I found out last night that there are four confirmed cases of H1N1 – aka the “Swine Flu” – at my son’s elementary school right now. One child is in my son’s “cluster”, another is in his teacher’s son’s class. Four days into the school year and it has already begun. What do I do? Should I keep him home from school? Or am I over-reacting?
While I considered what I was going to do, his teacher called me last night. She assured me that they are taking every precaution they can to sanitize the school. Children each have their own supply cases and are told not to share. They use hand sanitizer regularly, they wipe tables down between every “station” change or class change. They are encouraging children to change clothes and even bathe as soon as they get home. They are asking parents not to send children to school with any flu like symptoms. They are doing everything they can. (So many props to his teacher by the way, I can’t imagine how much work it is to try and keep 20 six year olds germ free.)
And I also should repeat what my wonderful mother in law (an experienced nurse and mother of four children herself) has been telling me since this flu began getting so much press months ago: “H1N1 is just another strain of the flu. It is NOT dangerous to those without compromised immune systems. Everyone is over-reacting entirely too much.”
Well, considering how fast this strain spreads, I am very grateful it is not as dangerous because it is impossible to protect children from germ exchange. My son’s teacher can sani-wipe those tables every five minutes but its all for nil if one kid (my kid?) picks his nose and high fives his best friend, right?
But another class mom decided not to send her son today. It’s Friday, one day off (plus a weekend) can’t hurt. If you can avoid being exposed to the flu as much as possible, you would right?
However, this is only the beginning. I have a feeling we will be seeing many, MANY more cases of H1N1 at my son’s school this year. A local Tampa school reportedly has 30% of their student body out with H1N1 so far. Am I going to keep him home every time another case surfaces? First grade won’t get very far if I do. I don’t think this is something we can avoid. Shoot, we were in Target yesterday – how many H1N1 germs did we brush up against? And I didn’t sanitize my kids when we got back to the car either. Oops.
So, if it were your child, four days into the school year with four confirmed cases of H1N1 (*SO FAR*), would you keep your son home today?
Me being me, I did some research last night. I found the CDC’s “Guidance for State and Local Public Health Officials and School Administrators for School (K-12) Responses to Influenza during the 2009-2010 School Year” document interesting. Basically? From the way it reads it seems as if the horse has already left the barn. The virus is out there and spreading fast. So how does a school decide when to send their kids home? Well. It’s up to them. If there is an increased severity of H1N1 as compared to the Spring of 2009 (um yeah, I’m thinking there will be…), they suggest the following regarding school dismissal:
“School and health officials should work closely to balance the risks of flu in their community with the disruption dismissals will cause in both education and the wider community. The length of time schools should be dismissed will vary depending on the type of dismissal as well as the severity and extent of illness. Schools that dismiss students should do so for five to seven calendar days and should reassess whether or not to resume classes after that period. Schools that dismiss students should remain open to teachers and staff so they can continue to provide instruction through other means.
Reactive dismissals might be appropriate when schools are not able to maintain normal functioning for example, when a significant number and proportion of students have documented fever while at school despite recommendations to keep ill children home.
Preemptive dismissals can be used proactively to decrease the spread of flu. CDC may recommend preemptive school dismissals if the flu starts to cause severe disease in a significantly larger proportion of those affected.”
And along with hand-washing and proactive germ war-fare they also do suggest (parents, pay close attention here) that:
“Those with flu-like illness should stay home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever, or signs of a fever, without the use of fever-reducing medicines. They should stay home even if they are using antiviral drugs.”
So after all this consideration, what did I do about my six year old going to school today? Well, I really wanted to talk to my pediatrician before I decided. But no go, they were closed when I found out last night and school starts before they opened this morning. So. As I lay in bed hemming and hawing this morning, I heard: “HACK, cough cough, HACK, HAAAACK.” Shocking. My six year old has developed a cold. Yeah but that’s all I needed to push my “on the fence-ness” over the side. It could be a cold, it could be a start of something else. So I’ve decided I am going to keep him home today.
However, I know I can’t keep him out every time I hear the word “H1N1″ so I am going to call his pediatrician (who tends to err on the side of caution usually) and follow their recommendations from here on out. I am waiting for their office to open now. So while I wait – we wait, really – please enjoy this MUSICAL INTERLUDE.
(a blogger “on hold” if you will…)
(And I soooo love The Carpenters by the way so if you bust on Karen, you are going down….)
….Aaaaand we’re back.
I just spoke to a very helpful nurse at my son’s pediatrician’s office. She said the following:
- The Swine Flu (H1N1) is no different than any other flu and the preventative measures are the same: wash hands regularly, don’t share bottles, don’t drink from water fountains, use hand sanitizer, you know the routine.
- Stay home if you see any signs of the flu in your child. Symptoms at their office have included a very high fever, headache, very congested thick cough, runny nose, glassy eyes.
- If they do have this or any flu, they should stay home 5 days after the onset of the flu.
- So far H1N1 has been milder than the regular flu and they have not seen any serious cases at their practice yet.
- Those who should be especially concerned about exposure are those with young infants, pregnant women, elderly relatives or any folks with compromised immune systems.
- Be sure to get your child a flu shot this year since many strains are expected to be virilant. (I did some research on the H1N1 vaccine and here is what I found.)
So basically? Yeah, I am probably over-reacting by keeping him home today. Sure he has a cough but if its JUST a cough, it’s probably just a cold. She could not emphasize enough how important it is that we sanitize as much as possible everywhere we go – but these preventative measures go for ALL strains of the flu, not just the Swine Flu. The Swine Flu is just one of many kinds of strains going around this year – and it’s not even the most serious strain. But that strain just happened to get the most press.
If flu strains were actors, consider H1N1 the Lindsey Lohan strain. Not the most impressive of all the strains, but the one that gets the most paparazzi.
(Um, that’s my analogy, not the nurse’s.)
Oh and my mother in law? She was kind of right. Just for the record.
Happy three day weekend to my coughing (although it’s probably just a cold) six year old.
Update: My youngest did end up having Swine Flu very shortly after this post was written. Thankfully, after immediate treatment with Tamiflu, it really was no worse than any other flu experiences for us. And that has been the same for most friends and family members who’ve experienced it so far. But I do know that hasn’t been the case for everyone. It sounds as if this strain has had varied reactions depending on the person and the time it was caught. My best wishes for health and healing to everyone until this passes.
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18 comments ↓
Where on earth did you find that picture? That is unbelievable! Great blog
My son’s school got hit by H1N1 just before summer – I got the note officially on the last day of school – after my own son had a flu virus and missed the second last day of school, lol. Which means my son probably had H1N1. He was sick for about 2 days total – then he was fine and it really, really was no big deal and no different than the regular flu.
I definitely think H1N1 could be a problem, if your family has risk factors, but mostly because ANY flu can be dangerous if you are immuno-compromised. Hope that your research has helped you relax a little!
That picture is grossing out this germaphobe! I would have done exactly what you did. It was a cough, right? Thanks for doing all that legwork so I don’t have to. And as for the Carpenters, rock on, Karen. We must add them to our Type A Mom Conference playlist.
Sounds like you made a well-informed decision… Well, that’s at least one advantage to homeschooling! :) Can I say that here?
Oh my sweet Caroline! Your semi-neurosis is one of my favorite things about you! But, sadly you are not alone. The press has made this common strain of the flu, into something it is not. But, always do what makes you feel better, you are the mommy. As much as T’s teacher tried to reassure you… there is NO way to keep any child anywhere germ-free (I have been trying to master that for 8 years in my own classroom). And, if you do their immune system would be so weak it would be pitiful.
Schools have all the precautions in place this year, due to the panic caused last year. Again, you are not alone…. Love you :)
PS- No to home schooling, and a very big YES to the Carpenters !
We found similar research and information and came to the same conclusions -over hype by the media! Can’t blame them since it’s just what they do, right?
But for us, we’re going to try not to panic (easier said than done, at least for me), take precautions, keep an eye out for early symptoms and try to stay healthy. It won’t be easy but we don’t jump into vaccines that aren’t required by our schools so it’s what we need to do.
Thanks for sharing your experience…I wish you a healthy season!
Thank you so much for this posting. It’s so easy to say “the media is blowing it out of proportion” until a child in your kid’s kindergarten class is in the ICU. Then all of a sudden you’re a madwoman on the computer, looking for anything that tells you what to do next!
The fact that it attacks and sometimes kills children with NO underlying conditions is why it so scary to many of us.
It’s hitting our school right now and I for one will choose to error on the side of caution.
Stay Healthy!
So what do you do when you are the parent that has children with immune problems? And there is a swine flu running wild in your kids school… then what would you do? I have lost so many nights sleep over this and nightmares worrying about sending my kid to school with the possibility of getting this… and knowing my child isnt normal immune system wise. We cant fight anything without medical intervention. I am almost at the point of homeschooling… last year we didnt finish out the year due to illness and we were on IV medication. I dont want to become another parent crying on the news so what would you do if you were me?
thanks
-Niki-
I feel what you’re saying Niki as my son has Asthma and his school is full of students out with H1N1. I worry everyday when i send him to school. As of right now i can’t even get a H1N1 shot for him as nobody has them. He can’t get the live nasal mist because of his Asthma which makes it even harded. From what i hear the fevers are around 104 and last about 3-4 days. I’m so worried my kid will end up in the hospital if he gets sick.
I’m scared to death of this virus because my little girl has chronic asthma. She has a history of hospitalizations, ER visits over her asthma. She is also on steroid medication which lowers her immune system. H1N1 is in her school. I cant sleep at night. I am keeping her home this week, but what if next week its even worse. Am I over-reacting or should I pull her out and homeschool her until shes vaccinated completely, whch would probably be another month. Any advice? Im going crazy.
It is such a tough call to make whether we send our kids to school or not when there have been cases of H1N1. I think the first person to ask is always your pediatricians and how they would recommend you protect your children. This flu is everywhere – not just in the schools. And I have heard 1 in 3 people may potentially be infected. Yes the flu is scary and dangerous to those with compromised immune systems. But I have not heard it is any more dangerous than flu strains from years past, this one just spreads fast and has gotten more news coverage than past strains. Regardless, it is impossible to keep our children home and protected from every strain that is out there. That being said, maybe the H1N1 vac is worth considering if your child may not cope with the flu well. I say always talk to your doctor – they should tell you when to panic or what sort of protection you should provide your child.
Thank you tcmom. What you said helps. I guess I’m just in a panic because she has asthma. Plus I think I need to turn off the nightly news. I think you are right about it just getn more coverage in the media. That’s half the reason for my panic, I think. She had her h1n1 vaccine 7 days ago but it was only a half dose due to her age. she has to wait another month for her next dose. But with the rate it is spreading I’m afraid a month will be too late. So, I’m hoping that a half dose will make it a little more mild and will help protect her some ifshe does get it. Thank you!!!!
I’m in the same boat as I’m very worried about how to handle the school thing. I got both my kids vaccinated yesterday and myself as I WON’T take ANY chances with the health of my family. The vaccination is your only HOPE against protecting yourself against this at all. I don’t understand parents that DON’T vaccinate as your not only putting yourself at risk but OTHERS as well and how can you feel good about that?
To the blogger…has your child had swine flu yet? Well mine has and so have I….Just recently as a matter of fact and guess what NOOO its not like the regular flu!! its like a super flu even if you have a good immune system! tylenol and motrin dont touch the fever! it immediantly goes to the lungs! SO FROM MY EXPERIENCE IT IS WAY DIFFERENT FROM THE REGULAR FLU…SOMETIMES EVEN ITS SYMPTOMS! I am taking my child OUT of pulbic school till maybe it will go away some..My childs school is full of it and guess what they arent shutting it down so guess what im not subjecting my kid to dozens of kids that have the swine flu! I dont care what the health care officials say they dont want to PANIC mothers so they are saying its like the regular flu! Well a child just died this past week from the swine flu ! 5 years old no underlying illnesses!
Christi – See my update above. Sorry to hear its been so tough for you and I hope everyone recovers quickly. The good news is that once you have it, you’re immune. Best wishes.
Its ashamed we have to quarantine people with this flu but of course very necessary. It’s amazing how quickly and easily this flu can spread.
Thankfully H1N1 appears to have settleddown and was not as bad as many expected. Even so, I would not send my kids to school if there were confirmed cases and those kids were attending. Of course if they stayed home then that is different.
It looks like it’s under control for this season. Hopefully, we will not have to go through this again.
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