H1N1 Information

  1. What is H1N1?
  2. How is this different from the regular flu?
  3. Is the H1N1 flu really that dangerous?
  4. What can I do to protect my child/family?
  5. Are there any special considerations for individuals with Angelman Syndrome?
  6. I am caring for an individual with Angelman Syndrome that has the flu. Are there special guidelines I should follow?
  7. What is recommended with regards to vaccination?
  8. Our doctor says only high risk children/individuals can be vaccinated. Is my child high risk?
  9. Who should NOT be vaccinated?
  10. I can't find any vaccines in my area. Where can I find more information?
  11. I can't get liquid Tamiflu®. What should I do if the individual with Angelman Syndrome can't take the pill?
  12. Where can I find additional reliable information?
  1. What is H1N1?

    H1N1 (sometimes called swine flu) is an influenza virus. The H1N1 designation refers to which subtype of influenza virus it is.

    To learn more about H1N1 and viral subtypes, please visit the following sites:

    http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm

    http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/flu-viruses.htm#virustypes

    http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/frequently_asked_questions/about_disease/en/index.html

  2. How is this different from the regular flu?

    This particular H1N1 strain has not been detected in humans before. This strain is not related to previous or current seasonal flu strains. Thus, people will have little or no immunity to this particular flu strain. Therefore it will be very infectious and easily spread until people gain immunity either from contracting the virus or being vaccinated.

    http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/frequently_asked_questions/about_disease/en/index.html

  3. Is the H1N1 flu really that dangerous?

    Illness reports for H1N1 have ranged from mild to severe, but in general are similar to what is seen with seasonal flu. Seasonal influenza results in about 3 to 5 million cases of severe illness and 250,000 to 500,000 deaths worldwide per year. However, both H1N1 and seasonal flu can lead to severe complications (such as pneumonia) in high risk groups.

    For more information please see:

    http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/frequently_asked_questions/about_disease/en/index.html

    http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs211/en/

  4. What can I do to protect my child/family?

    There are a number of simple steps you can take to reduce the spread of influenza.

    • Be sure to wash your hands frequently!
    • Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth.
    • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve (not your hand) when you sneeze or cough.
    • Avoid contact with others if they are sick.
    • Avoid contact with others if you are sick.

    For more information and additional tips please see the following websites:

    http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm

    http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/swineflu.htm

    http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/flu-guide/flu-what-puts-you-risk

  5. Are there any special considerations for individuals with Angelman Syndrome?

    • Because individuals with Angelman Syndrome are at high risk for complications following influenza infections, they should be given priority for vaccinations and antiviral medication.
    • H1N1 vaccinations must only be administered to individuals with Angelman Syndrome via injection, "the shot", because it contains inactivated, or "killed", virus particles which reduce the risk of complications. TheFluMist® nasal spray which contains live, attenuated intranasal vaccine is NOT recommended for individuals with neurological issues such as those with Angelman Syndrome.
    • Because individuals with Angelman Syndrome tend to chew on objects and their hands, you should wash their hands and their chew objects frequently.
    • Because individuals with Angelman Syndrome are non-verbal, they may not be able to adequately communicate if their symptoms are getting worse. Therefore it is important to be in close contact with their health care provider/physician (see #6 below).

  6. I am caring for an individual with Angelman Syndrome that has the flu. Are there special guidelines I should follow?

    • There are no special guidelines for caring for an individual with Angelman Syndrome that has the flu. You should follow standard guidelines for caring for an individual with flu-like symptoms. You should contact the individual's primary care provider as soon as you suspect they have contracted the flu to obtain professional advice. Please see the following websites for general information on caring for someone who has the flu.

      http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/sick.htm
      http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/flu-guide/flu-treatment-care

    • Most individuals who contract the flu will recover without an issue. However, because individuals with Angelman Syndrome are non-verbal, they may not be able to adequately communicate if their symptoms are getting worse. Therefore it is important to be in close contact with their primary care provider to ensure you have a plan in place for determining what to do if their symptoms are getting worse.

      Here are some of the emergency warning signs from the CDC:

        In children

      • Fast breathing or trouble breathing
      • Bluish skin color
      • Not drinking enough fluids
      • 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
      • Fever with a rash

        • In adults

      • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
      • Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
      • Sudden dizziness
      • Confusion
      • Severe or persistent vomiting
        •

      Source: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/sick.htm

    • It is important that you not panic, but if you are concerned about the individual in any way, contact your care provider immediately to discuss whether or not the individual should be seen at the office or in the emergency room.

    • Since individuals with Angelman Syndrome are at high risk for complications (see #8) they should be given priority for antiviral medication such as Tamiflu® or Relenza®. You should contact your physician as soon as the individual develops flu-like symptoms to request anti-viral medication as it is most effective if given within the first 48hours after symptoms appear.

      For more information on antiviral medication please see: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/antiviral.htm

  7. What is recommended with regards to vaccination?

    The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following:

      Vaccines play a large role in preventing illness. There are two types of flu vaccine and both are important.

    • Seasonal flu vaccine. It is important that all children ages 6 months through 18 years receive seasonal flu vaccine now. Call your pediatrician today to schedule an appointment.
    • H1N1 vaccine. A separate vaccine to protect against H1N1 flu (swine flu) has been developed. The first people who should receive the H1N1 vaccine include:
    • Children ages 6 months through 24 years
    • Parents and caretakers of infants younger than 6 months
    • Pregnant women
    • Health care workers and emergency services personnel
    • Adults ages 25 to 64 with chronic health conditions
      •

    Source: http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/swineflu.htm

  8. Our doctor says only high risk children/individuals can be vaccinated. Is my child high risk?

    Individuals with Angelman Syndrome are considered to be at high risk for complications from influenza infections. The CDC says that individuals are at high risk if they have:
    Neurological and neurodevelopmental conditions [including disorders of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerve, and muscle such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy (seizure disorders), stroke, intellectual disability (mental retardation), moderate to severe developmental delay, muscular dystrophy, or spinal cord injury].
    Please see the following for more information and other groups considered high risk: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/highrisk.htm

  9. Who should NOT be vaccinated?

    According to the CDC:

      There are some people who should not get any flu vaccine without first consulting a physician. These include:

    • People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs.
    • People who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination.
    • People who developed Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) within 6 weeks of getting an influenza vaccine previously. (For information, see General Questions and Answers on Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS).
    • Children younger than 6 months of age (influenza vaccine is not approved for this age group), and
    • People who have a moderate-to-severe illness with a fever (they should wait until they recover to get vaccinated.)
    Source: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/vaccine_keyfacts.htm

  10. I can't find any vaccines in my area. Where can I find more information?

    The first places to contact are your pediatrician/doctor's office and your local school system or health department.

    In the United States you can also visit the following website for contact information for someone in your state that should be able to provide more information.

    http://www.flu.gov/professional/states/statecontacts.html#N"

  11. I can't get liquid Tamiflu®. What should I do if the individual with Angelman Syndrome can't take the pill?

    Please see the following for how to administer Tamiflu® capsules if the individual cannot swallow the pill.

    http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/antivirals/mixing_tamiflu_qa.htm

  12. Where can I find additional reliable information?

    The following websites have the most up-to-date information regarding H1N1:

    http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/swineflu.htm
    http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU/
    http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/

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