Community Corner

Shelton Doctor: Less Are Sick This Season [UPDATE]

Shelton pediatrician offices and teachers say kids are relatively healthy this season.

Update, 3:16 p.m.

Melanie Georgalas, a physician at Shelton's Pedia-Care Pediatrics and Concussion center reports that there have been no unusual sicknesses going around this winter. Because it has been warmer, there is more mold in the air which can indue asthma symptoms. Georgalas's tips for staying healthy:

  • Frequent hand washing
  • Blowing and wiping runny noses into a tissue
    • "It is really helpful if families donate Kleenex to the classrooms or send their child to school with a box."
  • Coughing into elbows instead of hands
  • "Healthy eating: lots of fruits and veggies!"
  • Spending time outside to soak up sunlight, which produces Vitamin D

Original Story

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A so-far mild winter has yielded more positives besides the obvious lack of snow shoveling. Local pediatrician offices, nurses and teachers say that people in general, especially kids, are less sick this season compared to last year.

"Today is a crazy day here," the receptionist at Shelton's said Tuesday afternoon. But although doctors and nurses were too busy to make an immediate statement, the front desk did report that local health status is, for the most part, good.

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Vixie, a registered nurse with Children's Medical Associates in Derby said their offices have seen "the usual" for winter, including the common cold, pneumonia, croup and strep throat. In addition, the chilly air can induce asthma symptoms in both kids and adults. "The cold weather brings it to the top and they start wheezing and go on medicine," she said.

history teacher Katelyn Botsford said she noticed "mostly sniffles and the flu before holiday break."

"It's funny because you think the high school is better because in elementary school you're really one-on-one with kids and everyone shares everything and it's close quarters but in the high school it can be just as bad," Botsford said.

Vixie added that a gastro-intestinal bug where patients suffer from fever, vomiting and diarrhea has also been going around the past few weeks, but even this is fairly normal given the season.

Caitlin Flood, a Hartford Hospital nurse and Shelton resident, said that she hasn't seen an increase in flu symptom patients this season as compared to previous years.

"And I work in a pulmonary unit, so you'd think we'd have seen a lot of people sick because of winter but we really haven't. It's been pretty normal," Flood said.

So how do we keep ourselves this healthy? Both Vixie and Flood say the best thing to do is keep sick kids home from school, where illness spreads quickly.

The Pediatric Healthcare website gives the following everyday steps to prevent the spread of flu viruses and germs:

  • Covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. If soap and water are not available, alcohol-based cleaners are also effective.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
  • As much as possible, stay away from sick people, including anyone in your house.
  • Keep surfaces like bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom, kitchen counters and toys for children clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label.
  • Anyone infected with the flu should stay home to rest and to avoid giving the flu to others.


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