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What concerns me more than Ebola…a pediatrician’s perspective

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As many of you probably already know, the first case of Ebola diagnosed on US soil occurred on September 30, 2014 in Dallas, Texas. Ebola…the word alone is frightening and likely conjures up images ranging from people in hazmat suits to scenes from the movie Contagion. But guess what? There are viral illnesses out there that scare a doctor like me far more than Ebola does.

Ebola in the US

What you should know about Ebola.

I think the most important thing for people to understand about Ebola is how this virus is spread. Unlike the common cold or the flu, Ebola is not spread through the air. The only way to contract Ebola is by coming in contact with bodily fluids (i.e. sweat, tears, blood, urine, or feces) of someone who is having symptoms of the illness. If an infected person is having no symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or bleeding, then they cannot spread Ebola.

There are countless reasons why we are fortunate to live in the United States of America, and in this case, our highly advanced and well equipped health care system is one of those reasons. The countries of West Africa that have been ravaged by Ebola are some of the poorest countries in the world and have very limited medical resources. In fact, there are not even enough hospital beds for the number of sick and dying Ebola patients right now in those countries. We are lucky to have hospitals that have isolation rooms that can keep a patient diagnosed with an illness such as Ebola away from all other patients. We have the benefit of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) with countless doctors and scientists who are casting a huge net to find anyone who may have had contact with any infected people in the US so that we can prevent the spread of this disease further. I am confident that our health care system will prevail over Ebola. To find the most up to date and reliable information on Ebola, visit http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/index.html.

children and fluSo let’s talk about those viruses that give me so much more worry than Ebola. The flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)…the “seasons” are fast approaching. Both of these viruses cause significant disease in thousands of children each year in this country. Last year alone 108 children died from the flu – now that gets my attention. Both the flu and RSV are spread through the air by respiratory droplets, meaning through coughing or sneezing. The flu can affect children and adults of any age, and while it can cause significant disease and even death in healthy children, the youngest children and those with underlying lung or immune problems are at highest risk of severe complications of the flu. RSV is typically an illness of the very young as most children will have had RSV by their second birthday. Those infants who were born prematurely and those with lung or heart problems are at the highest risk for serious illness when they have RSV.

How to help protect children from Flu & RSV

What can we, as parents, do to protect our children from these much more common and prevalent viruses? In regards to the flu, the answer is simple…get your kids the flu vaccine. It is recommended that all children 6 months an older receive a flu vaccine every year. Even if your child had a flu vaccine last year, they need another one this year. The flu vaccine provides immunity to the flu but only for a short period of time, about 6-9 months, which is why annual vaccination is important. If your child is 6 months to 8 years of age and it is their first year to receive a flu vaccine, they will need two vaccines separated by 4 weeks. For those children 2 years and older who are otherwise healthy and have no history of asthma or wheezing, then the intranasal flu mist is recommended. For those less than 2 years of age, anyone with a history of asthma or wheezing, or those with a lowered immune system, then the flu shot is the only option. The peak of flu season is generally from December to February, so it is important to get the flu shot early, typically late September or October, so that the immune system has time to build the appropriate response to the flu virus for the season.

 handwashingWhen it comes to RSV, prevention of the illness really focuses more on good hand washing and trying to limit the spread of germs by encouraging children to cover their cough and sneezes and not sharing drinks (or toys) with those that might be sick. For a VERY select few infants and children, namely those born before 29 weeks gestation, those with significant cardiac disease and those with chronic lung disease, there is a vaccine called Palivizumab, or Synagis, that aims to prevent RSV. Since this vaccine is very expensive, the criteria to qualify for this vaccine are very stringent. If you think your child falls into any of the above categories, you should talk with your child’s pediatrician to see if they might qualify for this vaccine.

So while the media will continue to camp out on the lawn of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, Texas to bring us “breaking news” updates in regards to Ebola, I hope this article helps you to put the risk of Ebola vs other viruses into perspective. Let us not forget about the fast approaching flu and RSV seasons which are guaranteed to bring significant illness and unfortunately, even death, in the coming months.

Enterovirus D68 – What Parents Need to Know

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As many of you have probably heard on the news or read about on the internet, there is a respiratory virus that is rapidly spreading across the country. The virus is called Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68). According to the most recent data from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the virus has been documented in 130 children across 12 states from mid-August until September 16, 2014, and Louisiana is one of those states. In fact, two cases were confirmed here in Baton Rouge in recent days.

Enterovirus D68

What are the symptoms of Enterovirus D68?

As with other common cold viruses, EV-D68 typically begins with runny nose, cough and sometimes fever (the majority of cases have not had fever though). This virus differs from the common cold in that these initial symptoms rapidly progress in some children to cause difficulty breathing and wheezing. Children with a history of asthma are probably more likely to have these more severe symptoms, but many documented cases of wheezing have occurred in children who have never had prior wheezing episodes.

How is the Enterovirus D68 spread?

EV-D68 is spread by respiratory droplets meaning coughing, sneezing or saliva. It is important to have good hand hygiene and wash hands thoroughly with soap and water throughout the day especially prior to eating or after coughing or sneezing. It is important to note that alcohol based hand sanitizers do not rid the hands of this virus. If your child is sick with cold symptoms, they should not be around other children especially in the daycare or school setting. Finally, disinfect frequently touched surfaces such as toys or doorknobs especially if someone has cold-like symptoms.

Who needs to see their doctor if they are having the above symptoms?

For those children who have a cough and runny nose but are otherwise happy, playful, eating well and sleeping well, close observation by parents is all that is required. In many cases, your child probably has a “typical” cold virus. However, if your child has a history of asthma or of needing breathing treatments or if they are having a first time occurrence of wheezing, then I recommend erring on the side of caution and bringing your child to their doctor sooner rather than later. Any child with difficulty breathing needs to have immediate medical attention.

Is there a test for Enterovirus D68?

Unlike flu test or strep test, there is no rapid test for this virus. This means that doctor’s offices and most emergency rooms cannot rapidly test for EV-D68. For those children that are hospitalized with symptoms, a nasal swab can be obtained and sent into the CDC for specific testing for this virus. Again, because this is a specialized test, it is not something that can easily be done in your doctor’s office.

Is there a vaccine for Enterovirus D68?

No, at this time there is no vaccine for this virus.

What is the treatment?

Given that EV-D68 is a virus, the mainstay of treatment is symptomatic care. Most children will require rest, increased fluids, and close observation. For those children who may have more severe respiratory symptoms such as wheezing or difficulty breathing, breathing treatments, supplemental oxygen, and hospitalization may be required. This, of course, can only be determined by your child’s doctor. Antibiotics will not help with EV-D68 because it is a virus.

In conclusion, any outbreaks of illness that predominately affect children can be scary for parents, and I think that sometimes media coverage of such illnesses can further increase the anxiety parents might be feeling. The most important thing that we as parents can do in situations such as this is arm ourselves with the most up to date and scientific based information so that we can provide the best care to our children. For more information on the EV-D68 outbreak, visit http://www.cdc.gov/non-polio-enterovirus/about/EV-D68.html or http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/infections/Pages/Reports-of-a-Severe-Respiratory-Illness-on-the-Rise.aspx

Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) Prevention