...without causing a big stink, that this really scares me.
H1N1 Flu Kills 14-year-old Columbus Boy
According to another source, the boy became sick last week. He was hospitalized on Saturday and died on Thursday.
Another article stated that children he attended Catholic school with knew him to have asthma, although they never saw him use his inhaler.
According to the CIDRAP:
Oct. 9, 2009
"The CDC has only counted pediatric deaths from flu since 2003-04, when an early, harsh flu season killed a number of children in Western states. In the 2008-09 season, which officially ended last weekend, 147 children and teens died from influenza, including the 76 cases attributed to the new flu, according to CDC numbers released Friday.
Up to 30% of the children who died from H1N1 flu had no underlying conditions that would make them vulnerable, and bacterial co-infections were "a very important problem" in that group, (Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases) said, adding that the CDC is alerting clinicians to use antibiotics when bacterial infections are suspected and encouraging use of pneumococcal vaccines to reduce the chance of illness."
I know that children have died from flu before, this is not so knew. But, not children who were well just two weeks before -- healthy, normal children.
I have a 13-year-old son who has asthma, but never needs to use his inhaler. I've been on the fence about the vaccine, but I think I'm scooching my buns over to the other side.
Have you decided what you'll do? Are vaccines available in your area?
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Since I'm immuno-compromised, I'm going to get it. The normal flu is bad enough,b ut I don't want to get this, too. My office is offering it so I'm getting it next month, when we finally get our supplies (I work for the state).
ReplyDeleteThis scared me too, and I don't even have kids. It really hit close to home.
Still on the fence here too. If I didn't do child care I probably wouldn't get it...but I feel like I have a high risk of exposure. About two months ago I had a fever for about four days and I then came down with pneumonia. I've only just gotten over it and am now getting sick again...so....seems my immune system is a bit compromised right now. Who knows...maybe I already had it. The symptoms they outline seem so vague to me.
ReplyDeleteFence sitting here as well. Right now I'm looking into the benefits of Elderberry extract, and just started the family on it for a round of coughing that has erupted in my home. Currently, we have a close family friend who is in the ICU with pneumonia from what might have started with the N1H1 flu...so that gives me a new perspective on it as well. But I'm still more interested in finding natural ways to ward off this thing. I've also read that zinc imbalance can lead to the pulmonary issues that lead folks to suffer the respiratory damage. So I'm actually planning on blogging a bit on this in a bit...if I can formulate an intelligable peice on it.
ReplyDeleteanother fence sitter. but i hear things about the vaccine that scare me too. for me i think it is definitely going to be a matter of doing all i can to keep the kids healthy. good food. sunshine. vitamins. and lots and lots of prayer. and hope that i never have any regrets...
ReplyDeleteWhen it becomes available, we are getting it. All of us.
ReplyDeleteI am normally not crazy about flu vaccines at all (this is only the second one I've had in my whole life), but H1N1 is especially hard on young kids and the pregnant -- that is 5/6 of my household! Plus, the other sixth is a family medicine doc who sees lots of germs all winter long.
Rob is not an alarmist by any stretch of the imagination, and he will be the first one to pipe up and tell people that H1N1 is just a form of the regular flu. The projected number of deaths from swine flu are no higher than the annual numbers for the flu.
However, he wants us in line to get stuck as soon as the vaccine arrives around here.
Gosh, I'm on the fence too, how much do we leave up to God, to trust?
ReplyDeleteJamie,
ReplyDeleteI think it was St. Augustine who said, "Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you." We can pray for good health, but I don't think we can sit back and hope that God saves us. I know there are many debates over vaccinating, but God did give us the knowledge to explore medical science. I guess we have to depend on those we trust to tell us what is right. And pray.
I know I'm on the other side, but I don't think you're wrong for being concerned about an asthmatic child. One of our homeschooling kids here is having a hard time recovering. If you're used to flu shots, then i don't see how this one is any different.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of prevention, I'm pushing vitamin D3. I take 4,000 IU's per day. Up north, I'm sure you could easily do that much and more. The reason flu gets worse and worse as the winter goes on is that everyone's levels of D drops. And that's assuming you had filled your tank full in the summer, which may not be possible up north.
I know the vax is the regular flu shot with a switch in the germ they used to create it. But I'm just not comfortable with getting the vax and I'm pregnant too, so I get asked ALL the time if I'm getting the shot. I'm not immuno-compromised so I just don't see the risk. I would make sure my kids got it if they were immuno-compromised or had asthma.
ReplyDeleteNo vaccination here, though it's mandatory for my soldier. Accounts so far make it no worse than regular flu, which only David's ever had anyway (from the vaccine). I don't think the benefits of the "cure" outweigh the risks.
ReplyDeleteDon't act out of fear, Barbara. Fear is not from God.
I think that boosting your immune system is good. I have mild asthma and use an inhaler only once in a while.
ReplyDeleteI have been using a teaspoon of cod liver oil every day for about a year now. It really helps control my asthma, helps me fight colds quickly, and I don't get the flu. I don't get sick like I used to.
The swine flu vaccine really scares me so we will not be getting it. They have not done enough testing on it, and there are too many things that go wrong with vaccines for me to put my family at risk.
I think that healthy eating on a daily basis is much more important. Keep the sugar intake down etc...
Please visit www.mercola.com for more information.
God Bless!
I'm a little more scared this year, too, Barbara. I'm on the fence as well. I've heard scary stuff about the vaccine, too, like Regan mentioned ... I am trying to get more vitamins, good food, fluids, rest into my kids. I'm thinking we'll get the regular flu shot, but I don't know about the H1N1 shot. It's not readily available anyway, and when they do come, they're for kids/others who would be more at risk, and I don't think mine qualify as at risk ...
ReplyDeletei am pretty sure we wont be getting it, though i am certainly worried! a sister of someone in our homeschool group died a few weeks ago. she was 27 weeks pregnant and had a 2 yo at home. being pregnant, it scares me more, but i am just unsure about the vaccine. i dont get the regular flu vaccine either though (but, the kids do have all the other vaccines).
ReplyDeleter
OH MAN what regina just wrote scares the bleep out of me. I am not even 27 weeks yet.
ReplyDeleteWhen this vaccine comes out I will be first in line to get the shot. My kids too. My DH who is in the medical field just got his today.
I wonder why people are not wearing masks etc.... Or closing schools so this does not spread so bad. I am using a lot of sanitizer on my hands and when I pick up my kiddos.
I also have a 13yr old with asthma (exercise induced).
My husband is a nurse and he hasn't gotten the vaccine nor will he unless he's mandated to by the facility where he works.
ReplyDeleteThe kids and I haven't gotten a flu shot in years. Matthew, our 8 year old and I are asthmatics.
We do take multivitamins, zinc (in zicam/coldeeze) and an additional vitamin d supplement. We eat well, wash hands frequently, carry hand sanitizer and routinely disinfect our home.