H1N1 Tips: Parents, Take Care of Children!

As a parent you know how hard it can be for children to understand stressful situations, such as the current situation of influenza A(H1N1). Stressful situations often cause children to worry and have many questions as to why it is happening and how it can be fixed. 

It is important to remember to take care of your health and well-being as well as the health of your children. If you cope with a stressful situation well, your children will also cope better. Your confidence and calm attitude will help your children ease their worries and feel safe and secure.

• Keep activities as consistent and normal as possible even if your normal routine changes (due to daycare or school closures).

• Ask your children what they have heard about influenza A(H1N1). Answer questions openly and honestly, at a level they can understand. Be concrete and do not avoid difficult questions. 

• Allow your children to express their feelings and concerns. Let them know it is okay to be afraid or mad. Ask questions so you can help them identify and cope with their feelings.

• Children always need to feel safe and loved. When they are uncertain about situations and afraid they may need even more affection and attention.

• Limit exposure to media and adult conversations about influenza A(H1N1). If your children are watching T.V. try to watch with them or make sure you are available to answer questions about what they have heard.

• As appropriate, encourage healthy behaviors: eating well, sleeping well, playing outside.

• Use their questions as an opportunity to let them know what they can do to avoid getting novel H1N1 flu.

• Wash hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds (long enough for children to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice). Be sure to set a good example by doing this yourself.

• Cough and sneeze into a tissue. (If a tissue is used, throw the tissue away immediately).

• Be sure to set a good example by doing this yourself.

• Stay at least six feet away from people who are sick.

• Stay home from school if sick, and stay away from sick people until they are better.

H1N1 Tips: How is H1N1 Flu Treated?

Below are recommended step for H1N1 flu treatment;

• Treat any fever right away.

• Drink plenty of fluids to replace those you lose when you are sick.

• Your doctor will decide if you need antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu® (oseltamivir) or Relenza® (zanamivir). Antiviral drugs are prescription pills, liquids or inhalers that fight against the flu by keeping the germs from growing in your body. These medicines can make you feel better faster and make your symptoms milder.

• These medicines work best when started soon after symptoms begin (within two [2] days), but they may also be given to very sick or high risk people (like pregnant women) even after 48 hours. Antiviral treatment is taken for 5 days.

• There is little information about the effect of antiviral drugs in pregnant women or their babies, but no serious side effects have been reported. If you do think you have had a side effect to antiviral drugs, call your doctor right away.

H1N1 Tips: How to Minimize the Spread of Flu #5?

When providing care to a household member who is sick with influenza, the most important ways to protect yourself and others who are not sick are to:

Household Cleaning, Laundry, and Waste Disposal

• Throw away tissues and other disposable items used by the sick person in the trash. Wash your hands after touching used tissues and similar waste.

• Keep surfaces (especially bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom, and toys for children) clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label.

• Linens, eating utensils, and dishes belonging to those who are sick do not need to be cleaned separately, but importantly these items should not be shared without washing thoroughly first.

• Wash linens (such as bed sheets and towels) by using household laundry soap and tumble dry on a hot setting. Avoid “hugging” laundry prior to washing it to prevent contaminating yourself. Clean your hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub right after handling dirty laundry.

• Eating utensils should be washed either in a dishwasher or by hand with water and soap.

H1N1 Tips: How to Minimize the Spread of Flu #4?

When providing care to a household member who is sick with influenza, the most important ways to protect yourself and others who are not sick are to:

Using Facemasks or Respirators

• Avoid close contact (less than about 1 meter away) with the sick person as much as possible.

• If you must have close contact with the sick person (for example, hold a sick infant), spend the least amount of time possible in close contact and try to wear a facemask (for example, surgical mask) or N95 disposable respirator.

• An N95 respirator that fits snugly on your face can filter out small particles that can be inhaled around the edges of a facemask, but compared with a facemask it is harder to breathe through an N95 mask for long periods of time.

• Facemasks and respirators may be purchased at a pharmacy, building supply or hardware store.

• Wear an N95 respirator or surgical mask if you help a sick person with respiratory treatments using a nebulizer or inhaler, as directed by their doctor. Respiratory treatments should be performed in a separate room away from common areas of the house when at all possible.

• Used facemasks and N95 respirators should be taken off and placed immediately in the regular trash so they don’t touch anything else.

• Avoid re-using disposable facemasks and N95 respirators if possible. If a reusable fabric facemask is used, it should be laundered with normal laundry detergent and tumble-dried in a hot dryer.

• After you take off a facemask or N95 respirator, clean your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

H1N1 Tips: How to Minimize the Spread of Flu #3?

When providing care to a household member who is sick with influenza, the most important ways to protect yourself and others who are not sick are to:

If you are the caregiver to Sick Person:

• Avoid being face-to-face with the sick person.

• When holding small children who are sick, place their chin on your shoulder so that they will not cough in your face.

• Clean your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand rub after you touch the sick person or handle used tissues, or laundry.

• Talk to your health care provider about taking antiviral medication to prevent the caregiver from getting the flu.

• Monitor yourself and household members for flu symptoms and contact a telephone hotline or health care provider if symptoms occur.