Keep your OTC medicines safe from your children! The US Government on Monday had estimated that approximately 7,000 children end up in the ER each year as the result of being overmedicated by OTC medicines. About 2/3 are children who took the medicine unsupervised - something that can be prevented if you keep all medicines (even that bottle of your preferred pain reliever) safe in a locked place that children cannot access. Another 25% were over medicated by their parents or had an allergic reaction to the drug.

Great news for the flu vaccine. In the future, it might be as easy as a few drops under the tongue. No more painful needles for the kids anymore! Doctors are currently testing this with mice, and so far it has been successful. By dropping the liquid under the tongue, it quickly hits the mucous membranes which protects the mucous tissues and the immune system.

Funny enough, doctors have been researching a nasal spray as an alternative to an injection, However they are quickly realizing that even though people don’t like to get shots, apparently even more have issues with nose sprays. Who woulda thought?

Heed those warnings not to clean your ears with a Q-tip! An eleven year old boy who was deaf in one ear since he was 2 suddenly got his hearing back…. when a cotton bud that was very tightly wedged in his ear fell out. Doctors did not know what had caused the deafness, but one has to wonder how they would have missed something so large as a the cotton tip of a Q-tip in his ear. Also, the boy had been complaining all long of pain in his ear.

If he was in America, the family just might sue. As he is from the UK, I imagine those of you who read my post yesterday might wonder what really is the standard of care under these European health care systems. OK, I jest here. But when you are in the position to see both sides of the fence it is fun to poke a bit of fun at everyone now and again!