It's so hard to figure out the real H1N1 stories - the media always focuses on the most sensational one. In the mean time public health officials always seem to underscore that the person whose that they are commenting on had underlying medical conditions.
The CDC Info never mentions the underlying medical conditions
Influenza-Associated Pediatric Mortality
Eleven influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported to CDC during week 40 (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, and Tennessee). Ten of these deaths were associated with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus infection and one was associated with an influenza A virus for which the subtype is undetermined. These deaths occurred between August 30 and October 10, 2009. Since August 30, 2009, CDC has received 43 reports of influenza-associated pediatric deaths that occurred during the current influenza season (three deaths in children less than 2 years, five deaths in children 2-4 years, 16 deaths in children 5-11 years, and 19 deaths in individuals 12-17 years). Thirty-nine of the 43 deaths were due to 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus infections. A total of 86 deaths in children associated with 2009 H1N1 virus have been reported to CDC.
Among the 43 deaths in children, 28 children had specimens collected for bacterial culture from normally sterile sites and seven (25.0%) of the 28 were positive; Staphylococcus aureus was identified in five (71.4%) of the seven children. One S. aureus isolate was sensitive to methicillin, three were methicillin resistant, and one did not have sensitivity testing performed. All seven children with bacterial coinfections were five years of age or older and four (57.1%) of the seven children were 12 years of age or older.
My kids are going to the doc for the vaccine today. They have the mist but not the shots yet. We are trying to weigh the risks and benefits of waiting on the shot vs the mist since my kids have had one incidence of wheezing this year. So I'm trying to decide between flu mist now or shot in a week or so.
I've also seem some people on here post that H1N1 was the worst flu they ever had and others say it was pretty mild. My GP's office says they are seeing the full spectrum of symptoms with H1N1.
Anyway -I'd love any info on what it was like when your family had H1N1, and what your health officials are saying about the details and hospitalizations.
Oh have you heard? Obesity may be a factor in H1N1deaths/severity.