-The following program is a West Tennessee PBS special presentation made possible through the generous financial support of viewers like you.

Please visit westtnpbs.org and make a donation today so that we can continue to make local programs like this possible.

Thank you.

-Summer is here and so are the bugs.

In part two of our Summer Insect Safety series, entomologist Sebe Brown will tell us more about tiny invaders that pack a fiery punch and how to stay clear of them this season.

That's coming up.

Straight ahead, what if a simple shot could change the..

This summer, Staying Healthy comes with a pretty good bonus.

Find out how the Jackson-Madison County Regional Health Department is turning back-to-school vaccines into slam dunks.

Still to come, tired of begging your kids to eat something green?

Our special guest chef returns with a recipe that's kid-approved, parent-loved, and secretly healthy.

-Our health.

Children's health.

Senior health.

Family health.

Healthy eating.

Healthy living.

This is Channel 11 Checkup with Ginger Rowsey from the Jackson-Madison County Regional Health Department.

-Hi, I'm Ginger Rowsey.

Thank you for joining us for this edition of Channel 11 Checkup, a show that focuses on the health of our community.

In this show, we'll provide education and resources on health and wellness issues facing West Tennesseans.

First, here are some health headlines.

Public health officials are raising concerns after four US infants have died from pertussis in 2025, with cases already nearly doubling from the same time period last year.

Pertussis, which is also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory infection that attacks the lining of the breathing passages.

Symptoms of whooping cough vary, but a main sign is severe coughing fits.

Anyone can get whooping cough, but infants are at the greatest risk of life-threatening illness.

The health department recommends the DTaP vaccine, beginning at two months of age, with several boosters throughout early childhood.

Pregnant women are also urged to receive a Tdap booster in the third trimester to help protect newborns.

In other news, a powerful visual statement is coming to Jackson on July 30th as part of the National Red Sand Project, an initiative that raises awareness about human trafficking and exploitation.

Participants will pour red sand into sidewalk cracks to symbolize those who fall through the gaps in systems meant to protect them.

The event aims to start conversations, educate the public, and honor survivors.

A red sand pour will take place at the Jackson-Madison County Regional Health Department at 8:30 AM on Wednesday, July 30th.

Local businesses and individuals are also encouraged to host their own pours.

For more information or to get involved, contact the health department or the Scarlet Rope Project.

The summer sun can be hard on your skin but don't forget about your eyes.

Too much exposure to UV rays can lead to serious vision problems down the road.

Whether you're on the lake, at the ballpark, or just out for a walk, UV radiation can cause long-term damage to your eyes, increasing the risk for cataracts and macular degeneration.

Wearing sunglasses that are rated UV400 will block nearly 100% of damaging UV rays and is one of the easiest ways to protect your eyes.

Don't forget about kids.

They need eye protection just as much as adults.

Some other tips for protecting your eyes this summer.

Wear wide-brimmed hats, use swim goggles in the pool to avoid irritation from chlorine, and of course, remind kids to never stare at the sun.

Don't just slather on sunscreen this summer, shield your sight, too.

Your future eyes will thank you.

Before summer break winds down, there's one item parents should not forget.

School immunizations.

Health officials are reminding families that up-to-date vaccines are required for students to attend school this fall.

Depending on your child's age, vaccines may include protections against measles, mumps, rubella, polio, hepatitis, tetanus, whooping cough, and more.

For college students, a meningitis vaccine may also be required.

These vaccines don't just protect your child.

They keep entire classrooms and communities safe by preventing the spread of serious disease.

We've seen preventable diseases make a comeback in places where vaccination rates are dropping.

Staying current on immunizations is one of the best ways to protect your kids and others around them.

Here's a great incentive for families this summer.

Right now, while supplies last, kids who get their immunizations at the Madison County Health Department will receive a free basketball.

To schedule your child's appointment, just call 731-423-3020.

They may be tiny, but fire ants can pack a painful and even dangerous punch.

As summer temperatures rise, so does the risk of bites and allergic reactions, especially for children and outdoor workers.

Joining us now is Sebe Brown, research entomologist with the University of Tennessee Extension, to talk about how to manage fire ant mounds, what to do if you're bitten, and the health risk these aggressive insects pose.

Sebe, thanks so much for being with us.

-Thank you for having me.

-We appreciate it.

I guess if no one knows what a fire ant is now, they consider themselves very lucky, -right?

-Correct.

-The obvious question, in case someone is unfamiliar, describe what's the difference between a fire ant and a regular ant.

-A fire ant, what we call fire ants, is the red imported fire ant.

They are actually an invasive species.

They are not native to the United States.

They came over, from what we best can recollect, in 1948, somewhere around there, in ship ballast in the Port of Mobile.

They used to use soil instead of water.

Now they use water.

They used to use soil as a ship ballast.

They had a shipment come out of Brazil, Argentina, and the soil that they used as ship ballast was contaminated with red imported fire ants.

Then they dumped it on land to get rid of it.

We think that's where they started.

It started in Mobile, and over the last, was it, 80 years, they've worked their way north.

-Wow.

Because I was about to say, we haven't always had fire ants in Tennessee.

I know you're from Texas.

-You may have dealt with them longer.

.. -How long have they been here, and are they just gradually moving north?

-Tennessee's had fire ants for decades now.

-What typically slows fire ant, -I guess I'm that old, okay?

[laughs] I guess, invasion north is cold.

Tennessee was the frost line for several years.

It still kind of is.

The further north you get in Tennessee.

What happened was, Tennessee gets too cold.

Over time, the fire ants have slowly marched their way north.

They've become more acclimatized, or whatever you want to put with it.

They've actually inched their way north.

They've hybridized.

There's some other things that can happen.

For the easy explanation, it was temperature that kept them pushed south.

That's primarily why they're in Texas, Louisi.. Florida really bad.

The southern, more subtropical states is going to be overrun by fire ants.

-They are sort of acclimating to our climate here in Tennessee, -Yes, -becoming more common.

-they're becoming much more common.

Even the five years I've been here, I've seen, just noticed an increase in the number of mounds, especially where people don't try to control them or do things to take care of them.

The mound numbers increase every year.

-Okay.

See, that's what I was talking about.

I'm not that old.

It's gotten worse.

That's what I meant.

-Yes, it seems to be getting worse.

-Absolutely.

Let's talk about some fire ant stings really quickly.

Obviously, they're uncomfortable, but how dangerous are they to the average person?

-The average person is not going to have that big of a reaction to fire ant stings.

Now, it's person-to-person.

If you're allergic to them, and you don't find out until you get your first sting, and you go into anaphylactic shock, that's a bad day.

For the majority of people out there who get stung, it's going to be red, well, it's going to itch, not life-threatening, just a minor inconvenience to your day.

-For parents, if their kids get stung, what are some things they can do to help them?

-If this is the first time your child's ever been stung, I would definitely watch them close, evaluate them, because if you've never interacted with fire ants before, you don't know how your body's going to react.

Watch them, make sure, see if it swells, typical throat tightening, having a hard time breathing, tongue swelling, that's going to be an emergency call.

If it's red, localized, the pain should subside in 15, 20 minutes.

Then you can put cortisone ointment or the pink lotion -that everybody used to-- -Calamine, -Calamine, -yes.

-that everybody would get rubbed on when they were a kid, that works.

Just something that's an algesic to take the pain away and reduce swelling is typically going to be all you need.

Ice helps, too.

-Sure.

All right, well, some good advice there.

Besides just avoiding the mounds, are there some other steps that you can take to avoid getting bitten or stung?

Is it a bite or a sting?

-It's a sting.

They do both.

Fire ants are unique because they bite you and th.. Let's take a typical soldier.

There's a soldier ant that protects the hive.

When they crawl on you, they latch on with their mandibles, and then they drive their stinger into your body.

You're going to get a bite and then a sting.

Other ants don't typically do that.

Some do, a lot don't.

It's a misnomer.

You're actually getting stung is what's causin.. and the little pustule and everything that happens after a fire ant.

What we do, what I've trained-- Coming from Texas, I grew up my entire life with fire ants.

It's one of those things you knew from a toddler to an adult.

You look at your feet when you stop, and that's something I try to-- and it seems silly, but I tell my kids, even if you're walking on concrete, if you stop somewhere, look at your feet, because that's going to be one of those where you're not going to know if you're standing in a fire ant mound until they're crawling up your legs.

If you stop, walk especially somewhere that has tall grass, you're unfamiliar with it, and you stop, especially if it feels soft, look at your feet, because you may be standing in a mound, and you don't know it.

Other areas, just avoid areas that have them.

Typically, the larger mounds, if it's a manicured yard, you can see them, so they stick out like a sore thumb.

For the most part, fire ants are part of our ecosystem.

They're here, -and we're going to have to live with them.

-Just a part of life.

-It's like mosquitoes.

They're here.

-They're part of life.

-Watch where you put your hands, too.

-Exactly.

-A couple years ago, I was working in some pots, clearing out winter stuff, and they had built u.. and didn't realize it until I had stings all over my hands.

-That's another good one.

Potted plants are notorious.

I've seen them in bags of soil at Lowe's.

If it's specially, or just any home improvement, I'm not singling Lowe's out, anywhere, home improvement store, that may have potted soil, especially if it's back off in a corner, and it's not really high traffic, and you pull a bag, they can build a mound up the side, and they may be inside the bags.

I've opened bags of mulch and soil that have fire ants inside of them.

Potted plants are one, especially if they've been sitting for a while, you've never messed with them at all.

You can pick it up.

I think everybody who does any kind o..

Same thing, spread and mulch, things like that.

Just pay attention to your surroundings is the best way.

-Absolutely.

Are they a threat to pets?

-They can be a threat to pets, more often than not.

What we see issues with are pets that are maybe immobile.

If you have, let's say, an older dog or a cat that has incontinence, or you have to let them out, they may not move very well.

If they fall or stop in a mound, they can get covered in ants, and then the amount of stings can actually cause them to go and to have some serious issues.

Pets typically know if they can move, because like us, if they step in a mound and they get ants all over them, they're going to get away from it, and then they're going to try to get them off.

Unless it's just a unique scenario where the animal can't move, or it's immobilized for some reason, that's where we have issues.

Some of the things with like cattle production is if a calf is down or a cow, they're not going to kill a full-grown cow, but calves especially, and not necessarily maybe in Tennessee, but further south, if a calf couldn't get up and they're near fire ant mounds, fire ants will find it, and they can actually kill that animal if it's not treated quickly enough.

-Wow, that's awful.

Let's move on to a topic that you really know about, and that's getting rid of unwanted pests.

That's really your specialty.

What can we do to get rid of these fire ant mounds, or can we really get rid of them?

-There's several different approaches you can use to get rid of fire ants.

If you live in a suburban area, so if you live in a neighborhood, what we typically recommend is a local approach, because what'll happen is if your neighbor to your left and to your right are overrun by fire ants, and you do everything you can to kill them, what's going to happen is you can keep your yard clean for a little while, and they're going to restart moving into yours.

If the fire ants are a big issue, it's almost you need to have people adjacent around you all work on the same program to get rid of them.

Rural areas, it's a little bit more difficult, you have more acreage.

The most effective thing that we usually recommend is baits.

They make fire ant baits, they're going to typically have what's called an insect growth regulator in them, and then some of them have a quicker knockdown one, so you'll get quick knockdown, which means it'll kill them fast, so you'll see the ones in the mound, you won't see them out.

Then the growth regulator, they actually forge the granule, take it into the mound, they feed it to the queen, and they feed it to the brood, and it'll sterilize the queen, because any eggs she lays, it'll help sterilize her, and then it kills the brood before they develop into ants.

Effectively, you knock the queen out, you knock the brood out, you kill the colony.

They're typically slow, so they can take anywhere from-- fastest I've seen them work is six weeks up to three months, but it's more of a long-term, safer solution than using some other insecticides that you can buy at big box stores.

They work, but they're more broad spectrum, which means they don't care what insect comes in contact with them.

Baits are very specific.

They're only going to work on fire ants, safe to use around pets, animals, and it's a granule.

It's impregnated with oil.

The ants are attracted to it, they pick it up like it's a crumb you drop, and they forge it back into their hive, and then they distribute it from there.

-It's not washing off somewhere?

-No, it's not going to wash off.

The caveat with baits, though, is that if you have a heavy dew or rain, they're inactivated.

If you're going to put them out, the fire ants need to be foraging.

How we judge that is you take a hot dog or a potato chip, throw it in your yard, come back and check on it 30 minutes, and then an hour.

If there's ants on it, that means they're.. you can spread bait.

Then they'll pick the bait up.

Now, if there's imminent rain in the forecast, like what we're fixing to have this weekend, this would be a bad time to spread bait because the rain will wash the bait off or it'll make it to where it's not palatable to the ants and they won't pick it up.

-That does bring up another good question, because when we talk about insecticides, that does bring up some different health concerns.

As you mentioned, the granular bait is a safer option.

Just in general, maybe some good advice for people who are using insecticides, particularly in homes where you have children, what are some good things to keep in mind?

-The big thing is follow the label.

Each insecticide bottle, bag, whatever you have has got a label.

It will clearly outline the instructions of how to use it.

Deviating from those instructions is a violation of federal law.

You're violating the label.

That's what we say, label's the law.

Follow the label, utilize it how it's intended, use the correct amount.

If a little doesn't do a lot of good, that adage doesn't work with insecticides.

Just make sure, follow instructions.

The stuff you can buy at box stores are typically very-- it's called ready to use or RTU.

They're very much plug-and-play, follow the instructions, and then it should work.

That's going to be more or less, we don't have resistance issues that we've seen where things aren't working.

If you decide to go with a bait or you go with something you can get at Walmart or Lowe's or.. whether it's in a bottle or a bait, just follow instructions and use some common sense.

Keep them out of the reach of children.

Typically, what you do with cleaning solutions at home, any kind of chemicals, just keep them stored separately outside somewhere that your kids or your pets or somebody can't get into that's not old enough to use that's supporting the label.

-Are there non-pesticide options for fire ant control?

-There are.

I've seen different things.

Social media has been-- it's crazy the amount of things.

I've seen salt and vinegar and things.

Don't use salt.

Salt will sterilize your ground.

Vinegar's the same way.

Big thing is a lot of people will want to use boiling water.

I've seen people boil pots of water and dump it on a fire ant mound.

That probably will work, but the danger of you burning yourself with boiling water, scalding yourself, catching your house on fire doing that, running back and forth, is a lot greater probably risk to you than the fire ants pose.

That's not something we recommend.

They make some products that are natural.

They contain a substance called D-limonene, which is actually present in orange peel.

You can use that and it's supposed to repel them.

If you eat oranges or lemons or use citrus, you can blend the peel up and sprinkle it in your yard.

It's not going to kill them, but it's going to repel them.

That's one natural way that you could potentially utilize to control fire ants.

What we recommend at University of Tennessee: chemical control, cultural control is going to be the best things that we can recommend, that we know is proven to work.

-Absolutely.

We appreciate you coming and sharing with us.

We just got just a little more time, so just really quickly, is fall the best time to tackle them?

Because I know I've heard that.

-Spring and fall are good.

I like spring better myself, just because we can be warm in the fall, but if you get a cold snap, and we can very easily catch one in the spring.

If we catch a cold snap in the fall, they stop foraging.

If it dips into the 40s, fire ants are going to be-- they're not going to move.

In the spring, we're consistent, potentially with temperature a little more, especially as you get into May.

You can control them for the summer, especially if you have kids out playing, or you use your yard, or everybody uses their outdoor space.

You can get rid of them in the summer while you're outside enjoying summer in Tennessee, versus the fall, you're going to have a limited time to be able to utilize what you have outside.

I like spring, personally.

Fall does work.

For the baits, especially for the first year, we recommend a spring treatment and a fall treatment.

Then typically after that, you can treat as needed in the spring or the fall.

That's what we recommend.

-All right.

Some good advice, and we appreciate you coming on and sharing with us.

Hopefully, everyone can stay safe and away from the fire ant stings this summer.

-Thank you.

-On July 1st, the Jackson-Madison County Regional Health Department introduced a new service while adjusting fees on several current offerings to help support operations.

New this month, the public will now be able to request amendments and corrections to birth certificates.

You might need a birth certificate amendment if there's an error or missing information on the original record, like a misspelled name, incorrect date of birth, or missing parent information.

The fee for processing a birth certificate amendment is $20.

Some service fees at the rabies control center increased at the beginning of July.

Vaccination fees have increased from $12 to $20, pickup fees from $10 to $20, and boarding fees from $5 to $10.

These increases are necessary to continue providing quality care for animals and helping protect the community from the threat of rabies.

All other charges remain the same.

For more information on the cost of adopting a dog or cat from the rabies control center, visit our website madisoncountytn.gov/health.

As any parent knows, getting kids to eat their fruits and vegetables isn.. but giving up isn't an option because those colorful foods are packed with essential vitamins and nutrients that help kids grow strong today and stay healthy tomorrow.

Research shows that when kids help plan and prepare meals, they're much more likely to eat what's on their plate.

That's why we're continuing our segment Raising Healthy Eaters, where we spotlight recipes that are nutritious, delicious, and fun for kids to help make.

This month's recipe puts a healthy spin on one of every kid's favorite meals: pizza.

We're keeping the flavor and adding in fresh, wholesome ingred.. parents can feel good about.

Here to show us how it's done, once again, it's our guest chef, Sebastian.

-Hi, I'm Sebastian.

I'm your chef.

Today we're going to make veggie pizza.

First, we have a tortilla shell.

Now we're going to put some tomato sauce.

Next, we're going to add our cheese.

Next, we'll add some vegetables.

Carrots first.

Pepper.

Wow.

Yes.

It looks yummy.

This is Italian soup seasoning.

This is some garlic powder.

Now get your mom to put it in the oven.

Five minutes.

Smells good.

Can I have a piece?

Good.

Thanks for watching.

-She started smoking at just 15, surrounded by a culture where cigarettes were the norm.

For more than a decade, Anne struggled with addiction, but today she is smoke-free.

Quitting wasn't easy, but Anne says it's the best decision she's ever made.

In this video from the CDC, she opens up about how her life changed and why she hopes her story can help others do the same.

-Both my parents were big smokers, so my sister and I were just exposed a lot.

I was stealing my parents' cigarettes.

My friends were stealing their parents' cigarettes.

We were all trying them together.

My father, unfortunately, was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease.

I began self-medicating, using cigarettes to make myself feel better.

They just felt like my best friend.

By the time he passed a year and a half later, the self-medicating, it wasn't working, but I was still doing it.

I went to a psychiatrist, and I was treated.

My journey with tobacco was done.

It was almost a domino effect.

When I quit smoking, I wanted to take care of myself in other realms of my life, so I started eating better.

I was working a job I loved.

I started doing things that I didn't before, like yoga.

My anxiety became more manageable.

I met my husband when I was about 28, 29.

Fell in love very quickly.

Became engaged within a year and a half, two years.

Then we started a family two years after that.

That's where I am today, with a beautiful baby and an amazing husband, and completely different than my former life.

Knowing the generational impact of tobacco, it's been really important for me to make sure that I have healthy coping mechanisms so that I don't fall back into using tobacco to make myself feel better.

Quitting smoking is the best thing I've ever done.

It's the hardest thing I've ever done, and it's one of the things I'm the most proud of.

I am happier than I've ever been.

Life has only gotten better since I quit.

-Talking about mental health can be tough, especially for teens.

Whether it's anxiety, depression, or just feeling overwhelmed, many young people struggle to speak up or even know where to begin.

Dr. Richard Chung is an adolescent medicine specialist who works with teens every day.

He says acknowledging mental health concerns doesn't have to be scary, and that asking for help is a sign of strength.

In this video from the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Chung shares simple, honest advice for teens and how parents and caregivers can support those conversations.

-Over the past several years, there's been a lot of increased attention on the need for mental health.

It seems so obvious, but it hasn't been for so many years.

I'm excited that we're in this moment where we can actually talk about it.

When I talk with teenagers about it, I just try to ensure that they are well-informed, that this is a real thing, that if they are experiencing things that make them question their own mental health, that they deserve to get the help that they need.

Now, the first step often is just sharing those symptoms or those concerns with somebody that they trust, and then relying on that person that they trust to then link them to the support that they need.

It can be hard though, because I think mental health is often stigmatized, or it can be scary.

If you're a young person experiencing certain symptoms and you yourself don't even know what's going on, it's really scary to navigate that and then even share that very concerning thing with somebody else.

My word of assurance to young people is that there is help out there.

If you are experiencing something, go to somebody you trust, ideally an adult that cares for you, that is available to you, who will listen to you, and then help you think through what the right next step is.

-Before we leave, a few reminders from our show.

The Red Sand Pour will take place Wednesday, July 30th at the Jackson-Madison County Regional Health Department.

Local businesses and individuals are also encouraged to participate that day.

For more information on how you can get involved to raise awareness about human trafficking, contact the health department or reach out to the Scarlet Rope Project.

Kids who will need school immunizations this fall should not put them off.

Come to the health department now for childhood vaccines and beat the back-to-school rush.

Plus, kids who come early can get a free basketball while supplies last.

Please call ahead for appointment availability.

Before we go, we want to thank our guest, Sebe Brown with UT Extension, and of course, a special thanks to our kid chef, Sebastian.

Finally, we'd like to thank you for joining us on this episode of Channel 11 Checkup.

I'm Ginger Rowsey.

Thanks for being with us, and we'll check in next time.

[music] -The program you've been watching was made possible through the generous financial support of West Tennessee PBS viewers like you.

Please visit westtnpbs.org and make a donation today so that we can continue to make local programs like this possible.

Thank you.

[music]