Kristie McNealy, MD

I learned a lot about medicine, insurance and healthcare delivery that they don’t teach in medical school while our daughter spent the first 46 days of her life hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit.  My own experiences, and the stories I’ve heard from fellow preemie parents have continued to highlight many of the problems with healthcare in the United States.  Fortunately, Speak Now for Kids launched a website today that gives parents and family a unique platform for sharing their healthcare experiences, to give kids the voice they deserve in healthcare reform.

We have just one month to tell Congress what our kids need out of the healthcare system in the US.  You can go to the Speak Now for Kids website and fill out their form to let Congress know that you care.  While you are there, you can also join the Speak Now for Kids cause on Facebook, and find buttons, banners and printable stickers and flyers.  If you need more information, Speak Now for Kids has a great fact sheet with statistics about child healthcare in the United States.  If you’re on Twitter, they also have some great example tweets you can use to spread the word.

I’ll be sharing more information about the Speak Now for Kids campaign over the next week, along with my own story about how child healthcare has impacted our family.

If you’re looking for natural flu remedies in the wake of the recent swine flu outbreaks, the black elderberry extract Sambucol is a choice that rises to the top of many lists.  A small study published in the ’90s showed that 93% of flu patients given Sambucol were completely symptom-free within two days, while those taking a placebo recovered in about six days.  That particular study, published in the winter 1995 issue of the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine,  was performed during an influenza B outbreak though, so the verdict was still out on flu A.

In a second study published in the International Journal of Medical Research, 90% of the study participants had influenza A.  In this study, patients who received Sambucol recovered in an average of 3.1 days, versus 7.1 for the placebo group.  No significant side effects were reported in this study.

Scientists believe that flavanoids in black elderberry extract are likely to be the component that is active against the influenza virus.  Although we don’t know whether elderberry extract is effective against the current strain of swine flu, the fact that black elderberry extract is generally safe for both children and adults, and there are no known negative effects or drug interactions, makes it a pretty good candidate when it comes to natural remedies.

In case you’re wondering, everything I’ve read leaves me a little hazy on exactly which black elderberry extract preparation was used in the studies mentioned above.  Both Sambucol by Healthcare Brands International Ltd. and Nature’s Way Sambucol product information make vague statements about scientific testing and virology.  One thing I do know, is that the product marketed as Nature’s Way Sambucol changed it’s name to Sambucus Original Black Elderberry Syrup in late 2008. Depending on where you purchase it from, you might find Nature’s Way products labeled as Sambucol or Sambucus.  We happen to have a little bit of each brand.  If anyone can clarify this issue by providing the full text of either study, I’d really appreciate it!

As with all medications, consult with your physician before making treatment decisions.

Swine flu is all over the media today, and I just finished watching the latest CDC press briefing live on the CBS website.  According to the individual who spoke at the briefing, their are currently 40 confirmed swine flu cases in the US, in 5 states.  The median age of infection is 16 years, with a range of 7 to 54 years.  At this point, there has been one hospitalization amongst the 40 confirmed cases, and no deaths.  However, the speaker cautioned that this is a serious event, and that we shouldn’t be overly optimistic about the current statistics.  There is still a lot we don’t know, and at this point, only time will tell.

In the meantime, the CDC is stressing personal responsibility for reducing infection.  In other words, wash your hands, cover your mouth, and stay home if you are sick.  So, if you are wondering about swine flu symptoms, prevention and treatment, keep on reading.

Swine Flu Symptoms

The symptoms of the swine flu are similar to the symptoms of seasonal influenza, and swine flu may cause worsening of other systemic or chronic illnesses.  Swine flu symptoms include:

• Fever
• Fatigue
• Body aches
• Headache
• Chills
• Loss of appetite
• Coughing
• Sore throat
• Some cases report nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

Swine Flu Prevention

As they say, and ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so what can you do to stay healthy?  In the most general terms, you can prevent the swine flu the same way you would prevent yourself from catching any other flu or cold.

• Wash your hands frequently
• Avoid touching your mouth or nose.
• Use a waterless hand sanitizer when soap and water isn’t available
• Stay in good health by eating well, drinking plenty of water, getting some exercise and plenty of rest.
• Avoid contact with people who are sick and avoid crowds if possible
• A medical face mask or a respirator with an N95 rating or higher can help prevent flu in certain situations, but the best prevention is avoiding contact with sick individuals.

What If You Get the Flu

If you are feeling ill with the symptoms listed above, and you live in an area with confirmed swine flu cases, the CDC recommends contacting your healthcare provider to see if you need testing or medication.  Two newer ani-viral medications, Tamiflu (oseltamivir) and Relenza (zanamivir) can be effective against swine flu if given early in the course of the disease.  Beyond that, it is best to remain home and avoid other people unless medical attention is needed.

Warning signs of a potential medical emergency include (but are not limited to):

• Fast breathing or difficulty breathing and/or shortness of breath.
• Bluish skin coloring
• Not waking or interacting.
• Extreme irritability in children that can’t be improved by holding.
• Confusion.
• Resolution and then return of symptoms with a fever and worsening cough.