Is my daughter with Rett syndrome at higher risk for complications?
Individuals with disorders that can compromise respiratory function or the handling of respiratory secretions or that can increase the risk for aspiration (e.g., cognitive dysfunction, spinal cord injuries, seizure disorders, or other neuromuscular disorders) are considered to be at a higher risk for complications. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta reports that 477 people in the US have died from H1N1 influenza (flu), including 36 children, as of August 8th, 2009. Nearly 70 percent of these children had chronic high-risk medical conditions such as epilepsy, cerebral palsy or developmental delay, according to data published in the September 4, 2009 edition of MMWR News (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5834a1.htm). “These findings emphasize the importance of caretakers of children with chronic medical conditions consulting their physicians about obtaining vaccinations against H1N1 before the vaccine becomes available, currently estimated to be in O
