Whooping Cough/Pertussis

Pertussis is a highly contagious disease that attacks the respiratory system and is also what most people know as whooping cough.  This disease causes uncontrollable coughing fits and can often times make it hard for one to breathe. Also considered to be highly contagious, Pertussis is caused by a virus called Bordetella Pertussis, which is a miniscule coccobacillus, or rod-shaped bacteria. These bacteria attach to the cilia that line the upper part of the respiratory system and release toxins that causes inflammation, thus leading to severe coughing.

 Pertussis starts out with cold like symptoms: runny nose, mild cough, sneezing, and sometimes a small, mild fever. Howbeit, after one to two weeks, coughing can worsen and can last for continuous weeks. Pertussis is also known as whooping cough because rapid coughing will cause the air in one’s lungs to exhaust and force them to inhale with a “whooping” sound. As the disease progresses, the usual pertussis symptoms will become apparent in one’s body, such as vomiting, exhaustion, and severe coughing.

To prevent you or someone you know from catching this disease, the best thing to do is to get vaccinated. In America, the recommended shot for children and infants is called DTaP; a combination vaccine that protects against not only pertussis, but also diphtheria and tetanus. Adults can receive a vaccine called Tdap, instead. Another thing to do to protect from catching this disease would be to keep infants, children and other people at high risk away from infected humans. Pertussis is a highly contagious disease, and can be spread from person to person by sneezing, coughing, and close contact with one another.

If one already has been infected with pertussis, antibiotics can be given to help alleviate the symptoms and cure the disease. Early treatment is important, because it can help prevent the disease from spreading and evolving further. Regular cough medicine will probably not help in this case because it’s meant only for temporary relief, and it is not recommended that someone gives an infected person this medicine. Drinking plenty of fluids is also important because it prevents dehydration.

via nytimes

The Flu and Being Sick

Being sick could possibly be one of the worst feelings in the world. Your nose is either stuffy or runny and nothing seems to help it. Your legs feel like Jell-o and it's hard to move. Your throat hurts and every swallow is like some kind of punishment.That pile of homework on the table? Yeah, that's left undone because your head hurts too much to think. I don't really understand why people are so happy when they are sick. Yeah, okay, so you're going to miss school. However, it's that physical and mental suffering that makes being sick not worth it.

In my opinion, the most important way to prevent the flu is to wash your hands. Always wash your hands after you use the bathroom, before you eat, after you eat. You don't know what kind of dirt and germs are on your hand, and imagine rubbing it into your eyes or putting it in your mouth! If there's no bathroom accessible, hand sanitizer also works, too!

That takes me to another precaution. Try avoiding rubbing your eyes, touching your mouth or nose, basically touching your face in general. This is a common and very easy way to transmit viruses into your body.

Covering your sneezes and coughs are also important because it helps prevent other people from getting sick. Use a tissue to blow your nose, and please, do not wipe your nose on your sleeves. Also, throw away your tissue in the trash can when your done.

One thing my mom swears by whenever someone in our family gets sick is to gargle with salt water. According to the New York Times, gargling with salt water can ease scratchy throats and chest congestion. A saline solution can draw the excess fluid from inflamed tissues in the throat, ultimately making them hurt less. Drinking a lot of water is also very important, because it keeps you hydrated.

Hopefully, following these tips can help prevent you from getting sick, and if you're already sick, I hope you feel better soon!

via wordpress.com

Social Media on Society

Social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and more are all helpful ways for people to stay connected outside of school, or from long distances. It's a great and easy way to see what people are up to, or to ask about the English homework. While social media has its ups, it also has its downs that ultimately impact society.

1.) Social media can create what some people call a "false sense of connection". According to Steven Strogatz of Cornell University, social media sites makes it confusing and hard for people to to distinguish online connections from real life connections. This leads to

2.) Social media has also made it much easier for cyber-bullying to occur. With the tap of a button, people are able to send hurtful messages or post cruel things for the rest of the world to see. It's the easy way to send hate to a person without actually saying it in their face.

3.) Social media can decrease productivity. Sometimes, people are more interested in what their friends are doing than their own personal work. As a result, people are usually on their phones, refreshing Instagram or checking messages on Facebook instead of working or doing homework.

4.) Most social media, especially Facebook, make your live less private. They ask you a bunch of questions, like your age, where you were born, what high school do you went to and your phone number. Social media sites also allow you to add your location, so people know exactly where you are.

Social media isn't exactly bad, but people should definitely be cautious with what they post and how much time they spend on the different websites. Often times, it's better to put off social media and instead, spend quality time with friends and family.

via smallbusiness.chron.com