Enterovirus 68

[Chatter Box]

"The enterovirus normally causes nausea and vomiting, but this particular strand, enterovirus 68, is causing severe respiratory problems among children." -21 Alive


"Mimics the common cold but within hours many of those affected become severely ill and many require trips to ICU." — via CBS News

This appears tonight that it's making its way into our community. It is supposed to spread a cross the entire country through the fall and winter. This is severe. This is putting children in ICU.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/human-enterovirus-68-sickening-children-across-midwest-and-spread-could-worsen/

I just had a friend have her son come down with this today and she had other friends with kids come down from it this weekend. One girl stated that her child had labored breathing and was pre pneumonia by the time they got to the hospital. Started symptoms coughing ect that day. My fiends son started coughing this morning and was vomiting and labored breathing just a few hours ago.

Nervous because I have obamacare which does not pay pretty much anything and a $7,000 deductible after paying 700 per month in premiums. I can't afford to have my kids in the hosptial.


I am freaking out.

I know all I am going to hear is.... "it's just cold" or "He's just teething"....

[Controlled Chaos]

I was just listening to a story about this on the radio. Scary! I am sorry you have insurance troubles. The whole time I was listening to the story I was having flashes of my son in the hospital with RSV a few years ago. I will be disinfecting like crazy. All my littles have runny noses right now...yikes

[sahm1225]

Keep up with hand washing and cleaning and pray!

Enteroviruses aren't totally uncommon. This one is very strong but worrying about it isn't going to get us anywhere.

If your kids show symptoms, go to your doctor first instead of the ER. If your kids do end up getting sick, you could always negotiate with the hospital on cost after the fact.

Hope you stay healthy :hug:

[Chatter Box]

The kids that I watch range from newborn to my daughter who is the oldest at 3 years old. They put everything in their mouth at the ages I watch. I would have to hire full time staff to watch each individual child from sticking everything in their mouths and still washing everyone elses hands. I can't disinfect every toy all day for the next 7 months. All i keep thinking is...there is no way this is not going to hit us.

[Play Care]

I did see this on the news. I'm trying not to get overly worried, but younger DD has asthma and seems to catch everything that comes down the pike

[hope]

My DH has a compromised immune system due to cancer treatment. Every fall he ends up in the hospital due to simple colds gone bad because his body can't fight it. We take all precautions and we have been very lucky so far. This virus scares me though. I think I am going to put together a print out for parents pertaining to this. I have 2 infants in my care now. It scares me that they can come in with what looks like a cold and progress to something so bad at quick.

[craftymissbeth]

Does anyone have a printable fact sheet for this? I haven't found anything in the google machine and I'd love to give something to my parents.

[Chatter Box]

I'm starting to try and think of a game plan. I think any child coming in with any type of symptoms I will probably lay down with a TV on in their nap area for a little bit kind of quarantined so that I can monitor what they have going on.

[hope]

I'm starting to try and think of a game plan. I think any child coming in with any type of symptoms I will probably lay down with a TV on in their nap area for a little bit kind of quarantined so that I can monitor what they have going on.

Aren't the symptoms the same as a common cold? During the fall and winter months so many of my dcks come with a runny nose and slight cough. I would have to quarantine each to a separate room. Lol!

[Naptime yet?]

I couldn't find a fact sheet, either. Hope, if you come up with something to hand out to parents, would you mind sharing? I'm trying to figure out how to word something for exclusion, since it looks like the common cold at first, then gets worse (by that time has everyone possibly been infected?)...... Thanks!

[hope]

Working on it today. Will post as soon as I have it done and I will definitely share with everyone. Any suggestions are appreciated!

[craftymissbeth]

Working on it today. Will post as soon as I have it done and I will definitely share with everyone. Any suggestions are appreciated!

Sorry, I missed that in your post ^^.

I'm really nervous about this virus. I don't normally give much thought to these things and just take my normal precautions, but this has me nervous. I suddenly came down with a cold on Wednesday afternoon and I thought it was strep throat it was so sudden and so bad. The stuffy nose and aches are pretty much gone, but now I have a cough. I'm *really* hoping it's just a cold.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I am never nervous about things but this one has me a little anxious. I am in the same boat with crappy healthcare coverage.

[CraftyMom]

I was reading about this. My daughter will be the one to get it first. She has asthma and allergies and catches everything!

[Chatter Box]

Adults aren't as susceptible however I'm sure cancer patients are an exception.

I have kids set up in separate rooms in my house so this would work for me. The only other thing I can think is making parents stay home with any child showing symptoms for the first 24 hours but I'm sure I'd have them coming with pitchforks at me if I did that.... I bet I would lose kids.