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General health

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Original poster

So my child has a high temp and is a bit unwell, why isnt Tamiflu always given when our children are ill with flu like symptoms?

12 replies

Divvy · 25/07/2009 12:24

My nearly 12 month old has been diagnosed with suspected swine flu by a doctor that came out to the house.

He is not terribly ill, and to be honest my other child has had much much worse viruses.

So why when we take our children to doctors with very high temps, and being very poorly for sometimes over a week, why are they not given Tamiflu?

Why are we told its just a virus?

If they have flu like symptoms why are they not given Tamiflu to help make them feel better quicker?

OP posts:

mumto3boys · 25/07/2009 13:22

Possibly because flu isn't usually so widespread? I assume the guidlelines are different during a flu pandemic The tamiflu will only help if it is actually flu, and at other times the chances are it is just a virus and not flu.

Another problem is that swine flu is so mild for some, it is probably hard to diagnose ,where as 'normal' flu is worse.

Elibean · 25/07/2009 13:44

What mumto3boys said, I think.

Confusing, though, isn't it?!

apsie · 25/07/2009 13:59

Also Tamiflu has side effects including vomitting and stomach pain and is only being given now because swine flu is potentially more serious than standard flu / viruses with high temp symptoms.

Ripeberry · 25/07/2009 16:45

Tamiflu has lots of nasty side effects that can be worse than the SF flu. So you have to be pretty bad to have it. Also with young children it can cause phycosis and you have to keep an eye on them so they don't hurt themselves.
Try typing in 'Swine flu side effects' into You-tube.

Ripeberry · 25/07/2009 16:45

Sorry that should read 'Tamiflu side effects'

Original poster

Divvy · 25/07/2009 18:27

Thanks, I havent given him the Tamiflu. I was going to wait and see if he got worse to warrent it really.

The doctor said he was happy for me to wait and see.

I just wonder if lots of the cases of swine flu, are just infact a virus. Maybe along with the tamiflu they should be handing out swabs also, to a real number of people infected?

OP posts:

swishyswashyswishyswashy · 26/07/2009 19:59

Swine flu is a virus too, so do you mean just different viruses? Lots of people diagnosed with SF probably will have different viruses, but the doctors do know that - it's because of the numbers that they can't do swabs any more, there just aren't enough labs to do all the testing needed. They do test some people, so they know that a lot of flu-like illness out there is caused by the swine flu virus H1N1, enough for it to be a reasonable guess if the symptoms match.

bertolli · 26/07/2009 20:03

can you get a rash with SF? Towards the end?

Original poster

Divvy · 27/07/2009 12:01

Children offten get rashs at the end of viruses, mine do anyway. Get it looked at though if worried.

OP posts:

yummymummy310 · 27/07/2009 12:13

we've had swine flu here and all been affected very differently, like ssss said swine flu is a virus too and there are just too many people with viruses to test it now. My doc had 200 call backs to make in one day Friday when I was at flu clinic. Tamiflu is only worth taken if taken early on preferably within 48 hours of symptoms. It's supposed to help stop serious things like pneumonia.

We all had tamiflu but I took it later than the children and I've been much more poorly - not sure if that's why or becuase I didn't rest at first as had 2 poorly girls to take care of.

It's very different in different people I think that's why it's hard to diagnose and although nasty symptoms are not that common when they do happen they can be serious so best to be cautious in my experience, if I hadn't been on the ball with my little girl could've missed her being unable to breathe in the night and could've taken her earlier that same day to see my friends new born x

BikeRunSki · 27/07/2009 12:19

A friend of mine's child might have SF, and is having a swab tested overnight. He was not prescribed Tamiflu "just in case" because she was told, taking it when not strictly necessary woudl mean that it may not work again for a couple of months, so should be held back until it is confirmed that he definitaly has it.

yummymummy310 · 27/07/2009 12:27

good that they got that kind of treatment wish we had, is the child under one? Am sure we had it but do agree it's very worrying if people are taking tamiflu for a virus and then they get swine flu and tamiflu doesn't work. Think it also depends on where you live and the demand for health care / flu care locally. I felt I was hugely over reacting letting my little girl take tamiflu when symptoms weren't that bad but she was so poorly really glad I did - lot of hard choices for us mums at the minute x

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