Preventable Injuries from Life-Saving Epinephrine Auto-Injectors on the Rise

Researchers find an increased rate of unintentional injection of epinephrine from auto-injectors for anaphylaxis and urge people who may need to administer the life-saving drug to themselves or others in an allergic emergency to receive regular coaching in its proper use. The report is published this month in Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI).

Free Lysol (R) Healthy Habits Activity Booklet for Kids

Teach your kids fun ways to learn healthy habits with this exciting booklet filled with games, puzzles, pictures, and more - brought to you by the makers of LYSOL (R) and the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP). Learn about healthy eating with crossword puzzles, play the road safety maze, connect the dots to discover healthy teeth and gums, and more! The activities focus on a variety of health and safety issues that are important to children today. Aimed at six- to nine-year olds, the program allows children to engage in fun activities as they learn about various health and safety topics. To download: http://www.lysol.com/germ-information-center/resources/.

Study Shows Increase in Parental Awareness of the Dangers of Teen Abuse of Prescription Medications

In a single year’s time, the number of parents who mistakenly believe that abusing prescription medicines is “much safer” than using illicit street drugs dropped by nearly half—from 19 percent in 2007 to just ten percent in 2008. The same level of progress was reported regarding beliefs about the addictive potential of some prescription medicines when misused. In 2007, 24 percent of parents believed that intentional abuse of prescription medicines would not be addictive. In 2008, that number decreased significantly to 11 percent. The heightened awareness has yet to translate into increased parental action to prevent the behavior, however. The data show a small, yet statistically insignificant, percentage gain in the number of parents who say they have discussed the dangers of Rx abuse with their teens, from 68 percent in 2007 to 72 percent in 2008. The top three drug topics parents report discussing with teens are drugs in general, cigarettes and alcohol.
The primary – and increasingly influential – cue for parent-teen discussions about drug and alcohol issues is the media, particularly television. In 2008, 70 percent of parents surveyed reported that something portrayed in the media prompted a conversation with their child about drugs or alcohol, and 64 percent specified that they were motivated to start a discussion by seeing something drug-related on television. This represents a significant increase from 2007, when 63 percent and 57 percent of parents, respectively, reported the media in general or television specifically as a cue to talk to teens about substance abuse.
As parents gain confidence in their prevention abilities, they are less likely to view educating kids about the risks of drug use as the responsibility of their child’s school. Fewer than 1 in 3 parents (27 percent) in 2008 agreed that schools should be primarily responsible for drug education, down from nearly 40 percent the previous year.
“Research consistently shows that teens who learn a lot about the risks of drugs at home are up to 50 percent less likely to use, yet many parents have difficulty talking with their kids about drugs and alcohol,” said Pasierb. “Parents and caregivers have real power in influencing the decisions teens make for themselves.”
Hope your summer months are happy, fun, safe, and healthy!