The flu season is upon us. With the added concern of the swine flu this year, parents may have more questions about how to protect their children, especially those who have special health needs. Along with the regular flu shots, pediatricians and health officials are recommending the H1N1 vaccine.
The Utah Family Voices Health Information Center, a partner of the Utah Parent Center, advises that “parents are their children’s best advocates and so they need to get as much information as possible and weigh it out for their individual circumstances.” There are many places to find flu vaccine information for parents. The Utah Family Voices Health-e-Connections newsletter , Volume 1, Issue #17, offers flu warning signs to look for and helpful hints for those who have children with special health needs.
They remind us that “Everyone is responsible for making sure they are taking every effort to keep healthy by practicing health habits! This not only protects their individual families, but others that are at a huge risk medically.”
The Center for Disease Control also provides many resources on the 2009-10 flu season that can be easily downloaded, including a three-step program for taking precautions and preventative actions. CDC maintains a weekly H1N1 flu udate website. Check it out at http://www.flu.gov/index.html/