Bully on campus & online 9781422230459, 1422230457

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Protecting Your Body: Germs, Superbugs, Poison, & Deadly Diseases

Bully on Campus & Online Drugs & Alcohol Gunman on Campus Natural Disasters Navigating Cyberspace Peer Pressure & Relationships Protecting Your Body: Germs, Superbugs, Poison, & Deadly Diseases Road Safety Sports Stranger Danger Terrorism & Perceived Terrorism Threats

Protecting Your Body: Germs, Superbugs, Poison, & Deadly Diseases Christie Marlowe

Mason Crest

Mason Crest 450 Parkway Drive, Suite D Broomall, PA 19008 www.masoncrest.com Copyright © 2015 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher. Printed and bound in the United States of America. First printing 987654321 Series ISBN: 978-1-4222-3044-2 ISBN: 978-1-4222-3051-0 ebook ISBN: 978-1-4222-8835-1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Marlowe, Christie., author. Protecting your body : germs, superbugs, poison & deadly diseases / Christie Marlowe. pages cm. — (Safety first) Includes index. ISBN 978-1-4222-3051-0 (hardback)—ISBN 978-1-4222-3044-2 (series) 1. Poisons—Safety measures—Juvenile literature. 2. Home accidents—Prevention—Juvenile literature. 3. Safety education—Juvenile literature. I. Title. RA1214.M37 2015 613.6071--dc23 2014003852

Contents Introduction 1. Real-Life Stories 2. What Makes Poisons, Superbugs, and Germs Dangerous? 3. Staying Safe and Being Prepared 4. What Can You Do to Stay Safe? Find Out More Index About the Author & Consultant and Picture Credits

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Introduction

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o task is more important than creating safe schools for all children. It should not require an act of courage for parents to send their children to school nor for children to come to school. As adults, we must do everything reasonable to provide a school climate that is safe, secure, and welcoming—an environment where learning can flourish. The educational effectiveness and the strength of any nation is dependent upon a strong and effective educational system that empowers and prepares young people for meaningful and purposeful lives that will promote economic competitiveness, national defense, and quality of life. Clearly adults are charged with the vital responsibility of creating a positive educational climate. However, the success of young people is also affected by their own participation. The purpose of this series of books is to articulate what young adults can do to ensure their own safety, while at the same time educating them as to the steps that educators, parents, and communities are taking to create and maintain safe schools. Each book in the series gives young people tools that will empower them as participants in this process. The result is a model where students have the information they need to work alongside parents, educators, and community leaders to tackle the safety challenges that face young people every day. Perhaps one of the most enduring and yet underrated challenges facing young adults is bullying. Ask parents if they can remember the schoolyard bully from when they were in school, and the answers are quite revealing. Unfortunately, the situation is no better today—and new venues for bullying exist in the twenty-first-century world that never existed before. A single bully can intimidate not only a single student but an entire classroom, an entire school, and even an entire community. The problem is underscored by research from the National School Safety Center and the United States Secret Service that indicates that bullying was involved in 80 percent of school shootings over the past two decades. The title in this series that addresses this problem is a valuable and essential tool for promoting safety and stopping bullying. Another problem that has been highlighted by the media is the threat of violence on our school campuses. In reality, research tells us that schools are the safest place for young people to be. After an incident like Columbine or Sandy Hook, however, it is difficult for the public, including students, to understand that a youngster is a hundred times more likely to be assaulted or killed

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at home or in the community than at school. Students cannot help but absorb the fears that are so prevalent in our society. Therefore, a frank, realistic, discussion of this topic, one that avoids hysteria and exaggeration, is essential for our young people. This series offers a title on this topic that does exactly that. It addresses questions such as: How do you deal with a gunman on the campus? Should you run, hide, or confront? We do not want to scare our children; instead, we want to empower them and reassure them as we prepare them for such a crisis. The book also covers the changing laws and school policies that are being put in place to ensure that students are even safer from the threat of violence in the school. “Stranger danger” is another safety threat that receives a great deal of attention in the modern world. Again, the goal should be to empower rather than terrify our children. The book in this series focusing on this topic provides young readers with the essential information that will help them be “safety smart,” not only at school but also between home and school, at play, and even when they are home alone. Alcohol and drug abuse is another danger that looms over our young people. As many as 10 percent of American high school students are alcoholics. Meanwhile, when one student was asked, “Is there a drug problem in your school?” her reply was, “No, I can get all the drugs I want.” A book in this series focuses on this topic, giving young readers the information they need to truly comprehend that drugs and alcohol are major threats to their safety and well-being. From peer pressure to natural disasters, from road dangers to sports safety, the Safety First series covers a wide range of other modern concerns. Keeping children and our schools safe is not an isolated challenge. It will require all of us working together to create a climate where young people can have safe access to the educational opportunities that will promote the success of all children as they transition into becoming responsible citizens. This series is an essential tool for classrooms, libraries, guidance counselors, and community centers as they face this challenge. Dr. Ronald Stephens Executive Director National School Safety Center www.schoolsafety.us

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Words to Know asthma: A breathing disorder than can be triggered by smoke, humidity, exercise, and many other factors. precautions: Things you do ahead of time to avoid danger. medicinal: Something with medicine in it; having a healing effect. fluid: A liquid, especially one from inside your body.

Chapter One

Real-Life Stories

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ne summer night, Caleb’s parents were throwing a party. The family had a large backyard and invited some friends and neighbors for a pool party. Caleb and his family had just moved into the neighborhood and this was the first time their friends would see their new home. That day, Caleb’s parents were very busy making sure everything was ready. Caleb’s older sister was given the chore of cleaning the floors and windows of their home. Caleb’s father made sure the pool had enough chemicals. Caleb’s mother bought coals and lighter fluid for the grill. This all seems very normal. Caleb’s parents wanted the house to be clean to impress their friends. They made sure the pool had enough chemicals so it wouldn’t be dirty. They bought coals and lighter fluid so that they could serve food to their guests. But the products Caleb’s family used all have one thing in common: they are all poisonous.

CALEB POISONS HIMSELF Before this night, Caleb had no idea how many poisons he lived around every day. Many of the things we have around us—like fuel, glue, hair-care products, soaps, cleaning products, certain plants and berries, or even medication—can be poisonous if eaten or used improperly.

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Many household cleaners and other products have chemicals in them that are poisonous, but sometimes it’s hard to tell just from looking at the bottle.

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Protecting Your Body: Germs, Superbugs, Poison, & Deadly Diseases

Poison Control Centers A poison control center is a service that offers free expert treatment advice about potentially poisonous substances. Calling 1-800-222-1222, like Caleb’s parents did, will lead you to a poison control center in your area. These poison control centers make medical experts available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Most contacts with poisonous substances can be dealt with right over the phone. If you think you have eaten or inhaled anything that could possibly be poisonous, call this number immediately!

Caleb’s parents understood the dangers of poisons. They also understood that Caleb, who was only eight, might not be old enough to handle these products safely. That was why he wasn’t given any of the chores that involved these potential poisons. Instead, they asked him to clean his room and tidy the house. But Caleb’s parents still had a few more chores to do before they could feel ready for the party. His father decorated the yard with lights so that their guests could continue to enjoy the pool at night. He set up tiki lights around the pool. These lights are filled with a special kind of fuel, which Caleb’s mother picked up at the store when she was buying the coals and lighter fluid for the grill. By the time guests started to arrive, everything was ready. The night was filled with food, fun, swimming, and laughing. Caleb’s parents were proud of their home and glad the night was turning out so well. Sadly, the night would not end as happily as it began. After swimming and playing for hours, Caleb climbed out of the pool feeling very thirsty. By one of the tiki lamps, he noticed a plastic bottle. It looked like those that usually held his favorite juices. He picked up the clear bottle and saw a liquid that looked a lot like apple juice. He opened the bottle and took a large gulp. He quickly knew something was wrong. The liquid tasted awful and made him choke. He wasn’t able to swallow the liquid, and it made his lungs burn. He ran to his parents, crying from the pain. They asked him what was wrong, and he showed them the bottle he drank from. Knowing their son was in danger, his parents acted quickly. They quickly searched the Internet and found the phone number for the Poison Help Line (1-800-222-1222). This phone number led them to their nearest poison control center. The doctors at the poison control center told them to give Caleb some water and take him directly to a hospital. In the car ride to the hospital, it was hard for Caleb to drink the water, because he was coughing so much. His mother was very angry, and that made him very upset. She couldn’t believe Caleb’s father hadn’t put the bottle of fuel away in a safe place. She was angry the company that made the torch fuel would sell it in a bottle that looked so much like those that contain drinks. And though she knew it really wasn’t fair, she was mad at Caleb for not taking the time to read the warning labels on the bottle.

Real-Life Stories

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Hospitals are kept as clean and safe as possible, but because they are filled with sick people, there is always some risk of catching a disease.

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Protecting Your Body: Germs, Superbugs, Poison, & Deadly Diseases

Scientists work in labs to learn more about how to deal with diseases and germs—but there are always new germs coming into existence.

Caleb was quickly admitted to the emergency room. The doctors treated Caleb, but despite their quick treatment, they were too late to prevent the damage that was done to Caleb’s lungs by choking on the fuel. They were able to prevent any further damage from the poison, but he will have asthma for the rest of his life.

CONTRACTING A SUPERBUG By the time Erin went to the hospital to give birth to her new son, she thought that she fully understood the dangers of germs. Germs are very tiny creatures that can enter our bodies and make

Real-Life Stories

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Antibiotics are one of the most important types of medicine we have. With them, we have beaten many diseases that used to kill many people.

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Protecting Your Body: Germs, Superbugs, Poison, & Deadly Diseases

us sick. Unfortunately, hospitals are home to many germs. Since people go to hospitals to get better when they are sick, they bring a lot of germs with them. Erin knew the dangers of picking up a germ from the hospital. And she didn’t want her or her new son to get sick. Erin took more precautions than her doctors thought she needed. In the hospital, she even spent extra money for her own private room to keep her and her baby away from any sick people. The birth of Erin’s son went very well. And only a day or two after entering the hospital, she left with a seemingly healthy baby boy. But that wasn’t all she and her son left with. About a month later, she called her doctor. Her breasts had become infected for the third time since giving birth. An infection happens when a germ enters your body and makes you sick. Many women come down with these breast infections soon after having babies, but three infections in one month is rare. Erin was told to visit a hospital, because an outbreak of a very dangerous kind of germ was discovered on the floor where Erin gave birth. Scientists have known about germs since the late 1800s. Once scientists began to understand germs, they were able to create powerful medications to combat certain types of germs. But in recent years, we have become aware of new kinds of germs, known as “superbugs,” that are able to resist many of the medications scientists have created. Erin and her son were tested to see if they had any of these superbugs. They both tested positive for MRSA, a kind of superbug that causes painful skin rashes and could be deadly if left untreated. Erin later found out her son was probably colonized with MRSA in the hospital and passed it on to Erin while breast-feeding. A person who has been colonized by a germ carries the germ but hasn’t gotten sick from it. Even though he has not gotten sick from the germ, he can pass it on to others. Since Erin’s son was only colonized by the germ, all he needed was a medicinal cream applied to his skin daily. But Erin needed more serious treatment. The doctor in the hospital gave her a medication called an antibiotic. Antibiotics were one of the first medications discovered after we began to understand germs. They slow down or kill bacteria, a kind of germ. Bacteria are so small, you can’t even see them without magnification. When infected by this kind of germ, the bacteria enter the body and reproduce. Certain kinds of bacteria make us sick, because they use our body as food in order to live and continue to reproduce. They then produce waste, which can be very toxic for us. In Erin’s case, the antibiotic made her MRSA worse. That was because MRSA is a superbug. Bacterial germs labeled “superbugs” have figured out a way to outsmart many common antibiotics. This means the germ has built up a resistance to what is supposed to kill it. “MRSA requires a different antibiotic than most doctors were taught to use for similar infections,” said Arjun Srinivasan, an associate director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to Shape in 2011. In fact, doctors giving their patients antibiotics too often is a big part of the problem. “The development of resistant bugs is complicated,” she said, “but it’s unquestionable that the overuse of antibiotics is contributing to the issue.” After the first antibiotic made things worse, Erin finally got the treatment she needed. Toxic fluid had built up in her breasts due to the MRSA infection. This fluid had to be drained three times. She was given an MRSA-specific antibiotic, which cost her $36,000. And she and her family

Real-Life Stories

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Because of the risk of infection, sometimes people are nervous about going to the doctor’s office or the hospital—but if you get sick, you need to go to get treatment.

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Protecting Your Body: Germs, Superbugs, Poison, & Deadly Diseases

had to undergo a difficult process to remove most of the bacteria from her and her family’s skin, just in case any of them was still colonized by the infectious bacteria. Today, Erin and her family are MRSA-free. But the experience was so scary that she still cannot help obsessing over the possibility of getting MRSA again. “When I delivered my second baby last January,” Erin wrote in Shape, “I avoided going to the hospital for so long that I gave birth before I could even check into the [hospital]. And when the doctor released me and my newborn daughter after 24 hours, I bolted out of there as quickly as possible—without touching the door, of course.”

Real-Life Stories

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Words to Know seizures: Bursts of electricity in the brain that make a person twitch or lose control of her body. coma: Unconsciousness that could last for days after an illness or injury. fumes: Gases given off by certain chemicals. Breathing in these gases can be very unhealthy. adapt: To get used to something or to become resistant to something. organisms: Any single life form. People, plants, animals, and bacteria are all kinds of organisms.

Chapter Two

What Makes Poisons, Superbugs, and Germs Dangerous?

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ur bodies are very fragile. They are constantly under attack from the world around them. According to a 2006 study by the Berkeley Lab, we breathe in over 1,800 different kinds of bacteria every time we take a breath. And the “national exposure” study conducted by the CDC every year shows that we come in contact with thousands of different chemicals every day! Luckily, not all chemicals are harmful. And not all bacteria cause disease. But knowing the dangers of poisons and germs is the first step to protecting your body and staying safe!

THE DANGERS OF POISONS A woman in England stumbled into her bathroom on an April morning of 2009. She was having trouble seeing and was looking for her eyedrops. She grabbed a small bottle and squirted the liquid into one of her eyes. The liquid burned, and she immediately closed her eyes. Instead of eyedrops, she had grabbed a bottle of highly toxic glue she used to apply fake fingernails. In seconds, her eyelid was glued shut.

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Even things that are healthy in small doses can be dangerous if you take too much. If you take medicine, make sure you’re taking the right dose!

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Protecting Your Body: Germs, Superbugs, Poison, & Deadly Diseases

She spent the next eight hours in a hospital, before a team of doctors could safely separate her eyelids. Fortunately, she closed her eyes when she did. If the glue had reached the center of her eye, it would have caused permanent damage. This woman was lucky, but many other people are not. Her story is similar to Caleb’s story from chapter 1. Though poisonings can often be easily avoided, thousands of accidental poisonings happen every year. Exactly how dangerous a poison can be depends a few things: the age of the person who came in contact with the poison, how much of the poison they breathed in or ate, and what kind of poison they came in contact with. The people most at risk of poison damage are children and young people. Over half of all calls to poison control centers are because a child, usually under the age of six, has come in contact with a poisonous substance. The National Capital Poison Center lists the most dangerous kinds of poison, as well as some of the possible effects these poisons can have on a young person’s body. • Medicines: Medicines aren’t poisonous if the right amount is taken by person who is supposed to be taking the medication. The dangers of medicine poisoning depend on what kind of medicine has been taken and the age of the person. But if a young person takes the wrong medication or too much of a medication, he can experience anything from nausea to heart failure. • Iron pills: Adults may take iron pills if they don’t have enough iron in their system. But taking too much iron can be dangerous for anyone. Swallowing iron pills can cause a young person’s insides to bleed in less than an hour. • Cleaning products: Most cleaning products are dangerous to swallow. But some can also cause chemical burns on the skin. These burns can be just as bad as burns from fire. Products that cause chemical burns include those that unclog drains, toilet bowl cleaners, rust removers, and oven cleaners. • Nail glue and nail glue remover: Used incorrectly, some of these products can result in seizures, coma, or heart failure. Some nail glues have caused burns to the skin and mouth of young people who tried to drink them. • Gasoline: This category includes many kinds of fuel, like kerosene, lamp oil, motor oil, and lighter fluid. Substances such as furniture polish and paint thinner can have similar effects. These liquids are easy to choke on if someone tries to swallow them. If they get into someone’s lungs, they make it hard to breathe. In Caleb’s case, one of these substances caused permanent lung damage. These substances are among the leading causes of poisoning death in children. • Pesticides: Pesticides are chemicals used to kill bugs and other pests. They must be used carefully to keep from harming humans. Many pesticides can poison a person just by touching their skin. Some pesticides can enter the body by breathing in the fumes. Some pesticides can affect your brain and can make it hard to breathe. • Windshield washer solution and antifreeze: These kinds of substances are used in cars,

What Makes Poisons, Superbugs, and Germs Dangerous?

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Young people are especially vulnerable to certain poisons because their bodies are smaller and haven’t developed enough to deal with the toxins.

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Protecting Your Body: Germs, Superbugs, Poison, & Deadly Diseases

Recreational Poisonings Medication isn’t the only potentially poisonous substance some young people use to get high. Each year, many teenagers are hospitalized due to “huffing” household products like those we’ve discussed. These products are breathed in through the nose or mouth. Huffing puts you at risk for serious health problems, including permanent damage of many parts of your body or even heart failure. Remember that all drugs—including cigarettes and caffeine—are also poisons. You may not feel their effects at first. But these poisons can cause serious illnesses later in life. Staying away from drugs and alcohol is a big part of protecting your body!

trucks, and other vehicles. Even small amounts of these liquids can very poisonous. They can cause blindness and death if swallowed. • Wild mushrooms and berries: Many types of mushrooms and berries grow in different areas around the United States. Some are deadly to eat. Only experts in mushroom and berry identification can tell the difference between those that are poisonous and those that are safe to eat. • Alcohol: When young people, especially children, swallow alcohol, they can have seizures, go into a coma, or even die. This is true no matter where the alcohol comes from. Mouthwash, facial cleaners, and hair-care products can have as much alcohol in them as alcoholic drinks. Too many poisonings happen because people are not aware of what chemicals to look out for and just how dangerous many of these chemicals can be. Unfortunately, not all poisonings are completely accidental. Young people between the ages of thirteen and nineteen represent the group with the second-highest chance of being poisoned. Some of these cases are accidental. But many of the poisonings occur because young people took their parents’ medications for recreational or self-destructive purposes. Using a drug or medication recreationally means someone is using it not because they are sick but because they want to get high or become intoxicated. A 2013 story by CBS News reported that “there was a 91 percent increase in poisoning deaths among teens 15 through 19 in April 2012, with [medicinal] drug overdoses being the main cause.” Many of these teens took the medications hoping to get high. What they didn’t realize is that they were actually poisoning themselves. Some of them ended up taking too much. Taking too much of a medication or drug is called “overdosing.” Many thought that because they were taking medication, there weren’t as many risks as doing other kinds of drugs. Not all poisonings are accidental. Some teens understand the risks all too well. A person’s teenage years can be very difficult. Many teens suffer from depression and anxiety disorders. Teens experiencing such feelings may not seek a healthy outlet for their feelings. Some took medication in order to hurt or kill themselves.

What Makes Poisons, Superbugs, and Germs Dangerous?

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Many medicines are so powerful that they can make a person feel sick. Doctors use these only if the person has a very serious infection.

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Protecting Your Body: Germs, Superbugs, Poison, & Deadly Diseases

Antibiotics used to be useful for killing almost any bacterial infection. Today, there are many types of bacteria that can resist antibiotics, so many doctors try to use them only when absolutely necessary.

WHY SUPERBUGS ARE SO DANGEROUS As we have explained, superbugs are germs that have built up a resistance to many medications. Because bacteria can adapt to many of our medications, many people call superbugs the biggest health threat facing our world today. Erin’s story in chapter 2 showed that treating these superbugs is not impossible. But it does require very powerful medications and treatments. The biggest fear about superbugs is that they will learn to outsmart even our most powerful medications. In order to understand why, we need to understand how superbugs form. For a long time, we didn’t know why certain people got sick and others did not. This led people to use all sorts of medical treatments, including eating certain plants and herbs, sleeping in

What Makes Poisons, Superbugs, and Germs Dangerous?

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Tuberculosis is another disease that has become resistant to antibiotics, and affects many parts of the world. Here, demonstrators in Java raise awareness about tuberculosis.

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Protecting Your Body: Germs, Superbugs, Poison, & Deadly Diseases

temples with snakes, drilling holes in their heads, and treating sicknesses with electricity. Looking back, we can now understand why certain treatments worked and others did not. But understanding good and bad medications took one very important discovery: germs. Germs were first talked about in the 1800s. Many people found it crazy that there were creatures so small we couldn’t even see them! It took a lot of testing to confirm this idea, but in the early 1900s, people accepted that germs were real. There are two main kinds of germs—bacteria and viruses. Bacteria are very small organisms. Bad bacteria enter our bodies, multiply, and make us sick. Viruses are even smaller than bacteria. Technically, they are not living organisms. They enter our bodies and infect our cells, which make them very difficult to fight. In order to kill the viruses, we would need to kill the cells where they live. Killing these cells can be much worse for us than the sickness the virus causes. With this new knowledge of germs, Dr. Alexander Fleming discovered the first usable antibiotic, penicillin, in 1928. Antibiotics began being widely used in the 1950s. But we quickly learned one of the main problems with using antibiotics. Bacteria were quickly able to change so these antibiotics no longer killed them. This is called becoming resistant. Let’s say a person is infected with a certain kind of bacteria. The doctors see she has been infected by a bacterial germ and give her antibiotics. The antibiotics kill most of the bad bacteria but not all of it. The bacteria that remain are stronger and naturally resistant to the antibiotics. Now that the weaker bacteria are killed, the resistant bacteria can more easily reproduce. These bacteria pass on the features that made them resistant to antibiotics, and a whole new population of antibiotic-resistant bacteria forms. These antibiotic-resistant bacteria are the dangerous superbugs we see today. Doctors are learning all they can about superbugs in the hopes of fighting them. The truth is that the creation of superbugs is a lot more complicated than this, and questions remain about how they form. But what we are sure of is that superbugs can outsmart our medicines. And that is a big part of their danger.

THE DANGERS OF SUPERBUGS The dangers of some superbugs have been known for years. But people are now becoming even more concerned about them. This is happening for two reasons. The first is that a number of news stories have come out about newborns and children dying because of superbug infections they received. The second reason is that studies show that some superbug infections, especially cases of MRSA, are on the rise. One study estimated that about two million people a year are becoming infected or colonized by a superbug from hospital visits. Of these two million, about 100,000 people die from these infections. But hospitals aren’t the only that places where people get these infections. About 15 percent of all people infected by MRSA did not visit a hospital. These cases are especially scary, because most people do not know what a superbug infection looks like. They may not realize how sick they are, so they may delay seeking medical treatment. For many doctors, it can be hard to tell the difference between superbug infections and other kinds of infections.

What Makes Poisons, Superbugs, and Germs Dangerous?

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Probiotics help the good bacteria that your body needs to grow. Probiotics can be found in certain foods, including yogurt, or you can take pills with probiotics in them.

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Protecting Your Body: Germs, Superbugs, Poison, & Deadly Diseases

Another big danger comes from the fact that very powerful antibiotics need to be used to fight off superbugs. Not all of the bacteria in our bodies are bad for us. Some bacteria is even necessary for us to live. Powerful antibiotics are good at fighting superbug germs, but they can also kill much of the good bacteria that live inside us. Remember, too, that antibiotics are also part of the reason superbugs formed in the first place. Since more and more people are getting superbugs, we need to use more and more powerful antibiotics to stop them. Doctors fear this gives superbugs more of a chance to outsmart our most powerful antibiotics. Over the years, people have gotten used to taking an antibiotic whenever they get sick. Doctors have been quick to prescribe them “just to be safe.” Now we need to find better ways to treat bacteria!

What Makes Poisons, Superbugs, and Germs Dangerous?

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Words to Know statistics: Numbers that are collected to find out how many people do something or have a certain condition. arthritis: A condition where a person’s joints become stiff and painful.

Chapter Three

Staying Safe and Being Prepared

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e have many ways to treat someone who has been poisoned or has come down with a superbug. But some poisons act very quickly. Even the best treatments cannot stop some from doing a lot of damage. And treating sick people with antibiotics is one of the things that helped create superbugs. In both cases, staying safe doesn’t only mean knowing what to do after being poisoned or getting sick. The best way to protect your body is to avoid poisons and superbugs in the first place!

PREVENTING POISONINGS Allison is a doctor at a poison control center in Philadelphia. She thought she knew all about preventing poisonings. But a recent experience taught her that accidental poisonings can happen to anyone. Allison spoke with ABC News in 2010 about her experience. When she had her child in 2009, Allison took every action she could to keep her young son safe from poisons. She put all of her and her husband’s medications in a locked box. She kept all of their alcoholic drinks in a cabinet, high out of her son’s reach. She did the same thing with her makeup. She bought the safest cleaning products. She bought childproof locks for her cabinets. She installed devices around her home to protect against poisonous gases in the air. She made sure the workers who tended her yard weren’t using any pesticides. And she asked them to remove some plants she thought might be poisonous from around her home. She even had her home tested

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There is always a risk of children being poisoned when medicines or toxic substances are left around the house. Medicines should be stored safely out of reach, and children should be supervised as much as possible.

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Protecting Your Body: Germs, Superbugs, Poison, & Deadly Diseases

for any poisons that she might not have been aware of. Those are the best steps toward preventing poisonings, and Allison was confident her son was safe. A year later, Allison received a call from her husband while she was at work. Her one-year-old son had eaten a pill off the floor. Her husband had seen their son put the pill in his mouth but wasn’t fast enough to stop him from swallowing. Allison was shocked. She received calls about children accidentally eating medication all the time. She knew the statistics well; 70,000 children in the United States under the age of eighteen go to the emergency room each year because of accidental medication poisonings. Sadly, these statistics are going up. Experts think that as the U.S. population is getting older, people need more and more medications. This means there are more and more chances for children to accidentally poison themselves. Between 2001 and 2008, there was a 30 percent rise of emergency room visits due to medicine poisoning—a huge increase! Even though Allison worked at a poison control center, she never thought she would be getting a call about her own son. She often consulted worried parents who couldn’t believe that it happened to them. Allison always told them about how children are naturally curious. She told them many medicines look, to children, like candy. Young children cannot tell the difference between something that is safe to eat and something that is not. “You can’t turn your back for a second, or [a child is] putting something in his mouth,” Allison said. But this time, she knew it from experience. Allison asked her husband if he had been in the medication recently. He said he hadn’t. She had her husband count their pills, and none were missing. So they realized their son couldn’t have swallowed one of their pills. They didn’t know what he had swallowed. Allison ordered her husband to take their son directly to the hospital. There the doctors were able to safely treat their son. They found out that the pill was a medication called Tramadol. Tramadol is used to treat the pain of ongoing illnesses, like arthritis. If their son had digested the pill, he could have had seizures. A seizure is an electrical charge in the brain that can cause a victim to twitch or collapse. Allison was glad her son was going to be okay and that her husband had noticed him swallowing the pill. Many accidental poisonings go unnoticed by parents until the children get sick. At that point, treatment can be too late. The couple later found out a family friend had dropped the pill when visiting a few days earlier. Allison thought all her precautions would have kept her son safe. But the experience taught her it is not possible to completely get rid of the risk for accidental poisoning. And nothing can take the place of staying on guard against accidental poisonings, especially around a young child.

DEFENDING AGAINST GERMS AND SUPERBUGS Richard was sad and confused when his son, Andy, was diagnosed with a superbug called C. diff (Clostridium difficile). His son was just getting over a bad case of strep throat when he started complaining of diarrhea, nausea, and stomach cramps. Andy’s doctor needed to run many tests on Andy. When she couldn’t figure out what was wrong with Andy, she sent him to a doctor who worked mostly on bacterial germs. When this new doctor finally diagnosed Andy with C. diff, the doctor had a lot of questions

Staying Safe and Being Prepared

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Stress from work or school can make your immune system weaker, which makes you more likely to get sick.

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Protecting Your Body: Germs, Superbugs, Poison, & Deadly Diseases

for Richard. The first was how clean Richard’s home usually was. Richard was embarrassed at the thought that this could have happened because he didn’t keep Andy clean enough. He explained that his house was not the cleanest place in the world, but he made sure his son took a lot of precautions against germs. He had him wash his hands a few times a day, used alcohol-based hand cleaners when they weren’t home, and made sure he and his son always covered their mouths when coughing. Andy’s doctor told Richard that those were all good precautions to take, but even the best precautions didn’t mean Richard and Andy wouldn’t get sick. He asked if anyone in Richard’s family had been to the hospital recently. Richard said yes. His mother had been to the hospital recently after falling in her home. Andy’s doctor nodded, explaining it was likely she had been colonized by C. diff while at the hospital. C. diff can live for a very long time on different surfaces. The doctor asked if Andy had received antibiotics recently, and Richard also replied yes. Andy’s doctor explained that Andy was probably colonized with the C. diff germ for a while before getting infected by it. It usually only becomes a problem in someone who is taking antibiotics for another reason. These answers were good enough for Richard. He was still sad that about all the pain Andy was going through but thought he understood how and why Andy had come down with the disease. But Andy was still confused. He was nervous about the treatment and didn’t understand what exactly was happening to him. The doctor sat Andy down to explain how our body is protected from germs. There are three defenses that can protect us against the germs we encounter every day, Andy’s doctor explained. The first is knowing when and how to take precautions against germs. The second is our immune system. The immune system is every part of the body that helps fight off the germs that could make us sick. The third is the medications and medical treatments used to help us get better when we are sick. The doctor explained that none of these defenses are perfect. Some people do not know the proper precautions to take against germs. Other people are careless and do not take these precautions when they need to. Andy blushed when the doctor said this. He was remembering all the times his father had told him to wash his hands. Andy didn’t see the need to keep clean and often disobeyed his father. Our immune system is not always in perfect shape, the doctor continued to explain. Things like stress and eating unhealthy foods can cause our immune system to not work as well as it should. Eating a diet full of proteins and vitamins is important for keeping your immune system healthy. Unfortunately, people can get illnesses that cause their immune systems to function badly. These are called immune disorders. C. diff can be deadly for someone with an immune disorder. Andy had already been tested for this kind of illness. His immune system was not perfect, but the doctor explained he probably wasn’t in any serious danger from this infection. We have already talked about some of the problems of medications and medical treatments. Andy’s doctor explained to him that the overuse of antibiotics is a big reason superbugs exist. This answer surprised even Richard. He had no idea that a medication, something that is supposed to make you better, could actually lead to worse sicknesses. Some studies have even shown that

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Microphages are a special kind of virus designed by scientists to attack bacteria. They might be an alternative to antibiotics to use in the future.

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Protecting Your Body: Germs, Superbugs, Poison, & Deadly Diseases

Germs Can Be Good for You We have already mentioned that not all bacteria is bad for you. Some of it passes through your body without affecting anything. Other kinds help you digest food and fight off bad bacteria. But doctors now realize that coming in contact with some germs that can be bad for you is actually a good thing. This has to do with how our immune system works. When our immune system fights off a germ, it remembers that germ and is able to fight it more quickly in the future. Some doctors think coming in contact with some germs can help make our immune system become stronger. They are telling people to still take precautions against germs but not to be too clean. Some believe using an antibacterial hand soap, for example, can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Use plain old soap and water to wash your hands thoroughly. And going out and rolling around in the mud for a little while may not be such a bad idea!

antibiotic treatment in children can lead to digestive problems and a higher chance of coming down with a superbug later in life. The doctor ended his talk by telling Andy he would be OK and that doctors and scientists are learning more about superbugs every day. The more we know, the better we can fight superbugs. Doctors are now being warned about the dangers of overusing antibiotics. New treatments are being explored to make antibiotic use less common. Hospitals are testing their buildings and patients to see if superbugs pose a threat to anyone being treated at the hospital. If a superbug is noticed, other patients who have recently been at the hospital can be called and told to look out for infection. Many doctors think learning how superbugs form will be the key to stopping them!

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Words to Know organic: Organic foods are grown without using pesticides or hormones that might be harmful to people and the environment. meditating: Spending time thinking quietly, often while focusing on your breath.

Chapter Four

What Can You Do to Stay Safe?

A

drian is a young person who is serious about taking care of her body. She learned about the dangers of poisons and germs and realized that we are not born knowing how to protect ourselves. She understood that her body was precious and fragile, and that she couldn’t take care of it by herself. She talked to her parents about the best ways to stay safe from these dangers. They couldn’t tell her everything she wanted to know. But talking to them was a good first step.

LOOK OUT FOR POISONS Adrian and her parents sat down to talk about the best ways for Adrian to stay safe from poisons. Adrian already knew the first rule about staying safe: if you are unsure of something, ask someone who knows! If you are dealing with a substance and don’t know what it is, take it to a parent or another adult and ask if it is safe to use. Adrian and her parents looked up the most common poisonous substances and were surprised by how many of them they owned. She asked her parents to show her where they kept these things so that she could be extra careful around them. Her parents walked around the house, showing Adrian where all of these poisons were kept.

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Most medications and chemicals that can be poisonous have warning labels that explain the risks. Make sure you read these warnings before using anything that might be dangerous.

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Protecting Your Body: Germs, Superbugs, Poison, & Deadly Diseases

Whenever possible, medications should be kept somewhere high up, where small children cannot reach them.

Adrian looked at the containers so she could understand what they looked like. When she examined some of these containers and bottles, she realized most had warning labels on them, which talked about how they should be used and how dangerous they could be. Adrian was forbidden from using certain substances, but now she knew another great way to keep herself safe from poisons: reading the label. If you are able to read this book, you are able to read the label on a bottle or container. Some substances are only poisonous if eaten, and others can poison you just by touching them. Reading the label is the only way to stay safe from the different ways you can be poisoned. Adrian then asked if her parents took any medications. Her father took medications for his blood pressure, and he showed Adrian where he kept the pills. Adrian became very concerned that he kept them unprotected on his nightstand. She knew she wouldn’t ever take a pill that wasn’t prescribed to her, but she was worried about her younger brother, Ronnie. “Ronnie could think

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Poison ivy is a common plant in North America that can cause a severe reaction just by touching it. If you don’t know what a plant is, be extremely careful around it and never eat it!

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Protecting Your Body: Germs, Superbugs, Poison, & Deadly Diseases

Poisonous Plants The United States is home to many kinds of poisonous plants, berries, and mushrooms. Looking up the kinds of poisonous plants that grow in your area and knowing what they look like is a great way to protect your body. LiveScience made a list of the ten most common poisonous plants. They include wisteria, foxglove, hydrangea, lily-of-the-valley, anthurium, chrysanthemum, oleander, ficus, rhododendron, and narcissus. You can look online to see what each of these plants look like.

this is candy,” Adrian said. He parents agreed and promised to keep any pills in a locked box so that Ronnie couldn’t touch them. Adrian asked her parents if there were any poisonous plants in their yard. Her mother said yes, knowing there was some poison ivy in their backyard. They went outside so that Adrian could see what poison ivy looks like. She asked if there were any other poisonous plants around the yard, but her parents weren’t sure. “You shouldn’t eat anything that you are unsure of,” her father told her. “I know, and I won’t,” Adrian replied, but she was still curious. So she used the Internet to look up different plants that were common in her area. She found two more plants in her yard that could be potential poisons! Scared that Ronnie might eat those plants, she asked her parents if they would get someone to remove the plants from the yard. They agreed, proud of Adrian for her new knowledge and her desire to stay safe!

PROTECTING YOUR BODY FROM GERMS AND SUPERBUGS The next question Adrian asked was about germs. Her parents knew a little about germs but told her it might be a question for a doctor. They called their family doctor and asked if she wouldn’t mind talking to Adrian about the best ways to stay safe from germs. She agreed and told Adrian that protecting your body from germs isn’t hard but requires two things: staying clean and protecting your immune system. Staying clean may seem simple, but it’s harder than many people think. The doctor first explained to Adrian the importance of washing her hands. This may seem like a big chore, but cleaning your hands properly and at the right times is one of the easiest ways to protect your body. She also explained that Adrian can do a lot to keep her home and her room clean. She can use disinfecting wipes on surfaces that are touched often. She can wash her toys and stuffed animals. And she can make sure she doesn’t wear any dirty clothes. The doctor went on to tell Adrian about the importance of protecting her immune system. A person’s immune system can be affected by all sorts of things. Eating healthy foods is one of the most important keys to a healthy immune system. Foods that can give a person’s immune system a powerful boost include organic fruits and vegetables, organic meats, garlic, onions, and yogurt.

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Certain germs spread very easily in moist environments like swimming pools, so you should be especially careful about protecting yourself in these areas.

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Protecting Your Body: Germs, Superbugs, Poison, & Deadly Diseases

How to Wash Your Hands Everyone thinks they know how to wash their hands, but many people do not do it well enough. Cover your whole hands with soap. Then rub your palms together. Next, run your palms over the back of each hand, and then to scrub the backs and sides of your fingers. After making sure that every bit of the hand has been scrubbed with soap, rinse and dry your hands. Hand washing is very important before preparing food, eating food, treating a wound, or touching someone who might be sick. It is also important after using the toilet, blowing your nose, touching any animal, or touching garbage.

Exercise is also important for activating the parts of a person’s immune system that help kill germs and bacteria. She told Adrian to avoid too much stress. A little stress is OK, but listening to music, meditating, going for a walk, or just talking to someone about your problems are all ways to keep relaxed and healthy. The doctor asked Adrian if she knew about superbugs. Adrian had never heard of them. The doctor explained what superbugs were and told her she needed to be especially careful of these. You can protect yourself from superbugs using the same methods you follow to protect yourself from any other germs. Being extra sure to wash your hands after visiting a hospital, pool, spa, gym, or school is important, because superbugs are especially common in these areas. Another important part of protecting yourself against a superbug is talking to your doctor about only using antibiotics when they are really needed. “This is something your parents will probably have to do,” the doctor said to Adrian. With this, the doctor told Adrian she now had most of the information she needed to protect herself against germs. Adrian hung up the phone, confident she could stay safe. And so can you!

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Find Out More ONLINE American Association of Poison Control Centers www.aapcc.org Antibiotic Resistance encyclopedia.kids.net.au/page/su/Superbug Battling the Superbug kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/bfs_issues_superbug.html Rise of the Superbugs topdocumentaryfilms.com/rise-superbugs Tips to Prevent Poisonings www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/poisoning/preventiontips.htm

IN BOOKS Doeden, Matt. World’s Deadliest Poisons. North Mankato, Minn.: Capstone Press, 2006. Guilfoile, Patrick E. Deadly Diseases and Epidemics: Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 2006. Prokos, Anna. Killer Wallpaper: True Cases of Deadly Poisonings. New York: Turtleback, 2007. Silverstein, Alvin, Laura Silverstein Nunn, and Virginia Silverstein. My Health: Poisoning. New York: Children’s Press, 2003. Watson, Stephanie. Superbugs: The Rise of Drug-Resistant Germs. New York: Rosen Publishing, 2010.

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Index alcohol 23, 35 antibiotics 14–15, 25–27, 29, 35–37, 45

immune system 34–35, 37, 43, 45 infection 15–16, 24–25, 27, 35, 37 Internet, the 11, 43

bacteria 15, 17–19, 25, 27–29, 36–37, 45 labels 11, 40–41 C. diff 33, 35 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 15 chemicals 9–10, 18–19, 21, 23, 40 children 21, 23, 27, 32–33, 37, 41 cleaning products 9, 21, 31

medication 9, 15, 21, 23, 25, 27, 31, 33, 35, 40–41 MRSA 15, 17, 27

disease 12–15, 19, 26, 35 doctors 11, 13, 15–17, 21, 24–25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 43, 45

parents 9, 11, 23, 33, 39, 41, 43, 45 phone 11, 45 poison 9, 11, 13, 19, 21–23, 31, 33, 39, 41–43 poison control center 11, 21, 31, 33 Poison Help Line 11

emergency room 13, 33

resistance 15, 25

fuel 9, 11, 13, 21

superbugs 13, 15, 25, 27, 29, 33, 35, 37, 43, 45 teenagers 23 treatment 11, 13, 15–16, 25, 27, 33, 35, 37 tuberculosis (TB) 26

gasoline 21 germs 13, 15, 19, 25, 27, 29, 33, 35, 37, 43–45 glue 9, 19, 21

virus 27, 36 hand washing 35, 43, 45 hospital 11–13, 15–17, 21, 27, 33, 35, 37, 45

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About the Author & Consultant Christie Marlowe was raised in New York City where she lives with her husband and works as a writer, journalist, and web designer. Dr. Ronald D. Stephens currently serves as executive director of the National School Safety Center. His past experience includes service as a teacher, assistant superintendent, and school board member. Administrative experience includes serving as a chief school business officer, with responsibilities over school safety and security, and as vice president of Pepperdine University. Dr. Stephens has conducted more than 1000 school security and safety site assessments throughout the United States. He was described by the Denver Post as “the nation’s leading school crime prevention expert.” Dr. Stephens serves as consultant and frequent speaker for school districts, law enforcement agencies and professional organizations worldwide. He is the author of numerous articles on school safety as well as the author of School Safety: A Handbook for Violence Prevention. His career is distinguished by military service. He is married and has three children.

Picture Credits Dreamstime.com: 8: Olga Yastremska 10: Dmitry Bomshtein 12: Stephen Coburn 13: Victorpr 14: Hong Chan 16: Mcpics 18: Dave Navarro 20: Gicamatescu 22: Spotmatik 24: Birgit Reitz-hofmann 25: Bobby Flowers 26: Akbar Nugroho Gumay

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28: Lepas 30: Marcel De Grijs 32: Alekc79 36: Danieloizo 38: Evgenia Bolyukh 40: Yukchong Kwan 41: Elliot Burlingham 42: Charles Brutlag 44: Andrei Malov Fotolia.com: 25: Blend Images 34: pathdoc