October 12, 2009

H1N1 experts brief parents on what they need to know

Experts in emergency medicine, infectious diseases and pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center and the University of Maryland Hospital for Children last week hosted an update on H1N1 flu advice for parents in the wake of a sharp increase in cases since the last week of August.

Hospital experts offered attendees advice on precautions to take to prevent catching the new strain of flu, whom to call if they have questions and when to seek medical treatment. In the previous week, Baltimore hospitals had seen an increase in visits to the emergency departments by concerned parents.

They also handed out copies of “Parent’s Guide to H1N1 (Swine) Flu,” which can be found at www.hopkinschildrens.org/flu-tips-for-parents.aspx.

Johns Hopkins participants were Aaron Milstone, a pediatric infectious disease specialist; Mitch Goldstein, a specialist in emergency medicine at Hopkins Children’s; and Gabe Kelen, director of Emergency Medicine and of Johns Hopkins’ Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response, known as CEPAR.