Winter 2014 Newsletter
Winter Health Hints: Keeping
Infections to a Minimum
Collectively, Americans are sick more than 4 billion days a year—and
many of those sick days can be prevented. Some simple precautions
within the home can further limit the spread of infectious disease,
particularly gastrointestinal illnesses.
Preventive Measures
1.Encourage hand washing.
Nose, mouth and eye secretions are the most common sources
of respiratory infections and are usually spread by contaminated
hands. Hand washing helps to prevent the spread of infections more
effectively than all other approaches combined.
2.Clean contaminated areas with disinfectants.
Wash objects that have been touched by children with colds, as
viruses can remain infectious for up to six hours on surfaces that are
contaminated with nasal secretions.
3.Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or
elbow, not your hands.
4.Don’t smoke around your child.
Exposure to tobacco smoke increases the frequency and severity of
colds, coughs, croup, ear infections, and asthma episodes.
5.Keep immunizations up-to-date.
This is one of the most important precautions you can take to protect
your child against serious infections.
6.Don’t allow your child to share pacifiers, drinking cups,
eating utensils, towels, or toothbrushes whether she is sick
or not.
If you follow these guidelines, you will go a long way toward helping
your child, as well as the rest of your household, stay healthy.
Winter Sports Tips
1.Dressing for outdoor training and winter sports
Prolonged exposure to the frigid temperatures puts you at risk for
hypothermia. Dressing in multiple layers allows you to take clothes on
or off as your body temperature changes. Wear clothes made from a
synthetic material such as polypropylene to help keep moisture away
from the skin. Avoid wearing clothes made from cotton. Cotton will
absorb sweat and hold moisture next to the skin. Approximately 30%
of your body heat is lost from your hands and feet, and 40% escapes
from your head; so don’t forget to wear your hat, gloves/mittens,
and waterproof shoes before you step outside.
2.Preparing for your sport
Take extra time to warm up properly and stretch in the winter. Risk
for pulled muscles and strains are higher in the winter since your
muscles are colder and tighter. Warm up slowly and take it easy on
very cold days. Save the tougher workouts for milder days or plan
to exercise indoors. Also remember to stay hydrated. Cold air has a
drying effect and can increase your risk for dehydration.
3.Sun Safety
Don’t forget that UV rays reflect off snow and can quickly give you
sunburn. Always remember to apply sunscreen and lip balm before
your outdoor activities.
4.Check for Frostbite
Your nose, ears, fingers, and toes may get a little numb, but should
warm up after a few minutes of activity. If you notice that your skin is
hard, pale, and cold, and remains numb you may have frostbite. Get
out of the cold immediately and slowly warm the affected area. If the
numbness continues, seek emergency care.
5.Protective Gear
Always remember to check your safety equipment and gear prior
to hitting the slopes or the ice. Wear a properly fitted helmet and
check your equipment for any cracks or broken straps to prevent
serious injuries. Although concussions can occur even with helmets
in place, risk for serious injury is significantly reduced with protective
equipment. Ice hockey has the highest incidence of concussions of
any sport. It is estimated that 15-20% of all injuries in skiers and
snowboarders are head injuries; and concussions make up close
to 10% of injuries in skiers and 15% of injuries in snowboarders.
If you are involved in a high risk sport, consider having baseline
neurocognitive ImPACT testing to help your doctor manage your
injury should you sustain a concussion in the future.
References: UPMC Sports Medicine and Teens Health from Nemours Daneshvar et al.
The Epidemiology of Sport Related Concussion. Clin Sport Med 30 (2011) 1-17.
Office Announcements
Dr. Navneesh Kabarwal and Kathy Rovetto RN, along with two parent
partners have completed the Medical Home Initiative. This Initiative is
a collaboration of NJ state and non-profit agencies and organizations
to improve health outcomes for special needs children and their
families. Advocare Vernon Pediatrics is striving to become a certified
Medical Home.
Dr. Gurmit Saluja was appointed as a committee member of the
Pediatric Advisory Committee at the Goryeb Children’s Hospital at
Morristown Medical Center. This committee strives to improve care
and access for pediatric patients throughout northwestern New Jersey.
Dr. Huzar is conducting a portion of a multicenter, large randomized
study designed by American Academy of Pediatrics, “Adolescent
Health in Pediatric Practice (AHIPP). The goal of this study is to
improve quality of preventative services for teenagers. The study
has two parts: smoking cessation and media use. Our office was
chosen to study whether discussing social media use with a doctor
would positively influence how adolescents utilize TV, radio, internet,
phone, and other means of electronic communication. There are no
risks to participants. The benefits include minimizing the unwanted
consequences of social media use such as: cyber-bullying, violence,
pornography, losing sleep, missing out on a family time, being less
physically active, etc. Eligible participants include patients 14 years
old and above. Participation in the study consists of filling out a
confidential survey. In addition, some adolescents may be asked to
participate in a telephone survey. Some adolescents may be asked
to participate in a telephone survey. All who get chosen to do a
10-15 min telephone survey will receive a $10 gift card. Please talk
to Dr. Huzar if your son or daughter is interested in participating.
Partnering with Girls on the Run
Advocare Vernon Pediatrics is proud to have partnered with
Girls on the Run (GOTR), a non-profit organization helping
young girls develop positive self-esteem and confidence
through exercise and education. This spring Vernon Township
will host it’s first season of GOTR. GOTR is an experience
based program that combines curriculum with sport, aimed
at building self-esteem and confidence in young girls in 3rd
through 5th grades. Throughout the 10-week session, the girls
discuss body image, social media, gossiping, conflict resolution
and so much more. The physical part of the curriculum
incorporates running, teaching the girls the camaraderie of an
individual based sport in a team setting. The culminating event
is a 5k, helping them realize their limitless potential. For more
information, please visit, gotrnjn.org
Dr. Emelynn Fajardo co-authored a chapter focusing on concerns
in the obese and overweight athlete in “Pediatric Sports Medicine,
Essentials for Office Evaluation.” The book was published in 2013
and serves as a reference resource for pediatric providers and
healthcare professionals.
249 Route 94, PO Box 739, Vernon, NJ 0739 • 973.827.4550 • advocaredoctors.com/vernon
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