NewsThursday, October 18, 2007 1:06 PM CDT

Comments (1) |

E-mail this page |

Print this page |

Enlarge type |

Reduce type |

Search archives |

RSS feeds |

Add to My Yahoo!

Report: Children overlooked in flu prep

By Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Children would likely be both prime spreaders and targets of a flu pandemic, but they're being overlooked in the nation's preparations for the next super-flu, pediatricians and public health advocates reported Wednesday.

The report urges the government to improve planned child protections, including how to care for youngsters if a pandemic closes schools.

"Right now, we are behind the curve in finding ways to limit the spread of a pandemic in children even though they are among the most at risk," said Dr. John Bradley of the American Academy of Pediatrics, which co-authored the report with the Trust for America's Health.

Concern is rising that the Asian bird flu known as H5N1 could trigger the next worldwide influenza epidemic if it mutates to become more easily spread person-to-person.

Children have long seemed particularly vulnerable to H5N1, possibly because they are more likely to touch or play with the diseased birds who spread it. Wednesday's report says nearly 46 percent of bird flu deaths since 2003 were among people 19 or younger.

Bird flu aside, germ-ridden youngsters already spur regular flu's spread through communities every winter, and experts have long called for better pediatric pandemic preparations.

Among gaps cited Wednesday:

- A stockpile of anti-flu medications contains only enough pediatric doses for 100,000 children; child vaccine doses are still under study.

- No protective face masks come in child sizes, although it's also not clear that children would tolerate wearing one.

- There are no plans for how to feed the 30 million children who rely on the school lunch program, if schools close.

E-mail this story | Print this story | Search archives | RSS

Show comments | Hide comments | Hide comments on all stories

Subscribe to the Pantagraph

Contact the Pantagraph staff

Home page | Previous page | Top

Ads by Yahoo!

Natural Training Pants Are Safer

Create A Healthy Home For Your Family. Free Coupons & Newsletter.
SeventhGeneration.com/trainingpants

Big Mens Pants

Great Selection of Name Brand BIG Men's Pants up to size 60. Brands you trust like Savane, Haggar, Palm Beach, Creekwood, Columbia and more.
www.bigtallpants.com

Practice Forex Trading

Start trading with a free $50,000 demo account. Play before pay.
www.fxcm.com

Video

Most commented stories

Top 10 from the past 14 days

Browse online archives

Recent issues:

Reader comments on this story - 1 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

JD wrote on Oct 17, 2007 4:05 PM:

" Flu vaccines are designed to target particular a particular strain of flu, as their are many strains. Agencies attempt to predict what strain will be particularly virulent at a given time, and the vaccines are designed for that strain. The affect of a vaccine against another strain is unpredictable, and may not help at all. Attempting to use bird flu, which is very rare and of limited contagiousness, to panic people and have them get vaccination which is not even designed against bird flu is irresponsible. Some people have negative effects from flu vaccines, and using terror to get them to get the shots...well, you finish that thought. "

Add your own comments

Please read the rules before posting comments.

You must be logged in to leave comments.
If you don't have a member ID, please register.

*Member ID:
*Password:
Remember login? (requires cookies)
	Forgot Your Password?

Customer Service | 301 W. Washington St., PO Box 2907, Bloomington, IL 61701-2907 | Ph. 309-829-9000 | 800-747-7323