Aug 25, 2009 5:20 pm US/Central
Doctor Answers H1N1 Questions From Parents
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Parents of young children are concerned about the spread of H1N1 flu.
CBS
Half of us could get the H1N1 flu by next year. And tens of thousands of children could die. That's one scenario laid out by a White House panel.
The panel warns that 30 to 50 percent of the population could be infected this flu season. Most of those cases will be moderate or mild. But up to 1.8 million people could be hospitalized.
And the panel says 30,000 to 90,000 Americans could die, mostly children and young adults.
CBS 2's Jim Williams reports that the numbers are frightening, especially for parents, many of whom are still struggling to decide whether to vaccinate their children.
These moms, all friends, enjoy bringing their children to a splash pool at River Park on Chicago's north side. But with the fun comes concerns over the spread of the H1N1 virus.
"I'm also worried because we are part of a major play group and he's around a lot of other kids," said parent Natalie Papier.
Parents have serious questions. For answers, we turned to Dr. Julie Morita, a physician with the Chicago Department of Public Health, and a mom herself.
Most of the questions focused on the H1N1 vaccination.
"I'd like to know what age range they recommend for children getting it," Papier said.
"The pandemic influenza vaccine is recommended for children 6 months through 18 years of age," Dr. Morita said.
"What are some of the side effects of getting the vaccination?" asked parent Courtney Wong.
"The pandemic influenza vaccine is being made in a very similar way as the usual seasonal influenza vaccines, and so the most common side effects will likely be soreness at the site, swelling, maybe low-grade fever," Dr. Morita said.
Dr. Morita adds that a full report on the side effects won't be known until the clinical trials are finished in the next few weeks.
Papier wants to know if she should get the vaccine as a parent of a young child, and also if her husband should get it.
"He's on public transportation and in a corporate work setting," Papier said.
"Because children 6 months of age and younger cannot receive the influenza vaccine, one of the highest priority groups of people to receive the vaccine are parents and household contacts of children less than 6 months of age, so definitely parents of young children should be vaccinated," Dr. Morita said.
"I'd be interested to know what percentage of pediatricians in the Chicago area are going to promote this vaccine," said parent Vicki Taylor.
"Most pediatricians and physicians who care for children are used to giving vaccines, so as a result, I expect that most pediatricians will have the vaccine available in their offices," Dr. Morita said.
Dr. Morita recommends children from 6 months to 18 years old and their parents get two vaccines this fall: the regular, seasonal flu shot and the H1N1 vaccine. She expects it to be in doctor's offices in October.
Click here to learn more about H1N1, including the symptoms and the top ways to prevent the spread of the virus.
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