Eight Outbreaks of Norovirus - the Winter Vomiting Bug - Reported in St. Louis County

Some of the virus' common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pains.

Although the flu is on everyone’s minds this season, the winter vomiting bug, or the norovirus, is making its rounds. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the norovirus causes about 70,000 hospitalizations and 800 deaths each year, mostly in young children and the elderly. Some of the virus' common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pains. The CDC points out that the norovirus is often referred to as thestomach flu, but it is unrelated to influenza. According to St. Louis County Health Department Spokesman John Shelton, there are eight outbreaks of the norovirus in the St. Louis County area. Shelton points out that an outbreak can be just five cases of a less common disease, like …

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The Season Is Here: Where to Get Flu Shots in or Near Chesterfield

Here's where to get an influenza vaccine, how to recognize symptoms and what to know about treatment if you get sick.

Flu season is coming early in parts of the United States: This time last year, flu cases were lower in the St. Louis area than they are now, according to data on Google's Flu Trends. (Chesterfield-specific data is not available on Flu Trends.) Overall in Missouri, activity is considered high now, while it was considered low at this time in 2011, according to Flu Trends. If you're considering getting a flu shot, here are some places in or around Chesterfield that offer the vaccine: More locations According to this week's CDC Flu activity report, influenza levels are on the increase across the country.  Five states – Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee – are reporting flu rates not normally seen until January, according to the …

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Ask the Patch Pro: Local Pediatricians Answer Your Questions

Our panel of experts are waiting in the comments to answer your questions about health in the latest installment of Ask the Patch Pro.

It's time for another edition of Ask the Patch Pro, where each week we tackle a different topic and open up the comments section for questions. Our team of experts stop in to help you out and answer your questions. This week, with flu season upon us, Patch wants to help find the answers to questions about your kids' health this week, but we needed some help. We've compiled a team of experts to help us out. Meet the experts: If you consider yourself a local expert and would like to be added to the list, let us know! jordan.lanham@patch.com

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Matt B.

2:35 am on Monday, November 12, 2012

I really appreciate all the feedback.. What should i do now? I've started to develop a 2nd bump on my left foot. Its on the left side of the foot just about 2 inches behind the "big" or "first" toe(side of the foot). I work for a company that doesn't offer me insurance. Where do i go from here? The '"lump" or "bump" on my right leg just to the lower left of the knee does not seem to be getting …   more ›

Ask the Patch Pro: Seeking Local Pediatricians

Patch is looking for experts who can talk kids health and offer their expertise this week.

With flu season upon us, Patch wants to help find the answers to questions about your kids' health this week, but we need a little help. In the latest edition of "Ask the Patch Pro" we need local experts who can answer readers' questions and offer advice. If you are a local pediatrician or consider yourself an expert and can answer these questions and more, let us know two ways. One: You can leave a comment on this post. Two: You can send an email to jordan.lanham@patch.com. We need experts to answer questions on Thursday, Nov. 8.  Curious as to what we are looking for? Take a look at some of our previous Patch Pro posts: So what do you say, who wants to be our expert?

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Patch Picks: Where to Get a Flu Shot

It's the middle of flu season and cases are picking up statewide. Find out where to get vaccinated.

Flu season is about halfway over, but there's still plenty of time to get the vaccine.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu season typically lasts from late fall to early spring. Typically about 5 to 20 percent of the population will catch the flu, with all its dreaded symptoms: fevers, coughing, a sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, headaches, body aches, chills and fatigue. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, flu cases are on the rise statewide. In the first week of January, 250 cases were confirmed in Missouri. That's up from 196 the week before and higher than normal for this time of year. The Post-Dispatch reported that flu seasons are typically milder following a pandemic, like last year's H1N1, …

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The Mom Memo

A 'Roid Raging Party

How I battled a croup quarantine with a 5-year-old on steroids and lived to tell the tale.

Cold and flu season has arrived. This weekend, we were prisoners in our own home as we battled a common childhood illness—croup. Early Saturday morning, my husband and I woke to the sound of our oldest son coughing violently and gasping for breath. His coughs were guttural, like a seal's loud bark. The distinct cough is croup's hallmark symptom. The seal bark sound is the result of swelling inside the throat. While croup's violent and scary cough can usually be managed at home, severe symptoms and respiratory distress require emergency medical attention. Our son's bout of croup was, thankfully, remedied with a steamy bathroom—steam opens the airways—and a prescribed oral steroid medication. Eventually, his coughing improved and he fell …