PARENTS!! Are you doing anything differently?

Options
kshadows
kshadows Posts: 1,315 Member
in Chit-Chat
Since the news of the EVD-68 outbreak? (http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2014/09/08/what-is-enterovirus-68-the-mysterious-illness-that-is-sickening-hundreds-of-children/)

It's a scary thought but I've heard people saying they are keeping kids home from school, they're not leaving the house at all, etc. Which I think seems excessive. Kids get sick.

Thoughts?

Replies

  • ponycyndi
    ponycyndi Posts: 858 Member
    Options
    Daily reminders to sneeze in their sleeve, and watch their hands. I have a 7yo with severe allergies, so yes, I'm worried, but keep them in a bubble? Come ON. There is always some epidemic or another...and spoiler alert: we all die in the end.
  • dMonster01
    dMonster01 Posts: 214 Member
    Options
    It's a scary thought but I've heard people saying they are keeping kids home from school, they're not leaving the house at all, etc. Which I think seems excessive. Kids get sick.

    Thoughts?

    Yes kids get sick, but this is a possibly fatal virus. I don't think keeping your kids home is excessive. You can never be too careful.
  • kshadows
    kshadows Posts: 1,315 Member
    Options
    It's a scary thought but I've heard people saying they are keeping kids home from school, they're not leaving the house at all, etc. Which I think seems excessive. Kids get sick.

    Thoughts?

    Yes kids get sick, but this is a possibly fatal virus. I don't think keeping your kids home is excessive. You can never be too careful.

    I'm just saying for people like me (full-time working parent) with one kid in school, it's not feasible to just stay home and not leave the house.


    My son is prone to respiratory infections so I am reminding him to cover his mouth, wash his hands, etc.
  • kshadows
    kshadows Posts: 1,315 Member
    Options
    It's a scary thought but I've heard people saying they are keeping kids home from school, they're not leaving the house at all, etc. Which I think seems excessive. Kids get sick.

    Thoughts?

    Yes kids get sick, but this is a possibly fatal virus. I don't think keeping your kids home is excessive. You can never be too careful.

    And there haven't been any fatalities reported at this time.
  • Chain_Ring
    Chain_Ring Posts: 753 Member
    Options
    First of all lol @ "PARENTS!!" So dramatic. Second of all, no. Don't live your life in fear.
  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,641 Member
    Options
    ef6b3e1f9b.jpg
  • dMonster01
    dMonster01 Posts: 214 Member
    Options
    It's a scary thought but I've heard people saying they are keeping kids home from school, they're not leaving the house at all, etc. Which I think seems excessive. Kids get sick.

    Thoughts?

    Yes kids get sick, but this is a possibly fatal virus. I don't think keeping your kids home is excessive. You can never be too careful.

    And there haven't been any fatalities reported at this time.

    I know, but it is a possibly fatal virus, like I said.
  • WeepingAngel81
    WeepingAngel81 Posts: 2,232 Member
    Options
    It's a scary thought but I've heard people saying they are keeping kids home from school, they're not leaving the house at all, etc. Which I think seems excessive. Kids get sick.

    Thoughts?

    Yes kids get sick, but this is a possibly fatal virus. I don't think keeping your kids home is excessive. You can never be too careful.

    And there haven't been any fatalities reported at this time.

    I know, but it is a possibly fatal virus, like I said.

    So is the flu.....

    OP- No, I'm not doing anything differently. I remind my kids to wash their hands after using the bathroom, and I constantly have to tell my 4yo to keep his fingers out of his nose and mouth, and I try to make sure they eat a healthy diet. Unless you have a child who has a weakened immune system, there isn't a need to keep them inside all the time.
  • elephant2mouse
    elephant2mouse Posts: 906 Member
    Options
    I have a 2 year old with asthma, and who had lung surgery when she was 2 months old that including cutting a chunk of her lung out...
    So yes I'm worried/paranoid... Luckily she isn't in school or daycare, otherwise I might be one of those people.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    Options
    No.

    I actually just heard of this today and I am in Colorado, and have 2 children when a history of respiratory issues. I don't plan on doing much except make sure the one gets her inhalers daily which I usually only do in deep winter.
  • fourfiftythree
    fourfiftythree Posts: 203 Member
    Options
    This is weighing heavily on my mind because I'm about to send my 2 year old to a toddler pre school thing next week. She stays home with me, so this will be her first time being around other kids in a setting like that. It's only an hour long, so I'm wondering if it's even worth it to take the risk.
  • WeepingAngel81
    WeepingAngel81 Posts: 2,232 Member
    Options
    I have a 2 year old with asthma, and who had lung surgery when she was 2 months old that including cutting a chunk of her lung out...
    So yes I'm worried/paranoid... Luckily she isn't in school or daycare, otherwise I might be one of those people.

    Well that makes sense then. You're little one is tough! I have a friend who's baby is almost 1 and has been diagnosed with a rare metabolic disorder. So rare, in fact, that they are still combing her DNA after almost a year to pin point which one it is exactly. A simple cold could be enough to kill her. I totally understand those circumstances of being one of "those" parents. I would be too in that scenario.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
    Options
    Are you doing anything differently?

    Not anything more than normal...wash your hands, cough/sneeze into your sleeve, etc. I find these types of articles to be rather alarmist and pretty much something different pops up every year for the media to get all frenzied about...they talk about 100s of kids...ok, well...there are millions and millions of kids overall in the U.S.

    Alarmist article is alarmist.

    For perspective, far more kids will be impacted from the flu this year than from this virus.
  • Organicgasm
    Organicgasm Posts: 592 Member
    Options
    I only just heard about this because I follow Seattle Children's Hospital's facebook page and Seattle Mama Doc did a blog on it.

    I treat all outbreaks the same as flu season. Avoid large crowds as much as you can (with the exception of church) and have kids wash their hands frequently. My immunocompromised child gets to carry purell (which she already does all the time) and that's about it. I ask anyone who is sick to please not come visit until they are well etc. But we don't live in a bubble.
  • DamePiglet
    DamePiglet Posts: 3,730 Member
    Options
    I'm not doing anything differently.
    My kids have their own health insurance policies.

Categories