Dawson County Health Department News

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1 Dawson County Health Department News O rgan i zation N am e January 2019 Volume, Issue Inside this issue: Cervical Caner 2 A Healthier You 3 Quit Tobacco 4 Thyroid Awarness 4 Services 5 Calendar W. Bell Glendive, MT Website: dawsoncountymontana.com/ departments/publichealth Public Health: WIC Program: January is Birth Defects Prevention By: Pam O Brien Every 4 ½ minutes, a baby is born with a birth defect in the United States. That means nearly 120,000 babies are affected by birth defects each year. ( ncbddd/birthdefects/facts.html#ref) Birth defects are structural changes present at birth that can affect almost any part or parts of the body (e.g., heart, brain, foot). They may affect how the body looks, works, or both. Birth defects can vary from mild to severe. The well-being of each child affected with a birth defect depends mostly on which organ or body part is involved and how much it is affected. Depending on the severity of the defect and what body part is affected, the expected lifespan of a person with a birth defect may or may not be affected. A birth defect can be found before birth, at birth, or any time after birth. Most birth defects are found within the first year of life. Some birth defects are easy to see, but others are found using special tests, such as echocardiograms (an ultrasound picture of the heart), x-rays or hearing tests. Birth defects can occur during any stage of pregnancy. Most birth defects occur in the first 3 months of pregnancy, when the organs of the baby are forming. This is a very important stage of development. However, some birth defects occur later in pregnancy. During the last six months of pregnancy, the tissues and organs continue to grow and develop. For some birth defects, like fetal alcohol syndrome, we know the cause. But for most birth defects, we don t know what causes them. For most birth defects, we think they are caused by a complex mix of factors. These factors include our genes (information inherited from our parents), our behaviors, and things in the environment. But, we don t fully understand how these factors might work together to cause birth defects. While we still have more work to do, we have learned a lot about birth defects through past research. For example, some things might increase the chances of having a baby with a birth defect, such as: Smoking, drinking alcohol, or taking certain street drugs during pregnancy. Having certain medical conditions, such as being obese or having uncontrolled diabetes before and during pregnancy. Upcoming Events (Continued on page 2) Home Health: : Tel: (406) Tobacco Prevention: Cervical Health Awareness National Birth Defects Prevention National Blood Donor National Glaucoma Awareness National Radon Action National Stalking Awareness National Winter Sports Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Awareness Thyroid Awareness 1 New Year s Day Offices Closed 1-7 New Year s Resolutions Week 6-13 National Folic Acid Awareness Week 21 Martin Luther King Jr. Day Offices Closed National Drug Facts Week

2 Page 2 Dawson County Health Department Newsletter January is Birth Defects Prevention (cont.) By: Pam O Brien Taking certain medications, such as isotretinoin (a drug used to treat severe acne). Having someone in your family with a birth defect. Being an older mother, typically over the age of 34 years. Having one or more of these risks doesn t mean you ll have a pregnancy affected by a birth defect. Also, women can have a baby born with a birth defect even when they don t have any of these risks. It is important to talk to your doctor about what you can do to lower your risk. Not all birth defects can be prevented. But, there are things that a woman can do before and during pregnancy to increase her chance of having a healthy baby: Be sure to see your healthcare provider regularly and start prenatal care as soon as you think you might be pregnant. Get 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day, starting at least one month before getting pregnant. Don t drink alcohol, drink or use street drugs. Talk to a healthcare provider about any medications you are taking or thinking about taking. This includes prescription and overthe-counter medications and dietary or herbal supplements. Don t stop or start taking any type of medication without first talking with a doctor. Learn how to prevent infections during pregnancy. If possible, be sure any medical conditions are under control, before becoming pregnant. Some conditions that increase the risk for birth defects include diabetes and obesity. Babies who have birth defects often need special care and interventions to survive and to thrive developmentally. State birth defects tracking programs provide one way to identify and refer children as early as possible for services they need. Early intervention is vital to improving outcomes for these babies. If your child has a birth defect, you should ask his or her doctor about local resources and treatment. Geneticists, genetic counselors, and other specialists are another resource. Source: CDC JANUARY IS CERVICAL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH! Dawson County encourages women to protect themselves against cervical cancer. What Steps Should You Take? Get a Pap Test. Avoid Tobacco Use. Get Vaccinated. Call to Schedule Your Exam.

3 Volume, Issue Page 3 A Healthier You By: Laureen Murphree When we hear Happy New Year, our thoughts often turn to resolutions. We often think negative thoughts when attempting resolutions because they are often broken. Instead, we should turn to small things that can change our life for the better. Create healthy habits that can last a lifetime. We all know we need to eat right, exercise, get plenty of sleep and drink lots of water in order to be healthy. Many of us think we re doing a decent job of being healthy. However, most of us are not. One study found that very few adults (only 3 percent) actually meet all the criteria of living a healthy lifestyle. Researchers looked at four keys to healthfulness, including: Not smoking. Maintaining a healthy weight (a BMI of 18-25) or successfully losing weight. Eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Exercising 30 minutes or more, five times a week. Few of us actually do all these things. And while these are important, there is more to good health than checking those boxes. It s also about having a positive attitude, a positive self-image, taking care of your mental health and spending time with friends and family. So, before you enter into a commitment to begin a healthier you in the New Year, decide which areas you desire to strengthen. Begin with your top one or two areas and work down your list. (entrepreneur.com) Don t try to make huge life changes all at once. That can leave you feeling overwhelmed and tempted to give up altogether. Start small and build. It is amazing how quickly we can build a daily habit. Start with a small change and try to do it every day. For example, if you want to increase your exercise, start with 5 or 10 minutes a day. When you feel like that is manageable, increase your intensity or length. Before long, it will become a daily habit. Getting rid of addiction is very hard. Whether it be smoking, eating, gambling or drinking alcohol in excess. There are places to get support. If you want to quit smoking, calling the Montana Quit Line at QUIT-NOW is a great place to start. Another area is eating a healthy diet. Your food choices each day affect your health how you feel today, tomorrow, and in the future. Breakfast is a very important meal. Getting in those 5 servings of fruits and vegetables can be tough. If you eat fruit and/or vegetables as a part of your breakfast, it helps your body and subtracts from that 5 servings. Scrambled eggs with some peppers, mushrooms, broccoli and onions (or your favorites) are a great source of protein and vegetables. It also helps keep you from being hungry later on. Don t forget to drink water some say eight 8 oz. glasses others say half your body weight in ounces. Regardless drink that water!! Sometimes we overlook the importance of getting enough sleep. After all, if we re eating right, working out and avoiding bad habits like smoking, does it really matter if we re getting the recommended 8 hours of sleep a night? It sure does! Sleep plays a vital role in our health and well-being through our lives. Getting enough quality sleep aids in both mental and physical health. Sleep is key to brain function -- it affects how well you learn, work, think, react and get along with others. Having an ongoing sleep deficiency raises your risk for chronic health problems. (entrepreneur.com) Managing stress and slowing down to appreciate the ones/things around us also helps create a healthier you. So this year try something different. Since success is never overnight but the result of a series of small, incremental, repeated steps, simply pick a few things to do differently every day.

4 Page 4 Dawson County Health Department Newsletter New Year, New Chance to Quit Tobacco for Good! By: Lindsay Sadorf Every year, thousands of Montanans look at the new year as an opportunity to make positive life changes. For Montanans who use tobacco, quitting tobacco is one of the best things they can do for their health. The Montana Tobacco Quit Line and American Indian Commercial Tobacco Quit Line are free services available to all Montanans and are here to help anyone quit tobacco. Remember the Quit Line is for all types of tobacco: cigarettes, smokeless, and e-cigarettes. No matter what type of tobacco you use, the Quit Line can help, stated Lindsay Sadorf local Tobacco Prevention Specialist. The Quit Line offers free and reduced cost medications, free counseling with a certified quit coach and a personalized quit plan. The Montana Tobacco Quit Line also offers a special program to pregnant women who want to quit for their own health and the health of their baby, and offers an American Indian call line that connects callers with American Indian coaches. All Quit Line programs deliver tailored services for each caller creating the best opportunity for success. Quitting tobacco can be the most important thing you do for your health this New Year. The Quit Line, along with FDA-approved cessation medications available through enrollment, is a proven effective way to help you quit tobacco use successfully. Tobacco users who use the Montana Tobacco Quit Line are 7 to 10 times more likely to quit than if they were to try alone. To get started call QUIT NOW ( ), or visit the website at to enroll. American Indian callers can reach Native coaches directly by calling Set yourself up for success in the New Year by calling the quit line today! January is Thyroid Awareness By: Andeen Raymond The thyroid is a critical part of one s overall health. Unfortunately, many still are inadequately informed or are completely unaware of this butterfly-shaped gland located just under the larynx. January is Thyroid Awareness, which provides an excellent opportunity to read up on this small gland that is so important to our health. So, how common is thyroid disease? Thyroid disease is more common than diabetes or heart disease. Thyroid disease is a fact of life for as many as 30 million Americans and more than half of those people remain undiagnosed. Women are five times more likely than men to suffer from hypothyroidism (when the gland is not producing enough thyroid hormone). Aging is just one risk factor for hypothyroidism. How important is my thyroid in my overall well-being? The thyroid gland produces thyroid hormone, which controls virtually every cell, tissue and organ in the body. If your thyroid is not functioning properly, it can produce too much thyroid hormone, which causes the body s systems to speed up (hyperthyroidism); or it can create too little thyroid hormone, which causes the body s systems to slow down (hypothyroidism). (Continued on page 5)

5 Services Provided by the Health Department Immunizations: Adults and children, Thursdays: 8:30 am - noon and. Walk-ins are welcome. To schedule an appointment call Insurance Billing: Yes, the Dawson County Health Department does bill insurance for children s immunizations. WIC (Women, Infants and Children): Thursdays 8:00-12:00 and 1:00-5:00. Appointments may be made by calling : Walk in hours are Monday Tuesday: 1-5 pm, Wednesday: 8 am - noon and 1-5 pm, Thursday: No Clinic, Friday: 10 am - noon and 1-3 pm. Services are based on a sliding fee scale. To schedule an appointment call Blood Pressure : Wednesday-Thursday: 8 - noon no charge. Labs: Wednesday 8:00 - noon. Some labs require 12 hour fast. Home Health Services: In home services including skilled nursing. Certified Nurse Assistant, Homemaker and Meals on Wheels. Call for more information or to make a referral. Public Health Home Visiting: Home visiting program for pregnant women, infants and children. Services help to build parental resilience, social connections, knowledge of parenting and child development, concrete supports in times of need and social and emotional competence of children. Tobacco Prevention: Preventing tobacco use among youth and promote quitting among adult users. Free signs for CIAA compliance. Public Health Emergency Preparedness: Planning and coordination of community resources to prepare for public health emergencies. (Continued from page 4) Untreated thyroid disease may lead to elevated cholesterol levels and subsequent heart disease, as well as infertility and osteoporosis. Research also shows that there is a strong genetic link between thyroid disease and other autoimmune diseases, including types of diabetes, arthritis and anemia. Simply put, if your thyroid gland isn t working properly, neither are you. How do you know if you have a thyroid problem? First, you must understand how to recognize the symptoms and risk factors of thyroid disease. Since many symptoms may be hidden or mimic other diseases and conditions, the best way to know for sure is to ask your doctor for a TSH (thyroidstimulating hormone) test, a simple blood test to verify your thyroid gland s condition. Also, take a minute and perform a self-neck Check. Because thyroid disease often runs in families, examinations of your family members and a review of their medical histories may reveal other individuals with thyroid problems. What are some of the reasons to consider a thyroid evaluation? Family history: A familiar place to look for thyroid disorder signs and symptoms is your family tree. If you have a firstdegree relative (a parent, sibling or child) with thyroid disease, you would benefit from thyroid evaluation. Women are much more likely to be thyroid patients than men; however, the gene pool runs through both. Prescription medications: If you are taking Lithium or Amiodarone, you should consider a thyroid evaluation. Radiation therapy to the head or neck: If you have had any of the following radiation therapies, you should consider a thyroid evaluation: radiation therapy for tonsils, radiation therapy for an enlarged thymus, or radiation therapy for acne. Sources:

6 JANUARY 2019 JANUARY 2019 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT OFFICE CLOSED ; :00-5:00 Mommy/Daddy & Me 11:00 ; :00-5:00 Mommy/Daddy & Me 11:00 ; OFFICE CLOSED Mommy/Daddy & Me 11:00 ; :00-5:00 Mommy/Daddy & Me 11:00 ; 1-5 Dawson County Health Department 207 W. Bell St. Glendive, MT (406) If you would like to be on the mailing list for this monthly publication or submit an article for the next month, please Laureen Murphree at murphreel@dawsoncountymontana.com