George Bengtson, MD stopped by the show to tell us what to look out for this winter

Colds ‘n’ Flu

Prevention

• Hand washing
• Smoke avoidance
• Sleep
• Nutrition
• Immunization (e.g. flu)

Treatment

• Avoiding OTC meds (see last visit)
• Hydration, Positioning, Tylenol
• When to see the doc

Nasty Bacterial Stuff

• Meningococcal disease
• Many of us (15-20% are carriers)
• Transmission within groups crowded indoors
• Immunization is available

• MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus)
• Pesky bacterial infection on the rise
• Watch for "bug bites" that get ugly – pustules

Coughs

• Cough is an airway clearing reflex, not a disease
• See doc if severe, prolonged or breathing difficult
• Special cases:
• Croup – cold outdoor air therapeutic usually
• Asthma – don’t run out of routine medications

Safety

• It’s DARK out there. Watch for peds. & cyclists!