good idea to pick up a live bat they see lying on the ground? I guess so, because the DuPage Health Department has sent out a release reminding people to leave bats alone. Bats are most active during the hottest summer months, the health department said, as they swoop to pick bugs out of swimming pools and generally look creepy while flying through the night sky. But aside from being a little spooky looking, bats are the main rabies carriers in Illinois, the health department said. Rabies is one nasty virus: It cripples the nervous system and is fatal unless treated immediately with a series of vaccines, the health department said. A rabid bat won’t be foaming at the mouth or …
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Why jeopardize an entire classroom full of kids for a perfect attendance record. One sick kid can make an entire class sick.
The school desk. It’s the place where essays get written, books get placed and germs congregate. As parents prepare to send the kids back to school with new clothes and a boatload of school supplies, it’s also a good idea to make sure that when the kids go back they know healthy classroom habits. The DuPage County Health Department offers a number of tips to help keep children healthy throughout the school year. Sleep and a good diet are not only helpful to keep kids engaged during class, but they also offer the one-two punch that helps kids fight germs, according to the DuPage County Health Department. Since little hands get into lots of germy things, making sure that children know how to wash their hands the proper way is important. The …
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Swimming safety tips from the DuPage Health Department.
Few things sound better on a steamy day than a nice cool dip in a pool. But a fun day in the water can quickly turn scary if you’re not paying attention. It seems obvious, but the DuPage Health Department’s most basic tip for safe swimming is also the most important: Keep a close eye on your kids when they’re in the water. Even in a public pool with a lifeguard, it never hurts to have another set of eyes on your kids, especially if it’s crowded. Swimming lessons are another important safety precaution, the health department says. Whether your child accidentally slips into the water or finds himself literally in over his head, lessons will teach him what he needs to know to stay afloat. Steer clear of drains. The powerful suction can even …
Sunday, July 17, 2011
The DuPage Health Department has tips to stay cool and safe when it is hot and humid.
Step outside and you can tell it is the heat and the humidity. This week the National Weather Service is forecasting a “dangerous combination of heat and humidity.” A very large area of hot and humid air is expected and temperatures in the mid-to-upper 90s are forecasted. Add in the humidity and it may feel like it is at least 100 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Sunday is also air pollution action day, according to the National Weather Service. Anyone with pre-existing respiratory conditions are asked to stay indoors or avoid strenuous outdoor activity. We will start the week with temperatures in the low 90s and those temperatures are expected to steadily rise through the week, with the National Weather Service …
Saturday, July 9, 2011
County Health Department reports insects were found in traps in Lemont earlier this week.
Mosquitoes have tested positive for West Nile virus in DuPage County, the county Health Department reported Friday. The mosquitoes were found in traps in Lemont on Wednesday and Thursday. The mosquitoes are the first to test positive for the virus in the county and were found in a trap in an area of Lemont that is in southern DuPage, the Health Department said in a news release Friday. So far, no human cases have been reported in the county this summer, according to the news release. The DuPage County Health Department is collecting dead birds for testing. County residents who find freshly dead birds, like crows or jays, are asked to contact the department. The birds must not show any signs of decay or trauma and the Health Department must…
