By Michael Russell

Lets face it. There are more germs in this world than we know what to do with and none of us lives in a bubble. So the threat of disease is always there no matter where we go. Unfortunately, this is an even worse problem at a daycare center for a number of reasons.

To start with, the number of things a child can run into at a daycare center are astronomical. A short list includes diarrhea, diphtheria, foodborne diseases, mumps, measles, chicken pox, and the list goes on and on. Just pick up a medical dictionary. At a daycare center your child has a good chance of getting it.

The question is why?

The answer is compounded by several factors. For starters, most children who go to daycare come from poorer families where both parents have to work, or even single parent homes. These families dont have the funds or the medical coverage to get their children properly immunized against certain childhood diseases. Others simply dont have the money or time to take their child to the doctor when they catch a cold. Left untreated, these mild problems soon become more serious problems. With all these children exposed to each other, the chance of someone passing along a nasty bug to your kid is pretty great. Many times you will hear of epidemics breaking out in these centers because of this very problem.

Another factor is that most children who go to daycare dont get the proper nutrition that they need. This lowers their resistance to disease because their immune systems arent as strong as they should be. Again, this all goes back to the parent not having the funds needed to properly feed their child.

And finally, the last factor is the daycare center itself. Many are poorly heated because of funding problems. Also, because of low salaries it is hard to find qualified caregivers. Most of these people are working for minimum wage and need the money. So if they get sick, because many of these places dont have benefits, they have to come to work or they dont get paid. These workers end up passing along whatever it is they have to your child.

Unfortunately, there is not really a lot you can do to protect your child against getting sick while in the care of a daycare center. The best advice anyone can give is common sense advice. Feed your child as well as possible given your budget. Make sure your child at least has had all the standard vaccinations. If your child gets sick, bring him to the doctor right away. Dont wait until things get worse.

As far as the daycare center itself, try to find one that has a good track record. Ones that are sufficiently funded have a better chance of keeping your child well because their workers will have sick benefits and wont have to come in when not well and the environment itself will be better since most likely it will at least be properly heated.

No, we dont live in a bubble. But by taking some common sense measures we can at least give our child the best chance of not coming home from daycare with some terrible illness.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Child Care

By Fred Lindell

Mesothelioma is a kind of cancer induced by exposure to asbestos. It affects the mesothelium, a protective sac that covers most of the internal organs of the human body and nearly takes 10-50 years to develop. In the nascent stage of Mesothelioma attack, the pleura or peritoneum are affected and then it gradually spreads to the other parts of the body. Mesothelioma is also termed as 'malignant' mesothelioma where the lining of the chest, the abdomen and the heart are attacked. There are two types of mesothelioma, one being Pleural mesothelioma (lung cancer) and the other being Peritoneal mesothelioma (abdominal cancer).

How you can get affected of Mesothelioma

The inhaling of the fine airborne asbestos dust and fibers causes mesothelioma. It is a proven fact, as 70%25 to 80%25 of the case histories of patients state that asbestos exposure in factories or industries leads to mesothelioma. Hence all those working in construction based jobs like shipyards, boilermakers, insulators etc. are susceptible to this fatal disease.

The first step to cure of this disease is to find out all the relevant symptoms. But because of the long latency period of mesothelioma, the symptoms come into play even after 30-50 years since the contraction of the disease. Moreover, the symptoms are not conclusive, and are common to most other diseases. This is why the mesothelioma tests are imperative from the doctor's point of view.

The symptoms

The three most prominent symptoms of Mesothelioma are excruciating pain whilst breathing or coughing, breathing problems and a persistent cough, which could even, lead to bleeding. In addition, tiredness, loss of appetite, loss of weight are some of the other symptoms. Amongst some of the very rare symptoms, husky voice, problem in swallowing, swelling of the face and pain around the rib area are considered.

The diagnosis

It is a daunting task to diagnose the victims of mesothelioma. Normally the average age of the victims at diagnosis is around 50 to 70 years. Surprisingly, the white Americans are victimized more than the African Americans. At the time diagnosis begins, the disease had already spread and seems invincible. A victim would normally survive for only one year when the disease becomes quite ominous. However, the survival time of the patient can be stretched to almost two years if the disease is detected early and given proper treatment.

The treatment

There are many factors, which determine the treatment of Mesothelioma viz., stage of the disease, location of the cancer, patient's age and general health. Surgeries, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy are amongst the basic treatments for Mesothelioma. In the recent past, treatments like removal of the pleural fluid to relieve pain and control breathlessness are being used. Apart from medication, there are a few helpful techniques that can help relieve pain and stress. These involve a balanced diet preferably prescribed by a general physician or a dietitian, conservation of energy on self-initiative as well as therapies such as aromatherapy, relaxation and massage.

In the inference, it would be worthwhile to mention that Mesothelioma is a dreadful disease and its spread can only be shunned if you are willing to know more about the disease. Then again you should also make sure that you take precautionary measures by piecing together all the information that you have garnered today.

Fred Lindell is a successful writer and publisher of health related issues, for more informative articles go to http://www.mesotheliomaplaza.com