Dr. Thomas Frieden, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave a press briefing in which he talked about the H1N1 flu and an increased risk for complications and death for children with developmental disabilities. We think this is important so we are including the information here.

Here’s what Dr. Frieden had to say:

The MMWR study outlines 36 deaths that were among the first deaths among children in this country.  In two-thirds of those, the child had at least one severe underlying illness or underlying disability, actually, rather than illness, in most of the cases – cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, long-standing respiratory or cardiac problems.  So, most of the children who had fatal H1N1 infection this past spring had an underlying condition.

We have been working closely with pediatrics societies, with parent groups and others to ensure that, for example, children with special needs, children with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, other developmental disabilities, are promptly treated if they develop fever in flu season and are at the front of the line for flu vaccination when it becomes available.

We also are recommending that all people with underlying conditions get vaccinated, people who have asthma, diabetes, lung disease, heart disease, neuromuscular conditions, neurological conditions that increase their risk factors and women who are pregnant.

If children have underlying conditions – and two-thirds of the children in this report had conditions such as muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy – it’s very important that they be treated promptly.  And if a child is severely ill, if they’re having trouble breathing, if their fever comes back after it went away, if they are having difficulty keeping fluids down, then it’s very important to get treated promptly.

For more information click on any of the highlighted links above and go to flu.gov.