News Swine Flu

Most parents dread when their young child or baby gets sick and with good reason. Toddlers and infants can’t tell you how they feel, whether their throat hurts or their tummy is upset.  Their only recourse is to show you how they feel through their actions.

Unfortunately this young age group is also at a higher risk for complications from the Swine Flu (N1H1) because their immune systems are immature and not able to cope with the onslaught of the virus.   If you notice these symptoms in your child notify your doctor as soon as possible or take the child to an urgent care service.

Difficulty breathing

Profuse vomiting

Lethargic and unreactive

Many parents become concerned when the child’s temperature goes above 100 degrees.  However how the child is acting is more important than any number on the thermometer.  Young children seem to be able to cope with a high fever better than adults.  A temperature of 104 may be serious in an adult but manageable in a child.

Children sleep longer when they’re ill if their symptoms allow them to.  If a child is sleeping much longer, is difficult to wake up, and seems groggy, that may be a warning sign.

Dehydration is serious in infants and children.  Symptoms include sunken eyes, dry mouth, decrease in wet diapers and lethargy.  At this point it is important that children get fluids as quickly as possible.  It may not be possible for the child to consume enough fast enough to re-hydrate themselves. That may mean intravenous fluids administered in a hospital.

Don’t panic but watch children closely when they’re ill with the Swine Flu (N1H1) or any time they’re sick.

Uncategorized Health, Swine Flu, Swine influenza

Both illnesses are caused by viruses, although different types of viruses.  Colds and the flu (influenza) begin with similar symptoms, a running nose, congestion and cough.  However the flu accelerates quickly and infects the lungs, and has more severe symptoms such as body aches, headache, vomiting and diarrhea.  Most people can tough out a cold and maintain their regular schedules.  That’s not possible for the majority of people who come down with the flu.

The most critical difference is that people die from the flu, 36,000 cases in the United States alone in 2008.  People do not die from the common cold.  The flu can result in pneumonia, respiratory failure and death.

The Swine Flu (H1N1) is a combination of 4 different kinds of flu, a human strain, 2 swine strains and an avian strain. It is a new type of influenza and as of yet there has been no vaccine developed.  If you have been vaccinated against the flu it won’t help against the Swine Flu.  Each virus strain requires its own vaccine to be developed to be effective.  Scientists say they are about 100 days away from developing a vaccine against the Swine Flu ((H1N1).

Colds usually last about a week.  A case of the flu can last from 2 days to 10 days depending on the variety of flu.  The most dangerous influenza virus is the avian flu as it has a fatality rate of over 50%.  The most devastating flu epidemic was in 1917-1920, the Spanish Flu which killed from 20 to 50 million people worldwide.

Uncategorized 1918 flu pandemic, Influenza, Influenza A virus subtype H1N1, Swine Flu, Swine influenza