Are many parents getting swine flu from their kids?

[ADisneyQueen]

I know the target age for this is 2-24 ( that doesn't include me!), but my daughter probably has it right now and I am wondering if DH and I will get it. I've been trying to wash my hands and keep things clean, but I take care of her when she is sick and am curious if a lot of parents are catching it from their kids.

 

[cocodog]

My children, 10 and 12 had it about a month ago. My dh, although not tested, had the same symptoms. I did not get sick; one of my friends said that having had a flu shot for the past several years is said to provide some protection from the swine flu. Not sure if this is true, but I usually pick up whatever is going around. Good luck staying well!

 

[RangerPooh]

My husband had it and no one in our hosue got it. The kids (3 and 4), my pregnant self, or my parents who are always over didn't catch it, and no one had a flu shot at the time. I asked my doctor about the likihood of catching it from him (or any kids at school...I'm a teacher) and she said that they are finding it isn't as likely since the particles are heavier and tend to fall when coughed/sneezed as opposed to spraying with the traditional flu. But who knows, anything is possible.

 

[mrssmee]

My son had it a few weeks ago, and no one else in our family got it then. But we went to extremes to protect all of us from his germs!

My daughter came down with it this past week, and the next day my husband came down with it. I am okay so far, but probably because my doctor put me on Tamiflu since two members of my household are sick.

 

[zachnsamsmommy]

We ALL got it in my house after DS8 got it at school (or at least started getting sick at school).

Here is the timeline...

DS8 gets sent home from school on Wed.
I get sick on Friday.
DH gets sick on Saturday.
DS2 gets sick on Monday.

And the funny thing is that it seemed to weaken as it went thru our house. DS8 and I were the sickest, DH was still pretty sick, but not as bad. DS2 wasn't much sicker than just a cold.

Oh, and DH and I are both 36...

 

[TerryKitten]

My doc diagnosed me with H1N1 end of July. I was sick as a dog. My DH was sick with something (but the doctor didn't give him the H1N1 diagnoses because he had no fever). The kids were healthy as can be though the whole thing. They never got sick. That was a totally un-fun weekend... parents sick, kids heathy, and all our friends/sitters decided to leave town that weekend so no sitters.

 

[tiggspring]

Here is western PA my DS8 got sick on fri. DD11 on sat and today DD5 very tired and asleep by 630!I'm fine and DH was away. I have to agree with previous post it got weaker with each of the kids and it wasn't bad with DS. Had fever of 101 and cough aches etc for about 4 hours then he improved spiked another fever that night for a few hours but cough etc was manageable. Only needed med upon awaking and going to bed. Otherwise warm bath with menthol did trick. He was much quieter than usual but not complaining.He missed a big boy scout trip for what acted more like a 24 bug.He was able to go out late today with no repricussions and no fever.

My friend had DD sick for 2 Days and felt it was H1N1 becuase all moms here that had kids tested came back pos for H1 and their kids had just as mild and short an illness as our kids did.

My friend didn't get sick either and personaly I don't know of a single adult getting it YET.

Seems like if you don't have asthma or something it isn't very bad.

 

[mamamary]

My kids were not tested for H1N1 but they had the symptoms. They got it about 2 weeks apart so I don't know if they even got it from the other. Also, me and dh did not get it.

 

[Pixiedust34]

My dh is a middle school teacher and had the flu. He wasn't tested for H1N1, but there were confirmed cases at his school plus he had all of the symptoms so that's probably what he had. The kids and I stayed healthy. I was expecting us to get it for sure since we had close contact.

 

[taximomfor4]

My husband had it and no one in our hosue got it. The kids (3 and 4), my pregnant self, or my parents who are always over didn't catch it, and no one had a flu shot at the time. I asked my doctor about the likihood of catching it from him (or any kids at school...I'm a teacher) and she said that they are finding it isn't as likely since the particles are heavier and tend to fall when coughed/sneezed as opposed to spraying with the traditional flu. But who knows, anything is possible.

how funny. My dr at the urgent care (who was WONDERFUL and helpful, btw), said the OPPOSITE -- that this seems to be even more transmissible than the seasonal flu!

 

[taximomfor4]

And the funny thing is that it seemed to weaken as it went thru our house. DS8 and I were the sickest, DH was still pretty sick, but not as bad. DS2 wasn't much sicker than just a cold.

Oh, and DH and I are both 36...

Not here. DS9 had it first, 3 days later dd7 got sick with it. Seemed sicker than ds9, but didn't have as many lingering symptoms afterward...so a draw?? Then I got it, with dh following the next day (so sick together). I ended up with lung issues, which knocked me around for a while, but dh was up and about quickly. Next dd11 got it, worse than the other kids but not like me. 2 days ago, dd16 suddenly was ill. She is by FAR the worse off...maybe just like me. She dug out her inhaler (for exercise-induced asthma, which she hasn't used since she stopped dance in July). So I am keeping close watch on her breathing.

I tried so hard to quarantine the sick person, but when that person is ME, it is impossible. And also, it's hard to stop spreading something that you are shedding before you are even sick with it!!!!! (It would help a bit to NOT have 6 people and 1 bathroom!!!)

 

[barkley]

how funny. My dr at the urgent care (who was WONDERFUL and helpful, btw), said the OPPOSITE -- that this seems to be even more transmissible than the seasonal flu!

that's the same thing we're hearing up here, and the cases with folks i know have been where they were environments that were already taking heavy precautions (lots of cleaning, sanitizing, not sharing phones, work tools, telling staff at the first sign of illness to not come in...). when he found out he had been exposed (but before he showed any symptoms) he/his wife took precautions to limit her exposure as much as possible (including sleeping in separate rooms). she still came down with it, as did the wife and kids of one of his co-workers who took similar precautions.

 

[taximomfor4]

that's the same thing we're hearing up here, and the cases with folks i know have been where they were environments that were already taking heavy precautions (lots of cleaning, sanitizing, not sharing phones, work tools, telling staff at the first sign of illness to not come in...). when he found out he had been exposed (but before he showed any symptoms) he/his wife took precautions to limit her exposure as much as possible (including sleeping in separate rooms). she still came down with it, as did the wife and kids of one of his co-workers who took similar precautions.

Yep, I'm an RN (currently out of work)...so Universal Precautions, etc are all pretty second nature to me. I managed to keep 100% healthy all through nursing school, which had a zero absence policy. I didn't want to catch something and then have to repeat a semester!!!!!! But Every single member of our family, 6 out of 6, got this. Not quickly, but each fell ill within 1-5 days of the previous person. So maybe all my precautions slowed the transmission, but in the end we couldn't avoid it.

Of course between dh and the 4 kids, we have family presence in FOUR different schools every single day. We were BOUND to get this in our house, lol. Just hope dd16 wakes up soon...I don't like how blah she was last evening...want to check on her condition today. Don't know why I was always most worried about HER getting it -- maybe the fact that most of the kids who've died have been TEENAGERS, not little kids. It was making me mad that they were wanting to immnunize the YOUNG kids first, when their risk is so much slighter.

 

[Stitchfans]

Yep, I caught it from DD. We had it last week. She was feeling so bad with the aches and chills that she requested I cuddle with her. I knew I was a goner, but what mom can say no to cuddling with your child? We were both sick for 4 days. Of course me a little longer after her since she gave it to me.

 

[Wonderlandmom]

They must be. 25-49 yr olds are being hospitalized at almost the same rate as the 5-18 yr olds! The death rate is the same among the 2 groups. Not sure the percentage that are getting it though.

Interesting charts here:
http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu/qa.htm

 

[taximomfor4]

They must be. 25-49 yr olds are being hospitalized at almost the same rate as the 5-18 yr olds! The death rate is the same among the 2 groups. Not sure the percentage that are getting it though.

Interesting charts here:
http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu/qa.htm

What worried us a bit was when they broke childhood death rate into smaller age brackets. Its not the littlest ones, it's the teens with the highest mortality rate...followed by the tweens. So the mortality rate went DOWN as the age went younger.

 

[crazyme5kids]

I'll let you know, my son is home today with it. My oldest son had it in mid June and we all dodged the bullet then. We'll see what happens this round.

 

[pls5286]

I had it two weeks ago. My daughter was sick the previous week with unconfirmed illness for two days. She felt horrible for 1 day, ran a high fever, cough, and just wanted mommy. She is 6. We sent my son, who is 13 to my parents next door to get him out of it. The next day she felt pretty good, had a temp of 99 when she woke up so she missed a 2nd day of school, but played and was her normal self. A week later, school out for fall break, my parents out of town (and us watching the farm) I come down with it. Mine was confirmed H1N1. I kept myself in my room, let the kids have the run of the house, and my son pretty much watched his sister and kept the chickens going too. He went around every hour with a can of Lysol. He made them easy meals and they stayed out of my room. So far so good. My son has not gotten sick. I was sick for a good week.

 

[minnieandmickeymouse]

I just want to know HOW do you know you have it, or your kids have it? I live in vermont. and 2 weeks ago my 7 year old had a 103 fever for about 3 days, he would cry becuase his head hurt so bad, and he had a cough. He basicly slept for 3 days!
Sat. my 9 year old was fine all day then, he fell asleep early, and I felt him, he had a fever too. It's only got up to 101. He's fine today. He also has a cough. Then this morning I got a call from the school nurse and I had to go pick up my 11 year old daughter because of fever, she looked and acted fine this morning 2 hours before the call. She says her neck and back hurts, and her head. small cough, and has had a sore thoat for a couple days.

So is this just a normal cold or H1N1?? Normally my kids, except my younger one, don't get fevers with just a cold. I didn't think it was this widespread in vermont yet, so I'm having a hard time believing it's the H1N1 I guess.

 

[Handbag Lady]

I must admit I am worried about catching it at work. We have parents of many grade-school kids here and we all share the same kitchen and bathroom.

My employer is being cautious, however, and even if you have a cold, you are being sent home.