6 Alabama kids were on life support with flu

Nurses General Nursing

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These were otherwise healthy children who came down with a severe strain of seasonal flu. The original link to the local news is included but takes forever to load so that I decided to use a link from someone following this story at Flutrackers and will also include his follow up with the covering reporter. These kids are not the usual victims of seasonal flu which is one of the reasons why this is of concern:

FluTrackers - View Single Post - 6 Alabama children with flu on life support

FluTrackers - View Single Post - 6 Alabama children with flu on life support

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The mother of one of the kids in Omaha said her son had the B strain. He had the flu shot.

http://www.ketv.com/health/11052535/detail.html

Thanks for that info, natrgrrl. How frightening for that family this must have been. No word on prior existing condition in the article.

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This link gives info on some recent pediatric influenza mortalities in Texas.

The younger child had prior existing conditions, but the 16 year old did not.

Children and young adults are the most effected by this seasonal flu.

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showpost.php?p=68261&postcount=1

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It is just bewildering to me that influenza could do this. This 15 year old from Texas died the end of February. No mention of any prior existing conditions.

She was athletic.

http://www.kfdm.com/onset?id=19229&template=article.html

Here is another unusual case. Seizures, and a heart attack in a 24 year old from influenza? I know that this happens, but I just do not get it.

http://www.singtomeohmuse.com/viewtopic.php?p=17606#17606

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This is a very sad story. I just found out about this case today.

I thought that we were done with fatal pediatric flu cases for this year.

This 15 year old did not have any prior existing conditions that can be discerned from these articles. She was very athletic.

My heart goes out to her family.

They did everything right for her. She got early treatment, and an antiviral was started that day.

None of the viral sequences from any of the pediatric fatalities in this country have been released.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18233700&BRD=2303&PAG=461&dept_id=478976&rfi=6

http://www.rep-am.com/story.php?id=22456

Her mom retold the sad story that started on the evening of Thursday, April 5. "That night she played a lacrosse game after school. She came home and felt fine. She went back out to Police Explorers and when she came home she felt tired, like she was getting a cold. So she went to bed early. At about 9 p.m.," she said.

Jessy woke up early the next morning complaining of feeling ill, and she vomited. They went to see Jessy's longtime pediatrician, Dr. Jason Perkel at Torrington Winsted Pediatrics. At 9 a.m. he did a flu swab because she was complaining that her chest hurt. It came back clear. There was nothing in her lungs.

"A little while later, my husband took her to get her medicine and a milkshake that she wanted," recalled Mrs. Pierzga. Later that afternoon, the shake came back up and Jessy was still complaining of chest pain.

In the next bout of sickness, "there was a little bit of blood in her vomit. I got concerned but it wasn't a lot but she wasn't coughing a lot. We took her to the emergency room in Torrington and she was complaining more and more. They did a chest X-ray at about 10 p.m. and at that time her right lung was completely filled with fluid. Her oxygen level was low. Thankfully, Dr. Perkel came down and said suggested calling Connecticut Children's Medical Center," she said. They sent a medical team, including a respiratory doctor, down by ambulance and they took Jessy back with them after putting a tube in her throat.

"Once we got there she went downhill and was on a respirator. Her vital signs and blood pressure wouldn't stabilize. About eight hours later she was airlifted to Boston Children's Hospital via Lifestar helicopter. The two teams of doctors stayed in touch the whole time," she said.

(hat tip PFIF)

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So sad.

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Severe MRSA CAP associated with influenza, Dec 2006 to Jan 2007

Louisiana and Georgia

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5614a1.htm

(hat tip PFIF/atropine)

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I was surprised to read that the parents of the 15 yr old girl that died last month in Connecticut have posted on one of the flu forums. They are saying that the ID docs in Boston questioned them about any exposure of their daughter to poultry or ducks. Of course, it is true that in CT, where I work and they live, the Canadian geese feed in fields of all kinds, farmer's fields as well as athletic fields. This girl played lacrosse in one of those fields.

I don't think that any of us really believes that we are talking about an avian flu. It seems more likely that some of our seasonal influenzas have picked up some virulent markers, and I don't like to think of where. It certainly is concerning to hear that these docs are asking her parents this kind of question.

I am so sorry for this family. They are still in shock.

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It has been a while since I posted on this topic, however--I thought those who follow this topic might be interested in knowing that the little-girl I spoke about has finally been able to leave the hospital-- she came home on April 15th. She still has a trach in place -but it is plugged most of the time- she does use O2 at night. She has been through so much and still has a long way to go.

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These essays are emotionally charged, and will be difficult to read for that

reason. With that said, I believe that it is important for parents to be informed in order to make realistic plans to protect their families. The intent

is not to alarm, but rather to provide necessary information. You can not

plan if you do not know what the risks are.

http://afludiary.blogspot.com/2007/05/race-to-save-our-children.html

http://www.fluwikie.com/pmwiki.php?n=Opinion.UKpanResponse

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Frightening. Sad. Scary. I am so sorry about these tragic cases like that of the young girl.

Preventable?

Does anyone know?

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FDA Votes Favorably for FluMist for Young Children

FluMist does not contain thimerosal.

http://www.curevents.com/vb/showpost.php?p=730335&postcount=1

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Frightening. Sad. Scary. I am so sorry about these tragic cases like that of the young girl.

Preventable?

Does anyone know?

No, we don't know that it was preventable. No word on whether or not she had been vaxed, and we definitely will not be asking these bereaved people. Right now, emotional support is all that we can offer them.

All we know is that she had an influenza A, subtype unknown. Some believe that since she was treated in three different hospitals in two different states, and the ID docs were asking the right questions, that surely they saved some of her blood, and were in touch with CDC, and that her virus was sequenced. Maybe if we had the information that we are looking for, then we might be able to prevent some otherwise normal kids from getting sick thru mitigation strategies, but we have to know what viral subtype we are dealing with, and that the strategies need to be implemented.

Her parents were online looking for answers for why their very strong, healthy, almost 16 yr old daughter died so unexpectedly from influenza when everything possible had been done for her right from the onset.

I do not have the answers, just more questions.

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