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Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) With the Influenza season hopefully slowing down, we still have one more pesky respiratory illness to watch out for.  RSV or respiratory syncytial (sin-SISH-ul) virus, causes infection of the lungs and breathing passages.  RSV is highly contagious, and spreads through droplets containing the virus when someone coughs or sneezes. It also can live on surfaces (such as countertops or doorknobs) and on hands and clothing, so it can easily spread when a person touches something contaminated (Kids Health, 2019).  RSV infections often happen in epidemics that last…

We opened our Immediate Care Clinic on March 30th, 1996 on Falls Avenue in Twin Falls, Idaho. We certainly had some growing pains and struggled to get patients in the door for quite a few years. Todd Rambur, who was there on day one in 1996 and is still with the clinic and a managing partner, knows this all too well. “We would sit for hours and hours on end without a single patient when we first opened. Myself and the staff would work weeks on end without a single…

Pink eye, also known as conjunctivitis, is the common term used to describe an infection or inflammation of the sclera (the white area of the eye).  Conjunctivitis can affect adults and children and if caused by a virus or a bacteria, is highly contagious. There are 3 main causes of conjunctivitis: Viral Bacterial Allergies https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/pink-eye-conjunctivitis Viral conjunctivitis is the most common cause of infectious conjunctivitis in children and adults.  The virus that can cause conjunctivitis is often the same virus responsible for causing runny nose, sore throat and a cough in…

Did you know that we carry around 1,500 bacteria on each square centimeter of the skin on our hands, and even more under our finger nails? Many of these bacteria are picked up when we touch surfaces such as door handles, cell phones, pencils, pens, and other common school room supplies. What’s even worse, some of these bacteria can live up to three hours on our hands (Davidson Washroom, 2017). Did you also know that because people frequently touch their eyes, nose and mouths, these germs can enter into our…

The school year has started, which means kids are back in the full swing of things. From sports to dance, music lessons to after school clubs, kids are suddenly very busy again. While for the most part they are doing good things and are around other kids socializing and having fun, this also means that they are around more germs. Subsequently, this means that kids start to get sick a little more frequently than during summer. It won’t be long before we start to see the sniffles and runny noses,…

As its name implies, the common cold is the most common illness in the United States. The average adult has 2-3 colds per year and, children under the age of 6 average 6-8 colds per year. Since most people get the common cold during the fall and winter months, that means many kids get the cold as much as once per month, September through April. That’s a lot of missed days from school and work! How do I get the common cold? The Common cold is caused by many different…

The Common Cold As its name implies, the common cold is the most common illness in the United States.  The average adult has 2 – 3 colds per year and, children under the age of 6 average 6 – 8 colds per year.  Since most people get the common cold during the fall and winter months, that means many kids get the cold as much as once per month, September through April!  That’s a lot of missed days from school and work! How do I get the common cold? -The…

It’s getting darker earlier, and while I miss the long summer nights, I’m always a little glad when fall comes and I can get my kids to bed at a decent time again! Did you know that kids who do not get enough sleep have a higher risk of obesity, diabetes, injuries, poor mental health, and problems with attention and behavior? The CDC recommends that children (6–12 years old) should regularly sleep 9–12 hours each night and teenagers (13–18 years old) should sleep 8–10 hours each night. Studies were done…