|
WELCOME HOME TO SEATTLE!
With all of our babies
born this Spring in
Seattle, new moms
may be wondering
what to do when
their child gets sick. Is
this normal? Also,
now that kids are
home for summer vacation there’s no
school nurse on hand. You may appreciate
a few tips in case “Spring Fever” turns into a
real fever this Summer. For all the men and
non-parents out there, you, too, can still
enjoy learning about sock warming and
global cooling in the latest issue of the ink
SPAhT for optimal health in Seattle.
Yours in fantastic health,
Dr. Tolle Murphy
SAFETY IN NUMBERS
As we all struggle adapting to a global-
cooling mindset and concomitant actions, I
must admit, my secret desire is to be a
superheroine. In my fantasy world I am
blessed with the superpower of time-space
travel. This would allow me to leave and
arrive simultaneously without any carbon
emmissions. My mom has miraculously
accomplished this feat by setting all her
clocks 15 minutes fast and biking
everywhere. This works wonders in a small
town where it takes less than 15 minutes to
bike anywhere, but it’s not a very practical
solution for the Seattlite. (All my clocks
would be a half-hour fast!) My wistfullness of
time/space travel superpowers stems from
my chronic love of being where I am until
past the time when I’m supposed to be
somewhere else! This means I’m always late,
and always driving as fast as possible. It
meant keeping up with the fast lane or
being the pace car. It was stressful. I’ve had
a recent shift, though, to the slow lane. Now
I drive no more than 60 mph. It’s so relaxing.
The impetus is to maximize fuel efficiency
(the peak is around 44 mph and fuel
efficiency decreases rapidly at speeds
above 60 mph). According to
fueleconomy.gov, each 5 mph you drive
over 60 mph is like paying an additional
$0.20 per gallon for gas. The real gain,
however is peace of mind. I’m travelling at
closer to a human speed, I’m accounting
for adaquate travel time, I’m sparing the
planet a few extra pounds of carbon
emissions. Now that’s safety in numbers.
SUMMERTIME FEVER!
Before becoming a doctor, I studied botany
and spent summers doing field botany work.
Following in the footsteps of Carolus Linnaus
and Hippocrates. One of the tools
taxnomists use is the dichotomous key which
I introduce to you here to troubleshoot a
fever. Dichotomous means there are two options, and only two options. You choose
between a and b until you have reached a
resolution. In this case it is either back to no
fever or call doctor. Use this as a guideline
for what to do when you suspect a fever. Begin by taking temperature for 3 minutes
under the tongue.
1a. Under 100ºF oral. No Fever.
2a. Able to nurse or take fluids, strong cry or not crying, responds to TLC, pink to flushed in color, skin and
eyes normal. Healthy baby.
2b. Lethargic, limp, not nursing or drinking, weak or high pitched cry, does not respond to TL Cpale or blue
in color, skin “tents” (does not resume normal shape after beingpinched), eyes shrunken: sick child.
Call doctor.
1b. Over 100ºF oral. Take off any excess
clothing and take their temperature again.
3a. Between 100ºF and103ºF oral.
4a. less than 3 months old or duration longer than 3 days. Call doctor.
4b. Child older than 3 months old, or duration less than 3 days: hydrate, cool cloth forhead/neck,
warming socks, homeopathy as needed, TLC (tender loving care).
3b. Over 103ºF oral. Call doctor and begin
hydrating, cool cloth on forehead and
neck, warming socks*, homeopathy
5a. Reduction in temperature within 15
minutes? Continue until under 100ºF oral.
5b. Not better in 15 minutes? Tepid bath plus
hydration and cool cloth on forehead.
6a. Below 103ºF oral within 15 minutes?
Continue cooling until under 100ºF oral.
6b. Not below 103ºF oral in 15 minutes?
Tepid salt enema (1/4 tsp salt/cup water).
7a. Below 103ºF oral within 15 minutes?
Resume tepid bath and hydration until
under 100ºF oral.
7b. Not below 103ºF oral within 15 minutes?
Give children’s tylenol. Do not give “baby”
aspirin to children or teens!
8a. Below 103ºF oral within 15 minutes?
Resume hydrating, cool cloth on
forhead/neck, warming socks, homeopathy
until under 100ºF oral.
8b. If fever is not dropping after 30 minutes
or if child displays lethargy, limpness, inability
to breastfeed or drink, weak or high pitched
cry, pale or blue color in skin, shrunken eyes,
“tenting” skin, call doctor or take to ER.
*WARMING SOCKS
With all the warming that is in the press and
bad, it’s nice to be able to share a simple
warming treatment that is actually good for
you and for the planet. Read: wet socks
have a very small carbon footprint.
Warming socks are the homework version of
hydrotherapy. Sometimes referred to as the
cold wet sock treatment, it is a simple
treatment using simple supplies with
fantastic results. Ingredients: thin pair cotton
socks, thick pair wool socks, feet of sick
person, child or adult.
Step 1. Determine if warming socks are right
for you. A few indications include fever (see
above), or congestion of the head or
sinuses.
Step 2. Submerge cotton socks in cold water
and wring out completely.
Step 3. Place in freezer for 15-20 minutes.
Step 4. Meanwhile take a hot shower or
soak your feet in a warm foot bath.
Step 5. Remove socks from freezer; put on
feet and cover with wool socks.
Step 6. Sleep soundly and recover.
NEWBORN CHECKLIST:
- Nursing every 1-5 hours for 15-60 minutes.
- Diaper count 6+ per day.
- Growth standard: return to birthweight by day 14 postpartum, with a minimum per day therafter.
- Congratulations new Mom and Dad!
- Wish your dad a Happy Father’s Day
click here - to download a pdf version of this newsletter
Past Issues of the ink SPAhT:
Aprill/May 2007 Vol.2 Issue 2 - SUFFERLESS ALLERGIES
|
