Anyone worried about swine flu w/ their preemie?

[missgamecock]

UGGGH, Cate starts daycare on Monday. We have confirmed cases where I live. One is confirmed in my county. Cate is starting daycare on Monday. I have been obsessive in handwashing and using sanitizer since she was born. I don't let anyone touch her that hasn't washed their hands. I even have a little sign on her carseat that says please don't touch my hands without washing yours. It makes people really stop and think. I have done a good job keeping her little world sanitized so far, but will lose control of that when she starts daycare. They have good sanitation techniques there. All kids when they come in wash their hands with soap before they do anything. But still. Plus, the daycare is an intergenerational daycare because it is located in the county nursing home and is run by the county. It is the best daycare in the area. The other decent daycare is run by the hospital. Yeah so she can either get something from the old people (cause they interact with the old people there. They read to them and come play with them or do crafts with them. Some rock the babies) or she could catch something from the daycare that has hospital workers. Not that she couldn't catch something at her current daycare because most of the doctor/NP moms that work at the hospital send their kids to the daycare at the nursing home Sara and Cate attend (cause it is the best in academics and stuff). I am worried because she has respiratory issues (probably because of genetics and because she was early). We already use a nebulizer. So I worry about her getting this now.

Am I alone in this worry?

[missgamecock]

I even went overboard tonight when the news reported a confirmed case in my county. I went and bought a bunch of sanitizer wipes to keep in the car, diaper bag, in my purse so I can wipe down anything we touch in public. I wiped down the cart at walmart. When I came out to the car, I used the hand sanitizer. When I got home, I washed my hands again before touching her. I am like a nut about this.

[aundapenner]

Whenever we go grocery shopping or anywhere else, we still wash our hands before going in and doing anything. We'll bring groceries in then wash hands before touching Henry or Sofia.

We're all sick this week - all except Sofia - and on antibiotics. We're washing hands like crazy.

I'm not sure how I'd be if there were more cases here in Germany or even if they were local ... probably more obsessive about hand washing.

My mom is visiting and leaves next week. I am hoping things will begin to subside by the time she flies. Ugh.

[hols537]

Sabrina - you described what I do already since Alexander was born. We always sanitize when we get back to the car, I always use wipes on the carts. Our local pharmacy is already sold out of sanitizer (I'm close to DC, so a lot of tourists and diplomatic travel seem to add to the panic even with no confirmed cases).

We're not planning to change any of our normal activities due to the flu. I hope things will calm down and they can get going on a vaccine while the cases are still relatively mild. Our little ones are at risk for complications just like the normal flu and the medicines are tested on babies. I think the normal cold/flu season precautions us preemie moms already take are sufficient.

Alice - Hope you're all feeling better soon!

[annes]

I think that the daycare will be very careful, it sounds like they are doing all the right things, handwashing etc... Good luck on Monday.

[missgamecock]

I asked the doc today if there was anything we should be doing different (home and daycare). She said basic handwashing and hand sanitizer. I have been making Kirsten and Sara wash their hands when they come home from school before touching anything.

[hypergirl_trlee]

I have to admit I am terrified. My doc. didn't want us taking our little 28 week preemie out for the first year since she was so early, and on prednisone for the first 10 months for a hemangioma. She was going to able to go out in public on may 1st, but now we don't know what to do.. we have 8 cases in my area and 9 more suspected right near us... SO SCARED.