Parents unsure about bird flu

Implications

H5N1 is a type of influenza A virus that mainly infects wild birds, including songbirds, birds of prey, and waterfowl such as ducks and geese. These wild birds transmit infection to farm poultry, with subsequent transmission to other farm animals (cows, pigs) and animals that eat wild birds, including pets. The version currently circulating in the US is known as H5N1 2.3.4.4b and is highly lethal. There is no treatment or cure; the virus produces a gastrointestinal infection, causing death from diarrhea and respiratory distress. This Mott Poll Report highlights the challenge parents face in keeping track of an emerging situation and understanding its potential threat to their child’s health.

H5N1 is very contagious. Once it has been found in a farm animal, it has become standard practice to cull the entire flock or herd to prevent the spread. Millions of chickens have been culled as a preventive measure, contributing to the increased price of eggs. Thus far, H5N1 infections in humans have been limited to those who come in close contact with infected animals; most often this involves farmworkers but recently included an individual whose backyard flock of chickens was infected. At the time of this report, there has been no evidence of transmission from human to human; however, previous outbreaks of H5N1, including one in 2003-2005, highlight this possibility.

The risks of bird flu are greatest for individuals who work with farm animals and their families, but the situation presents an opportunity for parents to reinforce the principles of good hygiene with their children. Certainly, children should be cautioned to avoid dead animals. More difficult is avoiding animal droppings, which can be hard to detect in yards or sandboxes. As a general rule, parents should teach their children to keep their hands away from their face (e.g., avoid rubbing eyes or touching their mouth). Additionally, parents should make sure children wash their hands with soap and water after touching birds and other animals at a petting zoo or a neighbor’s backyard chicken coop.

Some parents in this Mott Poll indicated they have cut back on eating poultry products like eggs and chicken. However, as long as eggs and meat are fully cooked, there is no evidence that bird flu is spread through these products. Parents should make sure that milk and dairy products are pasteurized, which means heated to kill germs.

A bird flu-related risk that may go unrecognized is the anxiety that it will turn into another pandemic. Given the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s health, it is very reasonable that many parents would like the government to do more about preventing bird flu from spreading to humans. However, one-third of parents in this Mott Poll were not confident in the government’s ability to contain bird flu. Despite their own concerns, parents may want to be mindful about conversations around bird flu, to avoid causing unnecessary anxiety in children who may not understand the risks.

Although some parents expressed the belief that the media is overselling the danger of bird flu, most parents indicated they are relying on local or national news reports to keep abreast of the situation. It is likely that parents will continue to view the news as a trusted source, particularly because many lack confidence in being able to find accurate, up-to-date information on their own.