Health News__
Echinacea May
Prevent Colds

.... Echinacea may not only help reduce the symptoms of a cold but may help prevent infection with some cold viruses reports a study, published in the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases.
.... People who took echinacea had a 58 percent lower risk of catching a cold, according to the researchers, who did not study the herb's effects directly but looked at the results of 14 studies in an approach called a meta-analysis. The studies involved only 1,600 people. These studies involved various echinacea products, so it was still difficult to know for sure whether and how echinacea might work to prevent colds.
.... These findings differ from a 2005 study on echinacea. In 2005, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found echinacea was of no benefit in stopping colds. The 2005 study took healthy volunteers and inoculated them by putting a cotton swab up their nose. The problem is there are more than 200 kinds of viruses that cause colds and this particular study only looked at a rhinovirus. While the study found that echinacea did not work on this one kind of virus, it may work against the other 199 kinds of viruses

....A fever is an abnormally high body temperature. Most of the time this is a normal response to infection. However, just because your child has a slight fever does not necessarily mean that he or she is seriously ill. (Generally, if your child feels well enough to do so, he or she can still go to school or child care). Keep in mind that your child can also be sick and have a temperature that is normal or below normal.
Normal body temperature is 37°C (98.6°F) when measured orally, although there can be slight differences in temperature between children. Normal body temperature may even vary slightly — by 0.5°C to 1°C (1°F to 2°F) — depending on how and when it is measured. It is typically lower in the middle of the night.

A child may have a higher body temperature:
• round mid-afternoon
• in hot weather
• during active play or exercise
• when crying
• while wearing warm clothing
You can do a quick check for fever by using your cheek to feel if your child’s forehead is hot. However, you should use a thermometer for an accurate temperature reading.

To treat a fever, follow these basic guidelines:
• Give your child plenty of liquids.
• Maintain a comfortable room temperature.
• Dress your child in light cotton clothing. Keep bedclothes to a
minimum.
• Wet a sponge or cloth with lukewarm water and wipe your child’s face gently.
• Do not use baths or alcohol rubs to cool down your child.
• If your child is uncomfortable or the fever is high, use acetaminophen (People First Brand, Tempra or Tylenol) or ibuprofen (People First brand, Motrin or Advil). Do not exceed recommended doses.

Important: Children and teenagers should not take ASA (Aspirin) or “baby” Aspirin when they have a fever. Giving ASA to children with fever has been linked to Reye’s syndrome, a serious disease.

Note: This is basic information on fever but is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Talk to your doctor or go to a hospital emergency department if you have concerns about your child’s health