A very sweet lady I know has recently lost her 4 year old son to E. Coli. This is such a tragedy, please pray for her and her family. I cannot imagine their pain and grief.
Below is a copy of one of the news articles about his death (and 2 other boys here in Kansas as well.) I know many of you enjoy taking your children swimming and to the petting zoos and farmsteads just as I do. Please read to the bottom of the article for important tips on how to avoid E.Coli. I know most of it is common sense, but I figure it never hurts for a refresher ... better safe than sorry when dealing with our sweet babies lives!
"A Chase County boy is one of two young Kansas children who died within the past several days from E. coli infection, according to an announcement from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
Funeral arrangements were being made today for Brant Burton, 4, who died Sunday in Wesley Regional Medical Center in Wichita.
Brant was the son of T.W. and Rachelle Burton of Matfield Green.
An 18-month-old from Liberal, Tanner Strickland, reportedly died Wednesday in Wesley. Tanner’s brother remains in Wesley in stable condition with the same illness.
The KDHE announcement said staff was working with local health departments in the two counties to identify possible sources of the infection.
“The deaths are unrelated and were caused by different E. coli serotypes,” said Mike Heideman, communications specialist for KDHE.
E. coli O157:H7 bacteria can produce potent toxins, known as “shiga toxins,” which can cause severe bloody diarrhea.
Approximately 8 percent of people infected with the most-common shiga toxin develop a serious complication, hemolytic uremic syndrome. HUS produces kidney failure and blood-clotting. Children under 5 and elderly people are most susceptible to developing serious and sometimes fatal illnesses from the bacteria.
E. coli, however, is a common bacteria.
“It’s everywhere in our environment,” said Cheryl Jones, administrator of the Chase County Health Department, whose department is assisting KDHE in the investigation.
Meat, fruits, vegetables, and recreational waters are common carriers of E. coli, as are the intestinal systems of animals and humans.
“People are exposed to it constantly and, once in a while, if conditions are right, it can make someone terribly sick,” Jones said.
The incubation period between exposure and symptoms typically ranges from 1 to 10 days, Heideman said.
“It’s usually three to four ... but it can be up to 10. We investigate back 10 days,” Jones said.
Symptoms — which commonly include stomach pain and diarrhea but also may include fever, vomiting and irritability — generally vanish in three or four days, the KDHE news release stated.
“The one ... preventive measure that can help all of those things, with the exception of foods in some cases, it to wash your hands,” Heideman said. “Wash for 20 seconds with soap and warm running water. Wash all parts of the hand and don’t use a common towel to dry. Dry with a clean towel.
“It goes back to what our moms and dads told us growing up. Wash your hands.”
KDHE recommends the following steps to reduce the risk of exposure to E. coli:
* Wash hands thoroughly after using the bathroom or changing diapers, and before preparing or eating food.
* Wash hands after contact with animals or their environments, including petting zoos, farms, fairs, and your own back yard.
*Cook meats thoroughly. Ground beef and meat that has been needle-tenderized should be cooked to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit. A meat thermometer, not meat color, is a reliable indicator of “doneness.”
*Avoid raw milk, unpasteurized dairy products and unpasteurized juices, like apple cider.
* Avoid swallowing water when swimming or playing in lakes, ponds, creeks and streams, swim pools, and backyard “kiddie” pools.
* Prevent cross-contamination in food preparation areas by thoroughly washing hands, counters, cutting boards, and utensils after they touch raw meat.
E. coli also can be spread by toddlers who are not toilet trained or by adults who do not wash their hands carefully after changing diapers, Heideman said. Children can pass the bacteria in their stool to another person for two weeks after they have recovered from an E. coli O157:H7 illness."
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