Thule Child Transport Systems Ltd. is recalling about 44,000 of their Chariot bicycle trailers and 70,000 Chariot bicycle trailer conversion kits (also called a hitch kit) because they pose an injury hazard to children riding in the bicycle trailers.

There have been at least 24 reports of the bicycle trailer's hitch mechanisms cracking or breaking, causing the bicycle trailer to detach from the bicycle.

The recalled Chariot bicycle trailers and bicycle trailer conversion kits were sold at specialty bicycle stores and websites since 2002 (the bicycle trailer conversion kits) to 2005 (the bicycle trailers).

Recalled bicycle trailer carrier styles include the:

• CX1 or CX2 - Serial number 1205-xxxx to 0710-xxxx
• Cougar 1 or Cougar 2 - Serial number 1205-xxxx to 0710-xxxx
• Cheetah 1 or Cheetah 2 - Serial number 1205-xxxx to 0710-xxxx
• CSL - all serial numbers
• Cabriolet - Serial number 1205-xxxx to 0710-xxxx
• Corsaire XL - Serial number 1205-xxxx to 0710-xxxx

Although conversion kits may have a model number 20100503 attached to the aluminum tube, keep in mind that even older kits without a label are being recalled.

If you have one, stop using it until you can upgrade your bicycle trailer with a free repair kit.

No other Chariot products have been recalled, such as their strolling kit, jogging kit, hiking kit, or ski kit.

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Many people are aware of the norovirus because of its connection with outbreaks of vomiting and diarrhea on cruise ships.

Unfortunately, cruise ships aren't the only place you can get sick with norovirus. Each year, up to 21 million people in the United States get sick with norovirus, including people in hospitals, nursing homes, restaurants, daycare centers and schools.

A norovirus outbreak that has affected three hospitals in East Sussex in South East England is a good reminder of just how contagious norovirus can be. Two hospitals wards have been shut down and another is no longer accepting new patients because of the norovirus outbreak, which may include up to 25 patients.

It is thought that a visitor may have spread the virus from one hospital to another, which reinforces the importance of good handwashing and not visiting people in the hospital if you are sick. Many hospitals now screen visitors for risks, such as having a fever, a productive cough, vomiting, diarrhea, or exposure to tuberculosis, chicken pox, measles, mumps, or rubella.

If you are sick or think you might be getting sick, either stay home or ask someone at the hospital before making a visit.

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Should schools stock "general use" epinephrine pens? That seems to be the big question that many people are asking after first grade student Ammaria Johnson died after suffering a severe allergic reaction last week.

With a general stock, an EpiPen could be used for any student who was having a severe allergic reaction, even if they hadn't left their own prescription medication at the school.

While increasing access to epinephrine seems like a great idea, we should likely all be talking about something else that might affect access to life-saving treatment - limited availability of school nurses to help care for medical issues in school. For example, in the Chesterfield County Public Schools, where Ammaria was a student, there are only 28 nurses for about 58,578 students in 62 schools, including 38 elementary schools, 12 middle schools, 11 high schools, and 1 technical school. That is one nurse for 2.2 schools or just over 2,000 students.

The Chesterfield County Public Schools ratio is well below the nurse-to-students ratio recommended by the National Association of School Nurses and Healthy People 2010 guidelines of about 1:750 (well students) or 1:225 (student population that may require some daily school nursing services) or 1:125 (students with complex health care needs).

Does your child's school have a nurse? If you live in Vermont, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Delaware, or Washington, D.C., then they likely do. According to the latest 2010 Student-to-School Nurse Ratios from the National Association of School Nurses, they led all states with the best ratios.

The worst nurse-to-students ratios were in Oklahoma, Florida, Utah, North Dakota, and Michigan. These states, and unfortunately many others, have nurse-to-student ratios that make it unlikely that your child's school has their own nurse. It is more likely that they have to share a school nurse with two or three other schools, which makes it harder to help manage kids with specific conditions or special needs, do screening for obesity, vision, and hearing, etc., and help figure out when sick kids need to go home.

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I wrote last week that there were signs that flu activity is rising and that parents were hopefully getting ready for the peak of flu season.

The latest flu activity report from the CDC confirms that opinion, stating that "there are early indications in FluView that flu season may be getting underway," including:

• three of 10 regions in the US reporting elevated levels of influenza-like illness
• one state (Colorado) reporting regional flu activity
• four states (Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Texas, and Virginia) reporting local flu activity
• just five states reporting no flu activity, with the rest reporting sporadic flu activity

And while Google Flu Trends continues to report a moderate level of flu activity for the country, they are reporting a higher level of flu activity in one state (Nevada).

Again, this is a good reminder to get your kids a flu vaccine, or a second flu vaccine, as appropriate, before we really get into the peak of flu season over the next month or two.

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