Crystal Run Healthcare Issues Flu Safety Tips for Children

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For more information, contact: Lynn Haskin | 845.703.6342 | mailto:marketing@crystalrunhealthcare.com

Practice to Host Free Flu Clinic in West Nyack, Thursday February 22^nd

Middletown, N.Y. – February 21, 2018 – The 2018 flu season continues to be widespread and particularly intense, with the number of flu-related pediatric deaths surpassing 84 across the nation.

Crystal Run pediatrician, Aimée Kahn MD, MPH, shares some important pediatric flu safety tips for families with young children:

1. First and foremost, everyone who is able to should get vaccinated. Those who are most at risk are children < 5 years old and those with existing co-morbidities such as congenital heart disease, lung disease, asthma, blood disorders like sick cell or anyone in an immunocompromised state.
2. Infants less than 6 months are unable to get immunized, as the recommendation is to start vaccinating for flu at 6 months of age.  In these cases the best way for parents to protect their child is to get vaccinated themselves, and make sure any caretaker in contact with the child and other adults and children in the home are also vaccinated.
3. The influenza virus is shared in droplets when a child sneezes or coughs, and the droplets land on another child’s mucous membranes, either by direct contact or when another child touches the droplets by coming into contact with a common surface area (ie; a handrail, desk or countertop) and then touches their own mucous membranes.
4. Frequent hand washing is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself from the flu as well as covering your mouth when you sneeze and cough. Children should be reminded to “cover their cough” and practice sneezing or coughing into their elbow. If they accidentally sneeze or cough into their hand, they should be washed right away and dispose of the tissue or handkerchief immediately. Hand washing is very important and the frequency should increase during flu season.
5. If parents have concerns or are unsure if their child has the flu, they should seek medical attention and see their pediatrician or doctor as soon as they can. Seeking care is especially important if there are young infants in the home.
6. If a child has a fever they should not attend daycare or school within 24 hours of that fever. Flu symptoms can easily mimic that of a cold – so one should not assume a child has the flu in the presence of cold symptoms - cough and runny nose can be caused by many different viruses.
7. For those considered high-risk, medications are available and can help decrease how long the flu symptoms last, but it does not cure the flu.

Crystal Run Healthcare has partnered with Senator David Carlucci (D-Rockland/Westchester), Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee (D-Suffern), and Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski (D-New City), to host an Emergency Flu Clinic on Thursday, February 22 in the Practice’s West Nyack location in Rockland County. Free flu shots will be offered to children and adults during the evening hours to offer convenience to working residents.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, across the nation more than 80 child deaths have been blamed on the flu. Health professionals are urging parents to have their children vaccinated, despite it being late in the flu season.

The clinic at Crystal Run Healthcare will also provide flu shots to children 6 months and up as well as adults.

Thursday February 22nd 
4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. 
Crystal Run Healthcare West Nyack, 2 Centerock Rd, West Nyack

The flu clinic is free and open to the public. For more information or to RSVP, please contact Senator Carlucci’s office at (845) 623-3627.