H1N1: A Parents' Guide
.open_headline {
font-family: palatino linotype, serif;
font-size: 24px;
color: #333;
}
.open_nav {
font-family: arial, sans;
font-size: 13px;
color: #aabfff;
font-weight: bold;
text-decoration: none;
}
H1N1: A Parents' Guide
Tips for Preventing Your Children from Getting the H1N1 Virus and What to Do if They Get Sick
Sources: CBS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Children's Memorial Hospital
Prevention
General Tips
-Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
-Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze.
-Emphasize to children that they should wash with soap and water long enough to finish singing the alphabet song. Also, use alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
-Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, and instruct children to do the same.
-Boost natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C.
-Don't allow sharing or trading of costume masks.
-Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
About the Vaccine:
-People 6 months to 24 years old should be first in line for a vaccine. Also a priority: pregnant women, healthcare and emergency service workers, people who live with or care for children under 6 months old and people with chronic health disorders. Flu.gov has an interactive national map to find a flu shot near you.
-Children 10 years and older and adults will need 1 dose.
-Children younger than 10 years of age will need 2 doses, at least 1 month apart.
-Infants younger than 6 months of age are too young to get the 2009 H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines.
-Immunity doesn't happen immediately; it takes a week or two after the last shot for the vaccine to take full effect.
Symptoms
Symptoms May Include:
-Fever
-Cough
-Sore throat
-Body aches
-Headache
-Chills
-Fatigue
-Vomiting or diarrhea
-It's important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever.
Treatment
General Care
-Keep your sick child at home until at least 24 hours after there is no longer a fever or signs of a fever (without the use of a fever-reducing medicine).
-Call the school or daycare to notify that your child has flu symptoms.
-Do not take your child to the mall, grocery store, or any place where he or she might expose others to the flu.
-Do not give aspirin or aspirin-containing products (like Pepto Bismol) to children 18 years of age and younger. This increases the risk of Reye syndrome.
-Children older than 6 months can take acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin) for relief of fever.
-Do not give over-the-counter cold medicines to children younger than 4 years of age. The safest care for flu symptoms in children younger than 2 years of age is using a cool-mist humidifier and a suction bulb to help clear away mucus.
-Your doctor may prescribe a drug called Tamiflu.
Seek Emergency Care If You Child Has:
-Fast breathing or trouble breathing.
-Grunting noises or wheezing
-Bluish skin color
-Not drinking enough fluids
-Not waking up or not interacting
-Being so irritable that he or she not want to be held
-Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
-Fever with a rash
-Dehydration: difficult to awaken, no urination in past 8 hours, dry mouth and lips, no tears when crying
-Ear discharge