Oct 23, 2009 7:55 pm US/Eastern
HealthWatch: Asthmatics & H1N1
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
Children aren't the only group that's especially at risk from swine flu. The virus also poses a special problem for asthmatics.
Cory Abate-Shen plans to get her 8-year-old twin sons David and Philip vaccinated for H1N1.
"We never hesitate with vaccines," she told CBS 2.
Her son David suffers from asthma. "It sort of feels like I'm coughing when I breathe," he explained.
David and others with asthma are at higher risk for complications from H1N1 because they can get inflammation in their airways more easily.
"Fluid and mucus builds up in the lungs and then they will have a much more difficult time breathing," said Dr. David Resnick of the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital at Columbia.
People with asthma should also let their doctor know right away if they come down with any flu-like symptoms such as fever or muscle pain, because medications like Tamiflu can be effective.
"If we can treat with antivirals early, we can hopefully prevent the significant respiratory symptoms," said Dr. Resnick.
Because of limited supplies of the vaccine, even families with asthma are having to wait for their first line of defense against H1N1. But David is OK with getting the shot when it gets here.
"The flu seems to be really bad and like you just really don't want to get it," he said.
One more piece of advice: people with asthma should not get the nasal spray version of the H1N1 vaccine. They need to get the injection form of the vaccine. That's the one that's been in short supply.
The CDC said that nearly 12 million doses of H1N1 vaccine have been shipped as of Friday. Nearly 800,000 of those have made their way to the tri-state area. The CDC expects that ample supplies of H1N1 will be available by mid-November.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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