PARENTS INUNDATING ERS DOCTORS SEE MORE WORRIED ADULTS, SNIFFLING KIDS.

Byline: Susan Abram Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - News of influenza-related deaths of about a dozen children in Colorado and a limited supply of vaccine sent a wave of worried parents to emergency rooms over the weekend, with one local hospital reporting a 50 percent increase in visits Saturday and Sunday.

``We are seeing more worry,'' said Dr. Jason Ziemba of Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital. ``The majority of what we're seeing is those with runny noses and muscle aches, just typical colds. Of all the people we saw, there was only one we thought could have had the flu.''

On a typical Saturday or Sunday, an average of 100 people visits the emergency room. On Saturday, the hospital logged 147 visits and 154 on Sunday, many of them parents with children.

``I can tell a lot of parents are concerned about it,'' Ziemba said. ``One of the concerns is they haven't been able to get their child a flu shot. Some of them don't have regular pediatricians.''

Symptoms of the flu include sudden headaches and a dry cough, aching muscles, exhaustion and fever.

Ziemba recommended that unless the illness appears in children who have another chronic disease, such as asthma, parents should keep children away from the emergency rooms and contact their primary physician.

Last week, the two companies that make the vaccine reported that each had shipped out all of its supplies. But health officials reminded the public that there was no shortage.

In Los Angeles, the county Department of Health Services received and distributed 43,000 extra doses than in previous years for a total of 138,000. The remaining vaccine will be available to outreach clinics for those considered at high risk.

A request by the department for an additional 7,000 doses, however, was turned down.

Because the flu is circulating nationwide at a higher level and earlier in the season than usual, federal health officials had urged parents to vaccinate children as young as 6 months.

City and county health experts said it's difficult to predict whether Los Angeles will see an outbreak this season. Two cases of flu were reported earlier last month in two young children from West Los Angeles, but those offer no clues.

Though this year's strains of flu seemed focused on the very young, older populations and those with compromised immune systems also remain at risk.

At the Santa Clarita Senior Center, seniors who did not receive flu shots at several local clinics have been inquiring more than usual about the vaccine.

``I'm getting calls from people who want to get them,'' said Jackie Reibsamen, the health and wellness coordinator at the senior center. ``The general feeling is this is going to be worse than we thought it was going to be.''

Facey Medical Group, with medical facilities in the Santa Clarita and San Fernando valleys, reported more people requesting the vaccine.

``We have had an increase of calls,'' said Louise Williams, director of nursing for Facey. ``We are working on trying to get more flu vaccine, to be able to accommodate our requests.''

Susan Abram, [phone]

susan.abram(at)dailynews.com