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El Camino Pediatrics eNews
Greetings!
We received a shipment of seasonal flu vaccine and some limited seasonal Flumist. We also have an article that will answer many questions on H1N1 from our local infectious disease specialist, Dr. John Bradley. Also see some upcoming events.
AND JUST A REMINDER ABOUT PRE-BOOKED VISITS: In light of how busy our office can be in the fall and winter months, we want to accomodate seeing all the patients that need to be seen. We always have on our schedules pre-booked appointments for well child care and other consults and issues. It is extremely helpful if you can call as soon as you know you will not be able to make an appointment, so that we may fill those slots for patients needing to be seen on a same day basis. This really helps our ability to have our patients seen efficiently and we appreciate your help with this!
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Seasonal Flu Vaccine 6-35 Months and Flumist
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We have received a large shipment of the seasonal injectable flu vaccine for our 6 to 35 month old children and a limited number of seasonal Flumist nasal spray vaccine in our office. Please read our Archived Newsletter August 2009 to read the information on seasonal flu vaccine and who is eligible for the different types. It will be very helpful if you read the Vaccine Information Sheet from the CDC by clicking on the seasonal injectable and the seasonal Flumist before your child receives the vaccines. We will also try to keep our home page up to date with the status of our flu vaccine supply. We should be getting more of the H1N1 flu vaccine injection and Flumist in the next few weeks.
PLEASE NOTE: According to information we received from Dr. John Bradley, we can space the 2 Flumists of H1N1 and seasonal Flumist just 2 weeks apart, not 4 weeks apart. This is a change from earlier recommendations we received.
Remember for walk-in shots, we are staffed in our main office, Suite B105 Monday through Friday between 9 and 4 pm.
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H1N1 Information from Rady Children's Hospital
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The following information is from Dr. John Bradley from the Infectious Disease Department at Rady Children's Hospital on H1N1. You can click here to watch a video of Dr. Bradley on San Diego news.
What is H1N1?
H1N1 is a new influenza virus that emerged in April 2009. Every several years,influenza mutates into a new strain of virus that has an outer covering that is slightly different from all previous influenza viruses. Since the outer covering is what is recognized by human immune systems, and this new virus is one that is unlike any that has circulated in over 50 years, everyone under 65 years old is susceptible to infection if they come in contact with the new H1N1 virus. Since virtually everyone on planet Earth is susceptible, this virus has spread across the globe, causing a "pandemic." Regular influenza viruses cause serious infection, with 36.000 people dying in the United States each year from influenza-related complications. The new H1N1 virus causes the same degree of illness as the regular flu: it is no worse, and no better than strains of influenza we are exposed to each year. This flu, as in the others, is spread from person to person generally through respiratory droplets from coughing and sneezing. It can also be spread by contacting an object that a person with the flu virus has previously contacted.
How do I protect my children from contracting H1N1?
Parents should encourage frequent hand-washing and avoid crowds that are likely to contain people close by who are coughing and sneezing. Avoid direct contact with people who are sick. Parents do not need to take their healthy children out of school or daycare for fear of them coming down with influenza unless it is recommended by the public health authorities.
Signs and symptoms of H1N1
Some of the signs and symptoms of the H1N1 flu include:
- fever
- sore throat
- cough
- runny or stuffy nose
- body aches
- headache, chills
- fatigue
- sometimes diarrhea and vomiting
If a child should develop flu-like symptoms, parents should keep them at home, avoiding contact with others until they are without fever for a minimum of 24 hours before returning to school or daycare.
Treatment of H1N1
There are no rapid tests that can accurately diagnose the H1N1 swine flu. Some of the rapid tests that are used for the regular flu do not work very well for the swine flu. At this time specific lab testing for the H1N1 flu, performed at the San Diego Public Health Laboratory, is only being used in hospitalized patients. H1N1 can be treated with antiviral medications such at Tamiflu, which do shorten the course of the flu, especially if
treatment is started early. Any child with significant disease is being treated. However, some children will have mild illness, will recover relatively quickly, and do not require treatment. Pediatricians will determine what the best course of treatment is for your child. Parents should encourage their children to drink plenty of fluids and rest while
they have the H1N1 flu.
Are there vaccines available?
Yes an H1N1 vaccine has been developed and will arrive in pediatrician's offices by October 2009. Check with your child's pediatrician to get the most updated specifics of the vaccine. This year, the regular flu vaccine is also recommended for ALL children, too, so there will be two separate immunizations this year for influenza. The regular flu vaccine (also called seasonal flu vaccine) does not protect against H1N1 pandemic swine flu.
Are the vaccines safe?
The H1N1 vaccine is made exactly like the regular seasonal flu vaccine. This is NOT an experimental vaccine, despite what you may have heard. The H1N1 vaccine is just as safe and effective as the regular flu vaccines. For the H1N1 flu shot, about half of those who get the vaccine may have a sore arm, but NOBODY will come down with the flu as a result of the flu shot. We do NOT expect to have any complications of the type that were seen in 1976 with a much different vaccine for a different kind of swine flu.
This vaccine is as safe as the regular flu vaccine. Like all vaccines given to children, the H1N1 vaccine was put through laboratory and clinical tests before being released. Vaccines are one of the most thoroughly tested and safest medical products that are on the market, since they are generally given to otherwise healthy people. Anyone can report any symptom they feel may be from a particular vaccine to a central system
called Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS).
Click here for further information from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC website on the H1N1 virus and vaccine.
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Bold Red Tent Event
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The BOLD Red Tent Event is this Sunday, October 18th, from noon to 5 pm at the La Jolla Woman's Club at 7791 Draper Avenue in La Jolla. The focus is on pregnancy and birthing There will be guest speakers, a free yoga class,
vendors and businesses, art, free food and
drinks, and a silent auction. It will only be $15, and all proceeds go
to benefit Earth Birth. Click here for more information.
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Free Tele-summit on Childhood Nutrition, Dr. Wood on Wednesday, October 21 @ 5 PM
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Dr. Christine Wood will be conducting a free tele-summit with host Pat Altvater next week that will discuss childhood nutrition and eating issues. Since Halloween is just around the corner, there will
be tips for how to have a healthy Halloween, including ideas for
treats that are not food and what to do with all the candy that comes into the
household.
For
more information and
to register for the FREE tele-summit go to www.healthytalksformoms.com. Once you register, you will receive the dial-in information and valuable bonuses.
Dr. Wood's session is on Wednesday,
October 21st at 5 pm PST.
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Recommended Reading List: Order Directly from Amazon
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We have updated our Recommended Reading list and now you can conveniently order your books on our website through Amazon! We have a lot of categories of books to choose from and here is the list!
- ECP authors
- Most Popular
- General Pediatrics
- Breastfeeding
- Cooking
- Nutrition/Feeding
- Eating Disorders
- Obesity/Overweight
- Behavior Issues/Oppositional-Defiant
- Discipline/Parenting
- Divorce
- School/Homework
- Sleep Issues
- Sports
- Teen Issues
- Toilet Training
- Vaccine Safety
- Baby and Child Activity
- Children's Books: New Baby
- Children's Books: Going to the Doctor/Dentist/Hospital
- Advocacy for Special Needs
- ADHD
- Anxiety
- Autism/Aspergers
- Autism: Education/Treatment
- Autism: For Siblings
- Pain
- Obsessive-Compulsive
- Sensory Issues
- Miscellaneous Topics
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UCSD Study
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UCSD has study groups for children from 8-12 years old and also for teens 12-15 years old who are overweight. You may call them to see if your child qualifies by calling 858.205.8219 or email them at kidsweight@ucsd.edu.
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