Conference quark::mennotes-v1

    
    Can't comment on NH, but there has been a 'flu epidemic in Britain
    (people seem to call it Scottish Flu but I don't know if it is
    official) and though it seems to affect adults by laying them low for
    3-4 days there have been a number of deaths in child victims.
    
    Deaths from influenza are nothing new: the great influenza epidemics of
    the post-WWI era killed upwars of 20,000 people on 3 occasions in
    Britain alone (rest of the world notwithstanding).
    
    Of course "flu vaccination" doesn't help because you are only
    vaccinated against last year's strain of the virus, which might or
    might not help with this year's.
    
    /. Ian .\

There is a sweep of flu among kids and adults almost every year around here.
I know one family where all but one kid has flu right now (and the other
may be a carrier).  So far, it has escaped my own family.

However, flu doesn't kill quickly.  What the neighbor's child may have had
was some other illness which has flu-like symptoms, such as Reye's Syndrome.
But how can one tell in advance?

My son is 7 and this is his first year in public school, with all the
opportunities for infection that brings about.  I've got my fingers crossed.
The best defense is to get the kids to sleep as much as they can - if the
body is tired, it's more susceptible to illness.

					Steve

    Although flu shots are annoying because you have to get them annually
    (new year, new strain of flu), and they may leave you feeling achy for
    a few days, for those who are "at-risk" for more intense flu affects
    (elderly, asthmatics, people with chronic health problems - ask your
    doctor), it may be very worthwhile as you may avoid more serious bouts
    of flu that way.  And, of course, now that there's pneumonia vaccines
    (one vaccine can prevent your getting 80% of all available strains of
    pneumonia), that might be an option too.
    
    And of course with the puritan work ethic I, too, fall victim to, we
    sometimes come in to work when we shouldn't, or don't rest enough when
    we're sick.  Care for yourself early, and you'll get better more
    quickly.  
    
    Have you asked in the MEDICAL notesfile about this particular virulent
    strain?  Maybe the people there would have more information for you
    also.
    
    -Jody
    

    I'm not absolutely clear about the details, but I am aware that children 
    and teens with flu-like symptoms should not be given aspirin to alleviate 
    the symptoms.  Death could result.
    
    Steve mentioned Reye's Syndrome, and that's the name I have associated in 
    the "mother" side of my brain for this warning.
    
    Does anyone know more about this syndrome than I can remember?
    
    Karen

Re: .4

Your brain is working correctly.  Reye's Syndrome has been linked to
the use of aspirin during an episode of flu, chicken pox or other viral
illness in children.  Reye's itself may appear suddenly many years later.
There are currently warnings on aspirin packages about this.  It's not
a case of "Give your flu-ridden child aspirin and they will die within
hours", though.

I would suggest that anyone who is concerned about their child's risk of 
any illness to contact the child's pediatrician.

				Steve

    I have a friend whos' wife works at Parkland as a nurse.  He said that
    she said that the boy in .0 did not die of flu alone.  Apparently he
    had a number of physical problems one of which was she believes a
    congenital heart problem.... so flu alone was not at work here.  There
    was more to this than .0 allows.  Thank God, or some higher power.
    
    Jeff