Scientists are constantly learning more about cancer – what causes it, how it impacts our body and how to treat or cure it. One study has looked at a possible link between frequent drinking of hot beverages and an increased risk of esophageal cancer.

So should coffee drinkers worry? Not drastically, but you should always be mindful of what you put in your body, says Edie Krueger, MD, [pronounced EE-dee // KREE-ger] a radiation oncologist at OSF HealthCare.

“The science behind it is that there’s thermal injury to the lining of the esophagus, or the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. The thermal injury causes the cells to become aberrant [not normal, in other words] and grow on their own without any checkpoints. That’s basically what cancer is,” Dr. Krueger says.

So what should people do? Dr. Krueger says if you’re a morning coffee or tea person, that’s fine. But if you drink scalding hot beverages multiple times a day, consider changing habits. Let the drink cool off before taking a swig. The study mentions 65 degrees Celsius (149 degrees Fahrenheit) as a danger zone. That’s about the temperature when you get coffee right out of the pot, Dr. Krueger says. Also, swap the afternoon hot coffee or tea with another drink.

“Things in moderation are fine,” Dr. Krueger says.

Why it’s important

Esophageal cancer is not the most common in America (around 20,000 cases per year, Dr. Krueger says). But she says it’s a “tough cancer to treat,” underscoring the need to know about it and get treatment sooner rather than later.

She says there are two types of esophageal cancer. The most prevalent in America is adenocarcinoma. The other type, squamous cell carcinoma, is the one with a possible link to hot drinks.

“The symptoms, in general, are things like reflux or trouble swallowing - especially trouble swallowing things like bread or tough foods like steak or chicken. Just really hard to get food down,” Dr. Krueger explains.

“Usually, esophageal cancer is treated with what we call trimodality therapy. That’s surgery, chemotherapy and radiation,” she adds.

Avoiding alcohol, smoking and obesity are ways to help prevent esophageal cancer.

Learn more

Read more about cancer care on the OSF HealthCare website. Cancer care at OSF includes the OSF Cancer Institute in Peoria, Illinois.

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• Teeth issues, such as cavities and discoloration. Loose teeth (not baby teeth that are intended to come out) are also a red flag.
   
• Gum issues, such as redness, bleeding or swollen or sore gums.
   
• Chewing and swallowing issues, whether from pain or a diagnosed disorder.
   
• Chemotherapy can also negatively impact oral health, Dr. Splaingard says. So if you’re going through cancer treatment, keep a close eye for changes in your mouth.
   
• And while we can’t control our age or gender, Dr. Splaingard says to be aware: poor oral health and the poor bone health that could come with it are more common as you age. He adds that women who have reached menopause are especially at risk.

Prevention

Having good oral health is no secret. Think back to what your parents told you as kids.

• Brush and floss regularly. The American Dental Association recommends brushing twice per day and flossing once per day. If you have questions about frequency, talk to your dentist.
   
• See a dentist regularly. Twice per year is a good starting point, but some people who need extra attention could go four times per year.
   
• In between those appointments, watch your teeth and gums and let your dentist know if something doesn’t seem right.
   
• Avoid smoking.
   
• Eat a healthy diet that’s low in cavity-causing sugar and high in beneficial things like calcium.
  
  “Calcium and vitamin D deficiencies can affect calcium balance in the bones,” Dr. Splaingard adds
   
• And if you are diagnosed with osteoporosis, follow the medication plan outlined by your health care provider.

Learn more

Read more about how to maintain good oral health on the OSF HealthCare website.

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But inside these new and exciting things also lie dangerous pieces parents and caregivers need to keep an eye on. Things such as batteries and magnets, both small and shiny, are potentially life-threatening objects.

Guidance for gift-giving

"In buying gifts for your kids, I'd look for toys that don't have parts that come apart. If they have a battery component, make sure it's screwed in," says Tinsley Anderson, MD, a pediatric surgeon with OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois. "That way you're not changing the battery, and, in a year from now, your kid probably won't want the toy anyway." 

The small, round batteries that come in kids’ toys are particularly problematic, Dr. Anderson says. She adds they can easily get stuck in the esophagus and cause a burn injury. When a kid swallows a battery like this, surgery is needed.

"Your mucus and moisture in your body completes the battery's circuit, so the battery is activated, causing an alkaline burn," Dr. Anderson says. “It causes a coagulative necrosis, which is when your tissue starts to dissolve. It can create holes, and when it heals, it can create narrowing that causes lifelong problems.”

Warning signs to look for

• Drooling
• Unable to swallow
• Unable to eat 
• Belly pain 
• If an item is missing and you think your child might have eaten it

"Things that are particularly concerning are if they're drooling, they can't swallow or eat. There can be items lodged in the airways that can be a surgical emergency. If they're having trouble swallowing, there can be things stuck in their esophagus that aren't getting past," Dr. Anderson says. 

Another potentially life-threatening danger in toys is magnets. They're shiny and can come in all sorts of colors, but Dr. Anderson says they can stick to each other once inside the abdomen and create holes from one side to the other. This can lead to surgery where a child can lose part of their intestine. 

When considering what to buy for a younger child, pay attention to the warning labels, which should indicate what ages are appropriate to play with the toy. A 2018 study by The Toy Association showed many parents ignore age labels on toys and for those who do read them, about 97% ignore them. The study points out crucial age labels are important for child safety and are based on a child’s developmental abilities.

If a child is choking, do the Heimlich maneuver to try and dislodge the item. Dr. Anderson still recommends taking your child to the emergency department afterward in case a piece of the item is still located in the body. Never just sweep your finger around in the child's mouth, as this can get the item stuck even more.

Water beads: Another concern

Over the last few years, Dr. Anderson says her colleagues across the country have come in contact with a newer toy that’s causing quite the commotion: water beads. They’re colorful, tiny and expand when exposed to water. If a water bead expands once it’s inside someone’s body, it can cause bowel obstruction, which leads to needing surgery as well.

If a child swallows a lithium or button battery, it’s best to call the nearest emergency department and let them know you’re taking your child there for a life-threatening emergency. All OSF HealthCare emergency departments offer X-ray services that will tell the medical team exactly what the item is and where it’s located. “A coin is much different than a button battery,” Dr. Anderson points out.

Read this patient story about how a child required life-saving surgery after swallowing a button battery.

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With temperatures cooling, Awad Alyami, MD, an OSF HealthCare pediatrician, says we’re approaching the peak season for sore throats. Many cases have time-tested treatments, but some can have serious complications.

Dr. Alyami says a sore throat is an infection that causes inflammation in your throat. They’re annoying and painful, bringing symptoms like difficulty swallowing or talking and swelling of glands and tonsils. Causes can include tonsil stones, heartburn and allergies. But most commonly, causes break down into two groups: viral and bacterial.

Viral infections

Dr. Alyami says many viruses can cause sore throats – the common cold, influenza, coronavirus and others. Dr. Alyami says if your sore throat comes with coughing or a runny nose, that’s a sign it’s a viral infection. You can start treatment at home with over-the-counter medicine like Tylenol and ibuprofen. You can also gargle salt water and, generally, stay hydrated. Water is good for all ages, and Pedialyte can help hydrate kids.

If your symptoms include fever and neck swelling, it’s a more serious situation. You should see a health care provider.

Bacterial infections

The main bacterial infection that causes sore throats is group A streptococcus (commonly known as strep or strep throat). Strep throat may bring the hallmark sore throat symptoms, but you should also watch for fever and white patches toward the back of your mouth.

“This is a bacterial infection that’s common in kids,” Dr. Alyami says of strep throat.  “About 30% of sore throats are strep, and about 70% are viral. It’s a big deal. We need to treat to prevent complications.”

The most common complication is dehydration, Dr. Alyami says.

“The sore throat is so bad, the child doesn’t want to eat or drink,” he explains.

Other times, untreated strep throat can lead to abscesses, or pus pockets.

“If that abscess gets big enough, it can go toward other structures in the body that are very important. That infection can spread and progress very quickly,” Dr. Alyami says. Life-threatening conditions like difficulty breathing can result.

Dr. Alyami says providers can diagnose strep throat with a throat swab. They treat strep throat with 10 days of antibiotic medication, either injected or taken orally. He says most kids will take the medicine orally unless that’s troublesome. For example, some kids have a tough time swallowing pills due to throat pain.

Prevention

It’s advice you’ve heard before, but it’s worth repeating. Dr. Alyami says good hand hygiene goes a long way to preventing sore throats. Wash your hands thoroughly, and keep them away from your face.

Early detection is also key.

“If the child is sick, especially with symptoms that could be strep, it’s better to get them to a health care professional early,” Dr. Alyami implores. “They can get checked and isolated for 12 to 24 hours before they start antibiotics.

“If you’re sure about what they have, it’s better to just bring them in and get them checked,” he adds. Or, a virtual visit is an option.

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When it comes to oral health in kids, Emily Isom has seen it all.

Cavities, gum disease and infections, improper tooth alignment and tooth loss come to mind quickly. Not to mention all the missed school time dealing with these issues.

But she’s also seen plenty of young people who are the picture of good oral health. And she’s on a mission to make more of the latter.

“The mouth is the gateway to the body,” says Isom, a certified medical assistant in pediatrics at OSF HealthCare and a former dental assistant.

“A lot of people don’t think about what our oral health can do to us if it’s not being taken care of,” she adds. “It can cause heart disease, diabetes and respiratory infections.”

Everyday prevention

Isom says kids and their parents should commit to daily habits that will improve their oral health.

For infants without teeth, Isom says parents should use a soft, cool washcloth to wipe the child’s gums twice a day. This helps clear bits of food and milk that can lead to bad breath, irritation and cavities.

“Touching their gums will help when they are older. They’ll be okay with brushing their teeth. They won’t fight the parents about it,” Isom says. “So, it’s good to start [oral health care] early."

Older kids should brush their teeth for two minutes, twice a day. Floss once a day. When a child has two teeth that touch, it’s time to start flossing. That could happen from ages two to six.

Before you rinse out your mouth with water, don’t forget about the tongue, Isom says.

“If we do not brush our tongue, bacteria can sit on it. It can get what I call ‘tongue sick,’” Isom says. “Bad breath can also happen.”

Outside of the bathroom, Isom reminds us that sugary and starchy food and drinks are prime suspects in oral health issues like cavities. So, parents should offer those foods in moderation. Isom calls out sticky candy as an example. She says the sugar tends to sit on your teeth for a while. Isom also says starchy food like bread, potatoes, rice, pasta and cereal can sit between your teeth unless you floss right away.

Another must-know for parents with babies: don’t put your baby to bed with a bottle. Aside from a choking hazard, Isom says the constant stream of milk or formula can lead to cavities and corrosion. She also says this can cause infants to be fussy and demand a bottle more often.

It takes some convincing

A mother of a six-year-old, Isom knows that some kids won’t brush and floss willingly. They see it as a chore.

Her response: make oral health fun.

“Make a dental chart. Add stickers to it, morning and night,” Isom suggests. “Give them rewards like a little toy. After each cleaning, they can get a reward. Turn on music or a timer for two minutes [of brushing.] Get toothbrushes with their favorite characters on them.”

Dentist visits

Isom says children usually have regular visits with a dentist twice a year. Others with known mouth issues may go every three to four months. But see a dentist right away if you notice red flags: pain in the mouth, persistent bad breath, discolored gums or teeth, bleeding gums or trouble swallowing.

A regular dental visit usually includes a thorough cleaning of the teeth and gums followed by fluoride treatment.

“[Fluoride] protects the enamel of the teeth,” Isom explains. “It protects your teeth from cavities. It just makes your enamel really strong so you can eat the things you want.”

A dental professional may also perform X-rays on your teeth regularly.

Something else for parents to make sure the dentist has in mind: oral cancer screening.

“Those are huge,” for oral health, Isom says.

A dentist may use their hands to examine your mouth and neck. They could use a light or have you rinse your mouth with a blue dye. Each method looks for abnormal, possibly cancerous tissue.

At the end of a dental visit, you may be sent home with a prescription or just instructions to keep your mouth happy. For example, you may get a prescription mouthwash to help with gum disease.

Learn more

Read more about how to keep kids’ mouths in good health on the OSF HealthCare and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention websites. If you don’t have a family dentist, talk to your primary care provider about finding one. OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois in Peoria offers dental care for children with special needs.

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Telemedicine – seeing a provider by video from home – is a common and useful part of today’s health care landscape. But as Amer Alshekhlee, MD, points out, it’s sometimes not fast. A person will commonly book a virtual appointment days or weeks out.

So how can telemedicine play a critical role when millions of brain cells are at stake in a matter of minutes?

Enter telestroke. It’s a concept in use throughout OSF HealthCare. At OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center in Alton, Illinois, the strategic affiliation between OSF and SSM Health allows telestroke to be seamless. Dr. Alshekhlee, the stroke program director at DePaul Hospital in nearby Bridgeton, Missouri, is one of the doctors who sees people virtually when they come to the OSF Saint Anthony’s Emergency Department with a suspected stroke.

“We see patients quickly. We triage them from hospital to hospital. That provides very quick treatment,” Dr. Alshekhlee says.

“We’ll have a video encounter,” he adds. “We examine the patient. Talk to them and their family. Make a decision on what kind of treatment and where.”

Providers will ask about when symptoms started and their severity. They will likely have the patient demonstrate the BEFAST acronym, a standard way to spot stroke symptoms. Providers will look for problems or abnormalities in balance, eyes, face, arms and speech. The “T” in BEFAST stands for time. In other words, if there is evidence of issues in B through S, it’s “time” to take quick action.

“We have a scale. We score the person, and for example, say ‘these stroke symptoms look very bad’. Then we have to really act on that patient.”

That could mean a transfer to a hospital better equipped to treat stroke. Again, providers will tell you time is of the essence. For example, if you start treatment at the Emergency Department within 4½ hours of the onset of symptoms, you may be able to take Tenecteplase, a blood clot-busting agent that experts say could become the gold standard for stroke care.

On the flip side, for each minute a stroke goes untreated, the brain loses around 2 million cells it cannot recover. Strokes can also have life-altering consequences like vision, walking and swallowing difficulties. They can take years off your life and put you at risk of another stroke.

Learn more about stroke care on the OSF HealthCare website.

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A mother is speaking out about water bead safety after her 14 month-old daughter swallowed a bead and wound up in the hospital.

Hannah Reif of Iowa tells Good Morning America that her child was vomiting, and doctors later found a one-inch water bead in the girl's small intestine.

Water beads are tactile toys that are marble-sized and water-absorbing. They are often used to reduce stress and anxiety while helping to develop focus and attention. The National Poison Control Center and the American Academy of Pediatrics say water beads can expand inside a person and cause a life-threatening intestinal blockage.

This latest incident with Reif's family is a reminder to know the signs of poisoning and choking and the steps to reverse the effects of each, says Aminat Ogun, MD, a family medicine physician at OSF HealthCare in Champaign, Illinois.

“Make sure there are no loose coins around  - no small toys they can pick up and swallow,” Dr. Ogun advises as a first step. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has a list of recalled products.

Food should be cut into small bites for kids. Chemicals, like bleach used for cleaning, should be capped and stored out of a child’s reach. Cabinet locks add an extra layer of protection.

If your child does ingest something they’re not supposed to, Dr. Ogun advises taking an ambulance to the Emergency Department of your local hospital. Health care providers will assess the child, consulting with the poison control center if necessary, and decide what to do. One option is to pump the poison out of the child’s stomach. If it’s a small object that doesn’t present a grave threat, Dr. Ogun says doctors may see if it will pass naturally in a bowel movement.

Some children may swallow a poisonous liquid and not say anything, perhaps because they don’t even know the seriousness of what they did. In this case, Dr. Ogun says to watch for changes in your child’s health, like vomiting and lethargy, and see a doctor right away.

If a child is choking, Dr. Ogun says there are life-saving steps you can take at home.

For children under one, Dr. Ogun says to lay the child face down on your lap and pat their back five times. Then turn the child over and repeat the pats on their chest.

For older kids, perform the Heimlich maneuver. Dr. Ogun says stand behind the person, wrap one arm around them and place your hand in a fist between their belly button and the bottom of their sternum. Lay your other hand flat on the fist. Then make upward thrusts.

If you’re alone, you can perform thrusts on yourself or thrust your upper abdomen against the back of a chair or the edge of a counter.

Local first responders or health care organizations may offer training on these life-saving techniques.

One word of caution: “Do not put your hand in the child’s mouth to try to get the object out,” Dr. Ogun says. “That could make it worse.”

If these steps don’t dislodge the object and get the child breathing again within a couple minutes, call an ambulance and get to the Emergency Department.

“If the person is turning blue, not able to speak or gasping, those are signs to go to the Emergency Department,” Dr. Ogun says.

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Nearly 800,000 Americans suffer a stroke each year.

Strokes can have life-altering consequences like vision, walking and swallowing difficulties. They also rank in the top five killers of Americans. For each minute a stroke goes untreated, the brain loses around 2 million cells it cannot recover.

“Getting to the hospital quickly – within four and a half hours of your onset of symptoms – is important,” says Leslie Ingold, a registered nurse and stroke coordinator with OSF HealthCare.

A cutting-edge stroke drug rolled out at OSF HealthCare is already turning the tide for people.

Tenecteplase (TNKase ®) can be used in people experiencing a stroke and who meet certain criteria, such as a specific blood pressure, history of brain bleeds, medications taken at home and how quickly they arrived at the emergency department. TNKase is a clot-busting agent that stands to become the gold standard of this type of care, Ingold says.

“It has a lower cost. It’s something providers can mix much, much quicker,” Ingold says. “And it’s given quickly in an IV push over five to 10 seconds, and we’re done.”

TNKase also does a better job than its predecessor at finding and breaking up clots, and there’s a lower risk of bleeding.

“The quicker we can get oxygen flowing back into that brain tissue, the better recovery the person is going to have,” Ingold says.

Why it’s important

The most common type of stroke, an ischemic stroke (also sometimes called an embolic stroke), is when a clot forms and travels to the brain. When watching for one, remember the acronym B.E.F.A.S.T.

• B is for balance: Watch for sudden loss of balance.
• E is for eyes: Check for vision loss or eyes looking askew.
• F is for face: Look for droopiness or an uneven smile.
• A is for arm: Is one arm weak or numb?
• S is for speech: Watch for slurred, slow speech or no speech. Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence.
• T is for time. It’s the conclusion to the checklist. Time to call 9-1-1 if someone has these symptoms, even if they go away.

Another type of stroke, a hemorrhagic stroke, is when a blood vessel breaks and blood seeps into brain tissue. Ingold says hemorrhagic strokes are typically caused by a traumatic injury, like falling and hitting your head. Uncontrolled high blood pressure is also a cause.

For either type, when you arrive at the hospital, a provider will take some pictures of your brain and decide the best treatment option.

Prevention

Up to 80% of strokes are preventable, Ingold says. Prevention goes back to what any doctor will tell you is key for a healthy life: control your blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes through diet and exercise. Avoid tobacco, alcohol and drugs. If you have an irregular heartbeat, known as atrial fibrillation, see your cardiologist regularly and follow their instructions. And get established with a primary care provider, too.

Ingold says a stroke takes 3.75 years off a person’s life, on average. And if you have a stroke, you have a 25% chance of having another one.

“We always tell people they really need to be on top of their treatment,” Ingold says. “The signs and symptoms of a possible second stroke may not be the same as the first. In fact, they could be completely different. It just depends on what part of the brain the stroke affects.”

Learn more

Read about stroke care on the OSF HealthCare website.

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