<p>Just spoke to a friend whose DS has recently been diagnosed with swine flu. She is going to pick him up and bring him home tomorrow. His school puts them into an isolation wing of a dorm or, if parents are close enough, they're sent home. Not sure if she was given the choice to bring him home or if it was just expected that they pick him up. Seems to me they'd be better off if he stayed at school. She brings him home and their whole family is exposed and so on and so on....Anybody had this experience?</p>
<p>Muhlenberg is asking sick students to go home too, if feasible.</p>
<p>Pretty much every college would like sick students to go home if possible.</p>
<p>But for colleges that draw students from all over the country and the world, it often is not possible.</p>
<p>For students who live nearby, going home may expose the family (an important consideration if any family members are in high-risk groups), but it’s probably more comfortable than life in the dorms. At home, the patient would have much easier access to food, drinks, medical supplies, and other necessities.</p>
<p>I’m not sure that going home has any particular benefit for students who live off-campus with roommates. My daughter lives off-campus at a college that is seven hours from home and is having a major outbreak. Her living conditions in her off-campus apartment are at least as comfortable as those at home, and her roommates would be at least as helpful as her family. If she gets sick, I don’t know whether she will ask to come home. From the preventive point of view, it would be a tough decision. Both of her roommates are high risk, but so is her father. Moreover, the only person who could drive her to and from her campus is me, and she would almost certainly infect me during seven hours in the car. This could mean that I would be too sick to drive her back after her illness is over, and mass transit to her college community is very difficult. I think it will have to be her call if the situation arises.</p>
<p>I don’t think the colleges want them there because they don’t want the responsibility. Once a person is sick they will have already shed the virus throughout the dorm.</p>
<p>I would not be pleased to have to go get my kids and bring them home. Funny thing is - lots of kids get mono in college. Few of those get sent home, usually only if it’s a really bad case and mono is a contagious disease.</p>
<p>D is far away, so would end up in the isolation dorm wing at her college. Due to a family history of Guillaine-Barre syndrome with the last round of swine flu shots in 1976, her doctor has recommended that she not get the vaccine even if it is available. So we figure she will probably get the flu at some point this year… She has a thermometer and Advil, and I instructed her to buy lots of boxes of kleenex (I am just on the mend from H1N1 now, and had to go out and buy more in the middle of it…) that she can take to the isolation dorm if she goes. Not sure what else to do to prepare her.</p>
<p>I think I just had swine flu. AT this point, they don’t want to talk to you unless you’re so sick it’s time to call 911 (trouble breathing, that kind of thing.) This was a highly intense flu: 36 hours of high holy ****. Here’s what I needed: bucket, lots of clean towels (for when it was too much effort to hit the bucket next to the bed), sanitizing wipes, coca-cola (which I had trouble keeping down), saltines (which I also had trouble keeping down).</p>
<p>You also need a thermometer because you’re not supposed to go out in public until 24 hours after you’re no longer feverish.</p>
<p>I would OPT to pick up my daughter (5.5 hrs away), but this would have to be an individual family decision. Despite her great relationships with her roommates/suitemates, I know my daughter would rest better, would be more willing to accept pampering, and would be more willing to ask for assistance at home.
Some students, at this point in the semester, may not have close friends or a helpful roommate to fetch meals, pick-up medicines, etc. In addition, in a true outbreak, the campus personnel resources may be strained.
But…in all likelihood, my d would argue to stay put (leaving me in a huge quandry).</p>
<p>dmd77, I’m sorry you got so miserably emetic. You were among the unlucky minority, I’m afraid, as most do not throw up. DD had three miserable days with H1N1 last week and now feels much better, although she still sounds awful on the phone and is coughing a lot and tires easily.</p>
<p>As for sending kids home, colleges are following the CDC guidelines in doing so, but only if the student lives close enough to campus to make that feasible. They do not do so if the student would have to take a public form of transportation.</p>
<p>DS has the flu. We are local but he decided to stay in his single room in a house with about 30 students. (A few others are also sick.) This is probably just as well as I have a B&B and had a full house over the weekend for football. He slept all weekend regardless. I’ve delivered a thermometer, nyquil, juice, applesauce, rice, popsicles and gummi bears and health services calls him at least once a day. He should have listened to his mama when she told him to be diligent about hand washing.</p>
<p>I hesitate to say that there may be two illnesses around - one is a very serious cold, without traditional flu symptoms (no vomiting, no high fevers just heavy congestion and fatigue) and another with the classical flu elements… That’s what we’re observing around here…</p>
<p>anothermom3</p>
<p>That is exactly what my middle child is experiencing right now. Low to mid grade fever, cold symptoms, cough. I don’t think this is the flu but rather just a nasty lingering cold. No aches and pains… actually when the fever is controlled he feels ok.</p>
<p>[CDC</a> H1N1 Flu | H1N1 Flu and You](<a href=“http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm]CDC”>http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm)</p>
<p>What are the signs and symptoms of this virus in people?
The symptoms of 2009 H1N1 flu virus in people include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with this virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting. Severe illnesses and death has occurred as a result of illness associated with this virus.</p>
<p>Can the school insist that you pick your kid up? Seems to me that’d be the best way to keep the virus isolated. DH is high-risk and we’d sure like to avoid it for the rest of the family. </p>
<p>Having a supply of Advil, Nyquil, tissues, applesauce, chicken noodle soup, juice, etc.—not a bad idea.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>How could they insist on that?</p>
<p>Our family lives in Maryland. My son goes to school (graduate school in his case) in California. We could not “pick him up.” The only way he could come home would be by airplane, which is not recommended because it would expose everyone else on the flight.</p>
<p>Given the short, fast, and vicious nature of the flu I’m seeing around here, I don’t think I’d pick up my kid and bring him/her home… I’d stay there for a night or two and then come home. I wouldn’t have wanted to be in a car for any amount of time, even fifteen minutes.</p>
<p>The vaccine has been approved:</p>
<p>[Sebelius:</a> Govt approves new swine flu vaccine - Yahoo! Finance](<a href=“http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Sebelius-Govt-approves-new-apf-1857095147.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=7&asset=&ccode=]Sebelius:”>http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Sebelius-Govt-approves-new-apf-1857095147.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=7&asset=&ccode=)</p>
<p>Marian, sorry for the poorly worded post! I was referring to families which are close enough to drive. I understand schools wishing to avoid the liability, but I think it’d be the best way to contain the virus. Don’t believe I’d want to expose the rest of my family if there’s another option.</p>
<p>email I just got from my health center:</p>
<p>FLU: Procedures for Redfern, excused absences </p>
<p>Growing number of sick students forces change at Redfern
and in excused absences for flu</p>
<p>More than 250 confirmed and presumed cases of H1N1 flu have been reported at Redfern Health Center since the beginning of the semester, raising concerns the illness along with other necessary medical appointments will exceed Redferns capacity to take care of sick students.</p>
<p>Redfern is making changes to the usual way students access care during this period of peak demand for medical services:</p>
<p> Redfern will not be making appointments for elective care, such as physical exams, statements of health and medical procedures that can be safely deferred until a later date.</p>
<p> No appointments will be provided for medication refills except for ADHD refills. Students who need a medication refill should call the health center. The refill request will be handled over the phone and will be available within 24 hours.</p>
<p>Students who have less-severe H1N1 flu symptoms and who do not have high-risk underlying medical conditions typically do not require antiviral therapy. For these students there is little benefit to visiting Redfern, where wait times are long, and they should isolate themselves at home and care for themselves.</p>
<p>Students with flu-like illness should promptly seek medical attention if they have a medical condition that puts them at increased risk of severe illness from flu, are concerned about their illness or develop severe symptoms, such as increased fever, shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure or rapid breathing. Medical conditions that put students at risk include asthma; other chronic pulmonary, cardiovascular, hepatic, hematological, neurologic, neuromuscular or metabolic disorders, such as diabetes; and immunosuppression (including immunosuppression caused by medications or by HIV).</p>
<p>If you have questions, call Redfern Health Center at 656-2233.</p>
<p>To request an excused absence from class due to flu</p>
<p>To notify your professor that you have the flu and request an excused absence from class, use the Notification of Absence system in Blackboard (MyCLE), which has been updated to let you specify that you have the flu. </p>
<p>Since students who have the flu can self-isolate and care for themselves, the Notification of Absence system replaces the Redfern receipt with the stamp showing you were treated for the flu.</p>
<p>You should stay home away from other people and not go to class until 24 hours after your fever has passed. </p>
<p>Box meals will be available for isolated students</p>
<p>Clemson Dining Service will be offering a flu meal kit option starting Friday, Sept 19, for those that have isolated themselves due to the flu. To use this service you will need to follow these steps:</p>
<p> E-mail David Ledbetter, <a href=“mailto:dledbet@celmson.edu”>dledbet@celmson.edu</a> <a href=“mailto:dledbet@celmson.edu”>dledbet@celmson.edu</a> each evening before 8 p.m. to arrange to have a meal kit available for pick-up the next day. This order must be placed each day you are sick for the following days meal. Include the following information:
your name,
student ID number for your meals to be deducted (Meal Plan, Tiger Stripe and Paw Points may be used)
your residence hall
whether your meal will be picked up at Harcombe, Schillitter or Clemson House.</p>
<p> Give the person who will be picking up your daily meal a signed note stating you give them permission to use your meal card for this purpose. This will be cross-checked against the e-mail signup you have sent to <a href=“mailto:dledbet@clemson.edu”>dledbet@clemson.edu</a> <a href=“mailto:dledbet@clemson.edu”>dledbet@clemson.edu</a> the evening before.</p>
<p>Flu meal kits will contain a combination of the following: bottled water, ginger ale, sport drink, snack crackers, Jell-O, microwavable soup, whole fruit and apple sauce.</p>
<p>Seasonal flu and H1N1 flu</p>
<p>Symptoms of the flu include fever, cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people report diarrhea and vomiting.</p>
<p>There are two strains of flu you may get. H1N1 (swine) flu is spreading now on campus. Seasonal flu generally starts spreading in October and peaks in January.</p>
<p>Students can get a vaccination against seasonal flu from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16, in front of McKissick Theater at the Hendrix Student Center.</p>
<p>A vaccine against H1N1 flu is not yet available. The seasonal flu vaccination will not protect you against H1N1 flu and vice versa, so you should plan to get both.</p>
<p>For more information about the vaccinations and the flu, go to:
[Clemson</a> Newsroom](<a href=“http://www.clemson.edu/media-relations/article.php?article_id=2202]Clemson”>http://www.clemson.edu/media-relations/article.php?article_id=2202)</p>
<p>Ten kids at my college were diagnosed so far. We got emails telling us to stay home if we’re sick.</p>
<p>Hehe, I just got the flu two days ago. I called the health center and they said not to even show up to get diagnosed; just email the professors and they will give you a ‘get out of jail free card’ for any work you miss.</p>