PORTRAITS PORTRAITS - Capital Health

More documents

Recommendations

Info

INFLUENZA THE FLU BUG Flu shots are one of the safest inoculations. The side-effects are very mild, often just a sore arm. people over six months of age: flu shots, which must be renewed annually. “In a year where there is a good match between the vaccine and the virus that circulates, an elderly person living in the community has a 70% to 75% protection against getting the flu,” Hanrahan says. The “sleazy” nature of influenza, that fact that the virus is always changing, means that scientists have to make an educated guess as to which strains are likely to be most troublesome during a particular season. Concedes Hanrahan: “There is always the chance that what is in our vaccine is not going to match well with what is going to circulate. Sometimes we take a bit of a hit in the press. We’ve done pretty well in recent years. Last year, it wasn’t as close as we would have liked, but it still gave people pretty good protection.” Flu shots administered by Capital Health usually cost $18. However, free vaccinations are available to people who are considered to be at risk of developing influenza-related complications along with their caregivers (see sidebar). Flu shots are one of the safest inoculations. Says Hanrahan: “The side-effects are very mild, often just a sore arm.” The vaccine, she adds, is inert and cannot cause the disease. If, despite all precautions, you do develop influenza-like symptoms, the best medical advice is to get lots of rest and allow your body to recover. “One of the problems with influenza is that otherwise healthy adults keep on plugging along and spread the illness,” Hanrahan says. “Particularly stay away from nursing homes, because those people die when they get influenza.” The contagious period for influenza continues for about a week after symptoms first appear. “If you are ill, stay home and take care of yourself,” Jaipaul adds. “Be a good citizen and don’t spread it outside the home.” YH Free flu shots Vaccination against the flu is available at no charge to: • Healthy children aged six to 23 months • Adults and children with chronic pulmonary disorders and cardiac disorders severe enough to require regular hospital or medical care • People of any age who reside in nursing homes, lodges or chronic care facilities • People 65 years of age and older • Adults and children with certain chronic medical conditions • People who are HIV positive • Pregnant women who are in a high risk category • Children and adolescents treated for long periods with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) • Individuals who are living in chronically disadvantaged situations such as homeless shelters • People at high risk who are traveling to destinations where influenza is likely to be circulating • Workers in direct contact with poultry infected with avian influenza during culling operations • Health care workers and other personnel who have significant contact with those at high risk • All household contacts of persons at high risk for influenza-related complications, including contacts of children less than 24 months of age • Pregnant women in their third trimester if they are expected to deliver during influenza season, as they will become household contacts of their newborn • Those providing regular child care to children less than 24 months of age, whether in or out of the home 44 September/October 2004 Your Health – Capital Health’s magazine for living well
Flu shots for young children Alberta is the first province in Canada to offer free flu vaccinations to all infants between six and 23 months of age and their caregivers. “The reason these kids are being targeted is because they are at great risk of being hospitalized,” says Anita Hanrahan, Capital Health’s director of communicable disease control. “They don’t die at the rate that senior citizens do. With young children, they don’t have higher rates of death, but they really have a lot of hospitalization that holds them back.” During the last flu season, seven children spent time in the intensive care unit at the Stollery Children’s Hospital, for a total of 60 days.Two babies developed meningitis, while another was left with a severe brain infection. “Young children are more predisposed to get serious bacterial infections after they’ve had influenza,” says Dr. Wendy Vaudry, infectious disease director at the Stollery. Infants tend to be especially susceptible to getting the flu because they lack previous exposure. Also, because their lungs are smaller, their symptoms tend to be worse. Notes Vaudry: “This isn’t a harmless cold. For some children, it does cause them to be admitted into hospital.The majority of them are actually healthy children.” She advises parents to bring a child of any age with influenza to the nearest emergency room if any one of these symptoms develops: • Difficulty breathing • Lethargy and unresponsiveness • Inadequate fluid intake Of all confirmed cases of influenza in Alberta last year, about 43% involved children under the age of five. Doctors at the Stollery saw 159 patients with flu-like symptoms between October and January. Hoping for fewer hospitalizations this year, Hanrahan says Capital Health is “trying to pull out all the stops” to get flu shots to as many infants as possible this fall. “We’ll not only be immunizing the six to 23 month olds, but any caregiver who has somebody less than 24 months of age in their home. We cannot immunize children less than six months of age.” To provide some protection to newborns too young for flu shots, Hanrahan advises pregnant women with due dates during the late fall and winter months to get vaccinated. “We’re really going to have to do our homework to try to get our message across, because pregnant women are well taught not to want to take anything. If you are a normal healthy woman who is going to deliver during the flu season, we’re immunizing you to take care of your baby.” The vaccine used by Capital Health cannot cause influenza and is considered safe for a developing fetus. The decision to extend the free flu shot program to include pregnant women, infants and their families is based on a national advisory committee recommendation issued last spring. Is it a cold or the flu? Here’s a quick symptom guide to help tell them apart Symptoms Cold Flu Fever Usually no fever Fever is common, with body temperatures of up to 40˚C for as long as four days Headache Usually no headache Almost always present Stuffy nose Nearly always a Sometimes present, but not always major symptom Sneezing Very common Maybe, but not necessarily Cough and chest Hacking, usually mild Can be severe to moderate discomfort Sore throat Common Sometimes Aches and pains Generally mild Frequently are severe Fatigue, exhaustion Usually mild Extreme exhaustion coupled with fatigue and weakness that can last up to three weeks and weakness Sources: Capital Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease Your Health – Capital Health’s magazine for living well September/October 2004 45
Page 1 and 2: EDMONTON and Area High-Tech Healing
Page 3 and 4: Contents September/October 2004 20
Page 6 and 7: Capital Comments Making Healthy Cho
Page 8 and 9: Health First Food Focus: The Health
Page 10 and 11: Health First Water Works es on peop
Page 12 and 13: Health First Ask the Expert The tru
Page 14 and 15: Health First Mould Alert! summer fl
Page 16 and 17: The Fitness Edge The Thinking Sport
Page 18 and 19: Healthy Thinking Under a Dark Cloud
Page 20 and 21: Frontiers of Medicine Dr. Phil Hall
Page 22 and 23: Frontiers of Medicine Dr. Philip Ho
Page 24 and 25: cover STORY Stories of strength and
Page 26 and 27: cover STORY THE FACE OF CANCER “P
Page 28 and 29: cover STORY THE FACE OF CANCER Canc
Page 30 and 31: cover STORY THE FACE OF CANCER “T
Page 32 and 33: cover STORY THE FACE OF CANCER The
Page 34 and 35: How do you find (and keep) quality
Page 36 and 37: CHILD CARE whether your current chi
Page 38 and 39: CHILD CARE Easing the Transition 3
Page 40 and 41: Young at Heart A Curious Neighbour
Page 42 and 43: INFLUENZA Fight THE BY CHRISTOPHER
Page 46 and 47: Dr. Dorrie Morrow Optometrist, Sher
Page 48 and 49: EYE HEALTH MYOPIA NORMAL VISION AGE
Page 50 and 51: EYE HEALTH GLAUCOMA RETINITIS PIGME
Page 52: EYE HEALTH The Eyes Have It UV shad
Page 55 and 56: Capital Health’s Prevention Power

PORTRAITS PORTRAITS - Capital Health

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?