Does your child have the flu?
School has begun for the year and as predicted, students are becoming ill with influenza-like illness and parents are wondering what to do. Influenza does affect the schools every year, noted Douglas County Public Health officials.
School has begun for the year and as predicted, students are becoming ill with influenza-like illness and parents are wondering what to do.
Influenza does affect the schools every year, noted Douglas County Public Health officials. However, this year the area is being hit with a novel or new strain, H1N1.
From what health officials have seen thus far, the H1N1 strain isn’t making people any more ill than the seasonal influenza that occurs every year.
But there are certain groups that are at higher risk of becoming more ill with H1N1, including children, say health experts.
It is important to keep in mind that this is an influenza virus and most people who get it will be sick at home for five to seven days, local health officials stressed.
Most people will recover on their own with rest, fluids and fever reducing medications, they added.
If you are concerned about the symptoms that your child is experiencing, local medical clinics are asking that you call your clinic before you bring your child in for medical attention.
Nurses will gather information from you over the phone and will then be able to tell you whether or not you should bring your child in to the clinic.
If you do go to see your medical provider, it is likely that your child will not be specifically tested for the H1N1 virus as the illness is widespread throughout Minnesota and the laboratories cannot meet the demand.
In addition, the treatment, if any, is the same whether your child has the H1N1 virus or the seasonal influenza, health officials said.
Anyone with influenza-like illness at this time of year will most likely be presumed to have the H1N1 virus, even without any official testing.
The regular seasonal influenza does not generally appear until late November or December and it generally peaks in February.
Because of that, influenza-like illness that is occurring now is most likely the H1N1 virus, according to health experts.
Tags: local news, flu shot, news, flu, h1n1, vaccine, health, children, clinics, alexandria
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