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CO Poisoning or the Flu?Cheryl Burt, a Minnesota mother, lost two sons to carbon monoxide poisoning. Even though the traumatic incident occurred a decade ago, the wounds are still fresh. "No one realized what we were suffering was carbon monoxide poisoning," Burt recalled. "I would continually take my boys to the see the doctor. Inside the house they would be lethargic and ill, but they'd be fine 20 minutes later by the time we arrived at the doctor's office." A faulty furnace emitted dangerous levels of CO into Burt's home, causing the family to feel flu-like symptoms. The Burts did not have a CO alarm installed in their home. "Because most symptoms of CO poisoning are commonly associated with the flu, many people assume they're just coming down with a cold," said John Drengenberg, Consumer Affairs manager for Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the independent product safety testing and certification organization. "That's why it is so important for consumers to have CO alarms installed in their home. A CO alarm alerts families of the presence of carbon monoxide long before they are exposed to dangerous levels of the gas." UL and Kidde recommend consumers consider the following as signs that their flu-like symptoms may be caused by CO poisoning: Minor Symptoms:
Moderate Symptoms - In additions to minor symptoms:
Severe Symptoms - In additions to moderate symptoms:
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