Avoid Heat-Related Illness with Preventative Measures

(ARA) – Any seasoned NASCAR fan can tell you that when your favorite driver is trailing it’s pretty easy to blow your top at the track, but getting caught up in the heat of the moment is a sure way to spoil the day. Raceway vets know that getting the most out of an afternoon in the grandstands means keeping your cool at the track in more ways than one.

Even the most avid NASCAR enthusiast can end up sidelined by prolonged exposure to hours of direct sunlight in packed seating. According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 318 Americans die every year of heat-related illnesses — most of which are easily preventable. Health and Safety Expert for the American Red Cross, Don Lauritzen, suggests that one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself from heat-related illness is to drink plenty of water. “Hydrate yourself continuously,” says Lauritzen. “Drink even when you’re not thirsty. If you’re already thirsty, it’s a little late.”

Take along a Thermos brand insulated cooler or travel tumbler to keep your water cool and easily accessible. You can even find Thermos tumblers and coolers at Target that feature popular drivers like Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon. The NASCAR six-can cooler is perfect for water and sports drinks, and its regulation size guarantees it will fit comfortably under your seat. Here are some other helpful tips for keeping cool at the speedway this summer so you can have a great day at the races — even if your driver doesn’t!

Dress for Success

There’s a near-endless variety of NASCAR gear to wear on race day, but opting for lightweight, light-colored and loose-fitting clothing goes a long way in battling the heat. Whenever possible, select “breathable” fabrics like cotton, or moisture-wicking materials that pull perspiration and heat away from the body. Don’t forget to top off the look with a hat.

Think Simple

Much of the body’s heat is released through the soles of the feet, the palms of the hands and the scalp. Think of simple and resourceful ways to keep these areas cool. For instance, while caffeinated drinks should be avoided, cans of soda are usually cheap and plentiful at the racetrack. Roll a cold can under bare feet for quick, refreshing relief from the heat.

Eat Smart

Eating small, frequent meals helps keep body temperature low by reducing the metabolic heat that is generated in the consumption and absorption of food. Avoid foods that are high in protein or served hot, opting instead for things like cold sandwiches and salads. Throw a few bags of frozen chopped fruits in your Thermos NASCAR cooler for an especially refreshing treat. The patented insulation technology will ensure your food is cold all the way to the final lap!

Finally, be sure to take regular breaks in the shade if your seat is in direct sunlight. Signs of heat-related illness to look out for include high body temperature, lack of sweating, difficulty breathing, flushed skin and disorientation. If you or anyone around you is showing any of these signs, move them to a cool area and seek medical attention — even if their driver’s on another team!

Courtesy of ARAcontent

ARA) – If your baby wakes up in the middle of the night crying uncontrollably, what is the first thing you would do? Most parents say they would rush over to the crib, pick the baby up and try to offer comfort.

If hugging, talking and singing a song doesn’t work, check to see if the baby needs a diaper change or is hungry; but what do you do if none of these tricks calm your baby? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, extreme fussiness that doesn’t let up, even when the child is being comforted, could be a sign of illness, so you should take the baby’s temperature. But as any parent who has had to deal with a fussy baby will tell you, that can be easier said than done.

While you often can tell if your child is warmer than usual by feeling the forehead, only a thermometer can tell if he or she has a fever and how high the temperature is. Ordinarily, a rectal reading of 97.9 to 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, an oral reading of 95.9 to 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit and an ear reading of 96.4 to 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit is considered normal, while higher readings indicate fever; but good luck getting an accurate reading from a baby who is flailing about and screaming. The thermometer must be in place for a minute or longer.

Well, now there’s some good news for parents struggling with this dilemma. The Kidz-Med Thermofocus, the world’s first non-contact clinical thermometer, is now available in the United States. Introducing the innovative NeverWake Technology, there is no need to touch, startle, upset or wake your child with this thermometer.

All you have to do to obtain an accurate reading of your child’s temperature is hold the thermometer perpendicular to the forehead, and using infrared technology, within in a few hundredths of a second, the Thermofocus will carry out a sequence of up to 125 calculations. It will then deliver an accurate reading of the child’s temperature on a digital display. In a nutshell, a simple point, press and release produces an instant reading.

Fevers under 101 degrees Fahrenheit generally don’t need to be treated unless the child is uncomfortable. To ease the pain your baby may be experiencing, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends you give them acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Dosage depends on the child’s age and weight. Check with your doctor for his or her recommendation.

According to Dr. Richard G. Lagueruela, director of surgical services at Miami Children’s Hospital, “It’s extremely accurate and children of all ages aren’t even aware their temperature is being taken, so there’s no need to restrain an infant or child. Obtaining an accurate temperature is trauma free: no earpiece, mouth probe, or rectal entry required. It’s safe, accurate, and painless. The Thermofocus will revolutionize the health industry and make a difficult part of parenting a delight!”

Among the benefits of Thermofocus that Dr. Lagueruela and his colleagues like best:

* You don’t have to wake, or startle, a child when they are sick to take their temperature.

* The infrared technology is completely safe.

* Parents can rest assured they are getting an accurate reading.

* The method is totally hygienic

Not only does the Thermofocus take the temperature of the body, but it can also be used to take the readings of baby’s food, bottle, bath water and even room temperature. All you have to do is point the thermometer in the direction of the item being tested and you’ll get an accurate reading back almost immediately.

To learn more about the Kidz-Med Thermofocus, which is available for purchase online direct from the distributor, log on to www.kidzmed.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Raleigh will close some downtown streets starting tonight for the third annual Ray Price Capital City Bike Fest. More than 100,000 people are expected for the “motorcycle lifestyle” event, which runs Friday and Saturday and features live music, food, gear manufacturers and custom bike builders.WHEN: The bike fest runs from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday. It’s billed as a family-friendly event with a children’s fun zone where parents can drop off their children.

TRAFFIC: Besides the street closings (see map), congestion is expected from as many as 500 motorcycles that are expected to leave the Ray Price Harley-Davidson dealership on South Saunders Street at 5:53 p.m. Friday and drive to Fayetteville Street, continue along Martin Street and end at Moore Square in an official, police-escorted kick-off parade.

Also, a police-escorted charity ride will leave the dealership about 1 p.m. Friday and travel to the N.C. Army National Guard Aviation Flight Facility and Armory near the Raleigh-Durham International Airport in Morrisville. Riders will return to the dealership at 3:30 p.m.

INFORMATION: www.rayprice.com.

STREET CLOSINGS

SOURCE: News & Observer

Motorcycles will rally as new museum opens

RALEIGH – Saturday’s grand opening of the downtown children’s museum will include fun new mascots, Chinese ribbon dancers and opportunities to plant a pretend garden.

Across the street, at a gathering of thousands of motorcyclists, a tent sponsored by U.S. Smokeless Tobacco will invite “city slickers, tenderfeet and virgin dippers” to learn how to cheat at cards and to watch a sinuous model dance on a bar.

At least 100,000 people are expected downtown for the third annual Ray Price Capital City Bike Fest and the opening of the so-far unnamed museum in the former space for Exploris, the struggling museum about world cultures that closed this month.

Bikers will start roaring in today for the event, which includes a performance in Moore Square tonight by Great White (the band known for its 2003 Rhode Island performance that left 100 people dead after a fire). It runs through Saturday night.

Several city streets, from Fayetteville Street to Moore Square and City Market, are shut to accommodate the rally.

A thousand children can get pretty loud. Even they will have a tough time competing with the noise from hundreds of motorcycle engines, which can average 100 decibels (think chainsaw or jackhammer).

“We’re thinking the more the merrier,” said Sally Edwards, president and CEO of the new museum.

The museum picked Saturday primarily because it was the day it could open a new traveling exhibit about children from around the world. The new museum is the product of the consolidation of Playspace, a children’s museum geared toward toddlers and preschoolers, and Exploris, which both closed Labor Day weekend.

Edwards said grand opening organizers made sure most of the events were inside the 80,000-square-foot museum because of Bike Fest. But, she said, there are plans to integrate motorcycles into the grand opening, though she wouldn’t say how.

Edwards didn’t think the clashing events were a problem but recommended that people plan in advance.

“The parts of downtown that are closed are really not important entrances to the museum,” she said.

Doug Grissom, assistant director of the Raleigh convention center, who helped produce Bike Fest, said the event has been on the same weekend for the past two years. And while some might think of bikers as hard-core partiers with leather chaps and scruffy beards, the reality is much different, he said. The event is billed as a family-friendly affair and includes a children’s entertainment zone run by a couple of Christian groups.

Read More: News & Obserber