H1N1 and New Families - Part II

by Kimmama | More from this Blogger

05 Nov 2009 08:43 PM

Yesterday I talked about how the H1N1 virus has impacted families in the mother/baby ward. As it turns out, I learned today, more and more hospitals are banning children and teens from hospitals unless they are patients. I went to go visit a friend who recently had a baby today, and I discovered that I couldn't even leave my son with a friend in the cafeteria area of the hospital. They were not letting any children in the hospital anywhere. They even had a sign right by the front door. Fortunately I had called ahead and was able to leave my son with my husband during his lunch hour.

Some hospitals are banning visitors under the age of 12 and some are banning everyone under 18. The virus is more prevalent in this age group and hospitals are concerned about bringing the virus into an environment where many people's immune systems are already compromised.

In addition to prohibiting children from visiting patients, the hospital I visited also asked anyone showing any potential signs of illness, including coughing, sneezing, etc to not enter the hospital. It appears that some hospitals are little more lenient than others. Some hospitals, such as Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, will be screening visitors at all entrances.

So when will this new policy let up? I have received this question from a few concerned mothers who are expecting children in the coming months. According to several sources, children will be kept away from hospitals until the H1N1 threat is no longer seen as a threat. It's likely young visitors will not be allowed until springtime at the earliest. Until then, if you are planning on visiting anyone in the hospital, plan on arranging childcare ahead of time.

If you are pregnant and have children under the age of 12, how do you plan to cope with the separation as a result of this new policy?

Learn more about Kimmama

Kim is a freelance writer and stay at home mom to her newborn, Micah. She has been married to her husband, Eric, since 2006.

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