Toys are a fundamental part of childhood. They stimulate learning and lead kids to develop fine motor skills. The sky is truly the limit in young imaginations, because good toys encourage even better creativity.

Playtime should be all fun and games, but parents and experts know that it might not always be that way. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, 174,100 children under the age of 15 visited the emergency room for toy-related injuries in 2016. That works out to 477 kids a day, and almost half of them were 5 years old or younger.

This sounds frightening, but there are some key steps you can take to keep toy safety in check.

1. Always consider your child’s age. With toys and games, read instructions and warning labels in order to find the ones best suited for your child. They can most often be found on the backs of boxes, or highlighted on the front.

2. Check the toy for any small parts or potential choking hazards. Small pieces that come with toys, like with action figures, can be dangerous for young kids. Games can come with similar hazards. Look for diagrams of the toy on boxes, and inspect them upon opening. 

3. Separate toys by age group. This is an important step not to overlook. Sometimes toys may seem safe, but are not recommended for the age group your child is in. Toys that are rated for older kids can pose risks for younger ages. Check boxes for age ratings. This is something that families with children in different age groups need to navigate to figure out how each child can play while remaining safe.

4. Use child-safe bins and containers to store toys. When playtime is over, store toys in bins that cannot be accessed by children. You can’t always supervise them, so taking this step can give you piece of mind in the off time.
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5. Batteries. Batteries aren’t toys but you can’t address safety without going over how to keep kids’ safe when their items are often powered by batteries. Each year in the United States, more than 2,800 kids are treated in emergency rooms after swallowing button batteries. That's one child every three hours. The number of serious injuries or deaths as a result of button batteries has increased nine-fold in the last decade. Keep batteries out of reach of children. If you suspect your child has ingested a battery, go to the hospital immediately. Do not induce vomiting or have your child drink or eat something beforehand.

All of this leads up to perhaps the most important point: play with your kids! Children watch their parents all of the time, so they’ll be looking to you for guidance and inspiration. Show your kids how to play, but encourage them to discover their own ways too. 

You’ll not only know they are safe, but they will be able to learn with you. Get in the habit of checking instructions on boxes, and know that age rated toys are done so for good reason. There are so many toys out there, so practice these safety tips to keep playtime the best part of the day.

Welcome to the “In Between Days.” Not only is it a great song by the (optimistically named perhaps?) band The Cure, but it’s also what we are experiencing now as the COVID-19 pandemic nears its ninth month since officially arriving in West Virginia.

We’re in between major holidays and also in between finding out if all that airplane and car travel to grandmother’s house for Thanksgiving is resulting in a new COVID surge, which at this point would be a surge on top of a surge.

We’re in between the time when the messaging was “Stay home this Thanksgiving” to “Stay home this Christmas,” or, maybe better suited to that holiday, “This is not the time to attend seasonal parties.” In fact, just this Wednesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asked Americans to avoid traveling during the winter holiday season.

To that end, we’re also in a time that looks very bleak, with not only the number of COVID cases going up, but also hospitalizations and deaths. 

Remember in mid-July, four months into the pandemic, when West Virginia hit the first 100 COVID-related deaths and it was considered a grim milestone? In just the past five days, from Saturday to Wednesday, Dec. 9, 102 deaths have been reported. One man was 36; a woman whose death was reported a week ago was 25. Now we’re at 901 deaths and the rate does not appear to be slowing down anytime soon.

And as of today, Monongalia County is at 1,142 active COVID cases. That’s 30% of all of Monongalia County’s cases so far from the beginning of the pandemic, 3,796. 

These are dark days, indeed, not only figuratively, but in reality, as we await the winter solstice’s arrival in two weeks and then wait some more until we can really see the days growing lighter.

But there is also another approaching light on the horizon, in the form of COVID vaccines that as of now are waiting for emergency approval this week from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). 

While 2021 won’t bring an immediate fix, things should start getting better as vaccinations are rolled out in tiers, to health care workers, first responders and high-risk individuals and then the general public.

So we really are experiencing the In Between Days. We’ve made it to this point. We know pandemic fatigue has more than set in. And we just need to sit tight a little longer.

You know what that means. Wear your mask. Practice social distancing. And even though it hasn’t been mandated, consider honoring the colder, darker season and also being wary of the pandemic by staying home when you can. 

And, of course, wash your hands. It happens to be National Handwashing Awareness Week. So while that seems like such a small part of COVID-fighting implements, it’s an important one.

It hasn’t even been two centuries since it was discovered that handwashing was an important component in stopping the spread of infection and, therefore, deaths.

In 1846, Ignaz Semmelweis, an Austrian physician, noticed a higher rate of death in women giving birth in a doctor-run maternity ward compared to that of the one run by midwives. He investigated and learned that doctors were attending births right after performing autopsies. The death rate dropped dramatically after he instituted strict handwashing protocols.

In the following decade, during the Crimean War, nurse Florence Nightingale arrived and implemented thorough handwashing at a war hospital. Once again, the number of deaths plunged.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t until the 1980s when a series of foodborne outbreaks and other health-care associated deaths prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to promote hand hygiene more actively. 

​Because of advances in science, laboratories were able to roll out COVID vaccines in a record amount of time. And because of science, we also know that we have some tools in our toolbox that we can use during — and following — these In Between Days.

​Today, Dec. 1, is dedicated to battling one of the world’s deadliest and most persistent epidemics. World AIDS Day recognizes the struggles that this disease brings upon people, and celebrates the resilience they have shown in the fight against it.
 
The first differentiation that needs to be made is between HIV and AIDS. Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV for short, is the virus that attacks cells that defend your body from infections. It is spread through bodily fluids of an infected person, unprotected sex and in shared injection drug use.
 
AIDS stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. It is the condition that comes from extensive immune system damage caused by HIV. As the late stage of HIV, AIDS renders your body unable to defend against other viruses and infections.
 
If your body is unable to defend itself, complications can arise from opportunistic infections. The typical life expectancy of someone with AIDS who does not take HIV medicine is about three years, but life-threatening infections can reduce that time to about one year.
 
HIV testing is very important to halt progression of the virus before it develops into AIDS, and to protect from opportunistic infections. Monongalia County Health Department’s Clinical Services program offers HIV testing. Appointments can be made by calling 304-598-5119. Testing is free and our public health nursing staff members are friendly, non-judgmental and take patient confidentiality very seriously.
 
HIV/AIDS is one of the most significant public health challenges in the world. It is estimated that about 38 million people are living with HIV or AIDS worldwide. While new infections are down about 23% since 2010, prevention goals still miss health experts’ targets.
 
This is a problem that has not left West Virginia untouched. According to AIDSVu, an interactive online map displaying HIV/AIDS prevalence in the U.S., there were approximately 1,891 people in the state living with HIV. Much of these cases are believed to stem from communities abusing injection drugs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believe that about 1 in 10 new HIV diagnoses in the United States stem from this.
 
Sharing needles and syringes presents a very high risk to contract HIV if someone with the virus previously used them. It is transmitted through blood left inside needles, where it can survive for up to 42 days.
 
The best way to reduce this risk is to stop injecting drugs. The battle against HIV/AIDS and substance misuse disorder both involve de-stigmatizing seeking help and treatment. If you do continue to use these drugs, never share needles or other injection equipment. Safely dispose of used needles and obtain sterile ones for each use.
 
Of course, HIV also can be sexually transmitted, so reducing the number of sexual partners and using a condom every time also are key steps to be safer. Alcohol and/or drugs also can lower inhibitions that also can lead individuals to make choices that they would not if they were sober.
 
HIV/AIDS has proven to be a difficult public health problem, and making progress against it takes patience and caution from the public and healthcare providers alike. Stay resilient, and understand the struggles this virus has put people through around the world, in the United States and here in West Virginia.
 
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance misuse, reach out for help to WV Sober Living at 304-413-4300. 

Usually this time of year, the focus of Monongalia County Health Department’s Thanksgiving column centers around food safety and how to correctly prepare a turkey and all the fixings.

To that end, if you do have plans to serve a bird and the trimmings — to what we hope is a small group that only includes members of your household — cook the turkey and stuffing to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also has handy tips for handling the turkey safely while thawing it and before cooking, as well as for storing any leftovers you might have.

Perhaps you will have more leftovers than usual. Because this holiday season, as we all know, is different. You still want your food to be safe, but this year requires extra precautions, as the county, state and country experience yet another surge in COVID-19 cases. 

We know everyone wants a sense of normalcy after a heartbreaking year. For Thanksgiving, that usually means gathering together, sometimes traveling to a relative’s home to do so.

The CDC has something to say about that too:

“Travel may increase your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19. Postponing travel and staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others this year.”

Dr. Lee B. Smith, MCHD executive director and county health officer, also recommends that only members of individual households celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday this year.

“We completely understand that these aren’t easy decisions to make, because we’re having to make them too,” Dr. Smith said. “But if we don’t modify our Thanksgiving plans, COVID cases will only continue to rise, and then we will see another surge just in time for Hanukkah and Christmas.” 

My family is dealing with this too. My mother has spent a good portion of the year on lockdown in the senior living community where she resided. When she moved into her own apartment a couple of months ago, a bright spot was the idea of being able to spend the holidays with her. 

But COVID cases keep rising. West Virginia is seeing record numbers of cases. It’s not uncommon for more than 10-plus deaths to be reported statewide on a daily basis. In fact, it’s usually more than 10, and rarely fewer. On Friday, it was 16. 

My family finally realized that a phone call or a Zoom chat will constitute our Thanksgiving visit. 

For those who do plan to get together with outside members of your family, you know the drill. Wear masks. Wash your hands. Maintain a social distance. Yes, two of those make hugging difficult. That’s the point.

When it comes time to eat, it also would help not to be in close quarters around a table. Because you obviously have to take your masks off. Perhaps have a buffet and stagger times among family members who can spread out as they dig into their meals. It’s supposed to be 55 degrees Thanksgiving afternoon. Some families might think that’s warm enough to eat outside, which would be the safest option.

And remember, COVID testing prior to gathering together can be a good idea, but unless you quarantine and then take extra precautions while traveling, the test is only going to reveal what your status was on the day you were swabbed.

There are no perfect solutions. But there are manageable ones. Yes, it’s a bitter pill to take. However, you can still communicate with your family members and you can still eat a lovely meal. 

This will help to ensure that everyone is still around to celebrate the new, and hopefully brighter, year that begins five weeks later. 

Antibiotics are recognized as one of the most important medical innovations we have at our disposal. They are a life-saving treatment for reversing both common and serious infections. But they need to be used carefully so that we can continue to use them in the future. 

Antibiotic Awareness Week is held to promote just that. Held annually, this year from Nov. 18-24, this observance is dedicated to highlighting safe prescription methods and usage.

Over-prescription of these drugs have raised serious concerns in recent years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that approximately one in three prescriptions are unnecessary. 

The most common cause for this is doctors prescribing them to treat common respiratory illnesses such as the common cold or sinus and ear infections. Excess antibiotic treatments put patients at risk for allergic reactions, but most importantly, it contributes to resistant bacteria.

Antibiotic resistance occurs when germs develop the ability to overcome the drugs designed to kill them. Each time the drugs are used, there is a potential for some bacteria to survive. Surviving bacteria become stronger as a result and are eventually able to grow stronger populations that render antibiotics useless.

Also, antibiotics only work against infections, not viruses, such as the common cold or influenza. Sometimes they might be prescribed to treat an infection that developed from a virus, but antibiotics will do no good toward healing a viral illness.

So what can we encourage in our communities to prevent resistance? The CDC lays out four methods to help defend from it:

Prevent infections — This may seem like an obvious step, but its importance cannot be understated. Fewer infections in the population mean less uses of antibiotics. This reduces the possibility for resistant colonies to develop and spread to other communities. If you suffer an injury, keep the wound clean and dressed. Wash your hands. Prepare food safely.

Tracking -- Encourage doctors to report serious infections. The data can help officials track causes of infections and resistance of bacteria. Proper tracking ensures powerful bacteria and illnesses from spreading to other communities.

Improving antibiotic prescribing — Possibly the most important action is to change how antibiotics are used. The CDC estimates that in humans and animals combined, almost half of prescriptions/treatments are unnecessary. This again presents the risk of allergic reactions, and more importantly bacterial resistance. Antibiotics need to be used only when necessary.

Developing new drugs and tests — Antibiotic resistance is ultimately a natural occurrence. Plants and animals evolve and become stronger over time. Resistance can never be fully stopped, but it can be slowed. As we develop new antibiotics, we can stay ahead of bacteria and the infections they cause.

Antibiotics are an incredible medical treatment that have saved countless lives. They prevent life-threatening infections and keep harmful bacteria from spreading, but their effectiveness can only remain if we use them appropriately. This week, and all of the time, keep antibiotics in the back of your mind as a treatment only to be used when necessary.