Rat lung worm

[Bel03]

That is pretty logical, i thought you were going to suggest something draconian like not letting the kids outside lol.

No, believe it or not, i am a VERY normal, laid back kind of mother. My kids play in dirt & make mud pies etc, but as any decent parent, knowledge is a great thing, being aware of such risks doesnt turn me into unreasonable over reacting mother, but it will help to ensure my kids are kept safe.

 

[Wookie]

One of our lecturers mentioned the rat lung worm. From memory she said you could get it from lettuce leaves and it takes residence upstairs :lol:

 

[Kitah]

You're not a kid if you can't play in the dirt and mud

 

[Bel03]

One of our lecturers mentioned the rat lung worm. From memory she said you could get it from lettuce leaves and it takes residence upstairs :lol:

Yep, if their slime trail is on the foods we eat, & they are not washed, it is possible. & as for taking 'residence upstairs', again, yep, they travel up your spine where they then burrow into the brain, which in the cases mentioned last night resulted in death in one case & severe brain damage in another......that story about the young man being 'extremely ill' that slim posted earlier......well to me severe retardation is a bit more then just being ill, the young man can no longer talk or walk........not very funny.

 

[J-A-X]

i was annoyed that at the end of the story they stated 'head to the website for more information including the simple steps to protect yourself' believe it or not, not everyone has internet even in this technological age !!
it would have taken a few more seconds to add "said you should not eat raw slugs or snails and other animals, and ensure that you wash your hands after touching them. It is also important to thoroughly wash and cook any produce that could be contaminated by animals,”

I take 'contaminated by animals' to mean the slugs and snails, AND any rats that may have left infected droppings on the fruit/veg.

while the parasite will not live long without its host, its still worth taking note that we should return to the 'bad old days' and thoroughly wash anything that is intentended for human consumption. As a whole we have become very complacent with our hygiene standards, i've seen kids ~ 8yo, outside playing at a BBQ with the dogs and cats in residence and then head to the food table and start helping themselves with their hands !!!
just because you may become infected it doesnt mean you are guaranteed of an outcome as was shown on the show. most of the worms will die long before getting that far. the severe menengitis type reaction is rare, lets not start a panic.

 

[Kitah]

Its a good thing they've made all those antiseptic type handwashes and the like, or we might all get sick!

You might all disagree with me... But nowadays so many people overreact (not referring to the lungworm topic) and escalate so many things out of proportion. The human race has lived this long without all of these new hygienic products, sterilisers etc. I sometimes feel sorry for kids who are cooped up inside, aren't allow to play with dirt, nature/in the environment due to the parents paranoia (Knowledge and care is important, but don't take it to the extreme!). Kids still need to be kids. Yes I know the average lifespan is increasing and the likes, but I still have enough faith in my healthy immune system (good diet, exercise etc) to be able to 'combat' many things I'm exposed to. Yes I'm still vaccinated against everything I need for prevention... but I don't use antiseptic hand gels (Unless I've been playing with cattle, animal faeces etc and have no access to clean water to wash up- i.e. only when absolutely necessary- I don't use them every 5 minutes or so like many people seem to!), I don't rinse my veggies etc.. I very, very very rarely get sick, whilst so many younger people nowadays seem to get sick so frequently, and make so many visits to the doctors. Got to wonder why, sometimes.

Just my opinions of course, each to their own. I won't be arguing my point or discussing it compliments of recently starting exams.. but just thought I'd make this quick post.

Good on all the reasonable, responsible parents out there though!

 

[Bel03]

I agree with you there 'Kitah'. Although i do make sure my family wash hands after toileting, after playing with the pets, & before eating, at the same time i believe that if children are kept from 'all germs', they get sick alot easier & alot more often, some exposure to germs etc is a healthy part of living imo. Hell, when my daughter was 3 i took her to a number of 'chicken pox' party's (to try get her to get them while she was still a child) So i dont tend to be an over reactive parent, however, yeah, i do my best to be as aware of 'hidden' dangers where possible, as you just never know, & i wouldnt like to be 'responsible' for allowing my kids to touch something that has the potential to seriously harm them.

Goodluck with your exams!

 

[snakeynewbie]

I agree too Kitah

Be alert but not alarmed

 

[Kitah]

See, you're a perfect example of a responsible, reasonable parent as I mentioned above


(though I did just notice that was your 666'th post... lol)

 

[Bel03]

Why thank u! Im not perfect (just ask my kids, they will tell u ) but i def. do my best!

Scary that......i gave my 666th 'like' today also! :shock::lol:

 

[J-A-X]

I'm with you Kitah, i think we are producing a generation of germ-phobes. with absolutely no immune system, a lot of us survived with just plain ol' soap and water and we ALWAYS had to wash our hands before eating. I played outside in minus degree temperatures, played with slugs & snails and assorted garden variety 'toys'. my kids did the same, but if they were too young to know what should or shouldnt go in the mouth then they were always supervised !! Kids should be allowed to be kids and to poke and prod the world around them, thats how they learn best, its the adults responsibility to make sure that they are safe while doing it and information like the potential risks of these Rat worms should have been made public. How can they expect parents to make informed decisions without informing them of the risks. Its then up to each parent to assess those risks and act accordingly.

 

[Kitah]

If you were perfect, you wouldn't be human! All you can do is your best!

Parents just need to know whats 'around', assess the risks, make a reasonable decision as to how critical it is, and do what you need to do about it- within reason! A little bit of common sense can go a long way!

And now I'm suspicious of you Bel... two 666's in one day! :lol:

 

[Bel03]

And now I'm suspicious of you Bel... two 666's in one day! :lol:

:lol: Some of my family members believe i am possessed.......so maybe i am! I promise to play nicely though......just do as i say!

 

[Australis]

One of our lecturers mentioned the rat lung worm. From memory she said you could get it from lettuce leaves and it takes residence upstairs :lol:

:|

Hmm... guess i cant ever eat a hamburger with lettuce now.. just incase no one washed it .. and a snail touched it :lol: .. .oh wait im not a gullible sheep, i will be fine

 

[Bel03]

Oh i just love how certain people have to comment just for the heck of it! If wanting to keep my kids from taking chances with their health makes me a 'gullible sheep'........well BAA BAA! But they are my kids not your own, so how or why it even concerns you is a little beyond me! Heaven forbid though anything bad should happen to you or your children purely due to ignorance. Cause believe it or not, my children dont live sheltered lives by any means just because i chose to be cautious of such things.

 

[slim6y]

That wasn't really for the heck of it - it was a very concerning sentence.

We really need to make sure that we wash our own lettuce and hand it in at Macdonalds incase a snail (or heaven forbid) a slug, or a bird poo, or a fish... brushed past the lettuce.

What you're saying to me Bel is you have this great idea about gaining knowledge but no idea where to get it from!

 

[moosenoose]

Jeeez, I ate some snails the other evening! I'm a goner! :lol: (ps: They are wonderful with a dash of garlic ) - french snails mind you......

 

[slim6y]

It is the french garden snails that contain the worm moose... But cooked kills the worm

They're usually pre-marinated while they're alive - they feed them on garlic bread for two weeks before cooking. It marinates them on the inside too

Again - the chances of catching this disease is about the same as you winning lotto... For the 10 people who did catch this disease, and any losses that have occurred it's unlucky to an extent. No different to the fellow from ELO who had his van hit by an out of control hay bail, which unfortunately took his life. Very unlucky, but certainly no more than 10 instances in the last 50 years!

 

[Bel03]

What you're saying to me Bel is you have this great idea about gaining knowledge but no idea where to get it from!

Seriously? Where ever i get i my 'knowledge' from, on what ever topic, really doesnt matter, there IS truth to the story, someone's baby is dead, & whether or not my children would necessarily come in contact with it or not also doesnt really matter, i am now aware of something that i wasnt aware of before, & that to me is a great start. It doesnt mean my children cant play outdoors or eat freaking lettuce etc, but at least i am now aware of the possible dangers that are there if not careful!

 

[Morgan_dragon]

Read the last page of this thread....laughed, sighed, giggled and shook my head but didn't bother to read the rest of it.

Hope my children don't eat any snails, slugs or lettuce? Anytime soon... Good thing their motto is 'that's not food, that's what food eats'

Roflmao

Hope this post made someone smile...