You may be feeling especially anxious this flu season. . Read on to learn more about both Novel H1N1 flu and seasonal flu and what you can do to protect you and your family.
How is Novel H1N1 Flu different from typical seasonal flu?
Novel H1N1 flu is a type of influenza virus that is spreading worldwide. Like seasonal flu, it seems to be very contagious and it causes many of the same symptoms. But scientists are predicting that it may cause more illness, hospitalizations, and death than seasonal flu. Novel H1N1 flu was first called “swine flu” because it looked similar to a virus that caused flu in pigs in the past. However, novel H1N1 virus has not been found in U.S. pigs and you cannot get it from eating pork.
How do you get the flu?
Both types of flu are spread similarly - from person to person. An infected person can spread the virus to others by coughing and sneezing on them. You can also get this flu by touching an infected surface or object, and then touching your mouth or nose.
Who is “high risk” for serious illness?
Seasonal flu causes the most severe illness in people older than 65 years, young children less than 5 years, and in any age person with certain chronic medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, immune system problems, kidney disease, heart problems, and neurologic or neuromuscular disorders.
Novel H1N1 flu seems to cause less serious illness in the elderly, however it appears to cause more severe illness in younger children and those with certain chronic medical problems (listed above), and pregnant women.
What are the symptoms of the flu?
Symptoms of seasonal flu and Novel H1N1 flu are the same. The symptoms can range from mild to severe.
- Fever
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Body aches
- Headache
- Chills
- Fatigue
- Sometimes vomiting and diarrhea
How can I protect my child against flu?
Get a seasonal flu vaccine for yourself and your child to protect against seasonal flu viruses, especially if you are in a high-risk group. However, know that this vaccine is unlikely to protect you against Novel H1N1 influenza. You can ask your health care provider about this or any concerns you have.
The vaccine against Novel H1N1 flu is being produced and should be ready in the fall. The following groups should get vaccinated as soon as it is available:
- Pregnant women
- Children and young adults from age 6 months to 24 years of age
- People caring for children younger than 6 months old
- People with health care conditions putting them at higher risk (listed above)
Due to their higher risk, these groups will receive priority. Once their vaccination needs are met, other people will be offered vaccinations.
These are steps you can take every day to help prevent the spread of all flu viruses:
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. If a tissue isn’t available, cough or sneeze into a sleeve.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. You can also use alcohol-based hand cleaners, which are also effective.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
- If you are sick with flu-like illness, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.) Keep away from others as much as possible to keep from making others sick. If you must go out while sick, wear a face mask if possible.
When should I take my child to the doctor?
Take your child to the doctor if your child has severe illness or is at high risk for flu complications because of a chronic medical condition.
In children, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
- Fast breathing or trouble breathing
- Bluish or gray skin color
- Not drinking enough fluids
- Severe or persistent vomiting
- Not waking up or not interacting
- Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
- Flu-like symptoms that improve but then return with fever and worse cough
Can my child go to school or daycare if I think they have the flu?
NO. They can go back to school or daycare when they have had no fever for at least 24 hours (without taking a fever-reducing medicine). Fever is defined as 100 degrees F or 37.8 degrees C.
Is there a treatment for the flu?
Yes. There are influenza antiviral drugs that require a prescription from a doctor. The priority use for influenza antiviral drugs is to treat severe influenza illness (for example, hospitalized patients) and people who are sick and have a condition that places them at high risk for serious flu-related complications. Your health care provider will help decide if your child needs to take the antiviral medication.
Reference
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. http://www.CDC.gov
Resources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/parents/
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) serves as the national focus for developing and applying disease prevention and control, environmental health, and health promotion and health education activities designed to improve the health of the people of the United States. H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) provides detailed resources for parents and caregivers.
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
http://www.aap.org/healthtopics/infectiousdiseases.cfm
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 pediatricians committed to the best possible physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. This section of the AAP website, Children’s Health Topics, provides information about infectious diseases.
