There are few states that have laws stating how old a child must be before he or she can be left at home alone.

Yet, the National SAFEKIDS Campaign states that no child under 12 should be left home alone, no matter how mature they appear to be. They advise:

While 12 years is the earliest age to even consider that a child can stay home alone, each child is different and may not be ready at 12. Once the decision is made to begin allowing a child to stay at home alone the following suggestions can help insure a safe, comfortable experience for parent and child:

• Practice by letting your child stay at home for brief periods of time

• Always leave a phone number where you can be contacted

• Call your child regularly while they are alone

• Prepare your child for staying home alone. A good book to review together  is Dottie Raymer’s Staying Home Alone, and discuss what it means to make safe choices.

• Be sure your child understands your expectations about he or she is to use alone time. Review what is and is not permitted, such as:
  • TV viewing
  • Answer the phone
  • Cooking or making a snack
  • Using the computer
  • Entertaining friends
  • Going out or visit friends

• Make sure your home is safe for your child:
  • Keep medications in a locked cabinet
  • If you have guns, keep them a locked cabinet
  • Correct anything your child could get hurt on
• Practice correct behavior in emergencies such as:
  • What to do in an emergency
  • What to do if someone were trying to get into the house or apartment
  • What to do in case of a fire
• Before you make the decision to try letting your child be home alone, ask your child if he or she feels confident and ready to stay home alone. If he or she is hesitant, hire a sitter and revisit being home alone in six or more months.

Sources: National Child Care Information Center, National SAFEKIDS Campaign, Jennifer Wolf, About.com

With the weather getting warmer, many of us are thinking of hiking and doing other outdoor activities. If you are planning a trip through one of our national parks, why not take advantage of the “Free Days?”

They are:

• January 19
  Martin Luther King Jr. Day

• February 14-16
  Presidents Day weekend

• April 18-19
  opening weekend of National Park Week
• August 25
  National Park Service Birthday
• September 26
  National Public Lands Day
• November 11
  Veterans Day

Only 127 of our country’s 407 national parks usually charge an entrance fee. So start planning your visit!

If you’re planning a trip that includes multiple national parks, you might consider the $80 annual pass that provides entrance to all national parks, national wildlife refuges, national forests, and many other Federal lands-more than 2,000 in all.

The America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass is offered free to all active duty military members and their dependents. Information on these and other pass options is available online.

*Fee waiver includes: entrance fees, commercial tour fees, and transportation entrance fees to the parks. Other fees such as reservation, camping, tours, concession and fees collected by third parties are not included unless stated otherwise.

Source: U.S. National Park Service

While I’m at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, reliving all the parades I marched in as a student playing the trumpet, I thought that some of you might like to try your hand at making what is an integral part of my celebration every March 17th… Irish Soda Bread.

There are many recipes for Irish Soda Bread, but this is my favorite; it is more like a cake than a bread. It is moist and flavorful and makes the house smell wonderful. It can be baked in a round or loaf pan.

It is not my recipe; it belongs to my high school friend, Maureen Duffy. It was handed down to her from family in Ireland.

Irish Soda Bread Recipe – Serves 10

Ingredients

3 cups of all purpose flour

3 teaspoons of baking powder

1 and 1/4 cups of sugar

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of caraway seeds

3 eggs

16 oz container of sour cream

1 stick of butter

Directions

Mix all dry ingredients together

Add eggs, sour cream and butter

Blend caraway seeds and raisins into the batter

Pour in a large round pan or loaf pan

Brush top with melted butter

Sprinkle the top lightly with a bit of sugar and a little nutmeg

Bake @ 370 degrees for 1 and 1/4 hrs

 Use a tooth pick or cake tester to check that the Irish Soda Bread is done; remove from oven; let cool for 10 min. before removing from pan. Let cool for 20 minutes before cutting.

After the parade, I will be eating a memory; I’ll have a big wedge of Irish Soda Bread lathered in soft butter and a cup of tea!

 Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

The Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that antibiotics resistance is a growing public health concern worldwide.

According to the FDA, when a person is infected with an antibiotic-resistant bacterium, not only is treatment of that patient more difficult, but the antibiotic-resistant bacterium may spread to other people.

For many years we have relied on antibiotics to keep us healthy, sometimes to the point of insisting that we have an antibiotic even when our doctor tell us it is not warranted.

The FDA describes antibiotics as drugs used for treating infections caused by bacteria. Misuse and overuse of these drugs, however, have contributed to a phenomenon known as antibiotic resistance.

This resistance develops when potentially harmful bacteria change in a way that reduces or eliminates the effectiveness of antibiotics.

When antibiotics don’t work, the result can be:

• longer illnesses
• more complicated illnesses
• more doctor visits
• the use of stronger and more expensive drugs
• more deaths caused by bacterial infections

Examples of the types of bacteria that have become resistant to antibiotics include the species that cause skin infections, meningitis, sexually transmitted diseases and respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia.

In cooperation with other government agencies, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched several initiatives to address antibiotic resistance.

The agency has issued drug labeling regulations, emphasizing the prudent use of antibiotics. The regulations encourage health care professionals to prescribe antibiotics only when clinically necessary, and to counsel patients about the proper use of such drugs and the importance of taking them as directed. FDA has also encouraged the development of new drugs, vaccines, and improved tests for infectious diseases.

Antibiotics Fight Bacteria, Not Viruses

Antibiotics are meant to be used against bacterial infections. For example, they are used to treat strep throat, which is caused by streptococcal bacteria, and skin infections caused by staphylococcal bacteria.

Although antibiotics kill bacteria, they are not effective against viruses. Therefore, they will not be effective against viral infections such as colds, most coughs, many types of sore throat, and influenza (flu).

Using antibiotics against viral infections

• will not cure the infection
• will not keep other individuals from catching the virus
• will not help a person feel better
• may cause unnecessary, harmful side effects
• may contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

So how do you know if you have a bad cold or a bacterial infection?

Joseph Toerner, M.D., MPH, a medical officer in FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, says that the symptoms of a cold or flu generally lessen over the course of a week. But if you have a fever and other symptoms that persist and worsen with the passage of days, you may have a bacterial infection and should consult your health care provider.

Follow Directions for Proper Use

When you are prescribed an antibiotic to treat a bacterial infection, it’s important to take the medication exactly as directed. Here are more tips to promote proper use of antibiotics.

• Complete the full course of the drug. It’s important to take all of the medication, even if you are feeling better. If treatment stops too soon, the drug may not kill all the bacteria. You may become sick again, and the remaining bacteria may become resistant to the antibiotic that you’ve taken.
• Do not skip doses. Antibiotics are most effective when they are taken regularly.
• Do not save antibiotics. You might think that you can save an antibiotic for the next time you get sick, but an antibiotic is meant for your particular infection at the time. Never take leftover medicine. Taking the wrong medicine can delay getting the appropriate treatment and may allow your condition to worsen.
• Do not take antibiotics prescribed for someone else. These may not be appropriate for your illness, may delay correct treatment, and may allow your condition to worsen.
• Talk with your health care professional. Ask questions, especially if you are uncertain about when an antibiotic is appropriate or how to take it.

It’s important that you let your health care professional know of any troublesome side effects. Consumers and health care professionals can also report adverse events to FDA’s MedWatch program at 800-FDA-1088 or online at MedWatch.