Talking About H1N1 Flu
Video Feature: Calming H1N1 Fears
Learn how you can ease your child's flu fears from Bradley Hospital's medical director, Henry Sachs, MD.
| Adults are not the only ones concerned about the threat of the 2009 H1N1 flu. Children have also been exposed to the mounting public attention and media coverage about this pandemic, and many kids may feel frightened or confused. For Rhode Island students, this anxiety may be heightened now that H1N1 school vaccination clinics have begun.
According to experts at Bradley Hospital, it’s common for children to feel anxious about the unknown and they will look to their parents to provide support and comfort. “Children follow their parents’ cues, so if mom or dad seem stressed or are constantly talking about how worried they are, a child will pick up on that. But if parents cope well, their child will also cope better,” says Henry Sachs, MD, medical director at Bradley Hospital.
The key to helping children manage their anxiety is to address and acknowledge their fears without causing alarm or panic. “Reassure your child that everyone in the family is fine and that you will all work together to stay healthy. Being calm and confident will do wonders in helping a child feel safe and secure,” says Sachs.
He suggests parents proactively ask their children what they have heard about H1N1, which will indicate whether there are any rumors or misinformation that need to be addressed. Information and knowledge can help children feel a sense of control, so parents should also be prepared to provide some simple, age-appropriate facts about H1N1.
“Younger children will need equal amounts of fact and reassurance, but older kids and teens will likely have more specific questions or may need help separating fact from fiction,” Sachs says. “Although we want to shelter our children, it’s important to be honest and accurate about the situation.”
 Sachs points out that these conversations also provide a good opportunity to remind children that good hygiene—particularly frequent hand-washing and covering coughs or sneezes – is the best way to stay healthy and avoid spreading disease, including H1N1.
How to reduce your child's anxiety about the flu
Other ways parents can help ease their child’s H1N1 anxiety and help them stay healthy include:
- Make sure you are up to the date on the latest information on H1N1, including symptoms, vaccinations and how the disease spreads. The RI Department of Health website, http://www.health.ri.gov/, and www.flu.gov are good resources.
- Allow your children to express their feelings and let them know it is okay to be afraid or upset. Keep in mind that when children are uncertain about situations and feel frightened, they may need even more affection and attention.
- Even if the family’s normal routine is disrupted due to school or work closures, try and keep activities as consistent and normal as possible. Children are most comfortable when they can stick with their routines.
- Encourage healthy behaviors – such as eating well, getting a good night’s sleep, and playing outside – that can help children build a strong immune system.
- Remind your children not to share their food or drinks with others.
- Try to limit your child’s exposure to media coverage about the H1N1 virus.
- If your children are being vaccinated, remind them why this is important and how the vaccine will help keep them safe and healthy.
- Keep your children home when they are sick. They should remain out of school until they are free of fever for 24 hours without the use of a fever-reducing medication.
Source: Information above provided by Lifespan, the National Association of School Psychologists and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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