This year's influenza strain hitting kids harder than adults

Matthew Dubbs was a textbook case: It started one day last week with a headache. That night, it graduated to a grinding cough. Then came the nasal drainage, the aching and a 102-degree fever.

The flu had taken hold.

But what makes Dubbs an even better example of those suffering from the flu this season is this -- he's 6 years old.

Health experts say this particular strain of flu that is dominating -- Type B -- primarily affects children, leading to 179 school closings in Missouri since flu season began in October.

"That's higher than we've had in the past two years," said Libby Landrum, the influenza coordinator for the Missouri Department of Health. "Type B is generally a little milder, a more stable virus. But the drawback is that it affects school-age children more."

There have been 1,256 laboratory confirmed influenza cases statewide and of those 32 were Type A and 317 were Type B, which makes Type B the predominant strain, Landrum said. The rest of the confirmed cases were not classifiable.

In Cape Girardeau County, the number of confirmed cases was 16. Surrounding counties Perry, Bollinger and Scott, had "very few" cases, she said.

But that does not reflect the total number of cases, she said.

"Most people suffer through and don't go to the doctor anyway," she said.

Not the Dubbses. Matthew's father, Steve, took him to see his family physician last week. While he was at the doctor, Steve Dubbs -- suffering from symptoms himself -- had himself checked out.

"We've all had it," said Steve Dubbs, of Jackson. "The cough seems worse more at night than during the day. Everything comes and goes, but we can't seem to shake it."

Dubbs said he doesn't mind having it, but he hates watching his children suffer.

"He's not sleeping because he's coughing all night," Dubbs said. "He's so active, so you know he's sick if he's sitting still. It's too bad that it's affecting kids more. It shouldn't be that way."

More with symptoms

Phil Tippen, a doctor at Physician Associates in Cape Girardeau, said he and his partners are starting to see more and more patients with symptoms of the flu. He said he can understand why children are especially prone to the flu.

"They're sneezing, touching doorknobs," he said. "They aren't always known for washing their hands with all this going on."

While the emphasis this year may be on schoolchildren, Tippen said the elderly are also especially susceptible, especially those with chronic diseases like diabetes.

"They need to be especially careful," he said.

Mostly, however, the flu can be treated with bed rest, lots of fluids or Tylenol or ibuprofen, Tippen said. But he said if people haven't gotten better in five to seven days, or if the cough continues to get worse, they should see a physician.

Landrum said people vaccinated with flu vaccine will most likely escape this winter's influenza. Last year's vaccine has been boosted to work against this particular strain of Type B virus.

"It's not too late," she said. "There are still several more weeks of flu season left. If people haven't gotten the vaccine, they should get it."

smoyers@semissourian.com

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