So far we are on our fourth day at home. It's a bit like house
arrest, even though my husband has spelled me for a few hours each day. My
surroundings are becoming a bit too familiar, but I am glad I am able to
check on our children -- to see if they are feeling better and if they are
responding to the medicine properly. It provides me with great peace of
mind.
CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta provided
reassuring advice this week regarding H1N1. The overall message -- that the
H1N1 virus is different, but at this point, not significantly worse than the
seasonal flu.
"The majority of children who develop flu-like symptoms this
fall will have a few miserable days, and nothing more," he noted. "H1N1 is
causing only mild to moderate illness, not the widespread deaths people are
worried about."
He added that you should call your doctor if:
-- A baby younger than 12 weeks has a fever greater than 100.4
degrees Fahrenheit.
-- A child older than 12 weeks has a fever for three days.
-- A child's fever returns after a 12- to 24-hour time period.
-- A child is not passing urine or making tears for more than
six hours.
-- A child does not smile or show interest in playing for
several hours.
You should dial 911 if your child cannot speak while trying to
breathe; has a blue or dark purple color to the nail beds, lips or gums; or
is not responding to you because he is too tired or weak.
Gupta's final note replicated the advice of our school nurse:
Children can return to school after going 24 hours without a fever and
without the aid of fever-reducing medicine.
It's easy to fan the fires of fear, but it is important to slow
down and assess the situation. While government should have a role in
monitoring the disease, providing information and working with industry on
vaccinations, as with many things the proper response to the swine flu
pandemic includes individual responsibility.
Practice good hygiene, sleep well, and eat right. If you have a
fever, stay home. If you have school-age children, plan ahead regarding who
will stay home with them while they have a fever, and have over-the-counter
fever reducers on hand. If the symptoms warrant, seek medical assistance.
We still cannot mention H1N1 or swine flu in front of our
children due to their fears, but at least with additional information, I am
sleeping a bit easier -- with only one eye open instead of both.