Two La Canada Elementary students contract H1N1 flu

Two first-grade children who attend La Cañada Elementary School have been stricken by the H1N1 flu virus, it was confirmed Monday by a school district official.

Department of Health officials visited the class last week, tested children and notified the school late Friday that two children had contracted the H1N1 virus.

On Sept. 9, La Cañada Elementary school officials were concerned when 13 of the 20 students in a first-grade class were absent due to illness. The U.S. Department of Health Services visited the campus that day.

“We reported it immediately and the Department of Health was out there that afternoon,” Wendy Sinnette, assistant superintendent of human resources with La Cañada Unified School District, said Monday afternoon. “We’re seeing healthy kids and we’re being told the school is safe by the Dept. of Health. We’ll continue to update the La Cañada Elementary community.”

Swabs were taken of five students whose symptoms were considered severe enough to warrant a visit to a pediatrician’s office. All five came back positive for type A influenza and by late Friday afternoon, two those five came back positive for H1N1, Sinnette said. H1N1 is a subset of type A influenza, the most common form of the flu.

“We’ve had a few parents concerned,” Sinnette said. “Maintenance and custodial came in late on Friday and sanitized everything in the classrooms, down to the carpet. We’ve tested every child for fever when they came back on Monday and not a single fever. A few went home with stuffy noses.

“We think we’ve gotten it isolated.”

The good news is that the recent cases of H1N1 reported in the area haven’t been deadly.

“We’ve had one documented case, a man who came back home from Panama,” said Dr. Skip Barber of Verdugo Medical Center. “Most cases are occurring in younger people. There were scattered cases in summer camps and now there’s been an outbreak at one USC dorm. That’s where we expected to see it.”

The good news is that this iteration of the H1N1 doesn’t seem to be as deadly as previously believed, he said.

“People are getting sick from it, but aren’t dying,” Barber said. “I recommend [if they catch the H1N1 virus] they stay home and rest. If they are a high risk group, they should consult their physician.”

To prevent catching it, be cautious.

“People might want to get a mask to prevent spreading the virus by breathing,” said Pharmacist Vicky Ling with Flintridge Pharmacy. “Wash your hands often and take vitamins.”

Flintridge Pharmacy has flu shots available, but doesn’t expect to have one for the H1N1 virus until October.

Health experts say that in most cases, a doctor’s visit isn’t necessary because the H1N1 flu will clear up in five days. However, consider seeing your doctor if you are at high risk for complications, such as developing pneumonia, sepsis or having a severe asthma attack. This includes people ages 65 and older, pregnant women, young children and people with chronic medical conditions.

Symptoms for the flu include aching and shivering, headaches, fatigue, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, body aches, chills and, usually in children, vomiting and diarrhea.

Emergency signs in children are usually fast or labored breathing, sometimes accompanied with a bluish skin color that indicates the child isn’t getting enough oxygen. A fever with a rash can indicate an illness other than the flu. A return of flu symptoms after the child appeared to be better can indicate that the child has developed a secondary illness or was misdiagnosed.

Not waking up easily, or interacting, or being so irritable as to not want to be touched can mean a more severe case.

In adults, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath and pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen could indicate a more serious case. Sudden dizziness and confusion are often symptoms of not getting enough oxygen.