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EDITOR’S NOTE: Physicians, providers, and administrative staff who practice at Maui Health hospitals and clinics answer questions from the public in “Heathwise Maui.” Maui Health operates Maui Memorial Medical Center, Maui Memorial Medical Center Outpatient Clinic, Kula Hospital & Clinic and Lana'i Community Hospital and accepts all patients. To submit a question, go to the website at mauihealth.org/healthwise.
Q: What are some tips for preventing colds and flu when my child goes back to school?
Travis Glenn, MD, Family Medicine, Glenn Family Medicine at Maui Memorial Medical Center Outpatient Clinic: Kids often pick up viruses, infections, and other bugs when they head back to school. Fortunately, there are things you can do to prevent illness. Try these tips:
• Teach children to wash their hands thoroughly and frequently, especially before eating, after using the bathroom, and when they get home from school.
• Show kids how to cover their coughs and sneezes with a tissue or their elbow, and remind them to wash their hands afterward.
• Encourage kids to keep their hands and fingers away from their eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Don't let children share water bottles, cups, and utensils. When sharing food, use a serving dish to offer portions, rather than eating directly off a friend's plate.
• Show children how to drink from a water fountain properly without directly touching their mouths to the spigot.
• Regularly disinfect high-touch surfaces at home, such as doorknobs, light switches, and phones, to prevent the spread of germs to other family members.
• Make sure keiki are up to date on all their vaccines, and book annual vaccines like the flu shot early in the season to get maximum protection.
• Support your child's immune system and overall health by making sure they're getting enough sleep, staying active, and eating a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables.
If your child does get sick, keep them home until they are well enough to return to school.
Not only does rest help them recover faster, but staying home also prevents the spread of illness to friends and classmates. Signs that a child needs to stay home include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or feeling too unwell to participate in regular activities.
Even though colds may be common, they're not inevitable. By building healthy habits, you can reduce the chances of your child getting sick this school year.
Q: Are occasional tremors or hand shaking ever normal, or should they always be checked out?
Cordia Wan, MD, Maui Memorial Medical Center Inpatient Neurology, Pacific Permanente Group: Everyone has a slight natural tremor that's often so subtle it's unnoticeable. Stress, anxiety, fatigue, caffeine, and physical exertion can all temporarily make this normal tremor more pronounced.
Lifestyle changes such as avoiding caffeine, getting restful sleep, allowing yourself time to recover after vigorous exercise, and practicing mindfulness or breathing exercises when you feel stressed may help reduce the shaking.
Sometimes, these mild tremors may also be a side effect of a new medication you're taking. Talking to your doctor about whether changing the dose or drug could help.
Not every tremor can be easily explained in this way, however. Tremors can be a sign of an underlying neurological or metabolic condition. It's important to see a doctor if you have a tremor that persists, worsens, or begins interfering with regular activities such as writing, eating, or drinking.
The bottom line is that everyone has a slight natural tremor, but new, persistent, or worsening changes - as well as those accompanied by other concerning symptoms - should be evaluated by a health care professional.
Maui Health’s board-certified neurologists provide specialized care for hospitalized patients experiencing a wide range of neurological conditions, including movement disorders and other complex neurological illnesses. Their expertise helps ensure patients receive advanced neurological care close to home on Maui. To learn more about our inpatient neurology care, visit our website, mauihealth.org/neurology.