I have the first of my four children home from school today:

• 102.7 temperature
• Headache
• Sore throat
• Chills
• Coughing
• Stuffy nose
• Achy muscles

Any guesses as to what she has? Classic influenza symptoms, wouldn’t you say?

I called the school to let them know. I also asked the nurse what the percentage of children out sick is. She told me that she wasn’t sure that she was allowed to give me that information and she forwarded me to the district nurse, who was not at her desk.

I would like to get an idea of how prevalent the disease is in the schools my children attend. I personally wish the school districts would post their numbers on their websites.

I would prefer that we were given more details about the local area and our current pandemic situation. The hospitals do not even test unless the patient is hospitalized, so we have know clue what the real numbers of affected people are. I know that there was a student in my son’s class who was hospitalized for Swine flu and another on the children’s bus that was.

Remember–cough in your sleeve and wash your hands!

I can’t wait to see which child is next.

Addendum:

Nadynne Dzuira, the District Nurse returned my call. She was very helpful in explaining the procedures the schools go by. She said that there are definitely H1N1 cases in our schools as well as in all of the surrounding areas, but they have been told by the epidemiologists that they do not recommend closing schools as a disease-preventing measure. Schools should function if they can, but close if there are too many students and faculty out sick.

The schools are asking parents to keep their children home until they have been symptom-free, not just fever-free, for at least 24 hours.