Swine Flu Blues

The headlines read: Swine Flu has hit America. Now it has hit me, too!

Honestly, when I first heard about this new flu strain I thought it was no big deal. It would never affect me. Boy, was I wrong!

Apparently, swine flu (H1N1) attacks the lungs first. That is why people with asthma and other respiratory diseases need to take extra precautions. And yes, I am one of those people. Problem was, when I started coughing all the time, I thought it was just my asthma acting up.

After four days of breathing treatments and no improvement, my peak flow levels, which measure my lung capacity, began to drop drastically. To make a long story short, I was taken to the emergency room and admitted to the hospital with complications from H1N1. All of a sudden, swine flu news became a BIG deal to me.

At the hospital, I learned that hand sanitizer is my best friend. The people who came into my room had to wear masks, gloves, and gowns. Then, when they left and took those off, they had to use hand sanitizer and soap. Swine flu can be spread by touching something that has been touched by someone sick with the virus. That’s why when you are sick, it is very important to wash your hands often, even if you cough or sneeze into a tissue or your sleeve.

Every time you blow your nose, you need to use sanitizer or wash your hands.

I know hand sanitizer and washing really works. No one in my family was sick, nor were any of my friends. Could I have gotten it just from touching a door handle or not washing my hands enough? I will never know. But, I have learned a lot about preventing the spread of the virus.

Here are some handy tips that I learned while in the hospital:

1. Always wash your hands before you eat, after using the restroom, or after sneezing, coughing, or blowing your nose.

2. Most people use hand towels in the bathroom. Replace those with paper towels so the germs can’t accumulate on the towels.

3. Use disinfectant wipes to wipe down anything that many people touch or use in your house, for example, door knobs, telephones, sink handles, and light switches.

4. If you are coughing or sneezing, avoid being around other people and stay home from school when you are sick. That way, you can keep the virus from spreading.

5. If you have asthma, monitor your peak flow every day. This will help make you more aware of your breathing levels.

6. Don’t wait until you can’t breathe before you contact a doctor.

7. Did I mention WASH YOUR HANDS?

These tips will help prevent H1N1 and other viruses and help you stay healthy.You can find out a lot more at the CDC's Web site.

Trust me. Swine flu is a big deal. Being in the hospital is no fun. Since I have asthma, I had to be on breathing treatments every two hours around the clock. That means I had to wake up every two hours just to breathe right. The nurses and doctors were great, but I felt like a pin cushion or lab rat.

Even after I came home, I was so tired that I couldn’t even walk outside for five minutes. The good thing was that I had word searches and books (thanks, Scholastic friends!) to keep me occupied during the day.

But laying around and watching television through a breathing machine mask gets old. You would never believe how much you can miss going to school. Believe me, it is possible.

Maybe, by telling my story, I could help someone avoid the swine flu blues.

By the way, you can share your swine flu experience by clicking on the blue comment below and sending us a brief note.

—Shelby Fallin

Little League Teams Living the Dream

Close, exciting, unpredictable games rule the Little League World Series.

As the Little League Baseball World Series (LLBWS) continues, many top teams are disappointed and many are living their dreams. Only one team will be crowned the Little League World Champions on August 30, but first they have to get through the championship rounds.

The four international teams going on to the championships are: Caribbean, Japan, Mexico, and Asia-Pacific. These teams have all played exceptional games to make it to this level.

The Caribbean team from the Pabao Little League (PLL) played an outstanding game against Japan on August 23. The game was a constant tug of war to keep the lead for both teams.

The Chiba City Little League (CCLL) from Japan took the lead four times and the PLL rallied each time to tie. After the two teams combined to hit three home runs, commit nine errors, throw seven wild pitches, and steal five bases; it all came down to the bottom of the sixth, the final inning. That's when PLL’s Jayson Libert bunted and was thrown out at first base.

While that was taking place, teammate Richendly Bicentini took off from third base to steal home for the winning run. The final score of this outstanding game was 12-11, Caribbean.

The four United States teams going on to the championships are: Southeast, West, Southwest, and Mid-Atlantic. Just like the international teams, it took great determination for these four US teams to make it through to the next round.

That determination was certainly evident in the game played between the Southeast Champion, Warner Robins American Little League (WRALL) from Georgia, and the Midwest Champion, Urbandale Little League (ULL) from Iowa, on August 21. These two teams headed into the sixth and final inning of game three of the LLBWS with a score of 5-3.

All the Georgia team wanted was one or two insurance runs, but what they got instead was six runs against the ULL. After a ground out to lead the final inning, the WRALL hit two singles, two doubles, and a pair of home runs to gather six runs.

“That’s what we talked about in the dugout,” the manger of the Warner Robins team said. “I said give me one, maybe two runs, but that’s a little more than I asked for.” The final score was 11-3, Midwest.

Continue to watch the LLBWS to see more exciting and unpredictable games like these. You can follow the action online or on ESPN and ESPN2. And remember to tune in to ABC at 3:00 p.m. ET on August 30 to see the World Series Championship game. Also remember to check in with this blog soon to see more updated information!

—Daniel Wetter

The Swine Flu Right Past Me (And How It Can Avoid You, Too)

I had been at camp for a week when it hit me: the flu! I was at sailing camp and had been participating in all of the camp activities, feeling just fine. Then my forehead started to feel hot and I developed a headache. I went to the infirmary as a precaution.

When I got there, it was packed! Other campers were there to take their regular medications, and one girl had fainted. Even one of my favorite counselors was there sick. The nurse had to take care of all these people before she could help me.

When it was almost my turn, a girl who had just thrown up came in. Because she was very sick, she got priority and the nurse began to examine her. The sick camper took a seat next to me.

The nurse took her temperature, which was extremely high so she made her go lie down. Finally, the nurse was ready to examine at me. She took my temperature. It was 99.5. She didn’t want it to get higher so she made me lie down just like she had done with the previous girl. After about an hour, she checked my temperature again. It was back to normal, so she released me.

The next morning, I felt worse. My head was hot and I felt dizzy. I was at the dock getting ready to go sailing, when I realized I needed another visit with the nurse.

This time my temperature was 101.2! Since it was above 100 I had to leave camp. While I waited for my parents to come get me, I was told the sick girl who sat next to me in the infirmary the day before had a confirmed case of the H1N1 (swine flu) virus.

H1N1 symptoms are the same as symptoms for the regular flu, so I began to wonder if I had the sickness, too. Several of my friends at other camps in Texas had already been sent home with the swine flu this summer.

As soon as my parents arrived, we headed straight to my doctor’s office to get me swabbed. (Swabbed is when the doctor takes a culture sample from your mouth and grows it. The growth is put under a microscope. That is how doctors can tell what kind of germ you have.)

Luckily, I did not have the H1N1 virus. I went home and just rested. My fever rose in the night and then it fell back to normal. This meant I was allowed to go back to camp.

Getting sick helped me to learn how to take better care of myself at camp. Now, when I cough or sneeze, I am sure I cover it with a tissue, my sleeve, or my hands. Then I immediately wash my hands. With school about to begin, it’s important that everyone learn how to help prevent infection.

All kids can follow several simple steps offered by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to stay healthy:

1. Wash your hands often. Use soap and water and sing the entire song “Happy Birthday” twice. If you don’t have access to soap and water, try alcohol based gel hand sanitizers.
2. Don’t touch your eyes, nose, mouth or face. This is how germs are spread.
3. Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. If you don’t have a tissue, cough into your upper sleeve. Then go wash your hands.
4. If you are sick—and especially if you are running a fever—stay home. You should be fever free with a temperature less than 100 degrees F for at least 24 hours before returning to school.
5. Don’t share water bottles, make-up, chap stick, or food with your friends or family.
6. Get a good night’s rest. This helps to recharge your immune system to fight off viruses.

The CDC and AAP also recommend that all children receive a seasonal influenza vaccine each year, which can help to prevent the flu. Vaccines for the H1N1 virus are in production and not available yet. When the vaccines become available, you will need to get that one, too. It means two shots this year, but it will be worth it!

—Brittney Sheena

PHOTO: Hand washing often (but especially after sneezing, coughing) is essential in helping prevent the fllu. Wash through two rounds of "Happy Birthday" or "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." (Photo: istockphoto.com)

Little League World Series Begins Today!

Catch all 32 games on ESPN, ESPN 2 and the championship games on ABC!

Were you ever in Little League Baseball? Did you ever dream of becoming the Little League Baseball World Series Champion? This dream will soon be a reality for one team, but first that team has to face the best of the best from around the world.

The Little League Baseball World Series (LLBWS) begins today (Friday, August 21) in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. You can tune in to see all the action! If you’re like me, you will be watching every game. In fact, there will be 32 games that will determine the winner and all of them will be broadcast live on TV. You can see them on ESPN and ESPN2.

The LLBWS tournament is decided by games played by teams around the world. Then, the winning teams travel to Williamsport to represent their nation or region. Teams are split into four pools, or groups.

The A and B pools each have four teams from the United States, representing each region of the nation: Mid-Atlantic, Northwest, Southeast, Midwest, New England, West, Southwest, and Great Lakes.

The C and D pools each have four teams from different regions around the world. These regions are: Caribbean, Japan, Middle East-Africa, Latin America, Europe, Mexico, Canada, and Asia-Pacific. All of the regions will compete against each other for the title of being Little League World Champions.

The first 24 games will be played from Friday to Tuesday. All of the teams will play twice during this period. The US teams will play each other, and the international teams will play each other. Once a team has lost twice, they will be disqualified.

The teams that place first and second in their pool will advance to the semifinals. In the semifinals, four games are played to determine the top four teams. The US teams will again play each other in pools A and B, and the international teams will play each other in pools C and D.

The winners from those games go on to the international and US championships on Saturday, August 29. A consolation game will be played on Sunday, August 30 between the US runner up and the international runner up.

The winners from the two championship games be compete in the Little League Baseball World Series that evening. You can watch the international and US championships on ABC starting at 12:00 p.m. ET on August 29. The consolation game will be aired on ESPN at 12:00 p.m. ET on August 30. The game that decides the World Champion will be broadcast on ABC at 3:30 PM ET. You can also watch the games live online at ESPN360.com. To find the complete schedule of games, go to littleleague.org. Have fun watching and check back here for periodic updates as the action continues.

—Daniel Wetter

Globetrotting in Europe

This summer trip could be homework for history class, only much more fun!

I visited Europe this summer, starting with Barcelona, Spain. The reason I went to Barcelona was to visit my mother’s’ family. It was the first time we met! They were a little shy and so was I. My family was very nice and gave me a tour of the whole city.

Barcelona is one of the oldest cities in all of Europe. I saw several old buildings in the Gothic Quarter. Something did confuse me during my visit. When my cousins spoke to me they would speak in Spanish, which I understand. But when they spoke to each other, they spoke in a language I never heard before. It’s called Catalan and it’s only spoken in a few parts of Europe.

I got a chance to ride on the Metro, which is similar to the subway in New York City. I saw a lot of great sites in Barcelona, but my favorite part of that trip was meeting my cousins from across the Atlantic.

Next on my itinerary was Paris, France. I was in Paris for only one day, but oh what a day!

The first place I saw was the Notre Dame Cathedral. Have you ever heard of Quasimodo? Well Victor Hugo was inspired to write his famous novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, because of that cathedral. When I saw the gargoyles on the roof I thought of the Disney movie about the hunchback. For a spilt second I thought they would start talking just like they do in the movie.

The next stop was the famous Mona Lisa painting in the Louvre, perhaps the most well-known museum in the world. Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa more than 500 years ago!

I climbed the wonderful Eiffel Tower at night while it was all lit up. The line was long, but it was worth the wait. Looking down at Paris from the heights was a grand sight. If you ever go to Paris, remember that the nights are chilly, so bring a coat. I learned that the hard way.

My last destination in Europe was London, England. I rode The Underground (also called The Tube), which is yet another version of New York City’s subway.

London is similar to New York in many ways. For example, in New York we have Times Square. London, has a similar area called Piccadilly Circus. Both have theater districts where all the plays and musicals are staged.

While I was in London, I saw Big Ben, the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament (similar to our capital building where Congress works). It is the world’s most famous and recognizable clock. That was my favorite thing to see because in the Disney movie Peter Pan, Peter flies past Big Ben.

After Ben, I rode the London Eye. The Eye is a spectacular site. It’s the biggest ferris wheel in Europe. I also visited Buckingham Palace, home to Queen Elizabeth, to see the changing of the guards. I didn’t get to see much because there were too many tourists trying to get a glimpse of the Queen's guards.

We finished are sight seeing with two bridges: the Tower Bridge and London Bridge. Both bridges cross the River Thames, but are very different. The London Bridge is more modern, while the Tower Bridge looks more like old England with a tower on each end.

After all that, the best part of this trip was returning to the hotel for a nice, long nap.

—Ash Proenza

PHOTO: Kid Reporter Ash Proenza in front of his favorite sightseeing spot in Europe: the Big Ben clock tower in London. Photo Courtesy Ash Proenza

Adventures in Costa Rica

Monkeys and Sloths and Snakes, OH MY!

I'm standing on the beach watching a troop of white faced capuchin monkeys scamper across the sand, snatching fruit and bags of chips from people's beach towels before scrambling up trees with their treasures. One even went so far as to jump on my dad's back on its way to a new tree.

I can also see a boa constrictor coiled up in a tree behind us. And in the jungle, which is right on the beach, I can see as many sloths crawling around in the trees as there are monkeys dancing on the beach (which is maybe a little over a dozen). Yes, I am in Costa Rica, a small country in Central America with beaches on both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

While on my trip I learned a lot about the country and its animals. I learned that sloths climb down from their trees only once a week. They come down to go to the bathroom and then slowly climb back up the tree. There they begin the same cycle of chomping down leaves with painfully slow-moving jaws and sleeping for hours at a time with no particular schedule. After a week of this, they go back down to do their business.

I saw the most wildlife in the Manuel Antonio National Park, but animal sightings were not the only adventure I had!

A Thrilling Ride and a Close Encounter

Zip lining is another way to see the rain forests of Costa Rica. Zip lining is when you stand on a platform high above the ground, and a guide attaches you to a cable by a carabiner. Then he gives you a little push, and whoosh, you go sailing through the forest canopy at top speed, until you reach the next platform.

I was in a group of about 40 people and we zipped between 12 platforms. Every fourth platform was a rest platform. That meant that all 40 of us were on the platform at the same time!

On one rest platform, we got a poisonous surprise: a tiny, but deadly fer-de-lance was sleeping on the platform. Also known as a pit viper, if a fer-de-lance bit you, you would normally have no more than 20 minutes to live. I'm happy we made it out of that situation alive! I still have much more to say but that will have to wait for another time. Hope you enjoyed my blog AND your summer!

—Maya Kandell

PHOTOS: (TOP) White faced capuchin monkeys play in the trees near a beach in Costa Rica. (BOTTOM): Maya zips from one platform to another in a rain forest in Costa Rica. (Photos courtesy Maya Kandell)

Hej from Sweden

A few fun facts from a summer visitor.

Sweden is an amazing and beautiful country. It is a monarchy (ruled by a king and a queen), located in Northern Europe. It borders Norway and Finland, and a bridge called the Oresund Bridge connects Sweden to Denmark. It is part of the Scandinavian Peninsula. Sweden’s current population is about 9.2 million people.

A few of those people came to visit me and my family this summer. I talked to them about what it is like to live in Sweden. I also learned a lot about the language.

My friend Mikael Carrlsson told me that his favorite sport is soccer (which they call football). In school he learns English along with his native Swedish language. He also studies math, art, writing, reading, and Swedish history.

A traditional Swedish dish is kalops, or moose meat soup. Swedish people also love pancakes with jelly and whipped cream.

In Sweden people use kronors for currency, and eight kronors equal one dollar.

I learned to speak a little Swedish while Mikael was here. I learned that hej means hello; kontroll means remote, bil means car, and klocka means clock.

People usually live in apartment buildings, he said, and the Harry Potter series is very popular. Another favorite Swedish book series is LasseMajas Detektivbyra, which translates to Lasse and Maja’s Dectective Agency.

Higher education in Sweden is free for all citizens. Health care is also free, but visits to the doctor are limited to four minutes per patient.

I also asked Mikael what holidays he celebrates.

“Christmas, New Year’s, and Easter,” he says. “We also celebrate Mid-Summer, where people dance and sing together.”

Overall, I think Sweden is a wonderful country. Researching it for Mikael’s visit—and this blog—was really interesting.

—Alan Gelman

PHOTO:  My mom, me, and Mikael and his mom, Natalie, in Times Square in New York City. Photo Courtesy Alan Gelman

This Summer, It's All About Winter

Canadians Prepare for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

Usually, kids look forward to the summer, anticipating sunny days spent swimming, eating ice cream, and, best of all, no school! In Vancouver, British Columbia, however, this summer is all about the winter. The 2010 Winter Olympic Games is approaching and will take place February 12- 28, 2010. When I visited Vancouver this summer for my vacation, I found that Canadians are hyper busy getting their community ready for visitors from all over the world.

The construction of the Olympic and Paralympic village is almost completed.  The Olympic rings at the entrance of the city have already been assembled. The Olympics are a popular topic on the television news and the newspapers.

Vancouver is located in the British Columbia province in Canada. Some of the Olympic events will take place on Cypress Mountain. Most events will be held at Whistler, which is a mountain known for its challenging ski slopes and posh winter resorts. Whistler overlooks the Pacific Ocean and has beautiful waterfalls. Just thinking about it makes me want to go back.

Whenever I went to buy some delicious maple cream cookies at a store, I couldn’t help but notice all the Olympic souvenirs that were everywhere: commemorative coins, mugs, T-shirts, key chains, stuffed animals, books, hats, gloves, and just about anything you could imagine putting an Olympic logo on.

The lovable mascots on sale everywhere were inspired by the First Nations people of Canada. Sumi is an animal guardian spirit and represents the Paralympics. Miga is a fabled sea bear. Quatchi is the most adorable Sasquatch ever.  These mascots are so adorable that their cute factor definitely competes with the charm of Uglydolls and Hello Kitty.

When the opening ceremony takes place, it will be the first time in Olympic history that the flame will be lit indoors, in a covered stadium. The torch will travel from Olympia, Greece to Vancouver through different forms of travel: on foot, by wheelchair, dog sled, airplane, snowmobile and horseback.  It will also travel the longest distance in Winter Olympic history—even traveling over the North Pole! It so exciting, I can’t wait to watch it all on TV!

—Mariam El Hasan

PHOTO: (TOP) Kid Reporter Mariam El Hasan at Brandywine Falls, Whistler Mountain, Vancouver, British Columbia. Photo Courtesy Mariam El Hasan

(BOTTOM) Vancouver 2010 mascots, Quatchi, Sumi and Miga start construction at the future home of the 2010 Olympic Superstore in downtown Vancouver. The 2010 Olympic Superstore is scheduled to open this fall as the one-stop shopping experience for all official licensed merchandise of the 2010 Winter Games. Photo Courtesy 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

Summer Discoveries in Three Cities

What I learned about Seattle, Victoria, and Vancouver in a whirl-wind 6-day trip.

Summer is a time to learn new things and discover new places. That's why I took a six-day trip to the three cities of Seattle, Victoria, and Vancouver. I found them all pretty interesting!

You probably know that the famous Space Needle is located in Seattle, Washington. But a little-known fact is that Seattle is also home to the world's first automatic car wash! I thought the sign, a big pink elephant, was pretty funny! The first-ever Starbucks to open up for business is in Pike Place Market. There was a line of customers down the whole block! Getting a Starbucks in Seattle should be no problem, however, since there are 79 other stores in the city!

Victoria is the capital of British Columbia, a Canadian province. As soon as we arrived there on a ferry, I felt like I had stepped back in time. It was great to walk down the cobbled streets and look at all the old fashioned stores (like Rogers' Soda Shoppe. Yum!) Victoria, nicknamed the City of Gardens, really cares about beauty. Ocean front parks and Butchart Gardens have flowers rarely found in other parts of Canada!

The word that came to mind when I visited Vancouver was fusion. The people of Vancouver are a blend of many different cultures. That's why Vancouver has ethnic markets like Chinatown, Little Italy, and the Punjabi Market. Out of the downtown area is the beautiful Grouse Mountain looking down on the whole city. You have to take a chairlift called the Sky Ride to get to the mountain top, which is at an elevation of about 4,000 feet. There's also a suspension bridge over a breathtaking waterfall in Lynn Canyon that was fun to walk across!

Back home in California, I'm making a collage from all my saved tickets, brochures, and photos. Little keepsakes from a super trip!

—Anjali Bhat

PHOTO: Kid Reporter Anjali Bhat on the suspension bridge at Lynn Canyon in Vancouver, BC. Photo Courtesy Anjali Bhat

We (Finally) Have Liftoff!

Space Shuttle Endeavour heads for International Space Station

It took six tries, but the space shuttle Endeavour finally experienced a successful countdown and liftoff. My brother Bailey and I attended a launch party in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday for our friend, Astronaut Tim Kopra, who is on board the Endeavour. The shuttle is expected to arrive and dock at the International Space Station (ISS) today.

We ate nachos, ice cream, and cake as we waited once again for NASA to give the launch clearance. Three other times, the shuttle launch was scrubbed because of a gas leak. Bailey and I were at the Kennedy Space Center for the first three attempts. The next two attempts we experienced in Austin. Bad weather got in the way of those launches.

The party in Austin, was held by some of Kopra's high school friends and families. He went to school in Austin with my mom. We were all very excited to be able to finally see the launch after so many delays.

As Endeavour lifted off, we all sat in silence and watched in awe. Some people had tears in their eyes. We kept asking each other, “I wonder what the astronauts are thinking now? I wonder what they are doing right now?”

We are all extremely happy for Tim. He is going to be part of the first six-person crew on the ISS..  And we are very eager to get a chance to talk to him now that he is in space. We have a special email address just for him, while he is living on the Space Station. (That's got to be one of the coolest email address in the whole universe!)

This morning, I read on Twitter that the crew’s wake up song was “These Are Days” by the 10,000 Maniacs. My mom wasn’t surprised by this choice of music. She says Tim has always loved the 10,000 Maniacs, and Natalie Merchant.

I am currently following the leader of the mission, Mark Polanski, and reading his tweets from space. You can too. His Twitter account is Astro_127.

As soon as Tim gets to the ISS he will make his first walk in space! Then we are going to link up to his email and we will let you know more soon!

—Mason Pownall

PHOTO: Expedition 20 Commander Gennady Padalka uses a computer in the Zvezda service module of the International Space Station as he prepares to welcome the crew of the space shuttle Endeavour. Credit: NASA