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Well, finally hitting closer to home. We've been through the flu once already, now 3 of my kid's little friends (5 and under) are down with the flu. High fevers, coughs and exhaustion are the top symptoms. Additionally, have another friend who has stood in line twice (albeit towards the end) at swine flu shot clinics, only to be turned away because of a shortage (last one in Shelley). My friends all said when they get the flu, it's usually later in the year, but has hit earlier this year. Thanks for the info MSR. Let's hope people with half a brain don't fall for the "swine flu parties" hoopla featured on the news again today.
Western gal,
Your information is very valuable to other parents. It obviously depends on the underlying health of the child. But, the high fevers and exhaustion are classic symptoms being reported by most everyone everywhere.
The traditional "flu," for which the 2009 Flu Shot was Created has NOT hit this year, to the best of my knowledge. Check the CDC charts. I've not heard any experts say they think we're in the traditional flu peak yet. That doesn't mean people are sick to varying degrees with various viruses, as they are.
You are welcome for whatever information I've been able to share.
And I wonder how you knew I was going to post about the "Swine Flu Parties." I was opposed to them in the spring/summer when I read about those in NJ having their kids attend (probably around page 10, I can't remember for sure).
I'm equally against Idaho or Intermountain Area children going to these parties. What are parents thinking? Despite it being a bad idea for the children who are there, one can look back to my personal experience of a family that exposed a baby to a different infectious disease so they could be "finished with it." I don't want to post that again. However, I think it illustrates some points worth considering.
Don't be afraid of looking back to earlier pages. It seems like so many states are not starting to practice or look at information posted months ago in this thread.
Here's a news link for the "Swine Flu Parties,"
From KIFI Channel 8 News:
" Health Officials Warn Against Swine Flu Parties"
"Stacy Johnson is a mother of six and thinks the idea of infecting her kids on purpose is crazy." (YEAH Stacy!)
" 'I think people are insane. I've got friends that were in the hospital and I don't think that is something you want to mess with,' " said Johnson.
"Johnson isn't alone." " 'It's very alarming. The thought that you would intentionally expose your child to something like this,' " "said Kristin Calley, a mother of two."
I try to provide information and respect that adults who are educated will make the best decisions that they can for themselves and their children. "Swine Flu Parties," are an exception. They are a bad idea. Some people think it's no big deal if their kids actually do get sick. Don't assume anything right now, except what you are able to provide at home.
Some hospitals in the state and other states are starting to divert admissions, given both how high their census is and how many of the nursing staff are out with H1N1 infections. I'm not trying to panic anyone, simply stating the facts.
To a degree, Idaho relies on neighboring states, especially WA, OR and UT for extra hospital beds and extra care that may not be available in Idaho. I wouldn't plan on it during the H1N1 mode we're in right now. Read those states hospital plans for an infectious disease pandemic infection. Patterns of referring patients to out-of-state hospitals, may not be options currently.
The NY Times recently published the three phase plan of one of those Idaho border states. I refuse to post it, as I believe it is too confusing with some of the terminology and how decisions are made are not details a person with a non-medical background may understand.
Read the CDC webpage about the rate of H1N1 infections for the other states, that will give you a feel for how widespread infections are in those states, not just Idaho.
As I've posted before, while none of us can control who gets the H1N1 vaccine or how much is available, we all can prepare at home to ensure we have supplies we would rely on if someone were sick with a severe flu with a cough, or G.I. symptoms.
Read, ask questions and find information from whatever sources you can. Information yields knowledge. Informed decisions allow anyone to know they made the best decision they could, given ALL the circumstances.
I had something very surprising happen today regarding H1N1. My almost 7 year old daughter came down ill on Saturday just before we were going to go trick-or-treating (poor thing). She had chills, no hunger, was tired, and threw up and a low grade fever. This has continued into today (she has thrown up a handful of times). I called her pediatrician's office. I asked if they knew if there was much H1N1 in the area and the nurse said yes, hundreds of cases. I about croaked. She said though what they are seeing is not throwing up, but high fever 102-104, body aches, sore throat, and headache.
May Want to See Pediatrician Depending on Your Comfort and How Your Child Is Doing
Quote:
Originally Posted by brokencrayola
I had something very surprising happen today regarding H1N1. My almost 7 year old daughter came down ill on Saturday just before we were going to go trick-or-treating (poor thing). She had chills, no hunger, was tired, and threw up and a low grade fever. This has continued into today (she has thrown up a handful of times). I called her pediatrician's office. I asked if they knew if there was much H1N1 in the area and the nurse said yes, hundreds of cases. I about croaked. She said though what they are seeing is not throwing up, but high fever 102-104, body aches, sore throat, and headache.
brokencrayola,
So sorry to hear about your daughter! There are many viruses out there right now. Most aren't even bothering to subtype Influenza A's as there are so many.
If you are worried about your child, take her to be seen by a physician!Your peace of mind and "mommy feelings," count for a lot in my book. It must have been shocking how the local health district, medical society has decided to notify the public about current H1N1 spread. It may be that most were not tested with a lab test, so H1N1 is the working diagnosis (which is what CDC and everyone else encourages- meaning more deaths were seen when clinicians withheld treatment trying to determine exactly what the patient has. Now, the thinking is to treat and so what if a few aren't H1N1. Tamiflu is for ALL VIRUSES, not just H1N1.). The lab tests are pathetic for this virus - sensitivity-wise. Plus, it takes someone obtaining a clinical sample who has done it enough to know the right procedure.
Each person is different clinically. The patient who infected my colleague and myself (directly coughed on us, when he didn't know he was infected), did the whole range of things. He had G.I. symptoms too and not the high fever on most days. If you are concerned about your daughter, I'd take her in to be checked out. Nothing says your child can't present differently than others in your area. G.I. symptoms are a symptom of H1N1, along with many other diseases (infectious or not).
I don't know what advice your pediatrician's nurse gave you whether they are handling emergencies in their office or in the hospital E.R. etc. Make sure you know what clinical changes to watch for or what point your pediatrician would like to be consulted or see your daughter.
Hoping first that your daughter gets better and that her brothers/parents don't get whatever she has.
Spokane's Spokesman-Review's List of H1N1 Symptoms
brokencrayola,
This piece in The Spokesman-Review is important for many reasons.
First, as you already did, it does confirm there have been thousands of H1N1 cases in the Spokane area of WA and NID.
Secondly, there is clarification of which person in Post Falls died from H1n1 (the gentleman in his 50s, not the youth sports coach in his 30s) recently.
Finally, on the left hand side is more info about H1N1 and an entire section one can click into. I didn't need to for me to be able to cut and paste what the largest newspaper in the region is printing as H1N1 symptoms:
From the Spokesman-Review:
"H1N1 symptoms
Fever, often higher than 101 degrees
Plus, it is very possible someone who posts here may have lost a friend, relative or acquiantance to H1N1 in the Post Falls area. I extend my sympathies to any who knew this man.
I had something very surprising happen today regarding H1N1. My almost 7 year old daughter came down ill on Saturday just before we were going to go trick-or-treating (poor thing). She had chills, no hunger, was tired, and threw up and a low grade fever. This has continued into today (she has thrown up a handful of times). I called her pediatrician's office. I asked if they knew if there was much H1N1 in the area and the nurse said yes, hundreds of cases. I about croaked. She said though what they are seeing is not throwing up, but high fever 102-104, body aches, sore throat, and headache.
Crayola,
sorry to hear your little one is sick. I'll go with MSR and say that if you're worried, get her checked. Otherwise, just keep monitoring her. Keep checking her temp, and make sure she drinks lots of fluids. But if the fever goes up, or if she starts breathing in a shallow way and gets really lethargic, then it's time to take action and see the doctor right away. I mean immediately! Down here I've heard that the vomiting is actually typical for children's cases of the H1N1, and all flu cases right now are assumed to be H1N1 (that could be for convenience, because nobody is being checked). On a positive note, some older students in my classes have all their kids down with H1N1 right now, one after the other or simultaneously, and I haven't heard any alarming stories at all, they're all recovering just fine. Best of luck! Keep us posted.
This is both bad and good news. For those in the NID Panhandle, children six months to pre-schoolers 1,200 new doses of H1N1 vaccine are now available. The local Health Department is taking reservations for those vaccines.
For brokencrayola and others who have been searching for doses for their children who are older, unfortunately this doesn't help much. It helps in that more children have been vaccinated and hopefully there will be fewer infections to expose others. But, until your child and you can be vaccinated, if that is what you chose for your family, it will be nice to someday see clinics for kids (and young adults) 6 - 25 years old.
The other good news in this article is finally the primary care physicians have been vaccinated. Perhaps they will be in a better position to help their patients now.
Please keep the forum posted of how things are in NID, as well as other ares of ID. It helps those who read this thread.
Stay safe, as much as you can. If you have questions, call your local doctor and/or health department. They are aware of what viruses are in your area and how they want to treat their patients.
I encourage all who call their doctors to ask when they should become concerned, if the physician or other health care provider doesn't think you should be concerned currently. That being said, I trust mom's and dad's feelings and worries. If you are concerned about your child or someone else in your family, or a neighbor, go to the Emergency Room of you hospital, or an Urgent Care, if you can't see your own doctor. Let a profesional sort through the symptoms to decide the best course of treatment for the person who is sick. After all, every sick child I've ever known has needed Mom and Dad just to be their parents, not micro-managing or trying to guess what the clinical path will be.
This thread has been about swine flu in Idaho, NOT about the quasi-political debate about the truth or falsehoods about the severity of the flu.
If you are going to post, then post YOUR own anecdotal information or stats about Idaho. If you think it's a crock of BS (which is your right) then refrain from posting in this forum.
Wow, I had no idea. I truly though it was just as important here in Idaho to be informed of both sides. Not just the side that was pro vax.
Guess I was wrong.
And I was not just posting propaganda but actual facts and actual people who have suffered from the vaccinations rather than the virus.
Data Helps Others Analyze True Risk; Wondering How Are Sick Ones Are Doing
Quote:
Originally Posted by blue8ewe
Wow, I had no idea. I truly though it was just as important here in Idaho to be informed of both sides. Not just the side that was pro vax.
Guess I was wrong.
And I was not just posting propaganda but actual facts and actual people who have suffered from the vaccinations rather than the virus.
blue8ewe,
If you will read the pages earlier you will read several comments from many who (at least at that time) were not going to be vaccinated and their reasons why.
I'd be fascinated to see the stats about the people you personally know who have had problems and how they were diagnosed. What was the sample size and the degree of confidence? I can't wait for your hard data. The U.K. has a brand new study out this week about complications from H1N1 vaccines. Please post your data and I'll work on getting the U.K. data in a form I can post here that doesn't have to have a password for others to read.
I also think it is important regardless of what one choses for him/herself and their family to be mindful many are posting in this thread who have sick children who didn't have the opportunity to have the vaccine, even if they wanted it. Not everything is black and white. .
For the parents with sick children, please let us know how you and your children are doing. I know I'm not alone in thinking about you.
MSR
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I was opposed to them in the spring/summer when I read about those in NJ having their kids attend (probably around page 10, I can't remember for sure).
Despite it being a bad idea for the children who are there, one can look back to my personal experience of a family that exposed a baby to a different infectious disease so they could be "finished with it." I don't want to post that again. However, I think it illustrates some points worth considering.
May Want to See Pediatrician Depending on Your Comfort and How Your Child Is Doing
Spokane's Spokesman-Review's List of H1N1 Symptoms
1,200 H1N1 Vaccine Doses Available for NID
Data Helps Others Analyze True Risk; Wondering How Are Sick Ones Are Doing
