Disney and the swine flu

[TheWescotts]

We are planning to go to Disney the week after thanksgiving. We will have a 6 week old.

What is the swine flu threat at DW? Should we cancel our trip?

 

[C.Ann]

Swine flu or not, I wouldn't be taking a 6-week old to WDW at that age.. Too many germs for such a young baby..

Just my personal opinion though..

 

[Pumbaa_]

What does your pediatrician say?

 

[Hannathy]

Swine flu or not, I wouldn't be taking a 6-week old to WDW at that age.. Too many germs for such a young baby..

Just my personal opinion though..

I'm with you C.Ann but be ready for the flaming, I got burned a lot last thread for saying so.
I do think it is even more important with a flu going around that no one under 50 has any immunity to. I can't stress that enough that no one under 50 has any in born or acquired immunity to this flu so I would not be taking any infant that young into a mass of people.

 

[la79al]

I personally didn't even leave my house until my DD was older than 6 weeks. But I know that's a little strange. Are you driving or flying? I would say definitely cancel if you are flying. If you are driving though, I would probably still go and just take extra precautions. Obviously at 6 weeks DC is not going to be touching everything and then sticking their fingers in their mouth so that helps. Keep in mind though that even if you keep the baby in a plastic bubble, one of the adults could just as easily get sick and pass it along to the baby.

 

[HLAuburn]

I know 2 families who have gone in the past couple of months, and they all came home sick! I think you're exposed to a lot of people, crowded places, lots of kids, and especially during flu season, I personally wouldn't take a 6 week old to Disney World.

 

[sbpebbles]

My mother and DD7 were just in FL from Wed-Mon and by Thur my daughter was already sick...I was suppose to go with them and bring my 13 month old but with all the swine flu and other issues we decided against him and I going.thank godwe didn't go because my mother now has a case of it..Again just my personal opinion but I wouldn't even think of taking a baby that young. When my DS was that age I hardly ever took him out of the house unless absolutely necessary, again just my opinion though..Good Luck with whatever you decide

 

[tartemis]

I wouldn't take a 6 week old. But . . . I am taking a 6 month old in February. I'm a little nervous about it, but I'm nursing exclusively, have had the H1N1 vaccine and my DD2 and DH will have had the H1N1 vaccine by then so I feel better about it. Plus, I think by February everyone in the country will have already had it, so it won't be floating around as much.

 

[livndisney]

I don't think I would want to fly with a baby that young. People are flying with H1n1 virus. Is it possible to postpone the trip until the baby is a little older?

 

[Newcastle]

The last couple of times we visited WDW, my daughter had to see a doctor because she became ill. The doctors told us on both occasions that WDW is a hotbead for germ activity, for obvious reasons such as number of people, proximity to same, concentration of children, etc. Another factor is that when people get sick at WDW, they don't tend to "quarantine" (for lack of a better word) themselves for as long as they would if they were at home because they don't want to miss valuable vacation time (and similarly waste vacation dollars!). Thus, you have a lot of relatively acutely ill people wandering around the parks. It's funny because the doctors said that there really isn't a slow time for illnesses at WDW. Still hasn't stopped us from going even despite the fact that I am slightly phobic of becoming ill while on vacation!!

 

[pixidustmom]

I just wanted to say, I had a baby 2 weeks ago. I was a surrogate and so the parents needed to fly home with their baby across country. The peds said it was fine and to just try and keep your hands clean. They made it home safe and sound and he was only 4 days old.
We have never been the type to stay home with a baby. I was told by my my peds doctor many years ago with my DD's that keeping them away from the germs will not help them build up their immune system. I believe this to be true as my girls were not as sick as those I knew who kept their children locked up and away from it all. Again my opinion take it as you wish.
If you do go just keep a blanket over your baby and make sure to wash up. Did you happen to get the vaccine when you were preg? If so the baby would have some immunities from it? Are you nursing? This helps too.
My family has been immunized and I am glad. I now feel safer to take my grandson.

 

[happymommy]

My kids are 10 and 12, and we had considered (and booked) a trip for next month. We were going to stay at the GF, and I was excited to see the decor and stuff.

I cancelled. My kids have already been sick so many times, DD had the swine flu and missed an entire week of school.

We've had one trip during which both kids got sick and needed a doctor to come to the room - he had an ear infection and she had strep throat - just a few years ago. It was an unusual trip, first time that happened.

It's really up to you, but we decided to travel anywhere this winter isn't worth it to us. DS has asthma, and I'd hate for him to end up with pneumonia as he's done a few times.

 

[Tiger926]

I would never take a baby that young at any time of the year, but during cold/flu season, and with this year being a particularly busy one, absolutely not! This is the worst time of year to go due to busy crowds, cold weather people bringing viruses to WDW, and H1N1.

I really get tired of reading people say that people shoudn't keep their newborns inside as it won't build immunity. Good docs will tell you the opposite - they need to be protected at that age as little things like colds/flu, can and do turn deadly. You should not be bringing them into airplanes, crowded shopping malls, etc. at that age. If there is an emergency, then that may be a different story (eg. flying to a funeral). Our ped and family doc say that little things help to build immunity and are important, but taking a newborn to one of the most crowded places on earth, is not the answer, as there will be major serious things floating around, and those things can be very dangerous for newborns. Those won't build immunity, but in fact, harm their immunity. BTDT with babes with pneumonia in the hospital, and it takes a serious toll on their immune systems, as well as takes months for their immune systems to get back to normal.

I wish the OP good luck in his/her decision and a healthy trip if he/she goes, Tiger

 

[DISNEYFOS]

We took both our kids for the first time when they were 4 months. My oldest went in Feb and my Youngest in October. They were very isolated from crowds as well really didn't go on many rides..and they slept in their stroller. They were a dream to take care at that age. I'm usually an advocate for taking the baby with you...but....

6 weeks is really young.. They just don't have the immunity yet.. Granted my babies were both born at 37 weeks so they would really only be 3 weeks at that point..and probably weighed all of 10 lbs....

I'm not so much worried about WDW as I am of the plane..all that germy circulated air.

oh just to add, they really haven't had any of their immunizations at that point either..and with the increase of people choosing not to vaccinate or delay vaccinations..your odds are more likely to run into that at a place like Disney more than your local supermarket.

 

[minniebeth]

We came home from Disney with H1N1. I would not be taking a baby that young at this time in my opinion. You asked, that is my opinion about it.
The Disney magic will wait for you!

 

[Hannathy]

I just wanted to say, I had a baby 2 weeks ago. I was a surrogate and so the parents needed to fly home with their baby across country. The peds said it was fine and to just try and keep your hands clean. They made it home safe and sound and he was only 4 days old.
We have never been the type to stay home with a baby. I was told by my my peds doctor many years ago with my DD's that keeping them away from the germs will not help them build up their immune system. I believe this to be true as my girls were not as sick as those I knew who kept their children locked up and away from it all. Again my opinion take it as you wish.
If you do go just keep a blanket over your baby and make sure to wash up. Did you happen to get the vaccine when you were preg? If so the baby would have some immunities from it? Are you nursing? This helps too.
My family has been immunized and I am glad. I now feel safer to take my grandson.

Normally I would agree with you. I do not over protect my kids. I don't even have any of the hand stuff that people are practically bathing in now and my kids have crawled on hotel floors and chewed on the remote at hotels.
BUT and this is an important BUT this is not usual circumstances!!!
This is a flu that again no one under the age of 50 has been exposed to. So gazillions of young people are getting it and this flu also seems to hit the respiratory system if there are going to be secondary problems and hit it hard. THis is not something a 6 week old body is prepared to fight.

You will do what you are going to do but if you go and it gets sick are you prepared to be in a strange city/hospital with a 6 week old seriously ill ?

 

[Bamboozled]

Add me to the list of those that would cancel. I just rescheduled our trip, we were supposed to leave tomorrow!! I did not want to risk getting H1N1. I am high risk and so is my grandson. I can better control my exposure at home than at WDW where you have people from all over the world visiting. Better safe than sorry.

 

[ChristusG]

We just got back from Disney on Friday afternoon.....DD5 became sick on Monday. I dont know if it came from Disney or not, but we didn't really go anywhere on Saturday or Sunday, so I'm leaning towards thinking it DID come from Disney. Now DD2 is also sick and I'm not feeling well either.

I do not know if it is H1N1 because our doctor is not testing for it.....but DD5 had a fever of 104 and cold symptoms. DD2 had 102 last night with cold symptoms as well. I have some cold symptoms and body aches, and just a general icky feeling.

I would be scared to death if my 6 week old caught something. I am NOT one to stay home with my babies after they are born. With DD2 we were having dinner at a restaurant about 24 hours after she was born, as soon as I got out of the hospital. I do not stay home.....but as far as Disney, not only is it the Happiest Place on Earth, it's also the Germiest Place on Earth. Our past two vacations we have come home with something icky.

 

[Mom2MCJP]

We are heading down there on 11/21. I have 4 kids and my youngest will be 11 weeks when we arrive.
I spoke to my pediatrician and he said that there is no greater risk than going to the mall on any given day.

Now...I won't be walking around handing my baby off to everyone and their brother to hold either!

But honestly...this H1N1 is not going to stop us from living our lives!

 

[HLAuburn]

I spoke to my pediatrician and he said that there is no greater risk than going to the mall on any given day.

I just don't think that's true. At DW, you are exposed to SO many more people and people from different places, who potentially have been exposed to different things that you've been in your own "home" area. There are a lot more kids - who we all know are little vectors for all sorts of stuff!

Also as someone mentioned, people don't want to cancel they're expensive vacations when they're sick or their kids are sick...they go anyway.

Just my 2 cents. I'd say an 11 week old is better than a 6 week old, because hopefully he/she has had a round of vacc's at least, and either way, its good they aren't mobile and getting into everything yet, but to me, it's still risky.