No Flu Parties

Having H1N1 flu parties to expose children to virus not good idea...

You may have heard of "chicken pox" parties.

It's when parents intentionally expose their children to chicken pox, in order to "get it out of the way," and build a natural immunity to the sickness.

Well, it turns out, some parents are trying the same thing with the H1N1 flu strain.

Doug Beardsley says intentionally putting children in an environment where they have a good chance of catching h1n1 is risky at best.

"Most people completely recover, but there is a danger for severe consequences. So why would anybody want to go through it, when one, it's not inevitable, and two, there is a gamble to it," said Beardsley, director of Johnson County Public Health Department in Waterloo, Iowa.

Many parents still try to expose their kids to chicken pox at an early age, to "get it out of the way," and build up a natural immunity, even though a chicken pox vaccine is available.

But Beardsley says using that philosophy with the H1N1 strain doesn't work.

Parents we spoke with were surprised that some people are taking such an approach.

"I understand that they might be around people and it might happen, but I wouldn't put them in a situation that would expose them to it," said Beardsley.

Brandon Stoker feels the same way.

He's taking steps to protect his daughter, as is the congregation at his church.

"We try to be careful, and the people at church are careful; if anybody has any flu-like symptoms, we try to keep them home," Stoker said.

Beardsley echoed that advice, along with promoting the basics of hand washing and cough-covering to kids.

"If you're sick stay home. If you have somebody sick at home, take care of them, but try to isolate them from the well members of the family," Beardsley said.

Beardsley says some parents may think that the h1n1 strain will be milder, earlier in the flu season.

He says it's safer just to stay away from it and get the vaccine as soon as it becomes available.