An equal opportunity provider of employment and services.

Prevent. Promote. Protect.

Tim Hollinger, MPH Health Commissioner

Business Address:

180 Milan Ave., Suite 8 Norwalk, Ohio 44857

Phone/Fax:

Phone: (419) 668-1652 Toll Free: 1-888-694-2443

General Fax: (419) 668-5423 Environmental Fax:

(419) 660-0129

Email: information@

huroncohealth.com

Online: www.huroncohealth.com

CLINIC LOCATIONS:

BELLEVUE 3000 Seneca Industrial

Parkway

GREENWICH 65 West Main Street

NEW LONDON 187 West Main

NORWALK

180 Milan Avenue

WILLARD

221 East Walton Street

Serving Bellevue, Norwalk, Willard and all of Huron County.

December 16, 2014 Re: Influenza is Circulating Locally Dear Parent(s), The community of Huron County is seeing an increase in influenza illness. Influenza or “the flu” is a respiratory disease. Signs that you or your child may have the flu include having:

fever >100˚F with one or more of the following o cough (usually dry), o stuffy or runny nose, OR o sore throat.

Other symptoms include headache, body aches, chills and fatigue. Cough may linger for as long as a couple weeks, but the other symptoms should end within 5-7 days. Enclosed you will find a fact sheet on Influenza from Huron County Public Health. The fact sheet includes what flu is, symptoms of the flu, how to protect your child from getting the flu, and what to do if you child does get sick. It is very important to keep your child home if they are experiencing flu like symptoms. Children should be kept home until they have been fever free for at least 24 hours. The flu is extremely contagious and can be spread very easily through coughing or sneezing. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact Katherine Sabourin, Epidemiologist, at the Health Department at 419-668-1652 ext. 258 Thank you and stay healthy!

Katherine Sabourin

Katherine Sabourin, MPH, Epidemiologist Huron County Public Health Phone: 419-668-1652 ext. 258 Fax: 419-668-0152 Email: ksabourin@huroncohealth.com

THE FLU: GUIDE FOR PARENTS

HOW DO I PREVENT THE FLU? To protect against the flu, the most important thing you can do is to get a flu vaccine for yourself and your child.

Vaccination is recommended for everyone 6 months and older. It’s especially important that young children and children with long term health conditions get vaccinated. Caregivers of children with health conditions or of children younger than 6 months old should get vaccinated. Another way to protect babies is to vaccinate pregnant women because research shows that this gives some

protection to the baby both while the woman is pregnant and for a few months after the baby is born. Huron County Public Health have vaccines for both children and adults. Call 419-668-1652.

In addition to getting vaccinated: Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue. Stay away from people who are sick. Wash hands often with soap and water for as long as it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song. If soap and

water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way. If someone in the household is sick, try to keep the sick person in a separate room. Keep surfaces like bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom, kitchen counters and toys for children clean by

wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label.

WHAT IS THE FLU & HOW SERIOUS IS IT?

Influenza or “the flu” is an infection of the nose, throat, and lungs caused by influenza viruses. There are many different influenza viruses, and they are constantly changing. Influenza can cause illness, hospitalization or death. The flu causes 36,000 deaths in the U.S. each year.

The flu can be very dangerous for children. Each year about 20,000 children younger than 5 years old are hospitalized with flu.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS & HOW DOES IT SPREAD?

Symptoms of the flu include: fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea. Some people with the flu will not have a fever.

Most experts believe that flu viruses spread mainly by droplets released when people with the flu cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby. Less often, a person might get the flu by touching something that has flu virus on it and then touching their own mouth, eyes or nose.

People with the flu are contagious from 1 day before getting sick to 5 to 7 days after. Children and people with weakened immune systems can shed virus for longer, and might be still contagious past 5 to 7 days of being sick, especially if they still have symptoms.

For more information on influenza and other health topics, visit www.huroncohealth.com

PROTECT YOUR CHILD FROM THE FLU

Talk to your doctor early if you are worried about your child’s illness.

If your child is 5 years and older and does not have other health problems and gets flu-like symptoms, including a fever and/or cough, consult your doctor as needed and make sure your child gets plenty of rest and drinks enough fluids.

If your child is younger than 5 years (and especially younger than 2 years) or of any age with a long term health condition (like asthma, a neurological condition, or diabetes, for example) and develops flu-like symptoms, they are at risk for serious complications from the flu. Ask a doctor if your child should be examined.

WHAT CAN I DO IF MY CHILD GETS SICK?

Huron County Public Health www.huroncohealth.com

IF YOUR CHILD IS SICK

Fast breathing or trouble breathing, Bluish or gray skin color, Not drinking enough fluids (not going to the bathroom or making as much urine as they normally do), Severe or persistent vomiting that results in dehydration, Not waking up or not interacting, Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held, Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough, or Has other conditions (like heart or lung disease, diabetes, or asthma) and develops flu symptoms,

including a fever and/or cough.

WHAT IF MY CHILD SEEMS VERY SICK?

Even children who have always been healthy before or had the flu before can get very sick from the flu.

Call for emergency care or take your child to a doctor right away if your child of any age has any of the warning or emergency signs below:

CAN MY CHILD GO TO SCHOOL WHEN SICK WITH THE FLU?

No. Your child should stay home to rest and recover, and to avoid giving the flu to other children or caregivers.

Keep your child home from school, day care or camp for at least 24 hours after their fever is gone. (Fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.) A fever is defined as 100°F (37.8°C) or higher.

It is important to know that your child could have the flu even if they do not have a fever (they can still be contagious without a fever). If your child has a combination of the other flu symptoms, consider keeping him or her home.

HURON COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH Tim Hollinger, MPH, Health Commissioner

180 Milan Avenue, Suite 8, Norwalk, OH 44857

Phone: (419) 668-1652

Medical Fax: (419) 663-1809

Environmental Fax: (567) 244-3201

Community Health Fax: (419) 668-0152 Email: information@huroncohealth.com

Online: www.huroncohealth.com

Rev. 1/8/2014

There has been an increase in reported cases of flu, now is the time to get your family vaccinated. Call today to make a flu shot appointment 419-668-1652.

SHOULD MY CHILD STAY HOME? FEVER

100 degrees or higher on the day of or the night before school-keep home until fever free for 24 hours without medicine

If has headache and stiff neck, seek medical help right away COLD

Mild cough, sneezing, aching muscles and watery eyes Keep home on the first day or two – this is when they are most able to spread the cold to others

BAD or HARSH COUGH Stay home and contact your child’s health care provider (might have bronchitis, flu, pneumonia,

whooping cough or croup) Return to school after the cough improves and child is feeling better or when your child’s health

care provider recommends SORE THROAT

Keep home if also has fever, swollen glands, a hard time swallowing or talking or if throat is red and swollen

Bad sore throat with headache and/or upset tummy can be signs of strep throat – contact your child’s health care provider

VOMITING/STOMACHACHE/DIARRHEA Keep at home for at least 24 hours after the last time the child vomits (pukes)

or has diarrhea without medicine EARACHE

If has pain, drainage or blood from the ear canal, contact your child’s healthcare provider

PINK EYE Contact your child’s health care provider and keep at home until 24 hours after treatment starts

If you are unsure if your child should stay home, CONTACT YOUR CHILD’S HEALTH CARE PROVIDER