The autumn and winter months are generally linked to patients getting the flu. But according to new information from federal health officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, parents of children who have neurological disorders are being warned that the kids are at a higher risk of dying if they contract the flu.
In a study that was conducted by CDC scientists, researchers monitored over 300 flu-related deaths among kids during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. What they found was that 60 percent of those deaths occurred in kids that already had some sort of condition before they contracted the flu. Two thirds of the deaths occurred in kids that had some sort of neurologic disorder such as epilepsy. The CDC’s Dr. Georgina Peacock, a pediatrician and coauthor of the study, says that the flu is particularly dangerous for children that have complications with “muscle function, lung function or difficulty coughing, swallowing or clearing fluids from their airways.”
“These problems are sometimes experienced by children with neurologic disorders,” said Peacock in a CDC press release.
“Partnering with the American Academy of Pediatrics, influenza advocacy groups and family led-organizations CAN help prevent influenza in children at highest risk,” CDC Director Dr. Thomas R. Frieden added in the press release.
Epilepsy is a serious condition that affects millions of kids all over the world. The condition is often treated with various medications like Topamax. Topamax has been linked to birth defects in babies born to mothers that use the drug while pregnant. Some of those birth defects include PPHN, oral clefts, neural tube defects and spina bifida.
If your baby was born with birth defects after in-utero exposure to Topamax, contact attorney Greg Jones today for a free consultation. I am experienced at fighting Topamax lawsuits and may be able to help you recover money for your child’s injuries.