Tips for Preventing Your Children from Getting the H1N1 Virus

Tips for Preventing Your Children from Getting the H1N1 Virus and What to Do if They Get Sick

General Tips

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze.
Emphasize to children that they should wash with soap and water long enough to finish singing the alphabet song. Also, use alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, and instruct children to do the same.
Boost natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C.
Don't allow sharing or trading of costume masks.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

About the Vaccine:

People 6 months to 24 years old should be first in line for a vaccine. Also a priority: pregnant women, healthcare and emergency service workers, people who live with or care for children under 6 months old and people with chronic health disorders. Flu.gov has an interactive national map to find a flu shot near you.
Children 10 years and older and adults will need 1 dose.
Children younger than 10 years of age will need 2 doses, at least 1 month apart.
Infants younger than 6 months of age are too young to get the 2009 H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines.
Immunity doesn't happen immediately; it takes a week or two after the last shot for the vaccine to take full effect.

Symptoms

Symptoms May Include:

Treatment

General Care

Keep your sick child at home until at least 24 hours after there is no longer a fever or signs of a fever (without the use of a fever-reducing medicine).
Call the school or daycare to notify that your child has flu symptoms.
Do not take your child to the mall, grocery store, or any place where he or she might expose others to the flu.
Do not give aspirin or aspirin-containing products (like Pepto Bismol) to children 18 years of age and younger. This increases the risk of Reye syndrome.
Children older than 6 months can take acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin) for relief of fever.
Do not give over-the-counter cold medicines to children younger than 4 years of age. The safest care for flu symptoms in children younger than 2 years of age is using a cool-mist humidifier and a suction bulb to help clear away mucus. -Your doctor may prescribe a drug called Tamiflu.

Seek Emergency Care If You Child Has:

Fast breathing or trouble breathing.
Grunting noises or wheezing
Bluish skin color
Not drinking enough fluids
Not waking up or not interacting
Being so irritable that he or she not want to be held
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
Fever with a rash
Dehydration: difficult to awaken, no urination in past 8 hours, dry mouth and lips, no tears when crying
Ear discharge

( cbsnews.com )

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