Lots of people around the world are breathing a sigh of relief as they near the end of the H1N1 flu season. To lots of chronic worriers around the world, the swine flu was not nearly as catastrophic as expected. It didn’t have the kinds of drastic mortality rates of historic flu outbreaks. However, H1N1 has had a rough impact on some of the most vulnerable among us: children with neurological disabilities like cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, Erb’s palsy, and other chronic conditions.
Reports from online news centers like Disabled World cite resources from the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing that more than half of H1N1 deaths in the U.S. happened when patients had underlying conditions that were exacerbated by the severe strain of H1N1 influenza. National health watch groups like the CDC have warned doctors over the flu season to look out for possible risks in children with existing respiratory conditions or other types of chronic challenges.
But H1N1, with its relatively low mortality rate, was much more an event that affected quality of life for a large number of patients.
A recent U.S.A. Today story treats the issue thoroughly, with an explanation of how H1N1 can lead to sudden worsening of muscular conditions in patients with cerebral palsy. Medical experts agree that children as a whole were among those hardest hit by the swine flu, and the story also illustrates some of the many issues that Americans had with the availability and perceived integrity of the H1N1 vaccine, as reported by this blog.
Extensive physical therapy, including aqua therapy, can help reverse the muscular effects of H1N1 that make mobility difficult and painful for some children. Overall, it’s helpful for parents and the general public, as well as medical staff, to keep in mind just how much an outbreak like the one we experienced this winter can threaten to increase the severity of pediatric conditions and hinder the progress of some children who struggle with birth injuries or birth conditions. Resources like the CDC H1N1 link can help show families how the most current data indicates relative risk for H1N1 as the traditional flu season comes to a close.
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