Apparently the Flu is Breaking Out, Is it due to Weather?

by brandyellen // January 10, 2013 // Comments off

Flu Hits United States As I sit home all week with a sick kid and watch everyone online complain about being sick, and feel my throat closing in, chest getting tight – is the flu that is going around the United States due to the crazy weather? I mean, think about about, here in NH it’s normally cold and winter because well it is winter time. The thing of it is that we keep getting it freezing cold and then all of a sudden it’s 50 degrees outside and snow is melting away. Today as I sit home with my flu bug kid, I listen to the wind blowing outside and think that it’s going to be a freezing cold wind, after all it is January in NH. The wind is warm, it’s a warm-ish breeze taking over, getting ready for our temps to get higher.

What is up with this weather? It’s no wonder that the flu is spreading across the United States with this up and down; warm, hot, cold and back again weather. I got a tip today from a girlfriend with what she used to help her feel better. My symptoms are a throat feeling as if it’s closing in on me, chest feels as if I can not breath and when I do breath I am wheezing from time to time – not normal for me. The remedy recommended by my girlfriend was to have honey and cinnamon mixed together – she prefers it in tea. Now this makes perfect sense because my Dad would totally recommend such a mixture ….

So while the flu is being reported to be spreading across the United States in record numbers {there have been 700 cases of the flu reported already this year, as opposed to the 70 cases this time last year}, I am going to sit back and drink my honey, cinnamon and tea while working from the laptop because my sick kid needs me and I need to work.

Let’s Talk About Immunizations and Whooping Cough Outbreak

by brandyellen // October 12, 2012 // Comments off

Many of us are aware that it is flu season, that lovely season when kids go back to school and everyone is fighting off the sickies. If you do recall, I was sick for four days straight unable to eat, drink and do anything beyond laying in bed. It was horrible, none of my kids got it as bad as I did. Probably because I push myself harder and well do a whole heck of a lot, thankful that I got it worse because I hate to see my kids that sick. I ended up in the ER with all sorts of x-rays and tests done as well as had an IV of fluid put into me to help me recoup; and it did help.

Most of us think about the flu but few of us are probably aware that according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report more than 29,000 cases of whooping cough this year, totaling 10,000 more cases than reported in all of 2011. Yes, people I have also been made aware that almost 40 percent of people haven’t received a whooping cough immunization (the pertussis vaccine) in the past 5 years, according to the Walgreens Immunization Index.

I am all for parent your kids the way you wish to parent them. Make your own choice on giving immunizations or not, I get it, you all have your reasons for why you do or do not allow your pediatrician to give you kids immunizations and you will not hear me bashing you for that decision, however, please keep in mind that most of the vaccines we have have been around for years and are there for a reason. Did you live through the plague? Did you watch as people were dying from various diseases that we now have our children immunized for? Then I suppose we should trust, at some level, the immunizations that have been put in place as a way to keep America healthy.

I am not a medicine sort of Mom, I would much prefer a natural remedy over any medicine, if that’s possible. I refuse new vaccines for myself and my children, rather waiting until they have been out long enough to trust them. All three of my children are up to date on immunizations and I believe they would not be able to attend any form of public or private school without the up to date immunizations, that’s a requirement before my kids can even enter the school building each year. I must provide up to date immunization records.

The Walgreens Immunization Index reveals a dangerous disconnect between consumer perception and consumer behavior when it comes to immunizations across the board. Overall, 89 percent say they believe that vaccinations help protect people from viruses and preventable diseases, yet 40 percent aren’t aware of which immunizations they need to stay healthy this flu season and year round.

It’s hard to gauge what we need and what we don’t need when it comes to immunizations because let’s face it, we turn to our doctors and pediatricians who 9 times out of 10 are going to push a vaccine regardless because that is their job and they firmly believe all immunizations are there for a reason. My biggest fear is that those who are not up to date on proper immunizations are going to turn America into a sick place. We are going to start seeing things, like the whooping cough, return and a world wide epidemic will hit. You see, back in the old days the world was a smaller place, you had to travel longer to get places. It took a long time for sickies to travel but now with air travel, we are able to spread illness from place to place at a faster rate.

Those who travel and have not been properly vaccinated for such diseases as the whooping cough can certainly catch it in another country, fly back to the US and bring it to us. All I say to those who choose not to get their kids immunizations is to really research the history of these diseases and ask yourself this; do you really, really want to be part of a world wide epidemic of bringing back these diseases that killed so many? I would love to hear the opinions behind why you choose to or not to immunize your child, because I am just curious.

One area I am also confused on is which immunizations we need, truly need, to keep us and our families healthy all year round.

Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Advil Congestion Relief

by brandyellen // March 17, 2011 // Comments off

Flu season is a BIG deal, I never really thought about it until I got hit with something for THREE weeks. Usually I get a flu shot, I think last year and this year were the first two years I didn’t, but I made precautions last year. Increased my Vitamin C intake and well didn’t get “as sick” as I did this year with no flu shot and less Vitamin C. Today I get to share some information with you about Advil Congestion Relief and of course the sickness issue, aka the flu.

This year it seems we all got hit with the flu later in the year, based on CDC reports the numbers jumped from 10 people in early January to 30 in February. The numbers obviously tripled which isn’t too good, now is it? You are telling me, the one who has been sick for THREE weeks and still has a lingering flu symptom list going on! The flu usually peaks in February and has actually attributed to 8% of adult deaths in 122 cities in the US which is considered epidemic level according the CDC findings.

One thing I realized that is being told is to get vaccinated, even though it seems “late” in the year it is being recommended because the numbers are growing. I didn’t realize that you could get vaccinated this late in the season honestly. Normally you get the flu shot in Fall time right before Winter, since my symptoms are still lingering I am debating going to get a flu shot for sure!

I am not one to take meds but this Advil Congestion Relief is certainly something I would try because the previous medication I tried over the counter made me so drowsy that I passed out on and off while home alone with the boys and never took it again! Advil Congestion Relief is available at your local pharmacy or store in the cold aisle and if you are feeling like me I would certainly give it a try!

Disclosure: “I was provided Advil Congestion Relief information, gratis samples and coupons by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare.”

PediaCare Children’s Products Review

by brandyellen // December 20, 2010 // Comments off

It’s that time of year, cold and flu season! I swear every time my school age daughter hits school this time of year it seems the cold hits our house! Sneezing, coughing, stuffy nose, etc it’s just something to expect come Winter time in NH or pretty much everywhere! That is where PediaCare® products come in handy!

Confused about cold/flu medicines for children? Introducing an expanded line of safe and effective medicines from the trusted brand for children, PediaCare® – with and without acetaminophen — for children and infants — that addresses most sick-child situations: cough, cold, allergy, flu, congestion, fever and pain. Product offerings, in kid-pleasing flavors, match the formulations of other recalled brands and are arriving in stores just in time for the cold/flu season. In particular, PediaCare® Infant and Children’s fever and pain reducers are a great solution for moms wanting a branded acetaminophen alternative.

What Happily Blended Family Thinks

I am not a huge “give my kids lots of medicine” kind of mother, however, at times it’s best to provide your child with the comfort they need to sleep a well rested night or to alleviate cold and flu symptoms to allow your child to be comfortable. When I go to the store to purchase medicine for this cold and flu season time of year I usually prefer a brand name versus the store alternative. PediaCare® has been a common brand in my home and so I was very excited to receive two of their products for my medicine cabinet this time of year!

New Products from PediaCare with Acetaminophen:

PediaCare® Children’s Fever Reducer/Pain Reliever (cherry or grape flavor; ages 2-11)
PediaCare® Children’s Fever Reducer Plus Multi-Symptom Cold (ages 6-11; okay for ages 4 & 5 with dosage directed by pediatrician)
PediaCare® Children’s Fever Reducer Plus Cough & Sore Throat (ages 6-11; okay for ages 4 & 5 with dosage directed by pediatrician)
PediaCare® Children’s Fever Reducer Plus Flu (ages 6-11; okay for ages 4 & 5 with dosage directed by pediatrician)
PediaCare® Children’s Fever Reducer Plus Cough & Runny Nose (ages 6-11; okay for ages 4 & 5 with dosage directed by pediatrician)

New Infant Products from PediaCare with Acetaminophen:

PediaCare® Infant’s Fever Reducer/Pain Reliever Drops (dye free, cherry or grape flavor; as directed by doctor for under 2)

Learn more about PediaCare and see a list of available products on www.pediacare.com

Disclosure: I received Pediacare® Products for free. All opinions are based on my past and present experience with PediaCare® products.

Keeping My Children Healthy During Flu Season

by brandyellen // October 24, 2009 // Comments off

I was invited by the One2One Network and Boiron to write about how I keep my children and family healthy during flu season.

Boirons New Children's Products

What I Do To Keep My Family Healthy

I am not a huge fan of regular cold and flu medicines but rather washing hands, hand sanitizers and keeping my children healthy through getting plenty of vitamin C.

We have hand soap and hand sanitizers beside our kitchen sink, in our cars and in the bathroom near that sink. My children are taught to wash their hands before and after eating a meal as well as to wash as soon as we get back from a movie theater, playground or similar public area. My theory on keeping children healthy is to teach them good hygiene practices, it’s really all I can do aside from them getting the seasonal flu shot.

Will I Give My Children the H1N1 Flu Shot?

I will be very honest about this, I did give my children the seasonal flu shot the past couple years, however, I did not use it during the first year it was out. I had heard too much about how sick some people got on it. As with all medications and vaccines, every person is different. This year I will be honest that I am uncertain if I will give my children the H1N1 flu vaccine, as of right now our pediatrician doesn’t have it in, they only had the seasonal flu vaccine and so the kids got that.

I am leaving the opinion of H1N1 up to my ex for my daughter and with our boys, well I am going to research the vaccine a bit more because I am the type to research a medication and vaccine prior to giving it to my child.

Conclusion

Keeping my children and family healthy is a simple combination of ensuring they get enough vitamins, are up to date on vaccines and practice good hygiene. That is all we can do to keep our family healthy. I do make sure to have cold and flu medications on hand should the need arise to use them, although medications are a back up, and not used right away.

Get a coupon for Boirons products by clicking here, that way you can save to have the medicines your family may need on hand when the flu or cold strikes!

Make it a Happy Day!

Disclosure: Keeping with the new FTC rule that will be set forth for bloggers to have a disclosure effective December 1st, I have to dislose that this post was sponsered by the One2One Network and I didn’t recieve money for this post, I do get to receive a free full size sample of all 3 of Boirons children’s products (shown in image above).