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THE FAMILY GROOVE: So, swine flu is on its way back
—amid a brouhaha of media chatter, no doubt.
Is it something that we really have to worry about
beyond the worry over a regular flu?
DR. MARTHA HOWARD: At this time, the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not
consider novel H1N1 or “swine” flu, to be more dangerous than other types of seasonal flu, but it
does say that the disease burden of swine flu is greater on younger people. According to the CDC
website: “The information analyzed by CDC supports the conclusion that novel H1N1 flu has caused
greater disease burden in people younger than 25 years of age than older people. At this time, there are few cases and few deaths reported in people older than 64 years old, which is unusual when compared with seasonal flu. However, pregnancy and other previously recognized high-risk medical conditions from seasonal influenza appear to be associated with increased risk of complications from this novel H1N1. These underlying conditions include asthma, diabetes, suppressed immune systems, heart disease, kidney disease, neurocognitive and neuromuscular disorders, and pregnancy.”
The most important thing to consider about swine flu is how to teach good public health preventive measures that are based on actual facts about the way the flu virus is transmitted. Flu virus is mainly transmitted from person to person by sneezing or coughing but also can survive from two to eight hours. If you touch a contaminated surface and then touch your nose or eyes, you can be infected.
TFG: What exactly is swine flu and why is more being made of it than a regular flu?
MH: Swine flu is a different strain of flu than seasonal flu. It is known as the H1N1 strain and has a surface protein that doesn’t bind as well to human respiratory receptors as the seasonal flu. Ram Sasisekharan, the Edward Hood Taplin Professor of Health Sciences & Technology and Biological Engineering at MIT, director of the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, and lead author of a paper on the topic, says, “While the virus is able to bind human receptors, it clearly appears to be restricted.” That restriction and a genetic variation in one of its enzymes are the reasons why the virus has not spread as rapidly as seasonal flu. However, there is still concern about mutations that may make the virus have greater binding ability. More is being made of it because it is a new strain of flu. That is why it is called “novel H1N1.”
TFG: How can we prevent its spread?
MH: First, make sure children carry tissues and hand sanitizer and know how to use them—sneeze or cough into the tissue, throw it in the wastebasket (not on the desk), put a dime-size blob of hand sanitizer on hands and rub hands together until dry. Second, make sure children are trained as much as possible not to share drinks or food, and not to touch their eyes, nose or mouth with their hands. Finally, try to avoid close contact with sick people, and keep them home if they are sick for seven days after symptoms begin or until they have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. This is to keep from infecting others and spreading the virus further.
TFG: From infants to grade school kids to high school kids, what are the recommendations in terms of getting vaccinated for this flu?
MH: Swine flu attacks different age groups—more people ages 5 to 24 get it—and regular seasonal flu tends more to attack infants and the elderly. It is also thought to be particularly harmful to pregnant women. There are two forms of the vaccine planned for distribution starting in October. One is in multidose vials and has the mercury-containing preservative thimerosal. The other is in single-dose vials and does not contain preservatives. Currently, the manufacturers are saying that the vaccine is not going to contain any adjuvants—extra chemicals that are thought to increase immune response to vaccines. The current CDC recommendations for people who should get the vaccine are, in priority order:
pregnant women,
people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age,
health care and emergency medical services personnel,
persons between the ages of 6 months through 24 years of age, and
people from ages 25 through 64 years who are at higher risk for novel H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems.
TFG: What are the downsides, in terms of health hazards, to the vaccination?
MH: At this time, there has been enough anecdotal evidence of harm from mercury-containing preservatives in vaccines that I would not recommend getting a vaccination for a pregnant woman or a child 6 months through 4 years of age with anything but the single-dose vials, which do not contain the preservative. I believe that the health hazards to a pregnant woman and her fetus are of enough concern to recommend that pregnant women be sure to see their health care provider about getting a vaccination from a single-dose vial. I also believe that caregivers of infants under 6 months old should be vaccinated, again with the single-dose, unpreserved vaccine. It is important to check, when the vaccine has come out, whether the single-dose vials are actually unpreserved, because the CDC site still does not guarantee exactly what will be in the vaccines at this time.
TFG: Let’s talk specifically now about pregnant women.
MH: Pregnant women should definitely get vaccinated. A very recent study in the August 8th issue of Lancet, a prominent British medical journal, has found that pregnant women are four times more likely to be hospitalized with swine flu than the general population. Pregnant women are first on the CDC priority list for vaccination, and they should receive only the single-dose, preservative-free type of vaccine. The vaccine is not coming out, according to present calculations, until October, so until then, pregnant women should strictly observe CDC recommendations for prevention of contagion mentioned in this Q&A.
TFG: Does the vaccination pose any potential risk to the fetus?
MH: According to the CDC, it does not pose any risk to the fetus.
TFG: Are there homeopathic or natural alternatives?
MH: Give the child N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in a dose that is proportional by weight to the adult dose of 600 milligrams twice a day. A 70-pound child would be given 300 milligrams twice a day. A 35-pound child would be given 150 milligrams twice a day, and so on. For children under 2, consult a physician.
A recent study reported in the August 2009 issue of the American Family Physician journal showed that elderly patients taking 600 milligrams of N-acetylcysteine twice daily over the flu season were much less likely to have clinical influenza illness (29 percent vs. 51 percent of controls), and when they did have it, episodes were much less severe. In addition, cell-mediated immunity was improved in the people receiving NAC, and not in the controls.
There is also the homeopathic remedy Oscillococcinum, which has a positive track record with seasonal flu. It is readily available in health food stores. For young children, it is best to consult a homeopath.
TFG: What are the symptoms of swine flu?
MH: Symptoms of swine flu are consistent with regular seasonal flu symptoms: fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headaches, chills, and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting.
• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish or gray skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
TFG: How is swine flu to be treated?
MH: I would recommend supportive treatment—rest, fluids and Chinese herbs. The combination of two readily available formulas, Zhong Gan Ling and Yin Chiao Chieh Tu Pien (both available online), is effective for treating flu.
The CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with novel H1N1 flu virus. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaled powder) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. During the current pandemic, the priority use for influenza antiviral drugs is to treat severe influenza illness (for example, hospitalized patients) and people who are sick who have a condition that places them at high risk for serious flu-related complications.
TFG: What’s your advice for parents when it comes to vaccinations in general?
MH: That is a very controversial subject, beyond the scope of this Q&A and worthy of a separate Q&A in itself. That said, I would avoid any vaccines with mercury-containing preservatives, and I have also recommended that no more than one vaccine be given in one medical visit to children under the age of 5. That is not what is currently done, but that is what was done, on my recommendation, for my healthy, happy 15-month-old grandsons, with the complete cooperation of their pediatrician.
TFG: Got any words of wisdom to assuage the panic of parents who are already overloaded with the daily variety of issues that come with being a parent in the brave new world of modern-day parenting?
MH: I think it is important to realize how much a child’s immune system is supported by a few simple things like loving care and attention, and a good diet that’s free from food additives, high-fructose corn syrup and trans fats. This means make your child’s lunch, because right now in most schools, school lunches are not up to good dietary standards, and skip the prepackaged cracker-and-cheese type of lunch. Whole-grain bread and natural turkey make a fine sandwich, with some fruit and natural chips. Also, make sure they get in plenty of active time and limited TV time. Protect them from the sun with block that is free from estrogen-mimicking chemicals, such as octyl methoxycinnamate and homosalate. California Baby, Desert Essence and Aubrey Organics make good versions of these. Provide an indoor environment that is free of chemicals and other indoor pollutants, such as dust and mold. Paints, construction materials, rugs (washable—no carpets, please, in the child’s bedroom), beds and bedding should be nontoxic. And remember that hand washing and keeping surfaces clean are still the best methods of prevention.
For more from Dr. Howard, please visit www.chicagohealers.com.
About Chicago Healers:
Chicago Healers (www.chicagohealers.com) is the nation’s pioneer prescreened integrative health and healing network, offering a comprehensive understanding of each practitioner’s services, approach and philosophy. Our practitioner experts advocate natural and empowered health and life choices through their practices, the media, educational events and our website. With close to 200 practitioners offering more than 300 different alternative therapies, ChicagoHealers.com has provided nearly 400 free educational events for Chicagoans. ChicagoHealers.com provides a steady resource for TV and print news, where member practitioners are requested as experts for health and lifestyle stories. ChicagoHealers.com is regularly featured on every major TV network (ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX) and in leading publications such as Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune. ChicagoHealers.com takes the guesswork out of finding Chicago’s premier alternative health and healing practitioners.
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