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H1N1: Keeping your kids healthy, despite the odds

The virus is here, but you can fight it

Though thus far the spread of H1N1 hasn’t proved terrifying, we continue to make the assumption that it is going to rise to pandemic levels this season. We have been wrong before. However, waiting to see if it will be as bad as predicted is not an option. We must all assume the worst and be prepared.

H1N1 is a real nasty little “bugger.” Any decent virus would at least take a break in the summertime, but H1N1 persisted throughout the warm months. With school back in session and children mingling more than in the summer months, the risk is higher. The virus loves to reside where people assemble.

The only possible way we might have stopped H1N1 would have been to not open any schools until at least two weeks after all attending children were vaccinated with the H1N1 vaccine and had shown documentation to confirm this. That is what was attempted in Kuwait. However, many factors made such a plan practically impossible in Canada.

What do you need to know to keep your kids healthy? First, it is known that the incubation stage for H1N1 is approximately four days. The total illness from start to finish may be up to two weeks. During both the incubation phase and the acute illness phase the virus may be spread by droplets (from sneezing, coughing or even tears).

The virus can also live on surfaces for several hours or days.

Will wearing masks help prevent the spread of H1N1? The answer is yes, but only if one wears a personally fitted N95 mask and wears it properly. So ultimately, the answer is no. Wearing any other type of mask will likely give a false sense of security, causing people to be more casual about their behaviour and the potential spread of the virus.

The only positive effect of wearing a mask is that it will help decrease the amount of touching of the nose and mouth by the hand and thus lessen the spread of the virus on surfaces or directly by touch. Face masks in general are very uncomfortable to wear — and all too often will be removed — to be of any real help.

When we send our kids off to school, are we throwing them into a cesspool of disease? The answer is absolutely not. Schools around the world are doing their best to prevent the spread of the virus. Hand-sanitizing stations are in place. Common surfaces are washed more often. Tissues are in abundance. Children are being taught to “sneeze into their sleeve.” More wastepaper containers have been made available. The schools are doing their part.

Schools are also reviewing, on a regular basis, their methods of prevention of virus spread. Teachers are on high alert to watch for any child with symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection and have been tasked with taking the appropriate measures to get any ill children home safely.

What can parents and caregivers do at home? Previously, you may have sent a child to school with a mild upper respiratory tract infection, particularly if the child was not feeling ill. These days, that would be a mistake. The seemingly mild, initial symptoms of a respiratory tract infection are the initial symptoms of H1N1 and will last for two to three days before the more serious symptoms become apparent. During these first days of mild illness, the child is extremely contagious, spreading high volumes of the virus.

It is therefore extremely important to keep such children home from school. Although this may be difficult for many families to manage, it is essential. Everyone must realize how serious this disease can be and take the appropriate measures to prevent its spread.

The bottom line is that it is virtually impossible to prevent the spread of H1N1. Children are still children. Their hands are constantly touching their faces, and their games (playing catch or ball for example) spread germs. That said, there is a lot we can do. The most important thing is education.

Teach your children how to prevent the spread of droplets and how to properly use hand sanitizer. Your job is to keep a constant vigil for the beginning of any viral illness. I highly recommend vaccinating all children over six months of age. My grandchildren will certainly be vaccinated.

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