H1N1 and Your Kids

H1N1 and Your Kids

With kids back in school and flu season around the corner, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on its Web site has steps to help our kids stay healthy, what to watch for and what to do if your child becomes ill.
H1N1
To keep from spreading germs causing respiratory illnesses, kids should:

Cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when they sneeze or cough, then put the tissue in the trash.
Wash their hands often with soap and warm water for 15 to 20 seconds or, when soap and water are not available, use alcohol-based hand wipes or sanitizing gel. They should rub their hands until the gel dries.
Not touch their eyes, mouth or nose, as germs can spread when someone touches something contaminated, such as a desk, then touches his eyes, mouth or nose before washing his hands.
Keep their distance from sick people.

2009 H1N1 Flu Virus Symptoms

The symptoms in people include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Symptoms also may include vomiting and diarrhea. People with the flu can have respiratory symptoms but no fever.

If children have a flu-like illness, the CDC recommends they stay home for at least 24 hours after their fever is gone, and avoid others as much as possible.

Emergency Warning Signs

If children experience the following symptoms, the CDC recommends they get urgent medical attention:

Fast breathing or trouble breathing
Bluish or grayish skin color
Not drinking enough fluids
Vomiting severely or persistently
Not waking up or not interacting
Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
Returning flu-like symptoms with fever and worse cough

People infected with the seasonal and H1N1 flu virus may be able to infect others from a day before getting sick to five to seven days afterward, or even longer with children.

The CDC Web site (www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu/qa.htm) contains much more information in a Q&A format to educate parents and others on influenza.