FYI-Kids are back in school and the flu is spreading

[Gayletmom]

So here''s my health advisory for the week: my kids went back to school week before last and the flu is running rampant through school. The docs have said that it is the right type (A?) for H1N1 so they are assuming that''s it.

The bad news is that it seems to spread really easily. The good news is that it''s fairly mild for the flu. Similar to the regular flu with a high, persistent fever and body aches. No fun, but it doesn''t seem to be especially dangerous. I''m looking at the silver lining that we won''t have to worry if it becomes more severe.

My local Target is out of thermometers, kids ibuprofen and similar items so it might be a good idea to make sure your medicine cabinet is stocked.

Be healthy!

 

[chiapet]

I just saw a report on one of the local news channel about the flu. I''m starting back to school (I''m a therapist) in 2 weeks and I just know that I''m going to get sick within a week

I hope your kids don''t catch anything!

 

[atroop711]

Date: 8/24/2009 12:27:44 PM
Author:Gayletmom
So here''s my health advisory for the week: my kids went back to school week before last and the flu is running rampant through school. The docs have said that it is the right type (A?) for H1N1 so they are assuming that''s it.


The bad news is that it seems to spread really easily. The good news is that it''s fairly mild for the flu. Similar to the regular flu with a high, persistent fever and body aches. No fun, but it doesn''t seem to be especially dangerous. I''m looking at the silver lining that we won''t have to worry if it becomes more severe.


My local Target is out of thermometers, kids ibuprofen and similar items so it might be a good idea to make sure your medicine cabinet is stocked.


Be healthy!

I pray to god that parents who usually send their kids to school when they are sick (those selfish parents

) LEARN and keep their kids home. This is for their child''s good and the good of everyone else.

 

[Gayletmom]

I''m with you atroop. My 7 year old has a fever and I don''t think it''s the flu but I can''t be sure. We''re not going anywhere-not even to the grocery-just to be on the safe side.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

I recall two kids over the last two years who were sent back to school while having chicken pox. One of the kids lifted up his shirt and asked his teacher to scratch his back for him!!!

Hopefully the flu doesn''t strike here. Thanks for posting. I''ll be sure to stock up on ibprophen. Does anyone know if the adult strength is okay for a 9 year old? I think the stuff we have is 200 mg. The kids'' version is just crazy expensive for a little bottle.

 

[upgrade]

School starts up again in a couple of weeks here and I''m terrified of the flu! My husband is on an immunosuppressant for his Crohn''s disease so I''m really worried about H1N1- he has one of those dreaded "underlying conditions."\

Side Note: I get SO ANGRY at parents who send their children to school sick. In my sons preschool there used to be mothers who would drop their children off and say to the teacher "she threw up this morning at breakfast, so keep an eye on her." Ummm.. TAKE HER HOME! I don''t want her gastrointestinal illness in my house, thanks! Especially when the kids are so young that they''re putting everything in their mouths and don''t understand the importance of handwashing... BIG personal pet peeve.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 8/24/2009 1:41:43 PM
Author: upgrade
School starts up again in a couple of weeks here and I''m terrified of the flu! My husband is on an immunosuppressant for his Crohn''s disease so I''m really worried about H1N1- he has one of those dreaded ''underlying conditions.''

Side Note: I get SO ANGRY at parents who send their children to school sick. In my sons preschool there used to be mothers who would drop their children off and say to the teacher ''she threw up this morning at breakfast, so keep an eye on her.'' Ummm.. TAKE HER HOME! I don''t want her gastrointestinal illness in my house, thanks! Especially when the kids are so young that they''re putting everything in their mouths and don''t understand the importance of handwashing... BIG personal pet peeve.

Yep, the whole thing freaks me out too. I always bring water bottles for my kids to keep on their desks so they don''t have to drink from water fountain. There are some pretty nasty things leaking out of some of the school mates noses. Yuck Yuck Yuck

 

[Tuckins1]

I am a teacher... My school has handed out bottles of hand sanitizer to every teacher. I personally prefer to just wash my hands (as I have a sink in my room) so my kids know that as soon as they come in the room we all go over and wash our hands. I also disinfect all of my desks, pencils, and doorknobs in between seeing students. I do my best, but I still do get sick. It''s inevitable, but hopefully I can at least cut down on the transmission of germs.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

The swine flu is here, and seems to be getting more and more common as the weeks go on.

The good news is that it does not seem more severe than the normal flu, but the normal flu is not always a benign disease, especially in certain populations. I can only comment on children, but the children at highest risks are those under 5 and those with an underlying chronic disease (e.g. asthma). This is the same population at risk for the "normal" flu, and that is why annual immunization is recommended for that population and everyone who lives in the same house as those children.

For school, the most recent CDC guidelines state that kids can return to school/daycare 24 hours after the fevers stop.

If you have an otherwise healthy child, this will probably end up being like the normal flu. Of course, like any other disease, if there are any problems that are not the normal course of a viral illness (breathing difficulties, dehydration ect) than immediate medical attention should be sought.

Overall, the media has blown this up a bit.

ETA: I diagnosed 5 cases last week of kids I examined myself (with of course good hand washing). I have probably been exposed intermittently over the last 2 months. I have yet to develop any febrile illness or flu symptoms. Good hygiene is key.

 

[musey]

Date: 8/24/2009 12:27:44 PM
Author:Gayletmom
The bad news is that it seems to spread really easily. The good news is that it's fairly mild for the flu. Similar to the regular flu with a high, persistent fever and body aches. No fun, but it doesn't seem to be especially dangerous. I'm looking at the silver lining that we won't have to worry if it becomes more severe.

I've been getting over it for the past three weeks or so. It really is not bad, at least it wasn't for me. More like a bad cold + fever. I had one day of mysterious coughing, three days of fever (100-104) + coughing, and have had a gradually diminishing cough for the past 2+ weeks. It's pretty much gone now.

No nausea at all, a little lightheadedness with the fever.

My husband had pretty much the same course, just one more day of fever than I had. He's a bigger baby than I

I got a prescription for codeine cough syrup to calm it enough to sleep, took tylenol for the fever, and really didn't struggle too much with it.

The BIG silver lining here is that it will be worse in the winter - this according to my dad the ER doctor, I don't know exactly why. Better to get it now, though, if that's the case... get it over with and develop an immunity, then you won't have to worry about it when winter rolls around!

 

[swimmer]

I feel very badly for parents who can not afford childcare or who can not take time off of work. Last year my district had some issues where parents just could not come to pick up their sick kids (we were having cases of H1N1). Its not like the mom was getting her nails done, in one case she was at work bagging groceries and did not have a cell phone. Her boss said she would be fired if she left. Then she couldn''t feed her kids, (3 that I know of). What would you do? The other admins and I could not get her to sign up for wic as that would be "taking charity." Her child was better off in the nurses'' office at that point.

I agree, I do not want sick kids in my classroom this fall/winter/spring. But what on earth can parents who are just scraping by do in this situation? That one scenario is not that unusual. Many parents simply do not have the ability to take off work (earning food money) to care for their sick kids, it is not that they don''t love their kids.

 

[Tuckins1]

Date: 8/24/2009 8:33:22 PM
Author: swimmer
I feel very badly for parents who can not afford childcare or who can not take time off of work. Last year my district had some issues where parents just could not come to pick up their sick kids (we were having cases of H1N1). Its not like the mom was getting her nails done, in one case she was at work bagging groceries and did not have a cell phone. Her boss said she would be fired if she left. Then she couldn't feed her kids, (3 that I know of). What would you do? The other admins and I could not get her to sign up for wic as that would be 'taking charity.' Her child was better off in the nurses' office at that point.


I agree, I do not want sick kids in my classroom this fall/winter/spring. But what on earth can parents who are just scraping by do in this situation? That one scenario is not that unusual. Many parents simply do not have the ability to take off work (earning food money) to care for their sick kids, it is not that they don't love their kids.

Ditto. I work in a low-income area. 80% of our population qualifies for Title 1 funds... Many don't have cars/transportation. It is hard. We try to do the best we can for students that are sick. A lot of times they just sit/lie on the couch in the lobby if a parent can't come get them.

 

[Gayletmom]

Thank you, Tuckins and Swimmer, for a different way of looking at the problem of sick children in classrooms and schools. It''s easy to forget that not everyone has even a little flexibility to take off work, stay home with your kids, etc.