Okay, so I'm certain all of us have seen the news. There is a widespread flu outbreak this year. Doctors are predicting this could become a pandemic and that hundreds of thousands of people could die. Now I know some doctors are always spreading the gloom and doom and that the media has way over-sensationalized this story, but I have a toddler who is obviously too young to take vitamin C, Echinacea, or get a flu shot. So many children have already died with this nasty flu and now it has hit hard here in Georgia. They say we're now one of 26 states to have a widespread flu epidemic. I've been exposed to it mildly because it seems just about everybody I come into contact with has had the flu or they have a spouse/child/co-worker/etc. that has it. One of my vendors had to rush her infant son to the emergency room with the flu. Praise God he survived. My son is not in daycare so he's not exposed directly to children who have the virus or could be carriers but that also presents the problem of him not being exposed to alot of illnesses. I'm very careful about washing my hands and taking off my work clothes when I get home.
My question is this, for those of you who are doctors or medically savvy, other than the precautions I'm taking now (and praying) what can I do to safeguard my son from getting sick? What are the odds of me being a carrier? Maybe I'm a little overly cautious, but I would never be able to forgive myself if I gave my little boy the flu and he died.
Well I'm in medical school, so I'll give it a shot (pun intended!)
I agree - the flu season is really scary this year, especially with the kids dying. Colorado has been hit hard as well. However, the percentage of kids who die is still pretty low. Most flu deaths are seen in the elderly, and in people with compromised immune systems (AIDS, cancer, etc). Healthy children rarely die from the flu. Of course if I was a parent, I'd still worry since the word is rarely and not never!
To protect your toddler, I recommend getting yourself, and anyone else in the household vaccinated so you don't spread it to him. Be totally obsessive about hand-washing (think Leviticus!!). Also - keep your son away from people who are ill. The vaccine is not as effective this year, but it does offer some protection, has very very few adverse effects, and is cheap usually. By the way, how old is your toddler? I've read that older than 6 months is safe.
Also: keep a vigilant eye on your child. Buy a thermometer if you don't have one. Watch his signs and symptoms carefully. Here's what the docs are saying around here to watch for:
Originally Posted by Denver Post
The telltale signs of an especially severe strain of influenza that is ravaging Colorado children are always the same: raging fevers that won't come down; little mouths that wheeze with croupy coughs and gasp for air; glassy, dazed eyes that stare aimlessly; bodies limp with fatigue; and tiny hands that push away juice and water.
Doctors advise parents to be on the lookout for fevers 103 and higher, particularly those that do not respond to over-the-counter medications. Other warning signs are excessive thirst and disorientation.
If in doubt - call the local hospital. And - try not to worry since a great majority of tykes survive the flu season just fine and are soon running around the house making a mess!
I don't know if you are familiar with homeopathy but during the flu epidemic of the early 1900's it is noted for how successfully people responded to it. You can find homeopathic flu vaccines and they are safe for children. The only other thing I can add is to make sure your family eats good foods and keeps their immune system strong.
As stated above, unless your child is younger than 6 months he is NOT too young for the immunization. Check with your pediatrician if you are unsure. I agree with the other posters...wash you hands...alot...ban anyone with active symptoms from active participation in get togethers especially at this time of the year. Watch for symptoms and seek help if you are concerned.
I strongly urge people to get the FDA medical vaccine. It's cheap, safe, and works fairly well (although not 100% effective because of the tricky flu virus.)
Sweetbriar - do you have any links about homeopathy and influenza? I could only find these, which do not support using homeopathy in place of the standard tried-and-true vaccine.
I do think homeopathy and alternative medicines can work in some situations - but just like anything, each one has to be scientifically evaluated individually.
There is also evidence from randomized, controlled trials that homeopathy may be effective for the treatment of influenza, allergies, postoperative ileus, and childhood diarrhea. Evidence suggests that homeopathy is ineffective for migraine, delayed-onset muscle soreness, and influenza prevention. There is a lack of conclusive evidence on the effectiveness of homeopathy for most conditions. Homeopathy deserves an open-minded opportunity to demonstrate its value by using evidence-based principles, but it should not be substituted for proven therapies.
In other words - if you get the flu - homeopathic remedies might help with the symptoms. But as of today, there is no evidence that homeopathic vaccines or remedies will help prevent the flu.
Please understand it is not my intention to get into a debate in regards to homeopathy. I have successfully used homeopathy in my own family alone and with the help of homeopathic medical physicians for over 15 years and through experience I am offering suggestions to the original poster simply for her to consider and investigate. I'm not trying to convert anyone.
Homeopathy does indeed offer flu vaccines although even within the homeopathic community "vaccination" is up for debate... even homeopathic vaccination. However saying that, homeopathy is safe and therefore any homeopathic vaccine given is not dangerous. The whole goal of homeopathy is to strengthen the immune system to protect itself..
Many people use Dolivaxil as their flu vaccine, or the influenza nososde, or they take Oscillococcinum has a preventative or as a remedy after getting the flu which considerably lessens the severity and duration of the flu.
You can find bad press about homeopathy just as you can about anything. For myself I have seen it successfully used numerous times as a preventative and as a cure not only in humans but in animals as well. My son who is now 11 has only used antibiotics twice in his entire life thanks to a homepathic medical physician. And the two times he needed antibiotics was b/c I had moved and didn't know a good homeopathic physician to consult at the time.
Regardless of how anyone feels about homeopathy there is no debate about it's success during the 1918 flu epidemic. Infectiious disease is where homeopathy really flies.
If anyone has concern about the flu and wishes to investigate homeopathy I would suggest they do their own search on it and be fully convinced in their own mind. Then I would suggest locating a homeopathic physician for help and guidance. This has worked well for me. It's my contribution to the discussion. You can take it or leave it.
No worries - thank you for your thoughtful post. Of course I'm currently being indoctrinated into the ways of Western Medicine (TM) but I do think there are a lot of things we don't understand about our health, and some of those answers may lie in alternative medicine. My concern is that people will abandon things that we know work pretty well (vaccines) instead of using western and alternative medicine to comliment each other! There's a town near here called Boulder,CO - where parents refuse to get their kids vaccinated and at least 2 to 3 little babies die each year of diphtheria - unnecessarily in my opinion.
Do you have any links about homeopathy and the 1918 influenza pandemic? Thanks in advance,
I don't have enough posts on this forum to provide links for external sites. I tried but was told I need 15 posts. Sorry. Try doing a search for homeopathy and the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918. You will probably come up with some info. Or check any homeopathic books at a book store. Some libraries even carry books on homeopathy now. You will find it to be absolutely fascinating.
Linear Mode
