I expect official advice would be still to keep him off (hoping someone official comes along!)
bit of an advice update on this page

Its going to get tricky though as most aren't getting swabbed. Does everyone need to stay off for the full 7 days if they have flu like symptoms? Add swine flu to all the other flu like illnesses people will get (especially as we go into autumn) theres not going to be very many people at work!

OK ladies,
can you help, we are waiting for swab results for DS2, he has been ill but not as ill as some described on the thread.
We are supposed to be doing lots of things tomorrow and this weekend, he has been ill since Monday evening and is now symptom free.

If the results don't come back in the morning what do I do?

I would have thought 7 days from your dd's last symptom e.g. cough. So if she coughs for a week, and a week after her cough stops the rest of the family still haven't gone down with it, then they probably won't (from her, that doesn't mean they won't get it from someone else of course).

Same as BadKitten.

Get well soon, little chocstuff

hpa say incubation is thought to be 1-7 days with most likely being 2-5 days.

chocstuff - hope she gets better quickly

I thought the incubation period was 7 days

Good to know. Thanks for that

The incubation period is 72 hours.

Hi,

My little girl has just been sent home from school with suspected swine flu. I am concerned for the rest of the family also. Does anyone know how long it takes, once infected, before the symptoms present? ie. when do we know if the rest of the family is in the clear?

Many thanks,

Do you think you could have had it and not realised?

Me and DS age 13 had really nasty colds a week or so ago. Most sore throat I have ever, plus stinking cold, headache and diarrhoea. Didn't have a temperature though really. Just a bit warm but never what I would call a temperature.

Wow. I wondered in a paranoid manner whether DS had it last week, as he had all the symptoms (i.e. "flu-like illness" with really nasty cough plus vomiting). But I thought as he was only properly ill for four days it couldn't be. But maybe it was...

We all had confirmed cases of swine flu in June.

We all had varying symptoms.

DD1 fell ill first and was by far the hardest hit.

She fell ill on a Saturday. She is a will-o'-wisp sort of girl, tall and lanky and skinny and fair as a May Cala lilly.

She woke on that morning and had: headache, muscle aches, sore throat, and terrific cough. By noon 39 degree temp but it would come down alternating ibu and Calpol.

She was 5 when she had it, now just gone 6 on 19 June, but she's a shy, modest type by her nature. She had diarrhea, but for long she tried to hold it in, bless her.

DH and DD2 went next. Both were just gurny and had a bad cold, but DD2 had also diarrhea (mind you, we were all lab tested and proved positive).

I fell ill myself a week to the day after DD1, who fell ill on a Sat. herself.

I'd not such a high temp, more on and off, like when you've just had a bairn and you go all sweaty and then cold.

But oh, the cough! Had D&V and the fatigue was just terrific.

DS, then a 7-month-old baby and a big lad at that, fell himself on the Sunday, a week and a day after DD1.

His cough, that was the hallmark of it. His temp would go down with ibu, but not that cough in his wee lungs. D&V as well. I don't know if his throat or his body was hurting him, but he was up all that night, and my husband is a hard-sleeper, so there was i, likes.

He was the first to be tested, by nasal swab, on the Monday after he fell ill.

The next day it was public health phoning us and the GP away to our house out here.

That was all of us tested positive, even though was 10 days after DD1 fell ill she was still testing positive.

I kept them all away and at home the whole fortnight, though I was falling away with fatigue and DH no longer symptomatic away to his work for all we are needing the money.

HTH.

If I'd have known folk who wanted it, I'd glad have passed it to them and no bother.

If it's going to happen, it will hopefully be over by your holiday. Have a good time!

Yes I have been out and bought toddler vitamins today too. Sunshine, fruit and veg and vitamins!!

DH has come home from work today with headache, sore throat and feeling lousy, so have a feeling it's arrived!! Still would rather we all have it now. At least we may have a chase of making the holiday in 2 weeks!!

Ah, isn't it kind when an OP says 'thank you' for the comments offered.

One point I forgot to say, was to boost his immune system, try and ensure your DS is in the sunshine everyday for at least 20 minutes before applying optional sunscreen (vary time according to skin pigment and keep an eye for any sign of burning) and avoid peak sunshine hours (11-2pm) whilst v.hot in temperature.

I really do believe that boosting vitamin D reserves everyday is vital for immunity and the reason why I haven't caught it (yet!)

Thanks for all the information and advice everyone. I think I will see how it goes and play it by ear. I think that is all we can do isn't it.

For everyone who has it now, get well soon!

Most cases in Sheffield here have been very mild with symptoma lastint 2 to 5 days.

Advice we got at school is to treat as normal flu. Only contagious when showing symptoms so avoid contct then. If symptoms not there GP about normal business.

No longer closong schools and not doing general swabs.

Girl in my class has just had it we think. Now back at school after 4 days off inc weekend. Has been swabbed and awaiting results. Trouble is she is still a bit sniffly and carrying a horrid dirty hankie! And parents have not told school either! This is y1 where they are tactile and no word from them! School only knows as head got call from has following the swab.

My husband had very similar symptoms to those described by tiredemma. Very, very sore throat, constant phlegm from nose and throat, an itchy back and a hacking cough at night that would not stop. It lasted a week. He wouldn't see the G.P and only took the Monday off. Everybody in his office have it despite them all using alcohol wipes etc.

As he didn't go to the G.P, I don't know if it was Swine Flu or not. He is also using my unfinished Doxycycline antibiotics for his lungs (not ideal I know) which he has said has helped him. He is now completely recovered.

I haven't caught it although I have had a slightly sore throat and a twinge in my left lung. Very important to throw away used tissues and wipe all areas, blah, blah.

My DS had exactly the same symptoms as tiredemma's DS but it was never confirmed as swine flu so we don't know if he's had it or not.

And we were offered Tamiflu but didn't take it - one look at the side effects made me think it would be worse than the illness!

We're not sure if we had it or not ... they weren't testing here when me and dd1 got sick, but dh has had a lot of contact (is a GP)

We both felt pretty crappy for 3-4 days with temp, chills, cough, vomiting (me) diahorrea (dd1) sore throats, generally feeling unwell. But by day 5 we were both on the mend and day 6 she was back at school and I had a day in bed to myself!

I know expat has had it and she described it as "flu lite". It certainly wasn't anything like as bad as the real flu I had 3 years ago - I thought I was dying!

I have had swine flu for a week and still feel like crap!
Started about this time last week, started feeling flu like symptoms. Friday, Saturday and Sunday woke up with a high temp, took paracetamol which took temp down and I would then sweat for about half hour, was really disgusting!
Since Monday have been left with stomach pains and the worse sore throat I have ever experienced, which also makes my ears hurt.
Doctors havent tested me but have been given the medicine and am on my third day of treatment, feel slightly better. Have also been in my house for a week!

and no- On Gps orders we are housebound for 5 days at least.

DD was very ill for one week, then bounced back quite well aside from tiredness 10 days before being 100%
She did have extreme sickness for 24 hr though whih not everyone gets.
No one else at our house has caught it but it has affected maybe 20 out of 96 kids at school

Day one was predominantly fatigue, very tired and lethargic- complaining of a sore throat (but no cough)
day two- very, very lethargic (lay on my bed with a fan on him all day) - raging temp which was really hard to control. Slight cough-
Day/night two into day three - was at his worst- raging temp all night, very congested,with a painful cough. (he had only eaten two bowls of weetabix over these 3 days)
day four- still had temperature, cough etc but a bit more 'life' in him- wasnt lying around as much and had more energy and appetite came back.
day 5 (yesterday) back to his normal self but still has runny nose and cough- no temp.

I was very worried at the weekend but he is ok at the moment.

SH27 - you aren't supposed to go out after 3 days, not unless you want to share it!

Thanks tiredemma, I haven't spoken to anyone who has had it. What were the symptoms your DS had? Could you go out after 3 days?

ds2 was really ill for only about 2-3 days at the max

Just been watching the news and they reckon 100,000 people a day will be getting it by August!

I've heard it is better to get it now than later in the year as the strain is quite mild right now.

I think it varies a lot.

Its tricky isn't it, there are cases near by to us. i'm certainly not actively seeking it (would far rather not get it at all) but I think that I'd rather we got it before we went on holiday rather than during. Perhaps keep an eye on things and if its spreading then as hes only nursery keep him off for the last few days?

Hi,

Sorry if this has been asked already. But if you contract Swine Flu how long does it last?

My DS has had Swine Flu confirmed in the senior part of his school. The letter home states they are not closing the school and the nursery has not been in contact with the senior school.

Naturally I am really worried about my DS getting sick. I am also worried as we are going on holiday in 2 weeks. Last year the day we were due to fly off on hols, my DS came down with gastroenteritis (?) and was too sick to travel, so we're really worried about this holiday too.

Am I being too panicky keeping him off of nursery for the next couple of weeks?

Thanks for your advice.