I’ve been getting many e-mails over the past couple of days concerning swine flu.  So I’ve decided to answer a few of them here.

Dear Dr. Manny,
If I had the swine flu in 1976 after I received the swine flu vaccine as a college student, do I have any anti-bodies that may help ward off this version of the virus?
                  —Amy Gorman
                  Lutherville, MD

Probably not. This current swine flu’s genetic makeup is different from the swine flu from the ‘70s, and therefore the vaccination won’t be protective for you. But the silver lining is that this current swine flu is less lethal, and there may components in it that more Americans have been exposed to. So you may have a greater chance of being protected already which can minimize the symptoms.    

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Dear Dr. Manny,
We have friends who have returned from a trip to Mexico City two weeks ago. How long would it take for swine flu symptoms to show up if they were infected?
Thank you for your time,
—Alan

The typical incubation time for a virus is 48-72 hours.  So if your friends have been back for two weeks, and don’t have any symptoms, you can feel confident that they are safe. 

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Dr. Manny,
My wife and I are very concerned of the complications swine flu/treatment would pose to her pregnancy. Are the approved drugs for treatment approved for use during pregnancy?
Thanks,
Ben Demaline
Jacksonville, FL

Yes, all of the current flu treatments can be given to pregnant women. As a matter of fact, we tend to be more aggressive in treating the flu in expectant mothers because pregnancy can make flu symptoms worse and put the patient at higher risk. That’s why it’s recommended that all pregnant women get flu shots annually.

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Dr. Manny,
I will be flying to Las Vegas next week with a two-hour layover in Atlanta. I had a liver transplant five years ago and have done really well. Do you think that I should wear a mask at the airport and on the plane? I am very concerned about the large crowds and would like your opinion.
Thank you for any answer!
G. Savage

As a liver transplant recipient you are probably taking immunosuppressant therapy drugs and therefore you do have to take precautions to avoid exposure to the swine flu ― or any kind of flu. Even though I’m not a big advocate of wearing masks, I do feel that you should wear one. But remember: Not all facial masks are created equal, so get one that has been proven to protect against viruses. There are many supply stores that carry this specific mask for viruses. Also, try to wipe down all the surfaces on your airplane seat with antibacterial wipes. Be sure to wash your hands before, during and after the trip. And avoid any contact with anyone who you suspect might be sick. I know that this is a big stretch, but until we know exactly the extent of the spread, in your particular case, I would be extra cautious. I hope that this doesn’t ruin your vacation! 

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Dr. Manny,
I have no choice but to commute using public transportation everyday.  How should I take precautions against the swine flu?
                  Thanks,
                  —Paul

If you can avoid public transportation, especially crowded subway cars, then do it.  But if you can’t here’s what you can do:

• If you are a healthy individual you can just use antibacterial products, including wipes and gels, chronically throughout your trip.
• Avoid contact with people who are coughing or appear sick.  If they are in your car, move to another one. 
• As soon as you get home or to the office wash your hands, wipe down your cell phone, iPod or any device that you used during your trip. 

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Dear Dr. Manny,
I’m a chronic nail biter and I’m really concerned about the swine flu.  What should I do?
Best,
                  —Mel

First and foremost — wash your hands. Your hands are the most common tool for picking up germs and viruses in general. So if you are a nail biter, this would be the perfect incentive for you to quit. Also, biting your nails can make you ingest things other than viruses that you don’t want to have in your body.

Millions of parents across the country face the tough decision of whether or not to place their children in daycare each year. As the number of families with both parents working outside the home has risen, the need for daycare services has increased dramatically. These families may not have relatives that live close by or are able to care for their children. Others families may have a parent that works from home but needs uninterrupted time to complete work. Many daycare centers offer full day versus half day or full week versus partial week options, priced accordingly. This allows each family to match the daycare’s services with their needs.

Daycare, however, is debated among parents, health care providers, and educational professionals. Some support daycare, saying it offers socialization and educational opportunities a child would not have staying at home with a parent or a relative. Others claim those who use daycare services are allowing others to raise their children and have abandoned their responsibilities as a parent. Like any controversial issue, there are arguments for both sides. Here’s a look at the pros and cons of sending your child to daycare.

Pros:
Independence- Children who separate from their parents early and have a positive experience at daycare learn to trust that Mom and Dad will leave but they always come back. In addition, these children become confident in their own skills and thus, more self-reliant.

Socialization- Even with siblings, you can’t match the opportunities for social interaction that a child has at daycare in the home. Your child will be placed in a class with children close in age and have opportunities to play and negotiate with peers each day. Nicole, of Northvale, New Jersey, says she toyed with the idea of keeping her one and 2-year-old home with an in-home caretaker because they had each other to play with. “Even though they are young, I see them argue. I made the right decision-it’s good for them to have time apart and play with other children at day care.”

Academic Advantage- Many daycares provide some form of instruction or exposure to academic concepts. Calendar concepts, time concepts, letters, and numbers are all explored during circle time each morning. Many daycares offer music classes and art projects, exposing your child to a variety of experiences. Your child will learn to follow a schedule and the structure will prepare her for school.

Cons
Increased Exposure to Illness- One parent, Lynn of Harrison, New Jersey, reports her children have come down with more illnesses since they started daycare this past September. Lynn works to provide health benefits for her family of five as well as to supply a second income and time off from her job does not bode well for her paycheck. “My job allots a certain number of sick days for staff and I’ve used all those days and more. Now my pay is being docked every time I call out because one of my kids is sick. I feel like I have to choose between my kids and my job; of course I’m going to choose my kids.” She still worries about her job security because of her absences from work. Lynn also cites seeing other children come in to daycare despite being sick. “Not all parents call out from work and stay home with their kids like I do.”  This leads to the spread and recurrence of illnesses in young children and staff.

Less Quality Time with Parents- Naturally, if you are working during the day, you are going to miss quality time with your child. All parents know, time away from your children cannot be regained. Danielle of Park Ridge, New Jersey, says “There are days my daughter comes home with beautiful art projects and I wish I had been the one to sit and paint it with her.”

Exposure to Poor Behavior- We cannot shield our children forever, but it is certainly discouraging to see children pick up poor habits from peers at daycare. From as early as 18 months, your child may mimic others’ words and actions. If a child at daycare is not speaking nicely to peers and staff, or worse, exhibiting aggressive behaviors such as biting or hitting, your child may see this as a way to gain staff’s attention. Communicate with the staff immediately if you see behaviors in your child that you did not see before daycare. Remember to approach staff as a concerned parent without accusing other children, families, or staff.

Whether you are comfortable with your decision to utilize daycare services or you are still apprehensive, there are a few ways to ensure you choose the right daycare. The best way to choose a daycare is to ask friends for references. Happy children often equal happy parents. If many parents in your community are sending their children to the same daycare facility, put it at the top of your list. Visit each prospective daycare and ask about safety protocol. Ask if there is a nurse on staff and if staff are CPR-certified. Also, ask how children with behavioral difficulties are handled. Whether your child is having a hard time adjusting to the new routine or is witnessing other challenging behaviors, you want to make sure staff approaches these situations with care and concern.

Jennifer Cerbasi teaches at a public school for children on the autism spectrum in New Jersey. As a coordinator of Applied Behavioral Analysis programs in the home, she works with parents to create and implement behavioral plans for their children in an environment that fosters both academic and social growth. In addition to her work both in the classroom and at home, she is also a member of the National Association of Special Education Teachers and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Who knows and who cares? But yet, as I read today’s newspaper, there are alleged reports that Cuba watchers from Miami to Washington were on high alert due to rumors circulating that his health has taken a turn for the worse.

I remember reporting on a similar story in 2007 in which I was reacting to rumors that Fidel Castro had died and I coined a phrase called Castro-syndrome,  which describes the anxiety Americans all over the U.S. were feeling over the pending demise of Fidel Castro.

But Castro, in fact, was not dead. In 2008, he retired, and yet nothing really changed on the island of Cuba. The Cuban people still live under tyranny, lacking human rights, and with no hope for a better future. For 50 years, Fidel Castro has blamed the United States instead of blaming himself for the brutal way he has governed.

To me Fidel Castro is a footnote of history. And I know that if his pending demise comes to fruition, he will be the top story in every newspaper around the world.

So I am not going to speculate, but I am going to hope that somehow 2009 will bring hope, prosperity and happiness to the Cuban people. And that future generations of free Cubans will remember that one dictator could try, but never overcome what is inside all of us: goodness and great hope for a better world.

Yes, he will die someday, but in the meantime, we all have to live for today – because tomorrow may never come.

As followers of this blog know, I do not make it a habit to link to my columns in the print or web media. But I will make an exception in this case. Last week, I wrote in this space about the tragic death of Jett Travolta.

As a Fox News contributor, I reported on this death as well as Patrick Swayze’s cancer and pneumonia, just as I have reported on the illnesses of many other celebrities. I have been struck by how often the media distort these health reports, while spokespeople for the celebrity too often use exaggerations or fictions as a smokescreen to protect their client from media scrutiny. This might seem fair, except when you consider how many millions of us role-model our celebs, and even obsess on their health. When we are misinformed about our heroes’ health, we end up mislearning medicine, and an opportunity to inform the public about important health issues that may pertain to them directly is lost.

I am proud of the way I — and my fellow medical journalists at Fox — from our wonderful health editor Dr. Manny to the Ashtons to Keith Ablow to Isadore Rosenfeld, read through the tea leaves as best we can and come up with our best interpretations. We are not these celebrities’ doctors, which necessarily limits our take, and we don’t always have all the facts, but we do the best we can.

Anyway, here is my take in this week’s NY Post, click here.

Dr. Marc Siegel is an internist and associate professor of medicine at the NYU School of Medicine. He is a FOX News medical contributor and writes a health column for LA Times, where he examines TV and movies for medical accuracy. Dr. Siegel is the author of “False Alarm: The Truth about the Epidemic of Fear“ and “Bird Flu: Everything You Need to Know About the Next Pandemic.”  Read more at www.doctorsiegel.com

Tales of traders throwing themselves out of windows on Wall Street in the wake of 1929 were essentially myths, as John Kenneth Galbraith noted in his 1955 account of the crash.

Nevertheless, current economic woes are clearly impacting on our country’s mental and physical health. Stress is a well documented cause of depression, suicide, heart disease, stroke, predisposition to infection, and certain kinds of cancer.

Stress is often subliminal, it may overtake you before you realize it.  The last thing a person in financial trouble needs is to be simultaneously dealing with illness, yet stress-induced illness is common.
 
SOME WORRISOME EXAMPLES OF THE EFFECTS OF FINANCIAL TROUBLES:

* In New York, calls to the Hopeline network for people with depression or suicidal thoughts leaped 75 percent to 10,368 in the 11 months ending in July 2008.

* In Chicago, ComPsych Corp., the world’s largest provider of employee assistance programs, logged 21 percent more calls seeking help for stress from financial pressures in July than they received a year earlier.

* Hospital admissions for psychiatric services are up 10 percent this year over last year in claims submitted to UnitedHealth Group Inc., the largest U.S. health insurer.

* ValueOptions Inc., the fourth-largest U.S. provider of behavioral health and wellness services, reported that calls for assistance with home foreclosures, bankruptcy and other financial hardships have grown 89 percent this year over 2007.

* Research based on 17 years of Pennsylvania unemployment records concluded that employees affected by a mass layoff at a plant were 15 percent more likely to die of any cause over the next two decades.

* Harvey Brenner, professor emeritus at Johns Hopkins’s Bloomberg School of Public Health, projects that rising unemployment could cause as many as 47,000 more deaths than would have otherwise occurred, including 1,200 more suicides, as well as nearly 26,000 more heart attacks.

WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT:

* Seek emotional support, from loved ones and if needed, professionals.

* Try to continue to focus on business as usual, and to avoid obsessive negative thoughts.

* Emphasize regular exercise, try relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation, eat regular meals, and as much as possible, observe regular sleep habits.

* Consult with your physician if your fear over your financial future is spiraling out of control. Anti-anxiety medication may be necessary to break the cycle of worry.

Dr. Marc Siegel is an internist and associate professor of medicine at the NYU School of Medicine. He is a FOX News Medical Contributor and writes a health column for LA Times, where he examines TV and movies for medical accuracy. Dr. Siegel is the author of “False Alarm: the Truth About the Epidemic of Fear” and “Bird Flu: Everything You Need to Know About the Next Pandemic”. Read more at www.doctorsiegel.com

It was an unhappy Mother’s Day for Arlene Lendor, who spent Sunday afternoon in the hospital with her 7-year-old daughter Hanna.

For more than two years, Hanna has suffered from pain, shortness of breath and headaches.

Despite numerous tests, doctors are unable to determine what the cause of her illness is, much less give it a name, reports The Trinidad & Tobago Express.