The Flu

Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN · Feb 2, 2009

(Knocks on wood big time)

I am also not seeing much of the flu! One or two cases very suspicious for flu, no confirmed cases. I have not seen many febirle illnesses at all this year. Very odd, indeed!

BunnyBunnyBSNRN, ASN, BSN · Feb 2, 2009

I'm sending alot home with fever, body aches, cough, sore throat, etc. Only a couple of confirmed dx of flu, but very suspect...we have 70 absent today!

PattyB RN · Feb 2, 2009

I just saw on the TV yesterday (an infection control specialist for a large well-known hospital) that here in Connecticut the flu has just been upgraded to "Regional" from sporadic (From the CDC). It seems the flu is off to a slow start but it was also pointed out that the vaccine for this year is not proving effective for the type of flu they are seeing. We had a small, private school close for several days because 1/3 of the student body had the flu. Right now I'm not seeing too much at my school for acute febrile illnesses but that could all change!

luvschoolnursing, LPN · Feb 3, 2009

Lots of stomach "flu". I haven's seen any true flu yet and I'm not always sure when I see that they have called off with the flu. Lots of time it is a stomach virus they call the "flu". Hope we don't see much of it! It can stay away.

Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN · Feb 5, 2009

Well, I saw on the news this morning that a private school in Dallas just closed for today and tomorrow because 1/3 of their students are out with the flu I hope it stays in Dallas and doesn't make it to Ft Worth! I am seeing a few more febrile illness but still no confirmed flu cases. What a weird season this is!

Aneroo, LPN · Feb 9, 2009

I just sent my first one home that I am pretty sure has the flu.

I had a ton of norovirus stuff earlier in the year. Thank God that's done!

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · Feb 9, 2009

I'm not a school nurse but wanted to comment. (I'm in Connecticut)

My youngest daughter was feeling not so well last week. She was running a low grade fever and I suspected that she, yet again, had another case of streph throat. Her s/s never showed anything other than the fever that would go up or down as the tylenol was wearing off/working.

After two days we brought her to the docs, streph test negative. Told us that she was one of the many children who had a "virus". As eveident by the 25 or so children in the office all looking like she did. Told us to call in 48 hrs if we didn't see an improvement. Well 48 hrs later, and no other symptoms than the now high grade fever, she was back in the docs office. Redid the strep test which was still neg, but they also did the flu test and that came back positive. The doc was saying that the kids that they originally dx's with "the virus" were all coming back when their temps would spike pretty high (my child was at 104.9). When they test them, the test came back positive for flu.

I'm told there are two strains that seem to be going around here. The typical flu you expect (fever, chills, sore throat, GI issues etc) and this other one with the only real symptom being a fever (with maybe another s/s like "belly ache" etc). I have to wonder how many children are running fevers that do have the flu but aren't being tested for it since its just a fever they present with. Thankfully, my daughter only had to deal with that high fever for a week, but not the other "lovely" symptoms of the flu.

I did call my daughters school nurse and let her know that my daughter had a confirmed case of the flu. Explained this "new strain" with the fever. She said she was going to call the kids parents that she sent home w/fevers to have them tested for the flu also. I'd be willing to be quite a few of those febrile kids also have what my daughter had.

Keepstanding, ASN, RN · Feb 9, 2009

i just sent my first one home that i am pretty sure has the flu.
i had a ton of norovirus stuff earlier in the year. thank god that's done!

where have you been aneroo ?? we missed you ! :heartbeat

praiser :heartbeat

PattyB RN · Feb 9, 2009

Thanks so much for the details. Really helps put a few pieces if this puzzle together. I've had a ton of kids with just really red throats (sore of course) but no fever. Now I'm curious to see if those same kids come down with the fever/flu symptoms a few days after the throat. I don't know how many pediatricians are actually testing for the flu but it's definitely a good idea. Hope she's feeling better!

Aneroo, LPN · Feb 9, 2009

where have you been aneroo ?? we missed you ! :heartbeat

praiser :heartbeat

life has been so crazy lately!

1- really not loving the new format. still finding it really hard to get around.

2- started bsn classes in early january. i did cut my course load, but it's still rough.

3- finishing my screenings and trying to spend more time at my other schools, which i can't get on the internet there.

i swear it looks like office depot vomited in my office. it's pitiful.

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · Feb 9, 2009

She's back to almost 100% now. She missed 4 days of school. She's a bit run down but more energetic each day that passes. That week long fever really took a lot out of her. Thanks for the well wishes.

Wanted to add, that the morning we noticed her fever (fri) she also had a really, really red throat, which she said hurt "only a little bit" But I had noticed her throat was red on Thursday night at bedtime. I only noticed that because she said one of her molars hurt and I was looking at it and noticed her red throat. So of course, when she woke up Friday with a fever added to the red throat I immediatly thought streph.

PattyB RN I'd suggest if your kids are coming into your office with fevers, it might be worth mentioning to the parents about having them tested for flu. Not that you can really do a whole lot to end the s/s of flu but at least the parents, doctors and school nurses know what they are dealing with.