Who’s had the mutant super flu?

[Whywhywhyyyy]

3 yo just wakes up. Head sweating with drip. Boiling hot. Temp 40.2. A few dry retch coughs, breathe smells ill and some funky smelling trumps. TMI sorry

Basically looks super ill. Considering whether we are going to be heading to hospital tonight.

Gave ibu and para and within 20mins we are back down to 36.9!

What is going on?!?! Any ideas anyone.

@JustAnotherOpinion123 bless her , I'm sure she will have a wonderful time when she's better

Flu won't require hospital treatment for most people, mainly those with compromised ummity or other underlying conditions.

I probably had it last week, Cough, high temperature, body aches, headache, extreme tiredness and two weeks later still feeling more tired than usual and still got the remnants of a chesty cough and blocked sinuses.

We had it the week before last. Absolutely awful week; I have never felt so unwell my whole love, genuinely! We have 3 kids, 11yo, 7yo & 3yo - the older 2 didn’t catch it but my husband, youngest & myself were all very unwell. Fever & temps of 40+ (me & hubby too!), night sweats, waking up absolutely drenched in sweat, cough, sore throat, blocked nose, body aches & headache, plus sheer exhaustion - it’s bad; I’ve never had flu before & I never want it again. 3yo old slept 2 days straight & hubby and I were in and out of bed for 4 days, thank god my parents helped with the other 2! We were alternating between ibuprofen, paracetamol & when it was really bad hubby and I were taking codeine too! By day 5 we felt slightly more human & 2 weeks on we’re able to do usual day to day things but still have a very small amount of energy! Lots of water and soups, plus we had Lucozade too! Sending your child a speedy recovery and hopefully no one else gets it! X

@mamap14 were you vaccinated

I am fit, healthy and young and I ended up in hospital.

If you ‘probably’ had it last week, you would know about it. Sounds more like the latest strain of covid to me. There are two new strains circulating, and the super flu. Plus RSV.

not the flu jab, I’m not eligible

Its just the flu, the stain is different from last year, but not "new" in any particular way.

The symptoms of flu are typified by the rapidity at which they come on, high temperature, being chesty and possibly having rales.

Its miserable but in most healthy people it will be gone in a couple of weeks

The media are doing a lot of mis information, it's not mutated in any significant way, its just that this year Influenza A (which is always about) has become the dominant strain over B (for now, they battle it out every year), B has circulated the last few years so peoples immunity to A is low, which is how A has ended up back on top.
The vaccine is formulated based on what they think will happen, and they got their betting wrong.
It is what it is, its how the virus survives, and its part of natures great system of control.

Just jumping on here to say if you're not eligible for the flu jab on the NHS you can pay privately to have it at a pharmacy, I did yesterday at my local one, it was only £16 and I was able to just walk in. Obviously it takes a few days to kick in and it doesn't necessarily stop you getting it but it should lessen the severity of symptoms.

My 4 yo has just had it. He did end up in hospital as his temperature wouldn’t come below 40. The hospital told me they’d found Ibuprofen works best for this flu in kids.

Just keep going.. 5 days and he was over the worst.

Amazing, I didn’t know that! Will definitely be doing that next year!! Thank you!

It could have been flu or Covid- unless you test you don't know as the symptoms are the same. I knew I had it! Both are types of flu and you don't know what I had any more than I do! Whch is why I said 'probably'

I was like that last month with Covid. Tested positive for it.

Get a finger 02 sats tester from a chemist or amazon

I got one during Covid.

It tells you heart rate and and 02 sats and is very useful

My 18yo son had flu and his resting heart went from 60 to 95 that week but he is fine. Didn't end up in hospital just got gp appt, They were thorough but not concerned.
His 02 sats were always over 96. A few deep breaths got him up to 98/99

Under 92 is dangerous. And will need an urgent attention.

Paeds A&E is overrun with children’s flu at the moment. All they will do is tell you to give calpol every 4 hours and ibuprofen every 6 and send you home if the temperature can’t be controlled by management, It happened to us. His temperature went up to 43.5. We took our 18mo back to GP a few days later when his chest was raspy and it had turned into an LRTI.

Me and my 3 year old had it last week. We still have a few lingering symptoms. I was definitely worse than she was.

Saturday was the worst day for me, passed out in the early hours after throwing up. By Monday I felt 100 x better. Just feels like a normal cold now.

Paracetamol and ibuprofen. And a cool cloth for my head for the headache.

In hospital in the UK they actually don’t work out paracetamol (or ibuprofen) by weight once the child is over 3 months old. The guidance is entirely age based.

OP, I’m sorry he’s unwell, and fingers crossed you don’t catch it too (I used to catch everything from mine when they were small!) - but if the temperature is responding to paracetamol/ ibuprofen and he is just a miserable version of himself (not floppy and unrouseable) and is continuing with fluids then there is absolutely no need to go to hospital.

If you’re not already, alternate paracetamol and ibuprofen every 3 hours - so, say, paracetamol at 8am, ibuprofen at 11am, paracetamol at 2pm ibuprofen at 5pm and so on. Paracetamol can be given 4 hourly - but only 4 doses in 24 hours, so the 3 hour alternating gives the best coverage and avoids too much fluctuation in temperature :)

(Source: I’m an Emergency Department nurse who works regularly in children’s ED!)

Just to clarify (and it’s entirely possible you weren’t told this clearly), paracetamol every 4 hours is fine - but to a maximum of 4 doses in 24 hours. Alternating paracetamol and ibuprofen every 3 hours is the best way to manage a high temperature:)

Thank you for this, they definitely didn’t give us this information.

im currently going through yet another temperature/cough/cold/rash with him so I’ll monitor him more.

Yes confirmed yesterday it is covid not flu

You can still do it this year. Google "NHS - book a flu jab".

My eldest has had it - temperature of 40 degrees that only came down to 39 with regular paracetamol and ibuprofen. He was ill like this for 5 days straight and didn’t even get out of bed or eat anything. He’s on day 10 today and feels better in himself but still very weak and a dreadful hacking cough. He’s very fit and sporty normally and hasn’t left the house except for school a few days at the end of last week. Hems 14 though so much more robust than a 3 year old - I’d watch yours like a hawk. Good luck