Flu Season Tips
updated 2/25/20
Flu season has arrived and the sad fact is that no matter how hard you try, sometimes you just can't avoid getting the flu. Dr. Adam Naddelman, MD, FAAP, President, Princeton Nassau Pediatrics, P.A. has a few tips on how to elude the flu, spot the virus in it's early stages, and what to do when you think that you've been bitten by the bug.
Preventative measures (from flu.gov)
Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others.
Stay home when you are sick. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. This will help prevent spreading your illness to others.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Flu and other serious respiratory illnesses, like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), whooping cough, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), are spread by cough, sneezing, or unclean hands.
Clean your hands. Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
Practice other good health habits.Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work or school, especially when someone is ill. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.
Early flu signs
Fever, usually 102º - 104º
Cough
Body aches that can be severe
Once symptoms begin
People who are high risk (chronic illness like diabetes and asthma, elderly or kids under 2) should seek medical care quickly. If the flu is diagnosed within the first 48 hours, antiviral drugs can be prescribed in hopes of shortening and/or lessening the effects of the flu. A full list of who is considered to be high risk can be found at Flu.gov.
For those considered low risk, Dr. Naddelman believes the best treatment is supportive care, including plenty of fluids, antipyretics to reduce fever and body aches, and lots of rest.
Considering emergency medical assistance? Listen to episode 307 of the Juicebox Podcast
Dr. Adam Naddelman, MD, FAAP
Dr. Naddelman stresses the importance of being on the look out for secondary infections with the flu, particularly pneumonia. Signs of influenza leading to a secondary bacterial infection like pneumonia include a high spiking fever several days into the illness, increasing cough and lethargy, and decreased appetite and oral intake. These signs require immediate medical attention.
Once you've kicked the flu waiting twenty-four hours to reintroduce yourself to the public after your symptoms and fever have resolved is considered best practice.
Dr. Naddelman practices pediatrics, but his advice is transferrable to patients of all ages.
This is a very good time for me to remind you that I am not a doctor and that nothing I write on Arden's Day or anywhere else should be taken as medical advice. My disclaimer says it all but you should really contact your own physician whenever you have questions about your or a loved ones health. Especially when the flu is involved.
Corona Shelter In Place: Update One
Before I began podcasting I did a fair amount of blogging, please bear with me while I remember how to write.
It’s March 19, 2020 and my family has been voluntarily sheltering in place for six days. Overall the time has been pleasant but I want to share a few things that I’ve noticed as the days pass.
Arden seems to like distance learning better than going to school, this was not surprising as she has been able to adjust her busy hours to meet her natural sleep pattern.
Kelly is working more hours which is allowing her to conquer tasks that would normally take more time. Saving commuting time is helping tremendously. I do worry that she isn’t taking enough breaks.
Cole has been sent home from college and the NCAA has cancelled the spring sports season. He is figuring out how to channel the massive amount of energy that he usually directs into playing baseball. Yesterday he got outside for the first time and the activity was good for him.
The house has never looked better, cleaning has become a pastime for a few of us. Arden spent a day cleaning the kid’s bathroom and it is sparkling.
Everything still feels pretty normal with the exception of how often we visit stores but the specter of what may still be coming is difficult to ignore. I find myself worrying most about food, security and diabetes supplies.
I’m going to spend this time working on the Juicebox Podcast by recording, editing and prepping future episodes. I’d like to add some home exercise to my day - I need to do that.
I’m hoping that you will use your time for something that you haven’t previously had the bandwidth for. Refocus on diabetes management, try that planking challenge - whatever. Just as long as you can look back on these days and feel like they weren’t wasted. I’ve been re-listenning to my Pro Tip series with Jenny Smith to brush up on my T1D management skills. I’ve picked a few books to read and I think that I may have an idea for bolstering the community around this blog and podcast.
Last two things: Those of you who aren’t able to stay home, please be safe and for anyone who feels uncertain about the coronavirus and what you should and shouldn’t be doing, I just recorded a very easy to follow conversation with Adam Naddelman, M.D. on the subject. Adam will be back on the show as events unfold.
Talk soon.
Kung Flu Fighting
So, what did you do this weekend?
Last Thursday evening Arden said, "I don't feel good" and just like that, we embarked on our second battle with the flu since Arden was diagnosed back in 2006. Two out of eight, that's... not bad, right?!
The timing of her illness (End of week, holiday) allowed Kelly to be the Super Mom that she is, while I got to take a more traditional Dad role - run to pharmacy, clean up, bring blankets and sleep in another room so Kelly and Arden could do their 'sick day lady communing'. I was happy to see Kel get this time with Arden but sad for it to come like this - they were both amazing and incredibly tough over the last few days. Being tired, sick and feverish sucks on a normal day but when you add type I diabetes and a holiday, well, it sucks a lot more. Moms always surprise me with their willingness to lay face-to-face with their kids when they are contagious. #MommyLove
Arden's BGs were more than manageable for the first twenty-four hours, actually they were fantastic - probably because she wasn't eating much. Since Saturday, they have progressively gone back to the normal level of challenging that we've come to expect.
All of this of course reopens the discussion about getting a flu shot - something we don't normally do. No one else in the house has the flu right now or had the flu this past winter, and even though Arden contracted the less aggressive strain (B), it is still difficult not to second-guess our decision. We are not an anti-innoculation family, but we do try to limit unnecessary medications. Actually, some years, the strain contained in the 'flu shot' never materializes in the population, but there is no denying that right now, it is tough not to wonder if we made the right choice.
Arden is doing much better today and may make it back to school as early as tomorrow, she is already begging to play in her softball game tonight. We opted to use Tamiflu to shorten the life of her flu. The Tamiflu doesn't effect BGs and was strongly recommended by the pediatrician because Arden has type I. In all, it was a weird and wacky Easter weekend as Arden fought with this second wave of the flu season, prepared Easter eggs with a fever, and used up most of her adrenaline on Sunday morning trying to outrace Cole to the eggs hidden around our house. I'm not sure if we'll get a flu shot next year but this entire experience has led me to rename Easter to 'Fluster' - (Kelly nominated 'Fleaster' - but was outvoted last evening by our governing board).
Be well, wash your hands and let's hope that this all goes away as soon as possible.