Your Health_March 2020

Your

Health Daily Journal media

MARCH 2020 | In this issue:

WHAT IS CORONAVIRUS? How to talk to children about the pandemic How to manage anxiety, stress during the pandemic

PAGE 2 | FERGUSFALLSJOURNAL.COM

What is coronavirus?

Coronavirus (COVID-19) is the disease caused by the new coronavirus that emerged in China in December 2019. It can be spread from person to person and is diagnosed with a laboratory test.

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, diagnosis may be difficult with only a physical exam because mild cases of COVID-19 may appear similar to the flu or a bad cold.

There is no coronavirus vaccine yet. Prevention involves frequent hand-washing, coughing into the bend of your elbow and staying home when you are sick.

Here are a few frequently asked questions to help you better understand COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Why is the disease called coronavirus and COVID-19?

On Feb. 11, 2020 the World

Health Organization announced an official name for the disease.

The name of this disease is coronavirus disease 2019, abbreviated as COVID-19. In COVID-19, “CO” stands for “corona,” “VI” for “virus,” and “D” for disease. Formerly, this disease was referred to as “2019 novel coronavirus” or “2019-nCoV.” How does the virus spread?

This virus was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. The first infections were linked to a live animal market, according to the CDC, but the virus is now spreading from person to person.

The virus that causes COVID-19 seems to be spreading easily in the community and in some affected geographic areas. This means people have been infected with the virus in an area, including some who are not sure how or where they became infected.

Who is at the highest risk for contracting COVID-19?

Early information out of China shows that some people are at higher risk of getting very sick from this illness, including older adults, according to the CDC. People who have serious chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes and lung disease also are at higher risk.

Is this coronavirus different

from SARS? SARS stands for severe acute respiratory syndrome. In 2003, an outbreak of SARS started in China and spread to other countries before ending in 2004.

The virus that causes COVID-19 is similar to the one that caused the 2003 SARS outbreak: Both are types of coronaviruses. Much is still unknown, but the CDC reports that COVID-19 seems to spread faster than the 2003 SARS and also may cause less severe illness.

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Helping children cope with coronavirus pandemic It is very important to remember that children look to adults for how to react during stressful times. With the COVID-19 virus gaining international media attention, information about the pandemic is everywhere.

If parents seem overwhelmed with the situation, children will naturally react in the same way.

As parents, teachers and other adults in the lives of children, it’s up to them to reassure and educate children in the most honest, compassionate way possible.

Tips on interacting with children

Handling Children’s Anxiety What you say and do about COVID-19 can either increase or decrease your children’s anxiety levels related to the virus and the news they are hearing. Remind them that you and the adults at their school or day care are there to keep them safe and healthy.

Always let your children talk about their feelings in a safe way. This will help them get things into the open and allow for opportunities for you to educate them on what’s going on.

Model Basic Hygiene

The NASP recommends teaching children the following hygiene measures:

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TALKING TO KIDS: Kids look to adults during stressful times to know how to react. It is important to remain calm and be honest and accurate. The article will provide answers for questions that a person may have on how to approach children about the pandemic.

• Wash hands multiple times a day for at least 20 seconds (the time it takes to sing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” slowly).

• Cover mouths with tissue when sneezing or coughing and throw away the tissue immediately, or sneeze or cough into the bend of the elbow.

• Do not share food or drinks.

• Practice giving fist or elbow bumps instead of handshakes.

Carry on With Normal Life

Encourage your child to eat a balanced diet, get enough sleep and exercise regularly.

Not only will this give them comfort during disruptions, but it will help their immune system stay strong.

Going along with this guidance, you should also take the time to talk with your children.

Don’t go out of your way to avoid conversations related to COVID-19. If they have questions, be ready to give them educated answers and advice on dealing with any inquiries they may have.

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Here are some tips on talking about COVID-19 with your children or students, according to the National Association of School Psychologists.

• Remain calm and reassuring.

• Make yourself available.

• Avoid excessive blaming.

• Be aware of their exposure to the news.

• Maintain a normal routine, if possible.

• Be honest and accurate.

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PAGE 4 | FERGUSFALLSJOURNAL.COM

BRIAN HANSEL | DAILY JOURNAL

MANAGING: During unpredictable times, managing anxiety and stress become important. With these few tips, you can learn to manage these feelings during the pandemic.

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The outbreak of COVID-19 may be stressful for people and communities to handle, especially as new information continues to be released at seemingly breakneck speeds. This stress can be difficult for people to handle.

Maybe you have an older adult in your life with preexisting medical conditions that could make them more at risk to catch coronavirus. Maybe your workplace recently shut down due to bans on public crowds and you’re

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We all handle stress differently, and there is not a one-size-fitsall solution to overcoming these emotionally challenging times.

Fortunately, there are plenty of beset practices you can follow to make illness-induced stress easier to manage.

Who is Stressed?

There are certain segments of the population who may be more susceptible to stress than others.

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What reactions might they have?

According to SAMHSA, there are a wide range of emotions that come with dealing with stress.

They include: • Fear and worry about your own health status and that of your loved ones who may have been exposed to COVID-19.

• Changes in sleep or eating patterns.

• Difficulty sleeping or concentrating.

• Worsening of chronic health

problems.

• Increased use of alcohol, tobacco or other drugs.

How to handle stress

People with preexisting mental health conditions should continue with their treatment plans during an emergency and monitor for any new symptoms.

SAMHSA recommends connecting with family, friends and others in your community to overcome stress.

Other actions to take include avoiding excessive exposure to media coverage of COVID-19 and taking good care of both your body and mind. This can include regular exercise and meditation, as well as eating healthy, getting plenty of sleep and avoiding alcohol and drugs.

If you think you may be dealing with some form of depression, reach out to your doctor immediately for a consultation and potential treatment.

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According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, here are some examples of our country’s most vulnerable populations: • People who have preexisting mental health conditions including problems with substance use.

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PAGE 6 | FERGUSFALLSJOURNAL.COM

Dizzy? Maybe it is BPPV

It’s your health, your choice.

Are you dizzy? Do you experience dizziness while moving your head or changing positions?

Vertigo is spinning or whirling sensation and is a fairly common condition. The most common type of vertigo is known as “BPPV,” which GWEN stands for Be- HUMANN nign Paroxysmal Guest Positional Verti- Column go. The cause of BPPV is often unknown but becomes more prevalent as we age, or may occur following a head injury or viral infection.

Many people who experience BPPV describe the sensation as “the room is spinning.” Other common symptoms include: • Dizziness

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• Spinning • Nausea • Light headedness • Loss of balance • Blurred vision Symptoms most commonly occur while rolling over in bed, sitting up or lying down, or with quick heads movements up, down and side to side.

BPPV can cause mild to severe dizziness. This occurs when small “crystals” called otoconia break free and get into our inner ear canal(s). This disrupts the normal flow of fluid over our hair-like receptors and provides our brains with different input than our eyes are providing. The body’s natural need to match the input from our inner ear to the input from our eyes causes these brief episodes of dizziness.

Treatment of BPPV is typically quick, easy and very effective.

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BPPV: Vertigo is a spinning or whirling sensation, but the most common type of vertigo is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. BPPV is treatable and treatments can be effective.

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