From the desk of Gordon Quinton
7:13 a.m.
Good morning
I know you have heard a lot about the H1N1 flu (or Swine flu as it is often called).
As a father, I was not too concerned until my daughter, called me reporting flu like symptoms. I talked with a childcare expert and she provided me this symptom table outlining the differences between a cold and a flu. Remember the experts say the regular flu isn’t here yet so please pass this table onto to friends and family especially those with young and older members in the household. And I hope you find yourself under column 2, the cold. If you do find yourself having the flu, don’t panic: very few are presenting the severe symptoms as reported on the news… just monitor your symptoms closely and keep in touch with your doctor.
Personally, I would even suggest contacting the doctor’s office to report your child as having flu-like symptoms because if you are that 1-in-a-million person who has the more severe case, knowing what to do ahead of time instead of waiting for your doctor to call you back at home could mean precious hours that you or your child need to gain access to some of the more specialized drugs. To get these drugs your doctor at this time has to apply for their use on a case-by-case basis. I know the government is trying to streamline the application process for the drugs, but you are still dealing with a bureaucracy and they aren’t made for speed.
The only way to stop the spread of the epidemic is to spread the awareness!
| Symptom | Cold | H1N1 Flu |
| Fever | Fever is rare with a cold. | Fever is usually present with the flu in up to 80% of all flu cases. A temperature of 100°F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the flu. |
| Coughing | A hacking, productive (mucus- producing) cough is often present with a cold. | A non-productive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with the flu (sometimes referred to as dry cough). |
| Aches | Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold. | Severe aches and pains are common with the flu. |
| Stuffy Nose | Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a week. | Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the flu. |
| Chills | Chills are uncommon with a cold. | 60% of people who have the flu experience chills. |
| Tiredness | Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold. | Tiredness is moderate to severe with the flu. |
| Sneezing | Sneezing is commonly present with a cold. | Sneezing is not common with the flu. |
| Sudden Symptoms | Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days. | The flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains. |
| Headache | A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold. | A headache is very common with the flu, present in 80% of flu cases. |
| Sore Throat | Sore throat is commonly present with a cold. | Sore throat is not commonly present with the flu. |
| Chest Discomfort | Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold. | Chest discomfort is often severe with the flu. |
Keep emphasizing to your family the importance of hand washing after being with others. Those little hand sanitizers that you can carry around seem like a good idea.
I wish for all of you to stay in good health.
Gordon Quinton
