If you typically limit activities/stay in more during flu season...

[Tree House Academy]

when do you start to resume normal activity? I realize this isn't a normal flu season either, so when will you start to resume activity this season?

 

I ask this because we have been staying in more. My kids have not gotten the vaccine (and I am not sure we plan to), so we limied sports and such for the winter just to limit exposure to ps kids really. However, I think I may go batty. LOL We go out and do stuff - we go to wal-mart and the grocery store (we just hand sanitize more often than we would have normally and we flee if someone is hacking), we still do the drive thru to eat out and sometimes we even go to restaurants (again, hand sanitizer). But I miss co-op and my older son misses sports. I am really thinking of throwing caution to the wind and just letting him go back. Geesh! LOL

 

So all of you "stay in more/limit activities" folks...HELP. :lol:

[Ali in OR]

I was talking to my dad last night. He is a pulmonologist and he thinks what we're seeing flu-wise will only get worse this winter. The H1N1 activity they are seeing at his hospital is unprecedented for this time of year (many on ventilators, a couple of deaths, all under 40 years old). So he's expecting it to get worse this winter. Seasonal flu typically peaks in February. If the goal is to limit activities during flu season, I think you have to limit through the winter at least. Maybe participate in spring sports/activities.

 

We're tentatively planning to participate in winter co-op. We did fall co-op and my kids are now vaccinated. People have been good about staying home if sick.

[G5052]

We're involved in a co-op, one sport, and one type of music lesson, but I decided that I'd do my grocery and errands alone when I can go without kids. Yes, you can "shed" before you get sick, but at least for the kids' activities, I know that kids that are actually sick stay home because the leaders have been very strong about keeping them away. At the grocery store and other places, it's more likely IMHO.

 

From all I've read, this will go on until April or so. We know do know one kid that was transferred to a childrens' hospital with complications that had been involved in our sport, but she had not been out in a few weeks because of a heavy homework load.

[BridgeTea]

when do you start to resume normal activity?

 

I've decided we have a new normal around here, and I plan to keep this pattern until the spring winds are a-blowin' ;). Mostly we'll skip martial arts for awhile because my girl spars, and that's just too up close and personal during flu season. We switched to swimming instead. That happens at a virtually empty pool at 8 in the morning. (No lingering cooties there, right?:tongue_smilie:) She has lots of outside trips, but no large groups of children other than church and everyone there is being good and vigilant. We just try to stay out of the general public places during peak times now.

 

In spite of our new schedule, we think she had H1N1 last week. We can only do so much.

[Tree House Academy]

I've decided we have a new normal around here, and I plan to keep this pattern until the spring winds are a-blowin' ;). Mostly we'll skip martial arts for awhile because my girl spars, and that's just too up close and personal during flu season. We switched to swimming instead. That happens at a virtually empty pool at 8 in the morning. (No lingering cooties there, right?:tongue_smilie:) She has lots of outside trips, but no large groups of children other than church and everyone there is being good and vigilant. We just try to stay out of the general public places during peak times now.

 

In spite of our new schedule, we think she had H1N1 last week. We can only do so much.

 

My son sparrs too and that was one of my considerations.

[Tree House Academy]

We know do know one kid that was transferred to a childrens' hospital with complications that had been involved in our sport, but she had not been out in a few weeks because of a heavy homework load.

 

That is awful! Is she doing better now?

[Ritsumei]

So, if you typically do this, do you think it makes a difference? I'm feeling like there's not tons you can do right this minute. My little guy has had 2 different icky bugs, the current one is probably influenza, and basically the only place we go is to church and the various stores, since we haven't started the whole lessons/coops/activities thing yet. But even with such minimal exposure, he's been sick the past 2 1/2 weeks with 2 different colds. Is it really worth it? Do you notice a difference? I mean, he goes to church and his class is full of kids that do daycare/preschool, and nearly all of them have older siblings in public school... I'm wondering if it's going to make any difference, since he's probably going to be exposed at church anyway...

 

And it's not like church is dirty or anything. Folks stay home when they're sick, for the most part, and they brought in gihugeous tubs of hand sanitizer and keep them sitting around. I know they use sanitizer routinely in his class, even when it's not flu season. But he's still sick.

 

It's all very frustrating. :001_unsure:

[Tree House Academy]

So, if you typically do this, do you think it makes a difference? I'm feeling like there's not tons you can do right this minute. My little guy has had 2 different icky bugs, the current one is probably influenza, and basically the only place we go is to church and the various stores, since we haven't started the whole lessons/coops/activities thing yet. But even with such minimal exposure, he's been sick the past 2 1/2 weeks with 2 different colds. Is it really worth it? Do you notice a difference? I mean, he goes to church and his class is full of kids that do daycare/preschool, and nearly all of them have older siblings in public school... I'm wondering if it's going to make any difference, since he's probably going to be exposed at church anyway...

 

And it's not like church is dirty or anything. Folks stay home when they're sick, for the most part, and they brought in gihugeous tubs of hand sanitizer and keep them sitting around. I know they use sanitizer routinely in his class, even when it's not flu season. But he's still sick.

 

It's all very frustrating. :001_unsure:

 

Well, for us, so far (fingers crossed) is HAS worked. I am hypervigilant though and we actually don't go to church right now. No matter what, when you get kids together, they are going to spread germs. I take my kids to the grocery store, but we hand sanitize constantly. The kids are told, repeatedly to NOT touch their faces and they are learning not to! :) Sometimes I go overboard on the precautions, but that is okay.

 

The only thing I really do worry about is that I am, in some way, not allowing them to develop "herd immunity" by just being around others. I am still torn on this, though. My kids do go out...just not in close contact with other kids right now. They still breathe the air at wal-mart! LOL We do tend to move quickly away from anyone who happens to be hacking up a lung these days, though.

[pageta]

I know when I used to play for mass at a small country church, they didn't shake hands during mass during the flu season. The priest told me they used to consider the flu season when Daylight Savings Time wasn't in force, but since they've changed the dates on that, the guideline would be about a month before to about a month after the time changes. If nothing else, it's an easy way to remember.

[stripe]

I'd try to get outside, maybe in a more open area, so that you don't stay cooped up all winter long. I think that is not healthy. I do try to avoid people during flu season, I confess.

[Tree House Academy]

I'd try to get outside, maybe in a more open area, so that you don't stay cooped up all winter long. I think that is not healthy. I do try to avoid people during flu season, I confess.

 

We live on a 60 acre farm, so we get outside...a lot! LOL Sometimes, in the middle of the day, we just take "recess" and go play with the chickens. We have woods to hike in, and a lot of flat land to run and play on. We have barns, chickens, and pigs too...just incase we get bored. The only thing I really worry about is their lack of interaction with other kids. My older son is really social and needs the time he had with the ps kids at his TKD practices. He really misses them. My little fella could care less. He could stay home for life and not mind. He is just that kinda kid. ;)

[lauracolumbus]

What about getting together with a few other kids that you know are as vigilant as you are.

 

We're still doing coop, church and sports, but have limited other extras.

 

Laura

[MariannNOVA]

Hi, Rebecca: You and I have written about this twelve ways from Sunday, but I thought I'd join in :001_smile:. I was at my doctor today to get prescription refills and I asked about how the H1N1 flu season was going since the waiting room was empty and this is a HUGE practice (30 doctors?).

She told me that they have anyone with flu symptoms go to a totally different floor of the building and they are seeing flu patients there in the 'flu clinic.' And it's for any kind of upper respiratory symptoms -- well patients are being seen in the typical location.

 

I asked her if they are swabbing for H1N1, how they are determining if it is seasonal flu or H1N1, can they see a difference in the way the patient presents, and all sorts of nosy questions. She told me initially she observed that high fever was what set the H1N1 patient apart from the seasonal flu patient in their practice, then as she began seeing more of it, she said it became obvious to her (and others in the practice) that the H1N1 patients (mind you, this is an adult practice so they are not seeing children)were much sicker than the seasonal flu or upper respiratory infection patients - sicker by way of very high fever, very bad cough----and she said that it was difficult to explain, but the H1N1 patients were just all over quite ill -- like the flu but ratcheted up a few notches. She said that the practice now had a couple of hundred doses of vaccine that they were administering, but before that, most folks who presented with symptoms said that they had not been able to get the vaccine - which does seem likely as Fairfax County only received theirs a few weeks ago and children and pregnant woman were the first recipients. I told her that I wasn't even in the age group for the vaccine (the cut off is 49) - and she agreed that I didn't need to be worried about it. I told her that I wasn't inclined to get it for the kids, and we discussed what we were doing in the alternative (D3, probiotics, cholostrum, other supplements, limiting exposure) and she agreed that we were doing everything they were telling their patients to do.

So - we have handbells and choir at church and this week we start basketball - I am diligent about keeping my kids in at the slightest sign of illness......I hope others around here are doing the same. We aren't swimming at the Town Rec Center, we are swimming at the hotel pool but my kids are the only ones who use the pool, and we are shooting alot of hoops in our own driveway when we go to the house to check the mail. Pretty soon, we'd be cooped up anyway b/c of bad weather so we are trying to enjoy the Indian Summer weather we are having.

A few months ago - August, I think, my pediatrician told me (I had asked) that they would consider H1N1 to be an issue if they began seeing an active flu season in October. Well, they are seeing it - in mid-September, they were having folks use gloves and masks and asking folks with upper respiratory symptoms to sit in a waiting room they had set up in a different office. In mid-October, when I called to bring DD in for an ADHD med management appointment, they told me to come in alone and just pick up the script but not to bring her to the office.

So, in light of that, I have to say that the two practices that my family use seem to be taking precautionary measures to limit exposure. I'm hoping that with the efforts we are making at home, we can stay healthy....and sane!:D

[Tree House Academy]

Thanks for sharing what your doctors have said Mariann! It sounds like they are doing a great job of limiting exposures through the alternative clinic! Wow!

 

I would love to sit down and pick a doctor's brain about H1N1! LOL I would have to find one I really trust to tell me the truth first, though. My kids' pediatricians seem to promote every vaccine that comes through the door and when I tell them I homeschool they give me "the look." I don't much care for them in that respect, but they are definitely good doctors otherwise (as in treating actual illnesses).

 

I may send ds back to TKD. There are only about 10 ps kids that take the class. Maybe we can do the regular class and just skip sparring for the season.

 

Something that strikes me as odd but that I have not heard mentioned really is that, back in the summer, those people who had Type A flu were very mildly ill, it seemed. Remember how they were talking about people having it and not even really realizing they had the flu? Now, it seems that most people who are getting it are SICK. Not just mild, "hmm...wonder if this is a sinus infection" sick, but really, really sick. I wonder if the virulence is worse now, if the virus is just proving to be a bit stronger since it is winter, if people are just weakened over all due to lack of vitamin D because of the cooler weather, or what? And I have to admit, I am a bit fearful of what "wave 3" will look like...

[Ritsumei]

Interesting thing, I took a look at the CDC's website tonight. Posted about it on my blog, actually. But I did some percentages, based on the CDC numbers. That H1N1 swine flu has a .05% death rate. As in, they think they've had around 13 million cases, and only about 6100 deaths (those are both the upper limits on the numbers). The regular influenza has around 36,000 deaths each year. Looking at those numbers this afternoon did a lot to ease my concerns. Though the influenza thing that Monkey currently has is definitely NOT fun.

[MariannNOVA]

Thanks for sharing what your doctors have said Mariann! It sounds like they are doing a great job of limiting exposures through the alternative clinic! Wow!

 

I would love to sit down and pick a doctor's brain about H1N1! LOL I would have to find one I really trust to tell me the truth first, though. My kids' pediatricians seem to promote every vaccine that comes through the door and when I tell them I homeschool they give me "the look." I don't much care for them in that respect, but they are definitely good doctors otherwise (as in treating actual illnesses).

 

I may send ds back to TKD. There are only about 10 ps kids that take the class. Maybe we can do the regular class and just skip sparring for the season.

 

Something that strikes me as odd but that I have not heard mentioned really is that, back in the summer, those people who had Type A flu were very mildly ill, it seemed. Remember how they were talking about people having it and not even really realizing they had the flu? Now, it seems that most people who are getting it are SICK. Not just mild, "hmm...wonder if this is a sinus infection" sick, but really, really sick. I wonder if the virulence is worse now, if the virus is just proving to be a bit stronger since it is winter, if people are just weakened over all due to lack of vitamin D because of the cooler weather, or what? And I have to admit, I am a bit fearful of what "wave 3" will look like...

My thoughts as well. The doc and I spoke about Vit D, and I was impressed that she told me that the practice is testing D3 levels and we spoke about that. She told me that they are advising patients with regard to improving their diet (I almost fell over - when does an allopathic practice do THAT?!), understanding the stress of living in this area, the importance of rest, avoiding crowded places, cooking fresh, healthy foods (I long ago became convinced that most people in fairfax county DO NOT COOK!), so I was pleasantly surprised -- b/c I am also the patient who gets 'the look.' Her thoughts about the Vit D3 is that most people need to increase with supplements and diet - as she thinks (correctly IMO) that most of the folks she sees in the practice eat at restaurants ALOT and have no idea what is in their food.

'WAVE 3' -- I share your concerns as well. I am curious about something else, though: unless I am mistaken, I don't ever recall seeing flu to this extent in October and November. I do recall (and the pediatrician mentioned this to me in August) that January and February were big flu months. SO, I wonder WHY all the increased flu cases now? The doctor told me today that if the doctor suspects H1N1 as opposed to seasonal flu, they aren't swabbing for it, they are prescribing tamiflu immediately. So, that makes me wonder how accurate ~ or rather how inaccurate are the statistics that we are seeing in the media. And, if the individual is swabbed based on the doctor's observation, are they swabbed b/c they appear even sicker than the seasonal flu patient, OR b/c they are rather borderline and the practice doesn't want to withhold Tamiflu from someone who needs it. AND, all that being said, I know from about three years ago when all three of our children came down with flu at the end of the flu season (end of March), all three were given Tamiflu -- SO, aren't seasonal flu patients getting Tamiflu -- a rhetorical question, b/c I know they are - I've asked and my niece and g/daughter were both given Tamiflu and in both cases the moms were told the kids tested neg for H1N1. So, I guess I just wanted to tell you that I agree with you, I think we have to trust our instincts, do what we think is the right thing to do, use common sense, maybe be a little over-protective or isolationist or paranoid, and wait and see. I think there are many months left to this --almost five months in fact. Maybe we all buy alot of Board Games?!:glare:

[crl]

My hubby thinks I'm crazy and being a germaphobic by wanting to limit our outside exposure to others. Then he went to England for 2 weeks on business. 3 days after being there, he came down with a rotten cold that he must have picked up during his flights. Then he came home to find out that almost half the people in his office had been out with the swine flu while he was gone. Now he still thinks I'm a little too cautious, but is understanding me a little more now. Thanks for helping me feel more normal about this.

Edited November 17, 2009 by crl
spelling

[MariannNOVA]

My hubby thinks I'm crazy and being a germaphobic by wanting to limit our outside exposure to others. Then he went to England for 2 weeks on business. 3 days after being there, he came down with a rotten cold that he must have picked up during his flights. Then he came home to find out that almost half the people in his office had been out with the swine flu while he was gone. Now he still thinks I'm a little too cautious, but is understanding me a little more now. Thanks for helping me feel more normal about this.

 

So, then (and I think this is a good thing :001_smile:), more cautious is the new normal, at least in our house.

[Tree House Academy]

Interesting thing, I took a look at the CDC's website tonight. Posted about it on my blog, actually. But I did some percentages, based on the CDC numbers. That H1N1 swine flu has a .05% death rate. As in, they think they've had around 13 million cases, and only about 6100 deaths (those are both the upper limits on the numbers). The regular influenza has around 36,000 deaths each year. Looking at those numbers this afternoon did a lot to ease my concerns. Though the influenza thing that Monkey currently has is definitely NOT fun.

 

 

Even better news, in a way, is that they are saying 22 Million people likely have had it...so the death rate is even lower. However, the biggest concern still seems to be the way it kills younger, healthier people for no apparent reason.

[Tree House Academy]

My thoughts as well. The doc and I spoke about Vit D, and I was impressed that she told me that the practice is testing D3 levels and we spoke about that. She told me that they are advising patients with regard to improving their diet (I almost fell over - when does an allopathic practice do THAT?!), understanding the stress of living in this area, the importance of rest, avoiding crowded places, cooking fresh, healthy foods (I long ago became convinced that most people in fairfax county DO NOT COOK!), so I was pleasantly surprised -- b/c I am also the patient who gets 'the look.' Her thoughts about the Vit D3 is that most people need to increase with supplements and diet - as she thinks (correctly IMO) that most of the folks she sees in the practice eat at restaurants ALOT and have no idea what is in their food.

'WAVE 3' -- I share your concerns as well. I am curious about something else, though: unless I am mistaken, I don't ever recall seeing flu to this extent in October and November. I do recall (and the pediatrician mentioned this to me in August) that January and February were big flu months. SO, I wonder WHY all the increased flu cases now? The doctor told me today that if the doctor suspects H1N1 as opposed to seasonal flu, they aren't swabbing for it, they are prescribing tamiflu immediately. So, that makes me wonder how accurate ~ or rather how inaccurate are the statistics that we are seeing in the media. And, if the individual is swabbed based on the doctor's observation, are they swabbed b/c they appear even sicker than the seasonal flu patient, OR b/c they are rather borderline and the practice doesn't want to withhold Tamiflu from someone who needs it. AND, all that being said, I know from about three years ago when all three of our children came down with flu at the end of the flu season (end of March), all three were given Tamiflu -- SO, aren't seasonal flu patients getting Tamiflu -- a rhetorical question, b/c I know they are - I've asked and my niece and g/daughter were both given Tamiflu and in both cases the moms were told the kids tested neg for H1N1. So, I guess I just wanted to tell you that I agree with you, I think we have to trust our instincts, do what we think is the right thing to do, use common sense, maybe be a little over-protective or isolationist or paranoid, and wait and see. I think there are many months left to this --almost five months in fact. Maybe we all buy alot of Board Games?!:glare:

 

 

Have they changed the "rules" on the tamiflu thing? In my area, they were only giving it to those with a positive flu test who were at risk for complications due to an underlying condition. Seems they are doing something different now...

[plain jane]

I am normally one to cut down slightly on activities during flu season. The kids still have activities, but I'm extremely selective about what I'll send them to and when they come home from say, gymnastics, they get the full scrub-down- shampoo hair, soap up arms/legs. It's a bit much, I know, but it makes me feel better, and I need that. :) Those foam pits in that place are utterly disgusting- they've not been cleaned out since the place opened 10 years ago. :001_huh: :eek: So far, we've never had influenza in our house in over a decade. Now, I'm freaked out that we're going to be oober susceptible because we haven't ever had influenza. :tongue_smilie: I can't seem to win. I do have 2 kids who, while they are considered "healthy", I am extremely concerned about how they would fare through a flu.

 

This year, again, I've been selective about what I put the kids in. I did consider limiting almost every activity, but decided that with how wide-spread H1N1 is, we're bound to get it at some point or another. If it's not this flu season, it'll be next, kwim? We go out to the stores together, to the zoo and even sometimes the playground- though never the ones at the PS. I can't seem to bring myself to do that one.

 

For me, it came down to the value of the activity vs. the risk of getting H1N1. For some activities, like one of the co-ops here, were not worth the risk. What they would get out of the co-op is of far less value than the risk of them getting sick so I didn't sign them up this year even though it was free. I've put them each in 5 activies that I deemed important, and if they end up getting sick from going to those, I know that I personally won't have any regrets because I know that I spent a great deal of time (and I do mean a GREAT deal :tongue_smilie:) carefully weighing out the pros and cons.

 

As for when we'll get back into the real world 100% of the time? Well... I do think it's going to get worse before it gets better and I'm considering stopping ALL outside activities for Jan/Feb. Besides, that'll give us 2 good, solid months of schooling, and what homeschooling mama can resist something like that. :D

Edited November 17, 2009 by plain jane

[LibraryLover]

I can't even begin to figure out how we could stay in more. I so want to. For one, I just don't enjoy the cold, for another, gosh the germs are disgusting.

 

I am constantly reminding them to wash their hands, and been a nag about not rubbing eyes. I've also been pretty much free- basing the garlic. We must reek. The kids have indoor winter track, music, music, music, ballet (along with a zillion nutcracker rehearsals) and I can't seem to put the brakes on any of it.

[Marie in Oh]

is kept our littlest one out of the nursury at church. Otherwise, the rest of the kids have kept up with activities and we have used alot of hand sanitizer-- I have it on my key chain, in the van, in my purse, in the diaper bag, and on the kitchen counter. Pretty much, every time we get in the van from somewhere, we use it. We have not been ill other than 2 kids (4 and 2) with a mild cold with a low grade fever last week. I do think we may have had H1N1 last spring, but who knows.

 

I am fairly good friends with our family med/ped, who is a homeschooling dad of 6. I had littlest in for a well baby last week, so we chatted about flu. He has seen a fair number of flu cases, nothing severe, and he said the cases are getting less and less these last few weeks. He doesn't seem overly concerned. We are not overly concerned either.

 

There was a huge crisis in September when it showed up at our local university where my kids do their music lessons. Then about a month later it hit the grade school. We have been exposed numerous times at soccer, church, music lessons, gymnastics-- you name it. We have upped our raw food consumption, eat freshly made chicken stock several times a week, consume garlic and onion regularly, and have supplemented with D3 and Vit C and fish oil all fall. So far, so good. I really think that is all you can do. I do think everyone seems to be a little more cautious (except the woman who was amazed that her daughter was sent home from gymnastics a few weeks ago with a fever-- her reply was "oh, the Mortin must have worn off " :001_huh:). So there are a few out there who just don't get it.

Edited November 17, 2009 by Marie in Oh

[love2read]

We limit contact activities, but still visit museums and go places where other kids won't be in our face. I understand your concern and feel the same way believing we need to avoid obvious exposure, but you'll go crazy if you cut back on everything. We only got the flu once in the past twenty years and it was in April. Sorry.

[Jennefer@SSA]

We don't do any type of flu shots and we do limit some of our normal activities during flu season. I typically take the boys to Burger King each Wednesday (We call it our "hump day treat:!) for dollar burgers and to play but we are not doing that until March or April. If the weather is nice we are eating in our fort and playing outside and if the weather is crummy/too cold we are having an inside picnic at home and watching a 30 minute educational video. :)

 

The boys are not going to the grocery store with me during this season either. I have come across several times now families who are sick as dogs there to get a script from the doctor filled. While waiting for their script to be filled they have decided to go ahead and pick up groceries ...and in the process infect the entire store! One of these families was a single mom with 2 kids and all had just tested positive for the flu. They were all running high fevers and looked miserable. I felt so bad for her b/c what other option did she have but at the same time I was so frustrated. :confused1:

 

We are still going to church but I put a tiny dab of Neosporin in their noses before we go and as soon as we come home we all gargle with warm salt water. They also wash arms up to the elbows in hot soapy water and their faces as well the second we walk in the door. All are great ways to reduce the amount of virus germs that enter the body. I have read on a different message board I am on that many families are gargling with warm salt water a few times daily throughout the entire season. We are just doing it after exposure to crowds.

 

My boys all have earlier bedtimes this winter to ensure they are getting plenty of sleep so that their bodies have the best chance to fight off anything they may come in contact with. They are drinking tons of water and we are being even more diligent than usual to guard what enters our bodies: tons of healthy soups and lots of veggies and fruits.

 

We are not involved in too many other outside activities so that makes it easier on us, too.

[MariannNOVA]

Have they changed the "rules" on the tamiflu thing? In my area, they were only giving it to those with a positive flu test who were at risk for complications due to an underlying condition. Seems they are doing something different now...

 

With both my grand-daughter and my niece (neither of whom have underlying conditions) they were given the Tamiflu before the results of the swab were in -- and they were both told they tested neg for H1N1 and what they had was seasonal flu.

 

The doctor in the office yesterday told me (what I have known to be protocol all along - but of course, it could have changed with the current flu season and I paid no attention to it) that all flu patients are getting Tamiflu; -- and if they aren't testing for H1N1 but merely indicating that the patients who present as more sick than the others are H1N1, how are there accurate numbers? And if all flu patients are getting Tamiflu, then I guess they don't really need to test; flu = tamiflu. The doctor yesterday did not say anything about Tamiflu being prescribed only for patients with underlying health issues - I asked. She said if one has the flu, one gets Tamiflu.

 

Hmmmmm? Reinforces my decision that for right now, we will do what we think works best for us and sit back and watch and do what is necessary and appropriate. My kids did have the seasonal flu mist, but not H1N1 vaccine.

 

I guess this whole issue can be approached a thousand different ways, and have a thousand different approaches that families will practice.

 

And, I have to say that the doctor I spoke with yesterday was more candid with me than anyone else I have spoken with -- I know that if I ask the same questions of physicians in my own family, I will not get straightforward yes and no, we do this, we don't do that answers.

[Tree House Academy]

With both my grand-daughter and my niece (neither of whom have underlying conditions) they were given the Tamiflu before the results of the swab were in -- and they were both told they tested neg for H1N1 and what they had was seasonal flu.

 

The doctor in the office yesterday told me (what I have known to be protocol all along - but of course, it could have changed with the current flu season and I paid no attention to it) that all flu patients are getting Tamiflu; -- and if they aren't testing for H1N1 but merely indicating that the patients who present as more sick than the others are H1N1, how are there accurate numbers? And if all flu patients are getting Tamiflu, then I guess they don't really need to test; flu = tamiflu. The doctor yesterday did not say anything about Tamiflu being prescribed only for patients with underlying health issues - I asked. She said if one has the flu, one gets Tamiflu.

 

Hmmmmm? Reinforces my decision that for right now, we will do what we think works best for us and sit back and watch and do what is necessary and appropriate. My kids did have the seasonal flu mist, but not H1N1 vaccine.

 

I guess this whole issue can be approached a thousand different ways, and have a thousand different approaches that families will practice.

 

And, I have to say that the doctor I spoke with yesterday was more candid with me than anyone else I have spoken with -- I know that if I ask the same questions of physicians in my own family, I will not get straightforward yes and no, we do this, we don't do that answers.

 

 

I called the kids' doctor earlier today after reading your post and asked what their protocol was. We do not want tamiflu if we get sick (unless someone is really having a hard time with it and the doc thinks it is necessary). My kids' dr said that he would only prescribe tamiflu to kids that had underlying conditions. Now, it does NOT have to be a positive flu test, though. So, that has changed from the last time I talked with him about it...but the prescribing has not. I am sure each practice does things differently. It could also be because Tamiflu has been known to have some strange side effects in kiddos. My dr, at the beginning of this mess, said they dont' give tamiflu at all. Then it was "tamiflu to kids with underlying conditions who have a positive flu test" and now it is " tamiflu if the parent wants it for kids who have underlying conditions with ILI." Good grief!

[MariannNOVA]

I called the kids' doctor earlier today after reading your post and asked what their protocol was. We do not want tamiflu if we get sick (unless someone is really having a hard time with it and the doc thinks it is necessary). My kids' dr said that he would only prescribe tamiflu to kids that had underlying conditions. Now, it does NOT have to be a positive flu test, though. So, that has changed from the last time I talked with him about it...but the prescribing has not. I am sure each practice does things differently. It could also be because Tamiflu has been known to have some strange side effects in kiddos. My dr, at the beginning of this mess, said they dont' give tamiflu at all. Then it was "tamiflu to kids with underlying conditions who have a positive flu test" and now it is " tamiflu if the parent wants it for kids who have underlying conditions with ILI." Good grief!

 

:iagree: The former practice I went to really didn't like to give Tamiflu -- they said that its side effects made some people feel as awful as the flu itself --my doctor discouraged me from taking it 7 years ago when I had the flu - so I didn't take it, and in about 36 hours, was feeling much much better.

 

Five years ago, the peds prax that we used gave Tamiflu with every positive flu culture. So much so, that we had to take partial prescriptions of it, and dole it out among all three kids (who all had the flu), and stay on the ball about getting the rest of our scripts so everyone could finish their meds. I cannot say if it helped or not - my kids do bounce back quickly - even DS who has asthma. I do remember that when all three kids tested positive, the peds practice wrote scripts for DH and I as well -- we gave ours to the kids (yes, we checked dosages, etc). Tamiflu was a scarce commodity in northern virginia that year.

 

The peds prax we use now does not seem to push the Tamiflu - at least not last spring when dd(then 8) swabbed positive for seasonal flu. I was waiting for them to say 'Tamiflu' and they didn't. So, I asked, and they looked at me like I was crazy (usually b/'c I am the one who is turning down drugs :glare:, and there I am asking them about drugs) - but I explained that I didn't want it, I just was curious as to their protocol regarding Tamiflu and positive flu results. They said that with underlying medical issues, and a child who presented symptomatically (dd didn't look sick at all - but she was running a fever that came on in an instant), the would suggest Tamiflu, but in general, they didn't prescribe it out of hand as our former practice had.

 

The Family Practice that I use did seem rather fast and free with the Tamiflu from what the doctor told me...but I will say that this is an area where folks have the idea that they cannot get sick, cannot take sick time, the whole firm will shut down without them, yadda, yadda, yadda...and I daresay the practice sees many folks who just want a magic pill so they are back on the street in no time.

 

So....that was the long way of saying that I agree with you -- different practices have different protocols, and a specific protocol may change as a particular event takes shape.:001_smile:

[momto2blessings]

I read an article by a Dr. in regards to swine flu. He said the only way a bug enters the system is through the mouth or nose. He recommended gargling in warm salt water twice a day, and also blowing your nose hard once a day and then swabbing it with warm salt water, too. Blessings, Gina