Swine Flu H1N1 – Parents be alert!

Swine Flu or “H1N1 Flu” outbreak is currently a serious potential health threat to many people, especially parents, babies and young infants. When a baby got infected with the H1N1 Flu they will not show any sign until fever comes and the baby becomes extremely sick. So during this critical time parents should constantly check on their babies to ensure no fever or their babies are not acting abnormally. New born babies or young infants can’t talk and can’t express their feeling to their parents when they are not feeling well. Babies will cry when there is something wrong so when your babies cry more than they normally did or at an abnormal time of the day, you should check their temperature with the thermometer. If you don’t have one, you should get one at any drug store or baby supply store. If there is a fever, bring your baby to the emergency clinic immediately.Pig Flu, Swine Flu or H1N1 Flu has spread very quickly, from only a few identified cases to many in a few short weeks and many have been killed from this infection. There is no vaccination or medicine for this flu as of yet because it is still a relatively new virus formed due to either change of global climate or due to something we human did to the world that has facilitated the existing virus in animals to mutate into something that can now harm us humans. Medical scientists are now in the process of researching, testing and developing a vaccine and medicine for the virus but it is not a simple and speedy process. It will take at least a few months until something tangible can be established.

We parents love taking our babies to early year centers, infant classes, parenting classes or community centers so we can meet new friends and the babies can have some good time and fun. These centers are excellent places for parents to go and to break from baby sitting 24/7. It is also nice to have some companies at these places while our partner goes to work to earn a living for the family at this economic recession. At these centers parents can share their experiences, thoughts and just some gossiping to kill time while our babies play with each others to have fun. Because many people are there in these centers and we don’t know if any of them are sick, and if they are, with what kind of illness and if it is contagious? If one is infected with the Swine Flu, he/she can easily pass it to other parents and their babies are also at risk. Because unlike the SARS which threatened many countries around the world in 2003, this new virus can be transmitted from person to person even before the symptoms from the virus are developed or shown. This makes the Swine Flu very dangerous. Think about an infected person at the parents center sneeze onto his/her hand and he/she picked up a piece of toy for the babies. Or he/she sneeze directly onto a piece of toy which a baby picked up and chewed on it. The baby will be infected with the virus and this baby chews on other toys which the other babies pick up and chew on them as well. In this case, all babies and parents can be infected in no time. I am not exaggerating and from my own experience, whenever there is a person (a parent or a baby) with a cold, seasonal flu or stomach virus in these centers, you will see many babies and parents who attended the same center will get the same infection the very next few days. This is an example of how easily virus or illness can be transmitted from a person to vast population in a very short period of time.

I am writing this article to alert parents of how vulnerability people get infected with diseases and viruses regardless of where they are if they are not careful. I have no intention of discouraging you to attend any of the parenting centers as they are great places to be. You may want to hold back from a few weeks and keep your baby home until the virus dies down just to be on the safe side or if you do attend these places, be very careful of your personal hygiene, wash your hand thoroughly (for minimum of 30 seconds before rinsing the soap) as often as possible, and do the same for your babies. Watch your babies carefully, do not let them put toys or anything that is not clean in their mouth, this is kind of impossible to do but do try your best. When you see people coughing or with any sign of the flu symptoms, don’t let your kids or yourself go near them. Ok, be clean, watch your babies closely and stay healthy and safe.

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