How To Stop the Conficker Computer Virus

Since 2003, the Conficker Computer virus has become the most massive computer worm infection. It is a computer application installed on computer hard drives through web pages programmed with malicious instructions. It can also pose as Spyware Protect 2009 in order to steal someone’s credit card details and identity. So far, it has caused damage to millions of hard drives and computers worldwide. Its damage becomes worse as it also installs another virus, the Waledac. The Conficker Computer virus has definitely made people cautious and vigilant. However, if you feel like you have not done enough to avoid it, you must check your computer as soon as possible and have the virus removed. You will be guided by the instructions below.  

• Research. Of course, you must find out more about this virus in order to protect your system from it. You will also want to make sure that this is the virus that has gone into your computer. Remember, there are other kinds of worms and viruses out there infecting computers.
• Check the Microsoft Support page. You may check out this particular link for more information about the virus. In this website, you are told that if you see whatever is on the page, chances are, you do not have the virus. However, this is not enough. Proceed to the next set of instructions to make sure that your computer is not infected. 
• Run your anti-virus software. You have to check if your anti-virus software is updated. If you are constantly checking for updates and installing them, your software must probably be up to date. Otherwise, you may check SpySweeper and Norton Antivirus in order to get available packages. From their websites, you can download the particular programs that are effective in stopping the Conficker virus.  
• Run tests. Once you have downloaded the software, you can begin running tests. Once you have run the sweep, the cookies, viruses, and bugs will be removed from your computer.
• Use Conficker Removal Tool. You can use this by navigating to the CNET
  website. You will see the tool on their page. Download it and take note
  where it will be saved. Launch it once it finishes downloading. Accept
  the terms and start scanning. When done, follow the instructions in
  removing the worm. When the scan is complete, you may click on “Finish”
  to finalize the process.

Once you have finished the procedures, you may visit the Microsoft website again to do the screen test. If you are still not confident with what you have done, you can always have your computer checked by IT technicians. Ask for their help and show them your computer. Even without the threat of any virus, make sure that you always have your computer checked out once in a while because you never know when viruses sneak in. Keeping your anti-virus software up to date is very important if you want to maintain your computer’s high performance. It is better to allot time in installing and updating anti-virus software rather than having to remove viruses later. Much more damage will be done to your hard drive once viruses do get in.
By Katherine Watson

How To Stay Active in College

Expect life in college to be a lot more serious than that of high school. It is after all the beginning of your journey towards your chosen career. There are more challenges and added responsibilities, and you are expected to work mostly on your own. In spite of the pressure that college brings, there is no reason why it should change your active lifestyle completely. You may even need it more now, to ease some of the stress you are beginning to experience in college. There are a lot of ways to do this and stay healthy and active, almost as you were in high school. Making time and staying committed to whatever activities you may choose is all you need to make it work. Here are some suggestions to get you started.

• Join a sports club. Continue what you have started in high school, like being on the football, baseball or volleyball team. Every college or university has its own clubs for different types of sports. Join one that interests you the most so you are always kept busy and active after schoolwork activities.
• Join intramurals. Enjoy college intramurals more by participating in competitions. If you have joined a sports club, this would not be too difficult especially if you excel in the sport. Coaches will automatically choose members for these competitions. If not, you can volunteer to help in organizing intramurals. Aside from keeping you busy, this is a great way of making new friends and developing new activities you could enjoy.
• Ask around. Chances are, you’ll join traditional sports clubs or college organizations. Why don’t you explore your options by learning the different organizations and clubs around the college? There could be an interesting group like a yoga club or environmentalists group that you may want to explore. Getting into something completely different is exciting and you could discover that you actually fit in. Give it a try.
• Explore your options outside. Don’t just settle on what is being offered within the college. Ask acquaintances for more options outside. Perhaps they know more clubs or groups that are more interesting and suitable for you.
• Join student publications. Widen your network by joining college publications. You’ll learn how to deal with different people and you’ll be among the first to know what’s going on around the college. Your brains get a good workout here too. If you love to write, this may be a good choice for you.
• Challenge yourself. Identify your weaknesses and as early as college, learn how to overcome them. If you are an introvert for instance, joining clubs that require being socially active will help improve your personality. Your life outside of college will never be the same if you learn how to hurdle any obstacles.
• Have fun with friends. Invite friends and have productive activities over the weekend like hiking, planting trees, exploring an undiscovered paradise, volunteering, and offering community services. For some, having fun would mean enjoying Saturday nights in a bar to unwind. That does sound like fun as long as you don’t overdo your drinking. Instead, focus on expending your energy dancing and giving your body a good workout.

The opportunities to stay active in college are limitless. You are still young and have that youthful energy to do just about anything. Be more creative and have the guts to try out new things. Besides helping you grow, staying active in college keeps you focused on schoolwork too. This comes from a healthy mind and body, a result of keeping yourself on the go all the time.

By Jessica Turner

How To Treat Bronchitis in Babies

How do you know if your little baby has bronchitis? Some of the symptoms include the following: incessant dry coughing, breathing difficulties, wheezing and squeaky noises while breathing, stuffy nose, recurrent mild fever and poor appetite. Do know that male babies have a higher tendency to develop bronchitis, and those who are given milk formula instead of breast milk are also found to be more susceptible to this condition. Another factor that contributes to the development of bronchitis is pollution and living in a smoky environment. If you suspect that your baby has bronchitis, here are some of the guidelines for treating him:

• Take your baby to a doctor immediately. This is very important, as bronchitis in babies is a very serious ailment. The doctor should prescribe the best medication to address your baby’s condition. Never try to give medications to your baby without consulting the doctor.  
• Position your baby’s head so that it is elevated compared to the rest of the body. This will help your baby breathe more easily.
• Keep your baby in a very clean room with proper humidity. It’s very important during this time that your baby stays in a very clean room that’s as free of dust as possible. You could also install a humidifier or a vaporizer in the room to ensure that the air that he is inhaling is not dry. Moist air also helps loosen the mucus from your baby’s airways, and will help relieve his coughing. Do make sure that you clean the vaporizer or the humidifier daily to prevent mold growth. The adult who is taking care of the baby should also not be suffering from colds or flu himself, as he could infect the baby and thus worsen his condition. Finally, make sure that the room he is in is away from any type of smoke, allergens, and chemical smells.
• Continue to breastfeed or formula feed your baby. Even if your baby seems to have a poorer appetite, you have to continue feeding him as per regular schedule. It’s important that your baby be hydrated properly and that he receives proper nutrition to help accelerate his healing process.
• Give your baby his medication during the proper times and with the proper dosages. Stick to your doctor’s prescribed medication and schedules (yes, even if the baby seems to be well already). Some of the medications that your doctor may recommend include expectorants (to loosen the congestion in your baby’s airways), antibiotics (if the bronchitis is caused by bacterial infection), and acetaminophen (to ease sore pain and to reduce fever). Again, whatever medication you give your baby must be prescribed by the doctor.
• Observe your baby’s progress. Keep a close watch on how your baby is doing. You should watch out for signs that your baby’s condition is getting worse; some of these signs include the following: vomiting, increased fever, rapid and/ or shallow breathing and lethargy. These are signs that you should take your baby to the doctor for further treatment. If you notice blue discoloration around your baby’s fingernails or lips, you should take him to the emergency room right away.  

Remember, bronchitis in babies is a potentially fatal condition which may eventually lead to pneumonia or other more serious respiratory ailments. It’s really up to you to make sure that you have your baby treated in the soonest possible time. Good luck, and hope this helped!

by : Quentin Patterson

How To Reduce Stress in Babies

And you thought only adults felt stressed! Babies can feel stressed too, and this could be characterized by apparent agitation, not being able to sit still, whining or crying. So what should you do when you baby feels stressed? Read on for some helpful tips:

• Touch and look at your baby often. Studies show that babies who are given multi-sensory stimulation – that is, babies who are often touched, hugged, talked to and kissed – are babies with the lowest stress and anxiety levels. It’s also interesting to note that babies who are given only tactile stimulation – that is, babies who are oftentimes touched but not looked at nor talked to – are actually the ones who showed the highest levels of stress. That’s why you should really make it a point to not just touch your baby, but to talk to her, and look at her in the eyes as well. This is specially important about 30 minutes before your baby’s feeding time.
• Let your babies sleep. Studies also show that babies who slept undisturbed have low stress levels. That’s why if your baby is sleeping, try to make her environment as peaceful and quiet as possible, to lower the chances that she’ll wake up before she wants to. Even if her diaper is wet, you should still let her sleep and change the diaper once she wakes up of her own accord.
• Give your baby a massage. This is another way to induce relaxation for your baby. Read this article for some tips on how to massage your baby. 
• Reduce potential stressors at home. As much as possible, expose your baby only to gentle and soothing sounds and music. Avoid shouting angrily in the presence of your baby. Let your baby listen to classical music, and talk to your baby in soft, gentle, cooing tones. You should also let your baby smell some mild and familiar fragrances, as studies have shown that pleasant, familiar fragrances can reduce baby stress levels.
• Let your baby know that you’re always there for her. Babies are greatly disturbed when they are left alone or when they are not being noticed. Though eventually you will have to wean her out of this desire, it’s healthy for very young babies to be secure in the thought that they are valuable in their parents’ eyes. That’s why as much as possible, you should give her your attention – even if you’re doing something, take the time to look at her eye-to-eye and smile at her, just to reassure her that you haven’t forgotten her at all.
• Avoid exposing your baby to stressors outside the home. Some of the scenarios that have been shown to cause anxiety among babies are the following: crowded and too-brightly-lit areas, being left with a stranger (such as a babysitter), and too-loud noises.
• Give your baby a fixed routine. Babies love routine, because it helps them become more accustomed to a world that they’re just finding out about. For example, you could have a regular routine to follow before your baby sleeps, such as singing her a song and giving her a massage.
• Try to relax. Do know that babies whose parents are stressed tend to be stressed themselves. That’s why you should really make it a point to make yourself relaxed; your baby will pick up on this and adopt a same serene, peaceful attitude.

Remember that babies are very vulnerable and how you treat them and respond to them will greatly affect their lives even as adults. That’s why making the effort to ensure that your baby is a happy, healthy and stress-free baby will bring lifetime returns that perhaps even you cannot imagine. Good luck!

by : Olivia Cooper

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How To Treat Fever Blisters in Toddlers

Cold sores or fever blisters are just that blisters found inside the mouth, normally on the tongue and the walls of the mouth. In some cases, fever blisters may even appear on the chin and inside the nose. When they do appear, be prepared for a world of hurt as these tiny lesion-like nightmares can be quite painful and very irritating. Worst of all, it is viral (a strain of herpes simplex) and very contagious. Contact with an open sore is not a good idea.

Unfortunately, fever blisters can be contracted by toddlers as well. Obviously, toddlers will not be as tolerant of the pain. Worse, they will not know how to properly treat and care for the sores. This is where you, as the parent comes in. It is your duty to make your kid feel better. It will entail comforting him for around a week since these blisters normally take that long to mature and eventually disappear. Here are some tips on how to care for your toddler now infected with fever blisters.

• Reduce the fever. Most of the time, fever blisters are accompanied by a mild fever, especially if the affected person is a child. If that is the case, then you will want to reduce that fever in order to make your kid feel more comfortable as well as to decrease the risks of further complications. Treat the fever with medication. If your kid feels hot to the touch, use a cold compress and apply it on his forehead to bring the fever out. You may want to consult your doctor as well about the fever.
• Tend to the blisters. The pain felt by the child will often be localized in the area of the sores or blisters. Fortunately, there are a few ways to reduce the pain felt. For starters, you can place ice or a pack of ice on the blisters. The cold will numb the nerve endings which will temporary eliminate the pain. You may also want to consider using pain relievers. There are orally taken pain relievers available specifically designed for children’s consumption. These are over-the-counter medications and should not be too difficult to purchase and administer. If you do not want your kid to take medication, you can opt for pain relieving topic agents such as creams and ointments. However, these will only be applicable if the sores are outside of the mouth.
• Avoid the sun. Most people do not know that the sun can actually contribute the spread of the blister on the other parts of the body. It happens with exposure. That said it is critical that your kid avoids exposure as much as possible. If that is not a luxury for you, then consider layering his face with sunscreen and lip balm, those with high SPF ratings.

Finally, make sure to take a trip to your doctor and ask him to examine your kid. Sometimes, fever blisters may conceal a more serious complication. It is important that you rule this out. In addition, your doctor can prescribe certain medication to help speed up the healing process as well as provide more comfort to your kid.

By : Russell Brooks