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Children's health

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Original poster

I think this may be a stupid question, but can young kids get flu??

27 replies

Badvocsanta · 17/12/2012 21:09

The only people I know who have/had flu are adults/teenagers.
Can young kids get what we would class as flu?
Ds2 has been unwell for a while now (6 weeks at least) and it seems to be getting worse :(
Had him checked out 3 times over the last 3 weeks and his chest is clear (which is hard to believe when you hear him cough!) and he is off his food, got a temp which keeps coming back after meds and is complaining of his limbs hurting. He is very pale :(
He also has an odd viral spot thing going on too...
We are treating with humidifier in his room, calpol, Vicks and a cough syrup...I don't really think cough syrups work but after 3 sleepless nights I am willing to try anything!!

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MsElleTow · 17/12/2012 21:11

Yes they can. DS2 was hospitalised with 'flu when he was 3. He was really, really poorly.

LynetteScavo · 17/12/2012 21:11

6 weeks is a very long time to be poorly.

How old is he?

And yes, anyone can get flu.

hellymelly · 17/12/2012 21:12

How old is he? six weeks is a long time for a child to be ill. Yes children get flu, my two had swine flu and were pretty rough but ok after a week-10 days. What does your Doc think is wrong? Could he be getting one virus after another?

Vicky08 · 17/12/2012 21:13

Definitley, my DS got it last year when he was 1. He was hospitilised with complications. It took him ages to recover properly. This year I've vaccinated my DC.

MsElleTow · 17/12/2012 21:14

I would be taking him to A&E now if I were you, or at least a different doctor. 6 weeks is too long to be ill, especially as he is not getting better.

Vicky08 · 17/12/2012 21:15

I agree with the other posters that 6 weeks is a long time to be ill.

Original poster
Badvocsanta · 17/12/2012 21:17

He has had a rough time since starting pre school in April.
Within 2 weeks had caught hand foot and mouth, then lots of coughs and colds.
In July he was admitted to hospital for a day and night with a chest infection that took 2 lots if ABs to clear.
Since going back in sept he has had cold, cough, sickness bug, viral rash/spots and now this...he has been coughing on and off for weeks. I was very worried re whooping cough (I had this As a child even though I was vaccinated)
He isn't really eating, just snacking but not too worried about that as he is a good weight. He is drinking.
Yesterday the ooh gp sent him to hospital for a chest x ray which was clear. Checked his ears, throat, temp, the usual. Nothing. They have no idea what the spots are!
He won't be going into pre school again now til after Xmas - he needs to rest and god knows I do!!
We have taken him to the gp about 4 times over the 6 weeks and he has had a round of amoxyycillin (even though his chest was clear?) salbutamol and prednisilone - my dh is asthmatic and I think they are wondering about asthma but I am pretty sure he isn't as none of them worked!!
Not sure if I take him back to docs what I can say/they can do?
Thanks for replying

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Meglet · 17/12/2012 21:18

Badvoc, looking at that all written down in one hit I would say GP's tomorrow and refuse to move type visit. Flu lasts for 1 week / 2 weeks max (then you get better).

Original poster
Badvocsanta · 17/12/2012 21:18

Vicky...that's the worst part...dh, ds1 and I were all vaccinated (all have health issues) but ds2 wasn't.
This is my fault isn't it?? :( :(

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Original poster
Badvocsanta · 17/12/2012 21:20

The last time we took him to our gp she said that viral coughs can last 6 weeks and gave him some prednisilone.
I will make sure he is vaccinated next year for sure :(

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Original poster
Badvocsanta · 17/12/2012 21:21

Oh, and none of the GPS I have seen are remotely bothered if it is whooping cough!....just shrug and say "it's possible. It can last months"
Lovely.

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Original poster
Badvocsanta · 17/12/2012 21:21

Sorry, he was 4 in sept.

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MsElleTow · 17/12/2012 21:31

It could well be whooping cough. DS1(18) was diagnosed with it back in September. He is still not 100%.

You need to go back to the doctors or A&E and not budge until they do something. DS2 had something like that a few years back. My GP was seeing him, at her request, every 3 days or so and had him admitted to hospital. It did turn out to be a virus on top of a chest infection caught in quick succession of each other.

If the GP doesn't know what the spots are insist on a referral to a paediatrician. You must be so worried, and he must feel so poorly. He needs sorting urgently!

Original poster
Badvocsanta · 17/12/2012 21:34

The doc we saw yesterday did mention a paed referral from the gp.
I am just horrified at how blasé the docs are being wrt the possibility of whooping cough.
Dh thinks I am totally over reacting..cue a huge argument last night :(
The silly thing is some days he is not too bad..went to pre school all last week for example. Coughed a bit, but ok.
Then it seems we just go back to square one, with temps, coughing til sick, runny nose etc....

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Original poster
Badvocsanta · 17/12/2012 21:36

But the gp and docs aren't worried about the spots.
His chest x ray yesterday was clear so it's not pneumonia or anything. Hs chest is clear on exam. Ears and throat ok too.
Just not sure what I can ask them to do iyswim?

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MsElleTow · 17/12/2012 21:54

You're in the East Midlands aren't you? So am I. There has been a dramatic rise in the number of cases of whooping cough. When they cough they don't have to whoop. It can go on for months, it is nicknamed the 100 day cough.

DS1 is 18. He is over 6ft, and really into health and fitness. He runs, goes to the gym, does weights etc. he was diagnosed on 17th September. He is still not back to 100%. He was very, very poorly.

It is likely your DS could have whooping cough. Maybe ask the doctor to treat him as he has got it. The treatment DS1 has was Clarithromycin for 7 days.

Original poster
Badvocsanta · 17/12/2012 22:00

Yes I am.
The Doc said that ABs are pointless now as he has been coughing for so long.
I think we have going to have to ride it out :(
If he is no better by weds I will take him to gp again.
Both my nephews (who are never ill) were off all week last week with high temp and cough so there is def a hug viral load this winter...
Hope your son is back to normal soon x

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MsElleTow · 17/12/2012 22:01

I've just looked up whooping cough and it says it needs antibiotic treatment I'm the first 3 weeks for them to be effective, so it might be too late if it is that.

Original poster
Badvocsanta · 17/12/2012 22:04

I think so :(
Not that I can get any hcp to take me seriously anyway...sigh.
I have been doing some research too and apparently fever and runny nose are uncommon with WC? So maybe it isn't? (Clutching at straws now....)

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Original poster
Badvocsanta · 18/12/2012 08:10

Ok, so am going to try and get a phone appt this morning - what do I say? What do I ask for? He had a temp @2am and woke @ 7am with one too...38.3 but he really felt hot too iyswim?

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Original poster
Badvocsanta · 18/12/2012 08:20

Got him am actual appt @ 10am. Will let you know how we get on.

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Original poster
Badvocsanta · 18/12/2012 10:47

Said said to carry on with calpol etc. Going to talk to another doc re referral. So, pretty pointless really :(

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CaseyShraeger · 18/12/2012 11:00

There isn't much they can do for whooping cough, though, except admit to hospital if any complications develop (MsElle, the research suggests that Clarithromycin probably doesn't really help with the severity of it (although does help with shortening the period for which it's contagious) and certainly doesn't help unless it's given early on, which it generally isn't because it's hard to get anyone to diagnose whooping cough until you've been ill for weeks). So by shrugging their collective shoulders and saying "yeah, it could go on for ages..." they are already treating it like whooping cough.

I agree with you though that the fever and runny nose don't sound like whooping cough - although of course it's quite possible to have wc plus something else and have that confusing the picture.

Oblomov · 18/12/2012 11:02

I hope you are getting on o.k. at your appointment. I do agree that you need to hold firm and get them to do 'something'.Becasue 6 weeks is a long time for a 4 yr old to be unwell.
However, can I just say, that this situtation is almost impossible, but I imagine not that unusual. I suspect many mums have had this. Becasue as you yourself said, it would appear that it is just (and I say JUST), his immune system weakened and then he got one thing after another: cough, cold, the this, the that, getting a bit better, going back to pre-school, then bang he gets hit by something else.
But that is the point. And it does make it very hard for you. But it is the succession of minor, but different illnesses, that means that there is not THAT much, that a Dr can do, I would imagine.
Does that make sense?

Original poster
Badvocsanta · 18/12/2012 11:32

Oblomov...yes it makes perfect sense and if the paed hadn't mentioned a referral I dint think I waited be as worried tbh.
Ds1 had a tough time of it when he started pre school so was sort of expecting it but its been a lot worse than I thought.
Think I am just going to make sure he rests, drinks and keep giving meds for temp.
As you say...what can they do?
They seem a nit concerned re the weight loss but he has not been eating normally for at least a month now so maybe that's all it is?
Sigh...

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