sobering thought: deadly flu epidemic this year

[DiW]

Back in Oct, my 14yo had to have a physical to play on the HS bowling team (seems crazy but rules are rules). Anyway, the doctor insisted he get the flu vaccine since he has numerous medical problems. The doctor also strongly suggested that my other kids get flu shots since he believes everyone in the home of a chronically ill person should be vaccinated. My girls didn't mind so they got their shots too. Now I'm glad, although at that time I received grief from some adults who thought I was going overboard. Now we hear there have been even more deaths and the flu is heading out this way (NJ). I heard PA was just added to the list of states that are infected.

On another note, be safe and if your child is getting worse, go to the doctor/hospital. A couple years ago, my son was fine one minute (watching a baseball game) and the next minute he felt ill and got a 102 fever. Of course, it was 10pm and I didn't want to bother the doctor, gave him Advil, figuring he'd be better by morning. By the next morning, his fever was 105 and rising and he couldn't stand/walk and was incoherent. It was really scary to see him like that and it came on so suddenly. He spent the day in 2 different ERs and finally around 11pm, he was diagnosed with a significant case of pneumonia. He had no cold symptoms or cough or anything so the doctors didn't suspect that... Since then, J has had pneumonia 3 more times but now we watch every cold because it almost always turns into pneumonia.

Diane

[NightOwl]

On another note, be safe and if your child is getting worse, go to the doctor/hospital. A couple years ago, my son was fine one minute (watching a baseball game) and the next minute he felt ill and got a 102 fever. Of course, it was 10pm and I didn't want to bother the doctor, gave him Advil, figuring he'd be better by morning. By the next morning, his fever was 105 and rising and he couldn't stand/walk and was incoherent. It was really scary to see him like that and it came on so suddenly. He spent the day in 2 different ERs and finally around 11pm, he was diagnosed with a significant case of pneumonia. He had no cold symptoms or cough or anything so the doctors didn't suspect that... Since then, J has had pneumonia 3 more times but now we watch every cold because it almost always turns into pneumonia.

Diane

Di, and  Teri, useful points!    I bet many of us here have had similar experiences and fears.  When Alice was about 4, she had a "common cold" that just hung on.  No great rattling cough or high fever ( her temp was  elevated  less than a third of a degree.) or  other  outstanding symptoms  But   she really seemed "different" somehow than when she usually had a cold, although I couldnt exactly say what it was.  

 Well,  it was late on a Friday afternoon on a typical grim, raw March  Michigan day.  so I decided not to call the Pediatrician.   I mean it is embarrassing to take your kid when there is really nothing seriously  wrong and you know the waiting room will be full of kids who are really sick and the doctor really needs to get home for supper just like all the rest of us.  Right?  

Well,  at the very last minute, I decided to call and see if the dr. thought  we should come in anyhow.  They said, bring her in and we'll take a quick look. .  I did, and she had a FULL-BLOWN CASE OF PNEUMONIA!  The dr, said  in just a few hours, we'd have ended up in the ER and then, with a very sick kid in the hospital.

And then she said something  that I have remembered ever since and blessed her momory for.  "I trust my mothers.  They know their kids better than any doctor and they have great instincts!  So even if the symptoms arent dramatic, when a mommy tells me 'something is just not right here with my child,'  I always listen and I WANT to see that kid! "

Back to the flu.  There are  39,000 deaths from it every year in the US alone!  And it is not just old people or chronically sick people, but  from all age groups and walks of life.  It strikes randomly and sometimes no one really knows why someone young and healthy dies from it, BUT THEY DO!

As to Teri's remarks.  These bad reactions to vaccines make  it really hard to know what is the right thing to do.   One year when the flu shots were  "flawed"  (the government's own admission) a young healthy friend came down with Guilliame Barre syndrome shortly after having her shot--maybe co-incidence and maybe not, although medical authorities at the time suspected a connection  These questions  leave everyone in a real dilemna about prevention.

Oh, and yes--Camperoo, about the handwashing.   There are even ads here  on tv now saying this over and over!  Like avoiding the "spray" from idiots who cough or sneeze in your face, it  isnt high tech or glamorous  but it's one of the most effective things anyone can do any time of year to avoid getting sick.

(By the way, wash off  your doorknobs, phones, and steering wheel every now and then, too.)

[Acts 2:38 girl]

I'm scared to get a flu shot because I know five people this year (from different areas, but all in Oklahoma) who came down with the flu the day after receiving the shot, and now they have a sore arm to go with it!
I know it's a killed virus and doesn't cause the flu - I'm not doubting that. But my theory is that your immune system is down a bit from your body making the antibodies so if you are exposed the virus (or were already exposed at the time of the vaccination but your body unbeknownest to you was busy fighting it) what might have otherwise been a slight case that you barely noticed because your white blood cells had it under control could become a full-fledged flu.
*shrug* I have no idea, but I'm just leery of it at this point. I'm not sure if I'm going to take the kids in to get their shot or not.
-Teri

DH got the flu shot one year at the Fire Dept, and came down with it almost immediatly.  I went to get mine the other day, drive about 45 minutes to old Dr in MA, and when I got there they were about to give it to me and asked casually, "Are you perfectly healthy"  It was obvoius to anyone my by voice that I had a cold!  Well, they can't give it to you unless your in perfect health because it can make you very sick!!  That could be the reason for people getting sick after.  No one bothered to mention it to me on the phone when I called them.  Wish they had - would've saved me an 1 1/2 hour trip for nothing.  And now the kids Dr office finally has more vacination in, they all have colds!!    :rolleyes: