So how DO you tell if your children have SF ?

[Frrrightattendant]

Ds1 is 6 and has been fine today, racing about and being silly as usual.

Tonight he is complaining of a sore tongue as though maybe he has burnt it on something, I don't know, he may have...also he is snuffly and I have heard him coughing.

Then he was rather hot and shivery at about 6 o'clock, so took temp and it was 38.1. He had some calpol straight away plus some nurofen, and seems fairly cheerful.

He says his throat doesn't hurt but he is coughing and v blocked up now.

We haven't to our knowledge had any contact with SF...but then it is everywhere really isn't it and he does crawl around on floors quite a lot (yes I know, odd child!)

I don't know whether tamiflu is worth doing, does it always make them sick? If he does have SF would he need to start it within a day or so?

Just not sure whether to ring up the thingy or not. He has very mild asthma but not used inhaler since he was about 3 and it was never a definitive dx.

Thanks.

You can't really definitely know, its kind of an odds thing.

dd a few weeks ago had temp 39.5, nasty cough, exacerbation of asthma, bad headache. Lasted a week. gps felt that it probably wasn't flu but some nameless other virus because she didn't have body aches and didn't want to sleep all the time. We were offered tamiflu just in case, but we turned it down, cos although she was very unwell, she didn't seem 'fluey'.

The problem is, there are so many other bugs still doing the rounds. I personally think the best way to go is, if they are ill enough to worry you, (or if they have pre-existing conditions) then do consider tamiflu, But rule out things like tonsillitis first. Other than that, keep them at home, away from others until 25-48 hours without temp (without meds) (disclaimer - am not a medical person!)

Hope he is feeling better today

Yes good advice from kitten. Mine had temp of nearly 40 degrees on Wed, and ds obviously very unwell. Doc checked them over and declared SF. But they were fine the next day, so I am dubious. I think it really depends on how ill your ds feels.

Thankyou very much.

Oh yes Po that rings a bell, about yours being better the next day.
Ds1 still very unhappy but his throat is sore, and he's found it hard to eat so low blood sugar etc. which always makes it feel worse.

Ds2 just had third lot of nurofen, as was up to 39 again...doesn't seem ill apart from that but I suspect sore throat as wants to feed a lot.

Hey ho. Not about to go and get tamiflu, as ds1's temp seems much diminished and think ds2's likely to go same way eventually!

Hope tomorrow is better FA. Poor boys.

Po you are very nice I hope you avoid SF!!

I ought to say btw it isn't SF here...it looks to be Hand foot and mouth thing.

Sheep flu then. Oh well! Could have been worse!

Aw FA you are too

Hand foot and mouth? At least you know what it is. Better than SF probably! Hope they feel better soon.