A vaccine offers protection for people at greatest risk. And for older people, it can be a one-time shot rather than an annual vaccination.

Talha Khan, MD, a family medicine physician at OSF HealthCare, says RSV is a common respiratory virus that can affect people of all ages. Young infants and older adults are among those most likely to develop severe illness.

“It can cause pretty severe respiratory infection that can lead to hospitalization and even death, so it is something we don’t take lightly. And we do have a vaccine for it now. So we do recommend getting that vaccine, if they’re eligible, so they have that extra layer of protection.”

For adults, the RSV vaccine is recommended for everyone age 75 and older.

“It can be given to individuals who are younger than that – age 50 to 74 – if they have some chronic conditions: respiratory disease, things like COPD, asthma, heart disease and if they’re a current smoker. All those things put them at increased risk for a more severe infection.”

For infants, RSV can be particularly dangerous during the virus’s typical fall and winter season. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention points out it is the number one cause of hospitalization among infants in the U.S.

The RSV vaccine can offer preventive protection when given to the baby after birth.

“And then it’s also recommended for pregnant women if they’re pregnant during that respiratory virus season [September-January], as well. They recommend either pregnant women get it or the infant gets it once their born, typically not both.”

During a particularly bad respiratory virus season in 2022, OSF OnCall launched a free, at-home monitoring service for babies and toddlers up to five years old. The digital service continues today and includes an at-home care kit and easy access to a real-time chat. If necessary, a video visit is an option for parents or guardians of an infant or young child with any respiratory illness, including RSV.

While RSV is common, many older adults may not be as familiar with the vaccine as they are with annual flu or COVID-19 shots.

“A few of my patients have kind of brought up that, ‘Oh, that’s one of the vaccines I’ve never heard of,’” says Dr. Khan. “But, again, it is important because it can cause those severe respiratory infections, [including] pneumonia, and potentially even lead to death. So, if we can stop that or stop you from getting a serious infection with a one-time vaccine, then why not just get that done.”

For people who may qualify for the vaccine, health providers recommend talking with a health care professional about their individual risk factors and the best way to protect against severe RSV.

With a single dose offering long-term protection, the decision may be one that is easier to make than most people realize.

Dr. Talha Khan is a family medicine physician at OSF HealthCare in Bloomington, Illinois.

Video clips with Dr. Talha Khan

B-Roll-RSV Vaccine

Vaccines are something many people associate with childhood: a series of shots following a schedule that gradually becomes less demanding. But adulthood comes with its own list of recommended immunizations, and keeping track of them can be surprisingly difficult.

That is why doctors often use annual physicals and preventive visits to review a person’s vaccination history and determine what vaccines are due.

Vaccine schedules can be pretty confusing. Talha Khan, MD, a family medicine physician for OSF HealthCare, says one way to simplify them is to think about vaccines in two groups.

“The first part is vaccines that are due for all age groups. So, things like the flu shot, the tetanus vaccine or the COVID-19 booster. The second part involves vaccines that are triggered by certain age requirements. So, things like the shingles vaccine, which is after age 50, or the pneumonia or pneumococcal vaccine, which is typically after age 65."

Dr. Khan says The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC’s) adult schedule also recommends considering a patient's age, health conditions, pregnancy status, occupation and vaccination history when determining which vaccines are appropriate.

“Depending on if you have a weakened immune system or if you have a bunch of chronic conditions, such as asthma, COPD or diabetes, you may be eligible to get certain vaccines earlier.”

Can’t remember which vaccines you have received? Don't assume you are out of options.

Doctors can search existing medical records or request records from previous providers. For some diseases, blood tests known as antibody titers can help determine whether a person has immunity. When documentation is unavailable and no reliable test can establish immunity, clinicians may recommend catch-up vaccination rather than leaving someone unprotected.

"Most vaccines don't have an age cutoff," Dr. Khan points out. "If you ever didn't finish a vaccine series or missed a dose here and there, then we can always do some catch-up vaccines to make sure that person is immune.”

Here is a look at several vaccines adults may need to think about.

Flu: More than just a bad cold

Influenza vaccination is recommended every year because the viruses circulating from one flu season to another change, and protection decreases over time. The CDC recommends annual influenza vaccination for adults, with certain formulations preferred for people 65 and older.

Dr. Khan emphasizes that a flu shot does not guarantee that someone will never become infected.

“And some people will also mention ‘I got the flu vaccine but then I got the flu later on.’” Dr. Khan says, “It’s still possible to catch the flu because there are different strains of the flu. But typically, the extra layer of protection the vaccine offers will ensure you have a milder case of the flu.”

Another common misconception is that experiencing aches, fatigue or a low-grade fever after vaccination means someone has caught the flu from the shot. Those reactions can occur as a side-effect after vaccination and generally resolve within a few days.

COVID-19: Still part of vaccine conversation

COVID-19 may no longer dominate daily life the way it did years ago in the pandemic, but the virus continues to circulate, and vaccination remains part of the adult immunization schedule.

Current CDC guidance calls for COVID-19 vaccination according to age and health status, with recommendations subject to change as the vaccine formulation and public-health guidance are updated.

For people receiving both influenza and COVID-19 vaccines, getting them during the same visit is an option. CDC guidance permits multiple vaccines to be administered during the same visit, and Dr. Khan suggests combining the appointments can be a practical way to avoid putting off one of the vaccines.

The goal is to enter respiratory illness season with protection against both viruses rather than treating vaccination as something to get around only after illness begins circulating.

Shingles: Two doses to help prevent a painful infection

For most adults, the shingles vaccine becomes an important consideration at age 50. The recombinant zoster vaccine, commonly known by the brand name Shingrix, is administered as a two-dose series. It is also recommended for certain adults with weakened immune systems at younger ages. It is also a vaccination that once you’ve received the shots, you have immunity for life.

Shingles occurs when the virus that causes chickenpox, which remains dormant in the body after the initial infection, becomes reactivated. It can cause a painful rash and nerve pain that may persist after the rash disappears.

The illness can also affect areas such as the eye, where complications can be particularly affected. Dr. Khan describes the choice as a tradeoff between a temporary inconvenience and the possibility of a painful infection.

HPV: A vaccine that helps prevent cancer

The human papillomavirus, or HPV, is commonly associated with sexual transmission, but the reason doctors recommend vaccination well before most people become sexually active is cancer prevention.

HPV infection can cause several types of cancer, including cervical, anal, penile and certain cancers of the mouth and throat. The CDC routinely recommends HPV vaccination through age 26 for people who were not adequately vaccinated earlier; adults ages 27 through 45 might also consider vaccination based on a discussion with a health care professional.

The vaccine can be started as early as age nine. When vaccination begins before the 15th birthday, the routine series generally requires two doses; people who begin later generally need three.

MMR: Don't assume childhood records are complete

The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella. Because the vaccine is routinely administered in childhood, adults may not remember whether they received the recommended doses.

For people without documentation of vaccination or evidence of immunity, clinicians can review medical records or, in appropriate circumstances, order antibody testing to look for evidence of immunity. Measles is a serious, highly contagious disease caused by a virus. The virus is spread easily through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or by direct contact with infected nose or throat secretions.

Illinois has 22 documented cases, and Michigan has 16 cases for 2026 at publication time. Dr. Khan highly encourages adults who are unsure of their vaccination status to check and get vaccinated.

“It’s definitely something that is preventable. It’s definitely something that can have long-term complications and even lead to death. If we can prevent it, then why not?” Dr. Khan stresses, “It’s only a two-dose series. If you missed it when you were younger, there’s no age cutoff. You can get it as an adult with the catch-up vaccines.”

Tetanus: The vaccine adults commonly forget

The tetanus vaccine is one of the easiest adult vaccines to overlook because it is not administered every year.

Adults generally receive a Tdap dose if they have not previously received one as an adult, followed by Td or Tdap boosters every 10 years. Tetanus vaccination can also become relevant when someone has certain wounds, and Tdap is recommended during each pregnancy.

RSV: Important for infants and older adults

Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, can cause mild illness in many people but can become serious in infants and older adults. CDC guidance identifies RSV as a major cause of hospitalization among infants and recommends immunization strategies for infants, pregnant women and for adults 75 and older and for adults ages 50 through 74 who are at increased risk of severe RSV. People who have already received an RSV vaccine generally should not receive another dose at this time.

For babies, the terminology can be confusing because the protection may come either from a maternal vaccine or from an antibody administered directly to the infant. CDC recommends that most babies receive one of those two forms of protection, rather than both.

Pregnant women can receive Pfizer's RSV vaccine during weeks 32 through 36 of pregnancy during the recommended seasonal window in most of the continental United States. Alternatively, an eligible infant can receive a long-acting RSV antibody after birth.

For infants born during the RSV season, the CDC says the antibody can be administered during the baby's first week of life, ideally during the birth hospitalization, when indicated.

Hepatitis A and B: Two different vaccines

Hepatitis A and hepatitis B are viral infections that affect the liver, but vaccination recommendations for the two are different.

Hepatitis A vaccination is generally targeted toward people with particular risk factors, including certain travelers and others at increased risk of infection. Hepatitis B vaccination is much more broadly recommended. It is routinely given during childhood, but adults who were not vaccinated or did not complete the series can receive catch-up vaccination.

Hepatitis B can sometimes be cleared by the body's immune system, but chronic infection can cause serious liver disease.

For adults unsure whether they received hepatitis B vaccination, reviewing records is a good starting point. Depending on the circumstances, blood testing can also help determine whether you are protected or not.

A preventive visit or annual exam can be an opportunity to plan, identify which vaccines are most appropriate and schedule additional doses when necessary. For adults, staying protected is an ongoing part of preventive health care.

Dr. Talha Khan is a family medicine physician for OSF HealthCare in Bloomington, Illinois.

Video clips of Dr. Talha Kahn

B-roll-Vaccination

For one brain aneurysm survivor, a routine Monday morning walk with her dogs turned into a fight for her life.

Fifty-five-year-old Kari Rixstine of Bloomington, Illinois, had said goodbye to her husband, Tim, as he left for work and decided to take the dogs for a walk. They had gone only about a half block when one of the dogs suddenly lunged after something.

Then came a pain she had never experienced before.

Rixstine had a shooting pain in her right temple and actually thought she had gotten shot. The pain was so severe it nearly brought her to her knees. Almost immediately, she lost vision in her right eye. She managed to get the dogs home but struggled to text her husband for help.

By the time an ambulance arrived, she was experiencing severe pain in her neck and profuse vomiting. She knew something was seriously wrong.

At the hospital, however, her symptoms were initially attributed to a migraine. Her husband pushed for further evaluation, telling the medical team about her symptoms and her family history. Both her mother and an aunt had died after ruptured brain aneurysms.

A CT scan ultimately revealed blood from the rupture, leading doctors to discover the aneurysm.

A surgeon placed an external ventricular drain to relieve pressure in Rixstine’ s brain before treating the aneurysm with endovascular coiling. The woman spent about two weeks in intensive care while physicians monitored her for complications, including vasospasm.

Recovery was emotionally challenging

Her physical recovery was relatively strong, but the experience left lasting emotional and cognitive effects.

“It was like I was terrified to even leave the house. When I was alone out there and it ruptured, I worked so hard to get home. And then once I was released from the hospital after begging to go home, I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know how to live.”

Thomas Russell, MD, an OSF HealthCare neurosurgeon specializing in neuroendovascular surgery, says while many aneurysms never rupture, a rupture can cause a life-threatening brain bleed and requires immediate medical attention.

The challenge is that the symptoms of a ruptured aneurysm can sometimes overlap with more common conditions such as a migraine. He encourages people, especially those with a family history of aneurysms, to advocate for a CT scan to rule out aneurysm.

Also, Dr. Russell says it’s important to know the signs of a bulging aneurysm.

“Sometimes it can be something as simple as a droopy eyelid. Your pupil gets really dilated because sometimes these aneurysms can enlarge and press on the cranial nerve. When they press on those nerves, they can cause some symptoms. But it’s kind of silent because they didn’t actually rupture.”

During this Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month, Dr. Russell also wants people to know stress doesn’t cause an aneurysm.

“People think that if you got really stressed or really angry that it can cause an aneurysm. Or lifting heavy weights. That doesn’t cause an aneurysm. But if you have one, that can cause a predilection for rupture and that’s usually the concern,” he shares.

Dr. Russell also wants people to know a brain aneurysm isn’t a death sentence.

“We actually have a bunch of different ways to treat aneurysm. So, if you have a strong family history and there’s some concern about aneurysms and brain bleeds in the family, then talk to your doctor about it because there are screening tests we can do. And there are treatments we can also perform.”

Dr. Russell emphasizes there are certain conditions which make someone at higher risk of a brain aneurysm rupture. Risk factors:

• Smoking
• Heavy alcohol and drug use
• High blood pressure
• Certain inherited conditions, such as brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM), polycystic kidney disease and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

The worst headache of her life

After staying in the house for two months immediately after she was released from the hospital, Rixstine began resuming life as normally as possible to show her children she wasn’t giving up.

“And I wanted to be an example for them of overcoming. Going through it and overcoming and recovering from it. So knowing they were watching me gave me the strength to get through the bad days,” she says, choking back tears.

Rixstine continues to deal with fatigue, vision problems, occasional headaches and short-term memory difficulties. Crowds, bright lights and loud environments can also be overwhelming. Outings to see her husband play in his band are no longer possible. And she no longer works and drives only in optimal conditions. Post-it notes help her deal with memory issues.

In sharing her story, Rixstine wants people to recognize that a hemorrhagic stroke caused by a ruptured aneurysm can look different from the more familiar warning signs associated with an ischemic stroke.

“They call it a ‘thunderclap’ headache. [It’s] the worst headache of your life. That’s what you need to look for. There are vision issues and nausea. When mine ruptured – pain in my neck. I was totally confused, instantly,” Rixstine explains.

Other signs and symptoms include:

• Stiff neck
• Sensitivity to light
• One or both pupils being dilated
• Seizures or sudden loss of consciousness
• Confusion, disorientation or difficulty concentrating
• Weakness or numbness on one side of the body

Rixstine suggests that anyone experiencing these symptoms seek emergency medical attention.

Stroke support group offers community

Support from her husband, children and other survivors has played an important role. She attends a stroke support group through OSF HealthCare St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington.

While not exactly what she endured, the experience and recovery can be similar. However, surprisingly to Rixstine, her condition isn’t as widely talked about or understood.

“And it has been incredible for me knowing people who have been through most that [which is] ischemic stroke not hemorrhagic stroke like what I had. I don’t understand how ischemic stroke is so well known and they push it and push it and push it. But the hemorrhagic stroke with a brain bleed, nobody has information on that.”

Ristine’s experience has taught her that signs and symptoms for brain aneurysm rupture should be, as she put it, “part of the conversation.” Her advocacy drove her to create 100 yard signs she’s distributing in the community. And she and husband Tim paid for two billboards that are on major roadways in Bloomington-Normal.

Additionally, Rixstine changed the way she thinks about her family's health.

She now has another aneurysm (this time unruptured) that doctors are monitoring. Her adult children have been screened because of the family's history. And so far, neither her daughters nor her grandchild have shown indications of an aneurysm. She is grateful every day for that.

For more information, visit the Brain Aneurysm Foundation website.

Video clips with Kari Rixstine

Video clips with Dr. Thomas Russell

B-roll-Brain Aneurysm Awareness

Remember the chia pet? Well chia seeds are not just for gag gifts anymore. They do have positive health benefits. For example, seeds (two tablespoons) offer an impressive 10 grams of fiber, or roughly one-third of the daily requirement for adults.

There is also a TikTok trend, made popular by celebrity wellness influencer Daryl Gioffre, which makes use of chia seeds and fresh lemon juice to jumpstart a person’s digestion with a goal of alleviating constipation.

Omar Khokhar, MD, a gastroenterologist at OSF HealthCare, says the concoction is also referred to as an internal shower. To make it, combine one to two tablespoons of chia seeds with eight to 16 ounces (one to two cups) of water and lemon juice. Let it stand for at least 15 minutes, so the chia absorbs much of the water.

Dr. Khokhar says it’s one way to get fiber into your diet.

“It’s a very good, natural way to incorporate fiber and protein into your diet. However you want to take it [chia seeds] – a salad, as part of a parfait – there are other ways to ingest it. With this particular phenomenon, you’re mixing it to sort of help it expand ahead of time outside of your body instead of inside your body.” 

The concoction can make you feel full and adds to hydration, which is good for digestion.

Can the drink be dangerous? Dr. Khokhar says if you’re dealing with gastrointestinal (GI) disease or distress, skip the internal shower drink.

“If you have any history of esophageal swallowing issues or any history of intestinal obstruction, this is something you might want to talk to your doctor about ahead of time. Because what you don’t want to do is ingest this gel-like material and cause some kind of blockage.” 

He also warns that if you have constipation that lasts more than just a few days, see a medical provider, particularly if you’re in your 20s. Constipation can be an early sign of colon cancer.

“If you are constipated, for example, don't mask that symptom with a chia seed phenomenon that you saw on TikTok. Go see your doctor. Make sure you get checked out. And if you get checked out, then, by all means, go back to the chia phenomenon.” 

And start slowly. Adding too much fiber too quickly, Dr. Khokhar says, could have the opposite effect. It can cause GI symptoms such as stomach pain, gas, diarrhea, constipation and bloating.

“It can potentially cause bloating or make bloating worse, so I would be careful. If you have any kind of GI or pre-existing issue, it’s something you might want to start maybe a half dose and see how you respond before going with a bigger, normal dose.”

Generally speaking, Dr. Khokhar recommends also trying to get more fiber through your diet. Although, after trying the drink as part of this story, Dr. Khokar declared, “I’m not going to lie, it actually tastes pretty good.”

Dr. Omar Khokhar

B-roll of chia seeds and lemon water-drinking it

The goal of this collaboration is to elevate the quality, efficiency and safety of orthopedic care by integrating clinical and administrative leadership. The collaboration will bolster resources, with an initial emphasis on general orthopedics and total joint care while continuing our focus on sports medicine. 

The OSF Orthopedics with OrthoMidwest office will be located at the expanded space within the current OSF Medical Group – Sports Medicine building at 2406 E. Empire in Bloomington. OSF Rehabilitation will also occupy space in this facility.

Joining OrthoMidwest will be Robert Seidl, MD, an orthopedic surgeon who focuses on sports medicine and serves as the medical director for Illinois State University athletics and Illinois Wesleyan University athletics through the relationships that OSF HealthCare has with both universities.

Additionally, Bryce Paschold, DPM, is a podiatrist who focuses on foot and ankle concerns.

Brad Cole, APRN, Joseph Meyer, PA, and Jeff Williamson, PA, will also join this team.

“At OSF Medical Group – Orthopedics, we further strengthen our commitment to providing exceptional personalized care for the community,” said Sarah Zallek, MD, chief medical officer at OSF HealthCare St. Joseph Medical Center. “Our collaboration with OrthoMidwest allows us to bring additional resources, including leading-edge technological advancements, to enhance the experience for our orthopedic patients. With the support of our board-certified physicians and dedicated staff, we’re prepared to positively impact the orthopedic patient journey.”

“The expanded relationship between OSF HealthCare and OrthoMidwest is rooted in shared values of excellence, dedication, and innovative patient care,” said Derrick Frazier, interim president of OSF St. Joseph. “Our collaboration will facilitate the exchange of best practices, ultimately enhancing the standard of care to new heights.”

Tyler Neal, DO, an orthopedic surgeon, will be leaving Orthopedic Sports Enhancement Center to pursue new opportunities. We are grateful for his dedication and commitment to our patients and community.

The agreement between OSF HealthCare and OrthoMidwest took effect on December 1, 2024. Appointments to this team will continue to be made by calling the existing phone number of the previous Orthopedic & Sports Enhancement Center, which is (309) 663-9300.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) makes clear that energy drinks are “fundamentally different” than sports drinks like Gatorade or Powerade. 

But scrolling through social media or strolling through the grocery store aisle, and the lines start to blur a bit. When quarterback Justin Fields was a rookie, he inked an endorsement deal with C4 – an energy drink brand.

More recently, CELSIUS signed six Heisman Trophy “hopefuls” to NIL (name, image and likeness) deals. The company’s slogan is “live fit,” a motto many athletes can relate to.

Karan Rai, MD, is a sports medicine physician with OSF HealthCare who works in partnership with Illinois State University to see and treat ISU athletes. He says he’s having a lot of conversations with athletes about these types of drinks, and he always urges caution.

"Quite a few of them are not FDA approved," Dr. Rai says. “The reason that matters is that we often don't know the exact ingredients or mix of ingredients that are in the drinks. Depending on what's in the drink, that can affect your performance and your health. For example, caffeine is commonly involved in making these drinks.”

CELSIUS and C4, both have 200mg of caffeine content in a 16 ounce can. In contrast, a can of Pepsi has 38mg in a 12-ounce can, while an average 8-ounce cup of coffee has between 80-100mg of caffeine. Dr. Rai says higher levels of caffeine can have a negative effect on performance.

"It can cause excessive energy, anxiety and jitteriness, which depending on your sport or activity, can affect how you play,” Dr. Rai says. "The data is still a little bit mixed on the benefit things like green tea extract or guarana are providing, which are commonly marketed and used in sports drinks. 

In terms of what liquids athletes are putting into their bodies, Dr. Rai likes to break down hydration based on the activity.

"In activities that are generally 60 minutes or less, I recommend maximizing your water intake and timing that for at least 30-60 minutes before your activity," Dr. Rai says. “Then as you get into longer duration activities with more endurance, and you're pushing that 60-minute mark or longer, that's when you need to look into the type of electrolytes you're ingesting as well. Looking at drinks or gels out there that have a mix of sodium and potassium. Those typically help with performance during your activity.”

Another sign if you’re drinking enough water? The color of your pee.

"I often tell my patients and athletes to consider their urination. Typically, we have various scales we use based on your urine color, the amount you're urinating and how thirsty you feel. That can play a role in deciding if you need to hydrate with water alone or use a sports drink like Powerade or Gatorade. Or if you need to adjust your salt intake, things like that," Dr. Rai says.

If you have an underlying heart condition, are younger than 18 or are pregnant, Dr. Rai urges you to steer clear of these drinks.

“With quite a few of the sports performance drinks nowadays, which CELSIUS is one of them that's more publicized, the amount of caffeine in it, and ingredients like guarana, which has a caffeine component to it, can exacerbate underlying arrythmias,” Dr. Rai says. “This can put someone with a pre-existing risk at a higher risk.”

Sports drinks like Powerade and Gatorade have a sugar and electrolyte component that is "fairly safe," Dr. Rai says. But the effects of Celsius, Prime and other drinks out there aren't fully understood yet. So, proceed with caution. Talk with your primary care provider or sports medicine physician to get an individualized take on it. 

Video Interview Clips

“As president, Eunmee will lead OSF St. Joseph in aligning with the overall strategy of OSF HealthCare. She will be responsible for directing all internal operations and helping OSF evolve when necessary to ensure that high-quality and cost-effective health care continues to be delivered to the patients we are blessed to serve,” said Carol Friesen, CEO for OSF HealthCare’s Eastern Region.

Shim will carry forward a culture of collaboration and integration that provides a safe Mission Partner and patient care environment. She will continue to embrace the Catholic health care heritage and support the Sisters’ Mission of serving with the greatest care and love.

Shim most recently served as president at Adventist Health Care Fort Washington Medical Center in Fort Washington, Maryland. She has served in several executive leadership positions including chief strategy officer, chief operating officer, and chief nursing officer throughout her career, which has provided her with a unique blend of clinical, operational and strategic experience.

Shim earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Sahmyook University in Seoul, Korea and a Master of Science in nursing informatics from Columbia University School of Nursing in New York, New York.

Derrick Frazier will continue to serve as interim president until Shim’s start date in January.

Gym moms, if your child is a future Olympic athlete, you'll always be able to say you were their first-ever gym partner. 

Becoming pregnant doesn't mean you have to toss your exercise plan to the side, says Mfowethu Langeni, DO, a family medicine physician at OSF HealthCare who specializes in Obstetrics. 

In fact, it's the opposite!

As your baby sits and kicks in the womb for nine months, Dr. Langeni says core exercises and strength training like lifting weights are great ways to prioritize both mom and baby's health.

"(Labor) does take a lot of stamina, strength and core strength. But all women are different," Dr. Langeni says. "Some women push for hours during labor; some don't need to push much at all. Either way, strength conditioning and core training before and during pregnancy will help overall."

 Are you a marathon runner? That doesn't have to stop either. 

Dr. Langeni says high intensity cardio and even power squatting are recommended for pregnant moms. 

He recommends talking any exercise plan over with your OB/GYN before getting started, and to make sure you avoid any exercises that could cause trauma to your stomach.

Health Highlights Video Version With Chyrons

Health Highlights Video Version Without Chyrons

In the sports world, victory can be just inches or seconds away.

Think about ‘The Longest Yard’ in Super Bowl 34 between the Tennessee Titans and St. Louis Rams. In the final play of the game, one yard was all that stood between the Titans and the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Or look at the 2024 Summer Olympics! Noah Lyles earned the United States a gold medal after winning by just five thousandths of a second in the 100-meter final.

Athletes look for game changers to help propel themselves ahead of the competition, and creatine has entered the chat.

Who does creatine work for?

“Creatine, when used appropriately, can improve your max power. It can help with muscle growth in certain individuals, it typically does not have as significant of an impact when you're doing more endurance-based sports," says Karan Rai, MD, a sports medicine physician with OSF HealthCare. "If you're a weekend warrior or CrossFit athlete trying to get a little extra boost, while practicing appropriate hydration and dietary intake, I think creatine has benefits.” 

Dr. Rai adds that in the realm of supplements, creatine has been “decently studied over the years.” He says football players, power lifters and track sprinters could benefit from the supplement. However, if you’re training for an upcoming Ironman or triathlon, it’s really not necessary.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

It’s no surprise that extreme exercise increases the amount we sweat. With or without creatine, that’s reason enough to up your water intake. But Dr. Rai says with creatine, there’s an added reason to why water is so important.

“Commonly I'll find someone who is new to using a supplement and they'll come see me and talk about muscle cramps or excessive fatigue after their workouts,” Dr. Rai says. Oftentimes it's because of an imbalance in their intake, whether that's food intake or hydration."

If you already cramp constantly or are not as experienced in weight training, Dr. Rai would recommend caution in using creatine. He says to talk to your primary care physician or a sports medicine physician to see if creatine is a beneficial option for you.

Best times to use creatine

Before and/or after your workouts are times Dr. Rai recommends taking creatine. He says like most dietary changes, don’t rush it.

"When someone is using creatine, I recommend they start slowly. Typically, utilizing it before the workout and making sure your workout is power based vs. endurance-based matters," Dr. Rai says. “Just starting off, depending on the serving size, use one to two scoops.”

Careful with the caffeine!

Avoid a ton of caffeine consumption if you're using creatine. Caffeine can elevate the heart rate and creatine can cause cramping, so combining those things could lead to "adverse outcomes," Dr. Rai says. 

"Supplements are meant for augmentation," Dr. Rai adds. “A healthy diet, hydrating appropriately while cultivating your goals, whether you're a power or endurance athlete, gives the max benefit. Really we should be looking at creatine or sports drinks as a way to augment and get that extra 5-10% we are pushing for, based off our goals.”

If you’re looking to add creatine to your lifestyle, Dr. Rai recommends creating an individualized plan with your doctor or sports medicine team.

Due to limited data, the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend creatine for kids under 18.

Video Interview Clips

Gym moms, if your child is a future Olympic athlete, you’ll always be able to say you were their first-ever gym partner.

Becoming pregnant doesn’t mean you have to toss your exercise plan to the side, says Mfowethu Langeni, DO, a family medicine physician at OSF HealthCare who specializes in obstetrics. In fact, it’s the opposite!

“Whatever you are doing activity-wise before pregnancy, you can keep on doing those as far as your body will let you," Dr. Langeni says. “Early on in pregnancy, you will have that added weight and body changes. But exercising is totally normal and is actually recommended, about 150 minutes per week.”

As your baby sits and kicks in the womb for nine months, Dr. Langeni says core exercises and strength training like lifting weights are great ways to prioritize both mom and baby’s health.

"(Labor) does take a lot of stamina, strength and core strength. But all women are different," Dr. Langeni says. "Some women push for hours during labor; some don't need to push much at all. Either way, strength conditioning and core training before and during pregnancy will help overall."

Keep on running!

Are you a marathon runner? That doesn’t have to stop either.

"You can run! If you're a runner, you can run a marathon, sprints or whatever you feel that your body can comfortably do. If you're a power squatter, that's also recommended. You can lift weights, take walks or do none of it," Dr. Langeni says. “Studies have shown that you get more bang for your buck during cardio when it's at a higher intensity. Everyone's built differently, so cater to what you can and can't do, and what your body can tolerate.”

The best starting point, Dr. Langeni says, is having a conversation with your OB/GYN. Tell them about your exercise goals, and make sure everything is safe for mom and baby. The main thing to avoid, Dr. Langeni says, is any exercise that would inflict trauma to the stomach.

Full body workouts are great if you’re pregnant or not, Dr. Langeni adds. “Doing core strength helps boost your metabolism and immunity and helps to regain your strength. It also helps with your cardiovascular system.”

Prioritize hydration

While hydration is always necessary, it becomes even more important during pregnancy. Good hydration helps provide a healthy blood supply to mom and baby.

"When you're pregnant, the body starts to change physically and physiologically. Women's blood volume increases by about 50% during pregnancy, so it's very important to stay hydrated," Dr. Langeni says. 

It can even help keep moms out of the hospital in the first trimester or early second trimester.

Drop the cigarettes and alcohol

"Cigarette smoking also has some (negative) implications to the baby. People who smoke cigarettes have a higher chance of having complications in pregnancy," Dr. Langeni says. “You increase your risk of preterm labor, smaller baby in size and increase your risk of maternal issues like high blood pressure.”

Drinking alcohol can also harm the fetus. “Zero alcohol is better,” he emphasizes. The baby can develop something called fetal alcohol syndrome, which comes from chronic alcohol use if the mother drinks alcohol during pregnancy.

Electrolyte drinks and pregnancy

While Dr. Langeni is a proponent of electrolyte drinks in general, he urges caution for pregnant moms to drink them, reminding everyone to keep a close eye on the labels. Different electrolyte drinks will have high amounts of sugar, but he recommends sugar free electrolyte substitutions like sugar free Gatorade and Pedialyte.

Dr. Langeni says moms will naturally gain weight in pregnancy. It’s totally normal! He even says your caloric intake should increase around 300 calories per day to keep mom and baby healthy.

Staying away from processed lunch meats, unpasteurized meats and drinks or seafoods that contain mercury is also a must. 

Video Interview Clips

It’s a season of emotions when you’re having your first child.

Excitement and happiness lead the positive charge, nervousness settles right there in the middle and fear and anxiety creep into the mix as well.

Who knew two tiny pink lines on a pregnancy test could lead to something so earth shattering?

You’ve probably got a lot of questions running through your head, and it’s natural to run to Google for a lot of things. But Mfowethu (mm-FOE-eh-too) Langeni, DO, a family medicine physician who specializes in obstetrical care with OSF HealthCare, has a kickstart list of what to expect when you’re expecting.

First trimester | Increased hormones, morning sickness, first appointment!

Pregnancies are broken up into three trimesters, and Dr. Langeni says the best way to start things off is to schedule a first trimester appointment with a local obstetrics & gynecology provider (OB/GYN).

"Your first trimester is between the first week to the 13th week of pregnancy. During that time, you can expect to have your initial OB visit. It usually takes a little longer than subsequent visits, but it's one of the most important visits to have. During it, we'll talk about your family history, medical history, if you've been pregnant before,” Dr. Langeni says.

You’ll need to get some blood work done to figure out your blood type and make sure everything looks OK. You can also expect to undergo a pelvic exam, checking the anatomy.

You can also talk to your doctor about genetic screening to find out what things your baby may be at-risk for. These are things like cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, or Down syndrome.

One major change that comes with pregnancy is hormonal. This can lead to what’s well-known as “morning sickness,” which varies from mother to mother.

"A lot of times moms will experience morning sickness the most in the first trimester. It's usually because of the pregnancy hormone (human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG) that spikes really high," Dr. Langeni says. "Then it starts to taper off, so those symptoms start to go away. You can get some nausea or vomiting throughout the whole duration of your pregnancy, but it's usually going to be the first and early second trimester."

Medications are available to ease the nausea and vomiting, but it’s important to have that conversation with your OB/GYN on when it’s safe (for you AND the baby) to take any medication. Dr. Langeni says he prefers to focus on diet recommendations first before jumping right into meds. He recommends eating smaller portions of food more often during the day as a starting point.

Second trimester | Grow, grow, grow!

"It's week 14 to week 27. This trimester is where your baby's internal organs are actively growing really fast," Dr. Langeni says. "This trimester is where you may see your baby bump grow and feel baby moving. It's also where an ultrasound will be performed to check the anatomy of the baby to make sure the baby is doing OK and the arms, legs, heart, brain and all the organs look OK." 

Arguably the most exciting part of the second trimester is finding out the sex of the baby and getting those adorable ultrasound photos.

You’ll keep seeing your OB team and at the end of the second trimester, you’ll get testing done to see if you have gestational diabetes.

Third trimester | It’s almost baby time!

In the third trimester, mothers’ office visits become more frequent. You’ll see your care team every two weeks from week 28-36, and then once a week from weeks 36-40.

"This is the part of the pregnancy where you start to talk about 'how am I going to deliver my baby?' There are different methods, vaginal delivery vs. C-section," Dr. Langeni says. "If we need to get baby out a little early, for whatever reason. We'll also talk about the things we're going to do once you're at the hospital. Are you going to have medicines? Do you want no medicine? We'll talk about pain management and things like that so you can get acclimated on what to expect when baby is right around the corner."

Dr. Langeni says it’s extremely important to have a conversation with your OB about water breaking scenarios ahead of it actually happening.

"If you feel like your water broke, it's always recommended to come to the hospital or your primary obstetrician," Dr. Langeni says. "They'll do some tests to make sure your water is truly broken. But sometimes your water doesn't break, and then a scenario pops up where 'I'm past due and my water hasn't broken. I'm not going into labor, what should I do?' Those are really good discussions most providers will have with their patients before something like this happens. Then at least when something like this may happen, it's not the first time you're hearing about it."

Some OB teams will tell the mother she needs to be induced by a certain date, due to health and wellness of mother and baby.

"It depends on what your primary OB has in place for you. From my experience, a plan may be set in place that says when you hit a certain gestational age, for any reason, then we're going to go ahead and induce. Or if you haven't gone into labor by a certain point, we'll have you come to the hospital to start that labor process, so you can have a natural delivery."

If you’re in your third trimester and you haven’t scheduled a hospital visit to learn the lay of the land, you probably should! Dr. Langeni says this is a great way to see what a birthing suite will look like where you plan to deliver, learn more about the process and figure out specifically where to go in the hospital.

You can reach out to OSF HealthCare hospitals around the Ministry by filling out this form for a birthing tour. A Mission Partner will get back to you shortly and help set up your walkthrough!

Now, it’s baby time! OSF has a “hospital bag essentials” checklist for the mother, baby and support person during your stay you can find here. Birthing classes before you head to the hospital are important as well. Find those resources here.

OSF has OB/GYNs and care teams throughout the Ministry. You can find a list of providers here, along with locations and additional resources to help you on your journey to parenthood!

Video Interview Clips

The newest tool for protecting our littlest population is now available in the United States. 

The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine was initially approved in summer 2023 for adults 60 and older, quickly followed by a recommendation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for pregnant women. The goal of vaccinating pregnant women would be to pass on RSV antibodies from mom to baby.

"(Pregnant women should get the vaccine) somewhere between 32-36 weeks of pregnancy. As long as they receive the vaccine and give birth two weeks after or more after getting the vaccine, the baby should be having good protection for their first year of life,” says Kinnera Are, DO, a pediatrician with OSF HealthCare.

When is RSV season?

Dr. Are says RSV season normally starts in October, goes through the winter, and wraps up in March or April.

"We are expecting to see it this year, but hopefully not as bad as it has been the last couple of years,” Dr. Are adds.

What babies are eligible?

Infants eight months and younger are eligible for the RSV vaccine, along with older infants who have serious medical conditions like chronic lung disease and heart conditions.

"Some infants at higher risk are eligible to get the vaccine for their second RSV season. So, the second year October through March. Some things that would put them at higher risk if infants have chronic lung disease and prematurity and needed oxygen or medications within the last six months. Otherwise, we can offer it during that second season to infants from American Indian heritage or Alaskan Native heritage,” Dr. Area says. “Severely immunocompromised infants are eligible for that second season, and infants with cystic fibrosis who have issues with their lungs. Or if they're very small and are having issues with growth, they may also be eligible." 

How to protect infants and others from RSV

Ways to protect infants from RSV are on par with other respiratory illnesses.

-          Stay away from sick individuals

-          Keep kids home if sick (fever, runny nose)

-          Prioritize good sleep

-          Focus on good eating habits, hydration

-          Wash your hands

"RSV will show symptoms like most other respiratory illnesses. So, you may start off with congestion and runny nose, maybe a fever or a cough," Dr. Are says. “RSV, especially in the infant age group, tends to affect the lungs a little bit more than older kids. So, you may see more of that cough or congestion that's not coming out.”

Days 3-5 are usually the worst

"Any respiratory illness, but especially RSV, is worse between days three and five. Based on where the infant is when they come in, we'll guide them to see if they're getting better or do we expect it to get worse before it gets better,” Dr. Are says.

When it’s time to go to the emergency department

“Two things that would make me tell someone they need to go to the emergency room; One, if the infant is having respiratory distress like breathing really fast, having trouble breathing or having a lot of wheezing that is not getting better and it's very persistent," Dr. Are says. “You can give us a call (at the pediatrics office) but we'll probably recommend you go to the emergency room. The other thing is dehydration. Severe hydration can be shown in no wet diapers for eight hours and no urine output for eight hours. That's a sign they probably need some IV fluids and need to go to the emergency room for care.”

If a pregnant mother didn’t get the RSV vaccine, your child’s pediatrician will ask if they want the baby to get the vaccine in the first few visits.

Normally, symptoms can be managed at home. Antibiotics aren’t prescribed, since RSV is a virus, but sometimes the virus can cause a secondary bacterial infection like pneumonia, which could call for antibiotics. You can use a nasal suction tool to keep the baby’s nose and airways clean, which is especially important when they’re eating or sleeping.

Video Interview Clips

“Our fourth Magnet designation is confirmation of the outstanding care OSF St. Joseph nurses provide to our patients,” says Lisa Pittman, chief nursing officer. “Our nurses continue to exceed national benchmarks in quality and safety. This designation recognizes our continual actions to advance nursing care through leadership, innovation, clinical excellence and research.”

The American Nurses Credentialing Center awards Magnet Recognition, the highest distinction a healthcare organization can receive for nursing excellence and high-quality patient care. OSF St. Joseph has earned Magnet designation since 2008. Only 8% of U.S. hospitals earn this honor, and only 2% have reached the honor four times in a row.

The ANCC looks for evidence of excellence in the following areas: transformational leadership, exemplary professional practice, new knowledge, innovations and improvements, and more. This process was rigorous and thorough for all involved — from bedside nurse clinicians to department leaders, the executive team, and board of directors’ members.

Hospitals must reapply for the status every four years, with each facility providing evidence of excellence and undergoing a site visit that verifies all documentation, nursing satisfaction, and engagement. Pittman notes that OSF St. Joseph invests in the re-designation because it keeps the hospital on a trajectory of excellence.

Their sleep schedule is becoming more “normal,” and they're hitting some of their first milestones. 

Then, it's time to introduce them to solid foods. 

But with a new adventure can come a fear about things like allergens. 

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), “The Big 9” of food allergies are milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame. 

This long list may be daunting to new parents, but Michael Endris, MD, a pediatrician with OSF HealthCare, offers some tips to help guide parents through the journey.

“We know that the earlier introduction of those high allergen foods is beneficial and protective against developing those food allergies,” Dr. Endris says. "Every child is going to be a little bit different. But usually in that four to six-month range is when they are ready to introduce those foods. There are a few steps that we're looking at before we're talking about introducing that.”

Dr. Endris recommends starting to start introducing solid foods, including allergens, during the four to six month window of your baby's life.

Health Highlights Video Version

Health Highlights Video Version Without Chyrons

You’re finally getting into a rhythm with your newborn baby.

Their sleep schedule is becoming more “normal,” and they’re hitting some of their very first milestones, but guess what? It’s time to introduce them to solid foods.

With a new adventure, comes fear about things like allergens. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, “The Big 9” of food allergies are milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame.

This long list may seem daunting to new parents, but Michael Endris, MD, a pediatrician with OSF HealthCare, offers some tips to help guide you through the journey. He says it’s not necessary to sit outside the emergency room (ER) when introducing an allergen for the first time.

"If kids don't have any other food allergies or risk factors to food allergies like family history or eczema, which can place kids at a higher risk of having food allergies, we don't need to worry about eating those foods outside the ER just in case anything bad happens,” Dr. Endris says.

Four to six-month window

"We know that the earlier introduction of those high allergen foods is beneficial and protective against developing those food allergies. Every child is going to be a little bit different. But usually in that four to six-month range is when they are ready to introduce those foods. There are a few steps that we're looking at before we're talking about introducing that,” Dr. Endris says.

Milestones to hit before eating solids

“First, kids should be old enough to sit up in a chair without completely slouching over. That's a good marker that they're strong enough to get that food where it needs to go. We want to make sure they are interested in it,” Dr. Endris says. "Infants have a reflex where if you load a spoon up with food and try to put it in their mouth, their tongue will push it out. Usually, that reflex goes away around 4 months or so. If we notice the baby is uncoordinated or not accepting the food, then we want to try again in a week and see if that reflex is gone."

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recommends parents work on their children developing fine motor skills during this time.

-          Pinching or picking up food with their fingers

-          Develop chewing skills

-          Learn to accept and enjoy a variety of foods

Acceptable textures for food include being smooth (strained or pureed), mashed or lumpy, finely chopped or ground. Start with mashed foods first, then transition to finely chopped or ground.

Baby-led weaning

Instead of relying strictly on purees and baby cereal, some parents choose to go the baby-led weaning (BLW) route. This allows parents to offer solid foods to babies to let them feed themselves. The food offered supplements the baby’s diet, while breast milk or infant formula remains the main foundation.

"Baby-led weaning is a great way to incorporate a diverse diet. We want to make sure that as a part of that, there's some of those high allergen foods involved. It's also a great way for babies to work on those fine motor skills of being able to pick those foods up and feed themselves,” Dr. Endris says.

However, it’s important to cut foods properly before serving your child. Fruits, vegetables and cooked meats can be cut into “finger-sized” slices that your baby is able to hold. Avoid round foods like whole berries and grapes. Make sure to cut the blueberries in half and then mash them before feeding your baby.  

Also avoid hard or crunchy foods like popcorn, nuts or tortilla chips that can be a choking hazard.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends only feeding your infant when he or she is healthy; do not offer the feeding if they have a cold, vomiting, diarrhea or other illness. Give the first feeding at home in a safe environment, not at a day care facility or restaurant.

The caregiver feeding the infant should be completely focused on the baby, without any distractions, and spend at least 2 hours with the infant after the feeding to watch for any signs of an allergic reaction.

When feeding peanut butter, the NIH recommends mixing 2 teaspoons of peanut butter with 2-3 teaspoons of hot water. Stir until the peanut butter is dissolved, thinned and well-blended. Allow the peanut recipe to cool and then feed.

What if my child has an allergic reaction?

"If a child is having anaphylaxis, which is not only hives or a rash, but they are vomiting, wheezing or acting really sleepy. If your "mom alarm" is going off and you think something is wrong with your child, then we want to make sure we're calling EMS or going to the emergency department to address that,” Dr. Endris says.

If you have any fear or anxiety this may happen with your child, Dr. Endris says there are safe environments inside the pediatrician’s office you can pursue.

"We can offer testing to see if your child is at an increased likelihood of having those significant reactions. If so, we can do a food challenge in the office with an allergist to make sure we are there in case anything unfortunate does arise,” Dr. Endris says.

If your child has a rash around the mouth, their eczema is flaring up, or they have diarrhea in the coming days, Dr. Endris recommends giving your child’s pediatrician a call to discuss the symptoms.

Hitting the one-year mark

Hopefully by one year old, your baby has developed strong motor skills for eating and is enjoying a wide variety of foods.

However, it is widely recommended to not allow babies to eat honey before they reach one year old. Honey can cause botulism, a type of food poisoning, for kids under the age of one.

On the other hand, once your baby reaches one year old, you can start offering whole milk (Vitamin D milk) to your child. It is recommended to discuss this switch with your pediatrician beforehand.

"We want to make sure those kids are staying on breast milk or infant formula until they're a year old. We want to avoid introducing any cow's milk until they are of that age. They can have cow's milk products like cheese or yogurt before then, but we want to make sure their primary nutrition comes from the infant formula or breast milk,” Dr. Endris says.

Once your child hits the 1-year mark, breast milk or formula is still a viable option to keeping infants’ diets nutritious. But soon after, you can begin to wean the child off breast milk or formula and allow whole milk to take its place.

The CDC says you can move your baby to low-fat (1%) or fat-free dairy milk once they are 2 years old.

When can my baby have water?

After six months, offering small amounts of water to your baby is OK. But before six months, babies drinking water can actually lead to diarrhea and malnutrition. Limit the amount of water your baby drinks at a time to 2-3 ounces, and only offer it if the baby’s hunger has been satisfied by breast milk or formula.

Study released about early introduction of allergens

Dr. Endris and his team at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington, Illinois were a site that participated in a study to bring forth the early introduction of allergens.

The Intervention to Reduce Early Peanut Allergy in Children (iREACH) study was launched by the Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research (CFAAR) at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine & Robert H. Lurie’s Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

Through the guidelines recommended in the study, the investigators hoped to find a way to prevent peanut allergy and reduce the amount of people who are allergic to peanuts.

Video Interview Clips

At OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center in Urbana, a team of OB/GYNs and certified nurse midwives from Advanced Women’s Healthcare will see patients for well-woman, prenatal and postpartum care at the medical office building on the OSF Heart of Mary campus (1405 W. Park St.). This is in addition to the existing team at the clinic, including nurse midwife Kelli Daugherty, APRN, who sees patients in Urbana and Danville.

Dele Ogunleye, MD, obstetrician and gynecologist, and Brittany King, APRN, will see patients initially, with three other certified nurse midwives (Lindsay Bustle, CNM, Laura Muehling, CNM, and Lilly Ott, CNM) joining the team in the coming weeks.

Clinics with Advanced Women’s Healthcare providers and OSF Mission Partners (employees) will also serve patients in Forsyth (845 US Route 51), with an expected opening in February, and in Lincoln (602 Woodlawn Road), with an expected opening in April.

“This new select service offering is in alignment with OSF’s long-standing tradition of helping women access high-quality, compassionate clinical care where they need it,” said Jennifer Ulrich, interim president of OSF HealthCare St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington. “Our relationship and all services offered in our hospitals and clinics align with our OSF Mission, Values and our ethical commitments as a Catholic health care ministry and ensure holistic and caring obstetrics care for all women in the area communities.”

Services at OSF Medical Group – Obstetrics & Gynecology will include typical care offerings at OSF HealthCare locations, such as well-woman visits, prenatal and postpartum care, pelvic floor disorder treatments and general gynecologic care.

“We continue to see a shortage of obstetricians and gynecologists across the nation. This model of midwife care is an answer, allowing for a superior patient experience with more time for each woman,” said Dr. Ogunleye. “We are pleased to collaborate with OSF to expand this service.”

The expanded clinic serving the Champaign-Urbana area is expected to begin February 12. Hours will be Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

“OSF HealthCare remains committed to women’s health,” said J.T. Barnhart, president of OSF Heart of Mary. “We know mothers want quick answers about their care, and this new collaboration allows well-educated midwives to form trusted relationships with the women they serve.”

People interested in an appointment can call:

Urbana: 217-337-2010
Forsyth: 217-443-5697
Lincoln: 217-828-6111

B-roll

Now that Labor Day has come and gone, so have the days of summer sun into the evening hours. While this is a typical sign of changing seasons, it can also come with a change in mood for those who suffer from seasonal affective disorder, or SAD.

It’s estimated that SAD affects 5-million to 8-million people a year in the United States, particularly in late fall and colder, winter months when days are shorter and nights are longer.

It is thought to be related to the lack of available sunlight, leading to a deficiency of Vitamin D. This can disrupt a person’s natural sleep cycle, and the effect on the brain can cause a person to function differently.

“People in the winter time, particularly in northern, far northern latitudes or far southern latitudes, farther away from the equator will tend to get kind of sluggish and maybe depressed, they start to have carbohydrate cravings, and it may be enough that it’s really a significant problem for them,” explains Dr. Scott Hamilton, a psychiatrist with OSF HealthCare Behavioral Health in Bloomington.

As a behavioral health psychiatrist, Dr. Hamilton works with people suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder. He says there’s a difference between SAD and a case of the occasional winter blahs. If you find your mind and mood are impacting your relationships, ability to work, or social activities, it’s something that needs to be addressed.

There are a number of treatment opportunities for Seasonal Affective Disorder. Dr. Hamilton says one of the most effective is bright light therapy.

“These have a UV shield, full spectrum light, 30 minutes in the morning is how most studies were done with pretty good results. Pretty uniformly positive results in people that have wintertime depression, and people that don’t have winter depression, they do sometimes still help, but they’re not as likely to be helpful.”

Dr. Hamilton says these light boxes are available online, often for less than $50. He also says that simple behavior modification can help with SAD symptoms. He says eating well and exercise can have a tremendous effect on depression symptoms, but if a person is having a tough time functioning on a day-to-day basis, he or she might want to see a therapist for professional help.

“I think trying that and getting more exercise and doing some healthy things first does make sense,” said Dr. Hamilton. “If they get to the point where they can’t function or they get suicidal thoughts, things like that, then they ought to talk to somebody. Those would be the real red flags.”

Learn more about Seasonal Affective Disorder here. To connect with an OSF HealthCare Behavioral Health specialist, talk to your primary care physician for a referral. To for more information about OSF HealthCare Behavioral Health click here.

Interview Clips - Dr. Scott Hamilton

Whether you’re an avid hiker or just enjoying the fresh breeze on a fall walk, preparing for your journey is key.

Karan Rai, MD, who specializes in sports medicine at OSF HealthCare, offers these tips to make your hike safer this season, no matter your hiking experience level.

Map out your adventure:

“First things first, try to get a map of the trail you’re going to take, and account for how much time it will take to get there and get back. Usually, adding an extra 10% gives you sufficient time,” Dr. Rai says. “Always try to inform somebody of where you’re going and what your projected time back will be.”

Dr. Rai says this is extremely important, especially because hiking trails are known to not have the best cellphone service.

“Take a look at the weather. As the seasons change, sometimes we might be due for some rain or cooler conditions,” Dr. Rai adds.

Bring a first-aid kit:

“When going hiking, regardless of duration, have a basic first-aid kit on-hand with supplies such as Band-Aids, gauze and antiseptic,” says Dr. Rai.

He says bringing a multipurpose tool can prove helpful, too. Some of the gadgets inside of it can be a knife, or an eyeglass repair kit in case your glasses break.

Proper footwear and hiking poles:

“We can underestimate how strenuous some of these hikes can be, so making sure you brought a great pair of shoes is a readily available trick everybody should utilize,” Dr. Rai says.

Dr. Rai adds hiking poles can help hikers of all skill levels on all different kinds of terrain.

“They can help take the load off your knees. They add a bit of a different stress, because they force you to utilize your upper body and core muscles. So, it makes it more of a full-body exercise.”

Watch your back:

“Look ahead of you and look down to make sure you’re walking on the trail, but also take a look backwards. Trails can appear different while you’re making that return route,” Dr. Rai says.

Stay on the trail:

The chance of getting hurt increases if you choose to get off the hiking trail. Dr. Rai recommends paying attention to signs during your hike and following the mapped-out trail.

“As much as you might want to get that perfect picture of the waterfall, try to stick to the marked trails,” Dr. Rai says. “In general, when you’re going off trail, that increases your chance of injury. Whether that’s stepping into an unmarked hole or running into some wildlife, those are some of the common pitfalls. Depending how far you go off the trail, it’s a lot harder to have people find you if you are unable to get back to the trail.”

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

A lack of food and water can cause a fun hike to go downhill very quickly. Sandwiches and protein bars can easily be stored in a pack while hiking, but Dr. Rai says make sure you bring enough water to keep you fully hydrated.

“Depending on the duration of your hike, it varies based on how intense it is. But generally, packing at least 1 liter of water per hour for a beginner’s hike. Then as the intensity level increases, add a half-liter per hour,” Dr. Rai says.

Most trails will have a rating or intensity level assigned to them if you look them up online. There are multiple apps available to download on cellphones to take a look at your trail before you venture out.

Common injuries while hiking:

No matter the difficulty of your hike, injuries can happen.

“Commonly we’ll see ankle sprains or knee contusions,” Dr. Rai says. “That can be from falling or stumbling while hiking.”

But some injuries happen without falling on, or off, the trail.

“Other times people can get rashes or sunburns. This goes back to not accounting for some weather-related changes,” Dr. Rai adds. 

Health emergencies can happen:

While more serious health emergencies are rare, they’re still possible, and it’s important to be prepared.

“The toughest part is knowing what to do in those situations. Understand what CPR entails, and know how to do chest compressions,” Dr. Rai urges. “Also have a good way of contacting someone for help. Whether that’s being in an area with cell service or even having a whistle handy. Oftentimes that sound carries further than our voices, it also helps preserve our energy during a more life-threatening or severe situation.”

While it may seem like there are many tips to keep in mind while hiking, Dr. Rai says it’s a great form of cardiovascular exercise and a fun experience for the family.  If you’re new to hiking, he recommends telling your health care provider that you are starting to hike and see if they offer any further guidance. 

Video Interview Clips

B-Roll

Medica affiliate WellFirst Health – provided by SSM Health Plan currently offers Medicare Advantage and individual plans on and off the Exchange in Illinois in two counties in the St. Louis area. Pending regulatory approval, WellFirst Health – provided by SSM Health Plan will revise its name to Medica Central Health Plan (Medica).

Also pending regulatory approval, Medicare Advantage plans from Medica will be available for selection during Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period, October 15 through December 7, 2023. Medicare-eligible residents in DeWitt, Marshall, McLean, Peoria, Stark, Tazewell, and Woodford counties can enroll in the plans.

“OSF HealthCare is known for delivering exceptional patient-centered care,” said Ralph Velazquez, MD, Chief Medical Officer, OSF HealthCare. “The collaboration between OSF and Medica stems from a shared desire to improve the health and well-being of our local communities. Our partnership will combine localized care with a member-focused, community-based health plan, reflecting our mission and commitment to the communities we’ve been called to serve.”

Medica collaborates with organizations such as OSF HealthCare across its service areas to provide member access to high-quality, affordable health care through comprehensive networks of physicians, hospitals, outpatient settings, and innovative virtual care services.

“We are excited to offer Medicare Advantage plans in the Peoria-Bloomington area and serve new members,” said Dave Docherty, Market Leader for Medica in Illinois “We’re committed to fulfilling our mission of being the trusted health plan of choice and thrilled with the opportunity to collaborate with OSF HealthCare.”

OSF HealthCare has 150+ locations, including 15 hospitals, 49 urgent care locations and nearly 2,000 physicians, specialists and advanced care providers. For more information, visit osfhealthcare.org. Medica serves communities across 12 states by providing health care coverage and related services in the employer, individual, Medicaid and Medicare markets. For information, visit medica.com.

About Medica

Medica Holding Company (www.medica.com) is headquartered in Minnesota. The company and its subsidiaries serve communities by providing health care coverage and related services in the employer, individual, Medicaid and Medicare markets. Such communities include those located in Minnesota, Arizona, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Medica’s vision is to be trusted in the community for our unwavering commitment to high quality, affordable health care.

About OSF HealthCare

OSF HealthCare is an integrated health system owned and operated by The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, headquartered in Peoria, Illinois. OSF HealthCare has 15 hospitals – 10 acute care, five critical access - with 2,084 licensed beds throughout Illinois and Michigan. OSF employs nearly 24,000 Mission Partners throughout 150+ locations; has two colleges of nursing; operates OSF Home Care Services, an extensive network of home health and hospice services; owns Pointcore, Inc., comprised of health care-related businesses; OSF HealthCare Foundation, the philanthropic arm for the organization; and OSF Ventures, which provides investment capital for promising health care innovation startups. In 2020, OSF OnCall was established, a digital health operating unit, including a hospital-at-home, which delivers care and services when, where and how patients prefer to receive them. OSF HealthCare has been recognized by Fortune as one of the most innovative companies in the country. More at osfhealthcare.org.

For OSF HealthCare, the example set by our founding Sisters nearly 146 years ago enables us to confront change head on. Leading transformation has been and continues to be part of who we are.

Many hospitals and health care systems, especially in rural areas, are struggling to care for expectant mothers right now. This is due to several factors, including physician shortages, staffing challenges, regulatory requirements and financial hardships.

“Within the OSF HealthCare system, we are blessed to have excellent providers and clinical teams who care deeply for the patients and families who depend on us – including those who are expanding their families,” said Liz Davidson, RN, interim president at OSF HealthCare Saint James-John W. Albrecht Medical Center.

OSF HealthCare is evaluating where to provide birthing, labor and delivery units, as well as general obstetrics and gynecological services such as prenatal visits or well-woman visits.

The number of babies born at OSF Saint James has declined in recent years, which aligns with the aging population of Livingston County. Currently, Pontiac is birthing 10-15 babies per month on average, which is a sharp decline from the 500+ babies born annually at OSF Saint James in years past.

OSF Saint James will shift its services to focus on the future growth of services outside of the delivery of babies, and will streamline its labor and delivery services to other hospitals within OSF HealthCare to ensure the long-term viability of all of our hospitals.

OSF Saint James will continue its commitment to women’s health through a variety of services including, but not limited to, gynecological surgical procedures, lactation counseling, natural family planning via the Creighton Model Fertility Care System, and overall women’s health, such as 3D mammography, bone density, and wellness screenings.

In addition, OSF HealthCare will offer a hybrid model of in-person visits and digital tools for women who prefer to take advantage of some virtual offerings – whether to help busy patients with scheduling conflicts or transportation concerns. For example, we could offer a virtual visit for every other visit throughout a healthy pregnancy.

This care model is used in other OSF HealthCare markets similar to Pontiac and works well, to provide the right combination of digital tools with in-person, compassionate care.

“We want to be where our patients need us, and OSF HealthCare is committed to offering digital services to supplement our in-person care,” Davidson said. “We can offer virtual visits for most healthy pregnancies throughout prenatal care, or our remote patient monitoring program for prenatal and postpartum care is available to complement your visits to a doctor’s office, with on-demand learning based on where a woman is in her pregnancy.”

In addition, OSF lactation experts offer virtual lactation assistance to any woman, regardless of geographic location.

Patients with questions about their ongoing care, OSF Medical Group teams are available: 815-842-3567.

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“Our team is pleased to announce this return to the community,” said Ned Hill, president, OSF Sacred Heart. “We are committed to providing exceptional patient care and know the challenges our young families have experienced throughout the last few months. We are so appreciative of their patience with us.”

While the birthing unit at OSF Sacred Heart will reopen in September, outpatient prenatal care, post-partum care, general women’s health and pediatric services will continue at OSF Sacred Heart and OSF Medical Group in Danville.

“Similar to the rest of the country, staffing has been our biggest challenge. Until we were able to ensure each mother, child and family who needed us was able to have our undivided attention and a care plan that is customized to their precise wishes, we needed to transfer care to Urbana,” said Hill. “Now that we have new providers and a plan to care for our youngest patients and their parents, we are ready to resume services for obstetrics and newborn care in Danville.” 

In addition, more digital tools will now be used in Danville supplement in-person care.

OSF HealthCare will offer a hybrid model of in-person visits and digital tools for women who prefer to take advantage of some virtual offerings, whether to help busy patients with scheduling conflicts or transportation concerns. For example, OSF could offer a virtual visit for every other visit throughout a healthy pregnancy.

“We want to be where our patients need us, and OSF HealthCare is committed to offering digital services to supplement our in-person care,” Hill said. “Our remote patient monitoring program for prenatal and postpartum care is available to complement your visits to a doctor’s office, with on-demand learning based on where a woman is in her pregnancy.”

In addition, OSF lactation experts offer virtual lactation assistance to any woman, regardless of geographic location.

As a part of this reopening at OSF Sacred Heart, OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center in Urbana, Illinois, will soon submit applications with the appropriate state and regulatory approvals to discontinue obstetrical care.

This decision was based on a number of factors, including access to care, travel time to hospitals and vulnerable populations. These factors combined with staffing challenges and the ability to recruit led to this decision.

The Blessed Beginnings Birthing Center at OSF Heart of Mary will transition all labor and delivery care to either OSF Sacred Heart in Danville or OSF HealthCare St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington, Illinois. This transition will also take place in September, although the exact timing is yet to be determined.

After September 2023, patients who are currently patients of OSF Medical Group – Obstetrics and Gynecology in Urbana will be referred to OSF Medical Group - Primary Care in Champaign, Illinois, or our Danville OB/GYN location.

OSF HealthCare will continue its commitment to overall women’s health through a variety of services including, but not limited to, regular well-woman annual visits, mammograms and general gynecology services, as well as bone density and wellness screenings at OSF Medical Group – Primary Care offices in the Champaign area.

For more information on the birthing center at OSF Sacred Heart, please call 217-443-5000. If patients have other questions, OSF Medical Group teams are available: 217-337-2010 (Champaign-Urbana) or 217-477-4718 (Danville).

B-roll

The Great American Smokeout rolls around every year during the third week of November and it has helped millions of people quit since it started in the early 1970s. The idea is not necessarily to make people stop cold turkey on that day, but rather to have tobacco users begin to think about quitting or to start the process if they plan to make it their quit date.

The campaign is important because according to the American Cancer Society, smoking causes more than 480,000 deaths every year, or about one in five deaths. More than 16 million Americans live with a smoking-related disease.

Dr. Jesse VanLe, a cardiothoracic surgeon for OSF Cardiovascular Institute in Bloomington, Illinois, is a strong supporter of the Great American Smokeout, which will be Thursday, November 18.

Smoking harms almost every tissue and organ in the body, including your heart and blood vessels. Nicotine, one of the main chemicals in cigarettes, causes your heart to beat faster and your blood pressure to rise. Carbon monoxide from smoking also gets into the blood and robs your body of oxygen.

According to Dr. VanLe, those who smoke have good reason to worry about its effect on their health.

“The World Health Organization has estimated that the number of cardiovascular associated events is approximately 17 to 18 million per year attributed to smoking,” he says. “A person who is 40 years old who smokes, they'll have approximately nine years taken off their life by the time they reach 60 to 70. Nine years, which is a lot.”

Despite the data, quitting isn’t easy for most smokers. According to research offered by the Illinois Quitline, it can take the average person five to seven times before they quit for good. Dr. VanLe says it is important not to get discouraged, and suggests surrounding yourself with supportive family and friends and changing habits that can trigger the urge to smoke.

“The population that has the most success would be the one not exposing themselves to the advertisements: other people who smoke for example, not visiting the bar anymore, or they have a very strong family system that helps them out and encourages them to quit. At first it is very difficult, but if you can do it after six months, with strong family support, and change the environment, then you'll be more successful,” says Dr. VanLe.

Over time people who quit smoking see many benefits to their health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), some benefits of quitting even start immediately after that last cigarette. Within minutes a person’s heart rate will drop, in 24 hours the nicotine level in the blood drops to zero, and in a matter of days the carbon monoxide level in the blood drops to a level of someone who does not smoke.

“Some process takes longer than others but we know the chemicals and everything can be reversed within five years. And that's a tremendous amount of reversal in terms of coronary occlusive disease that you can do. So let's start from day one. You can measure the difference,” encourages Dr. VanLe.

Here are some good guidelines for what kind of nicotine replacement therapy you might want to try to address the physical addiction. Along with counseling, the Illinois Tobacco Quitline offers up to six weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) to enrolled clients who qualify.

As for using e-cigarettes to quit smoking, Dr. VanLe says there isn’t enough research to know the long-term, potential harmful impact. He also points out the Federal Food and Drug Administration hasn’t approved the devices as a smoking cessation tool because of the lack of research connected with their use.

The Illinois Tobacco Quitline is 1-866-QUIT-YES. It can offer a variety of support and helpful tools. You can also find an OSF HealthCare behavioral therapist or doctor who can help you quit smoking or end smokeless tobacco use.

Interview Clips - Dr. Jesse VanLe

B-Roll - Smoking

Colonoscopies have been considered the gold standard for colorectal cancer screening and prevention for decades. Now, however, a new study seems to call that belief into question, but health professionals argue the research can be easily misinterpreted.

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, followed 85,000 participants over a ten year period. Trial participants were either invited to undergo a single colonoscopy screening or to receive their usual physician care with no colonoscopy.

Of those who were invited to have colonoscopies – whether they got one or not – there was an 18% reduction in developing the disease, and no significant reduction in the likelihood of colon cancer death.

Dr. Omar Khokhar is an OSF HealthCare gastroenterologist in Bloomington, Illinois. He says there is a sticking point in this study, which can be easily overlooked: Less than half (42%) of the group invited to get a colonoscopy actually went through with the screening. If you concentrate on those individuals only, the benefits of screenings are more apparent.

“The 42% of people who accepted the invitation for the colonoscopy arm of this study had a 31% reduction in colon cancer incidents, and a 50% mortality reduction from colon cancer,” Dr. Khokhar explains. “So I think if anything, this study tells us that if you get screened, if you get a colonoscopy, you will have a reduction in your risk of colon cancer, and death from colon cancer.”

The new study has gotten quite a bit of media attention, and the major concern from physicians is that prospective patients will see the headlines and then possibly not pursue screenings if they believe there is no significant benefit.

Dr. Khokhar says he and his colleagues welcome patients’ questions, especially from those who have concerns. He says part of his job is to explain the ins and outs of screenings, and allow patients to decide what type of care they prefer.

“There are things that we're experts on and we're not experts on, and I'm fully open to an informed patient. I encourage that conversation. Come to me armed with your data. I'll come with my data. And let's talk about it and then you can decide which risks you want to live with,” he says.

“It's simple to say I don't want to get it done. Then you're choosing the risk of not getting it done, and with 52,000 colon cancer deaths every year in this country, and the chance of getting colon cancer one in 25, which is 4% - it's not insignificant - then you choose to live with that risk. But ultimately, as a patient, you get to decide to at least have the conversation.”

The American Cancer Society recommends that all people at average risk of colorectal cancer start regular screening at age 45. However not all colorectal cancer screenings are created equally, and according to Dr. Khokhar, there is a reason the colonoscopy is considered the gold standard. Colonoscopies allow physicians to view the entire colon and both detect and remove polyps, small clumps of cells that can develop into cancer, during the same procedure.

“This is the only test where we can find a precancerous lesion and remove it at the same time,” says Dr. Khokhar. “The stool based tests, if they're negative, you have a clean bill for one to three years depending on which one you choose. If they are positive that needs to be followed up with a colonoscopy to make sure you don't have a precancerous polyp that we can address and get rid of during this colonoscopy.”

Lower risk patients may be eligible for one of several other non-invasive tests, including at-home stool tests Dr. Khokhar mentioned. These tests, including Cologuard, can be done outside of a physician’s office and can detect blood in the stool or abnormal DNA that may suggest cancer. 

Colorectal polyps and colorectal cancer don’t always cause symptoms, especially at first. That is why getting screened regularly for colorectal cancer is so important. If you do experience symptoms, they may include a change in bowel habits, blood in or on your stool (bowel movement), abdominal pain, aches, or cramps that don’t go away or unexplained weight loss. If you have any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor.

Interview Clips - Dr. Omar Khokhar (pronounced COE-car)

According to the American Optometric Association, one in four school-age children has a vision disorder. While children are required to get an eye exam before entering kindergarten, Dr. Mike Endris, an OSF HealthCare pediatrician in Bloomington, Illinois says kids could benefit from vision screenings even earlier.

“Vision loss and vision deficits are one of the most common ailments in childhood, and oftentimes there are no symptoms, and screening is the best way to detect these problems,” explains Dr. Endris.

The process of screening, however, can be a challenge; young children are not able to navigate eye charts or articulate vision issues they are experiencing. Dr. Endris says there is a simple solution, and all it takes is an iPhone. He and his Bloomington colleagues use a digital screening platform called GoCheck Kids for this purpose.

GoCheck Kids is a photoscreening test performed at the well-child visit. A photo of the child’s eyes is taken using an iPhone with attached hardware. The GoCheck Kids technology then alerts the provider of any possible vision issues, sometimes in less than a minute.

“It can assess for differences in vision, whether that would be nearsightedness or farsightedness,” Dr. Endris says. “It can estimate for weakness in one eye compared to the other, as well as look for things like a red reflex in the pupil. That can be a sign of a more serious underlying disease. And it can also check to see if our eyes are in alignment.”

The most common vision abnormalities in children are nearsightedness, farsightedness, amblyopia (lazy eye) or astigmatism. Signs of eye health issues in kids can include frequent rubbing of the eyes, squinting, tilting or turning of the head to look at objects, or noticeable wandering eyes. 

Dr. Endris continues, “If our automatic read from this device picks up on any issue at all, it is then reviewed by an ophthalmologist, which is a medical doctor who specializes in the eye. If they concur and see that there is some abnormality present, then we would start a referral.”

Dr. Endris and his team have used this technology for nearly a year and provide vision screenings for kids as young as 12 months old. He says early detection of vision abnormalities can make a huge impact on a child’s development, physically, academically and emotionally.

“Vision problems are common and we know that, in general, it's better to treat them earlier than later. We know that not only is it important for the success of academics, but also kids that have amblyopia have recently been found to have a higher incidence of anxiety and depression. Whether that's truly from their vision or not, we'll see. But again, it's ever so critical to screen for these, both by asking parents questions about their child's vision as well as using a photo screen or device,” urges Dr. Endris.

If you notice your child struggling with vision issues contact their pediatrician or a pediatric optometrist. If you don’t have a pediatrician visit osfhealthcare.org to find one near you.

Interview Clips - Dr. Mike Endris

B-Roll Clips - GoCheck Kids

Well-child visits to the pediatrician and keeping up with recommended vaccines are the best things parents can do to protect their kids and communities from serious vaccine-preventable diseases that can easily spread or become life threatening. 

Despite this, American children appear to be falling behind when it comes to routine vaccinations. According to data recently published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), national vaccine coverage among kindergarten children during the 2020-2021 school year dropped from 95% to lower than 94%. While that might not seem like a big decline at face value, the 1% dip represents more than 35,000 children.

 Dr. Rebecca Sierra is an OSF HealthCare pediatrician in Bloomington, Illinois. She says the downward trend in inoculations is most likely a side effect of the pandemic.

 “I think the problem has been with COVID just getting people into the office, keeping them up to date on their visits and up to date on their vaccines,” explains Dr. Sierra. “So I think because people were trying to stay away, or maybe not enrolling in school, we've kind of missed the opportunity to vaccinate some of those kids.”

 Dr. Sierra says while her office has not seen a sharp decline in the demand for routine vaccinations, the CDC’s findings remain concerning. A decrease in vaccination rates could result in fewer communities maintaining herd immunity for preventable diseases like measles, mumps and whooping cough.

 “We want a certain percentage of kids to be vaccinated in order to have herd immunity to keep those viruses out of the community. So as that number goes down, we're increasing the risk of those viruses like measles and things that we don't typically see making a comeback and circulating again,” says Dr. Sierra.

Dr. Sierra says the key to bucking this trend is for parents to keep up with yearly well-child visits. These visits are an important component to keeping up with routine immunizations, allowing pediatricians to remind parents about recommended vaccines and vaccination schedules and to address any concerns parents may have regarding their child’s health.

 “If they haven't had a routine physical within the last year they definitely need to check in and make sure that there's nothing that we're missing,” she urges. “I know a lot of offices do go through and try to contact some of those patients, but we don't always have up to date contact information. So definitely, if they haven't been seen by a provider within the last year, I would definitely reach out and make sure that we're not missing anything for them.”

If you have questions about your child’s vaccination schedule or about vaccines in general, Dr. Sierra recommends reaching out to your child’s pediatrician. You can also check for overdue vaccinations, ask questions or schedule an appointment on OSF MyChart.

 If your child doesn’t have a pediatrician you can find one at osfhealthcare.org.

Interview Clips - Dr. Rebecca Sierra

The summer months provide the perfect opportunity to conquer cabin fever and explore the great outdoors. But before you head out for that hike, health care experts remind you to take precautions to avoid tick bites.

“A tick will get on your body and will stay there. It'll bite you and embed into your skin. If that tick is removed within 24 hours, the chance of getting ill is diminished. After 24 hours there's a chance you could get some illness transmitted from that tick itself,” says Dr. Richard Ginnetti, an OSF HealthCare primary care physician in Bloomington, Illinois.

One of the most common tick-borne illnesses is Lyme disease, which is a bacterial infection. You get it when the blacklegged tick, also known as a deer tick, bites you and stays attached for 36 to 48 hours.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates around 300,000 people are infected with Lyme disease each year. Dr. Ginnetti says there are tell-tale signs of Lyme disease, including a rash around the bite mark that takes the shape of a bullseye.

When caught early, Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics. When untreated, however, the disease can develop into meningitis or other severe illnesses which can require hospitalization and further treatment.

“It looks like a bullseye – a bullseye type rash - that's pathognomonic of the disease,” Dr. Ginnetti explains. “It's relatively simply treated with antibiotics early on. However, if the first stage is missed, it can go on to develop arthritis, neurological disease and also cardiac conditions. So it will potentially cause a large amount of pathology if not treated initially.”

According to Dr. Ginnetti, the best action against Lyme disease is to pay attention to your surroundings and avoid the bite in the first place. Before heading into the great outdoors he recommends wearing long pants and long sleeves, as well as applying an EPA-registered insect repellent containing DEET.

After spending time in areas ticks are known to inhabit, such as wooded areas, tall grass, and brush, immediately check yourself, your children and pets for ticks. If one is found, remove it promptly and monitor any bite areas.

“If you find a tick on you, you want to remove it as soon as possible,” Dr. Ginnetti urges. “The best way to remove it is just with some tweezers. Get as close as possible to the tick on the skin. And then try to gently pull it off about 90 degree angle from you. That's the best way to do it. Once the tick is off wash with soap water, rub on some alcohol and it should be fine. As long as the tick has been on less than 24 hours, most of time that's all you need to do.”

The CDC gives us some simple steps to keep tick bites at bay:

Avoid Direct Contact with Ticks

• Avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter.
• Walk in the center of trails.

Repel Ticks on Skin and Clothing

• Use repellent that contains 20 percent or more DEET, picaridin, or IR3535 on exposed skin for protection that lasts several hours.
• Use products that contain permethrin on clothing. Treat clothing and gear, such as boots, pants, socks and tents with products containing 0.5% permethrin. It remains protective through several washings. Pre-treated clothing is available and may be protective longer.
• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has an online tool to help you select the repellent that is best for you and your family.

Find and Remove Ticks from Your Body

• Bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors (preferably within 2 hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks that are crawling on you.
• Conduct a full-body tick check using a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body upon return from tick-infested areas. Parents should check their children for ticks under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between the legs, around the waist, and especially in their hair.
• Examine gear and pets. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets, then attach to a person later, so carefully examine pets, coats, and day packs.
• Tumble dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks on dry clothing after you come indoors.

Interview Clips - Dr. Richard Ginnetti