Pneumonia - caused by swine flu?

[hotpotmama]

My DS 17months has had pneumonia and empyema and had to have surgery to have a chest drain for fluid on his lung at the beginning of this month. Started off with a cold then got temperatures before being diagnosed 5 days later with pneumonia.

Is it likely that he had swine flu and pneumonia was a complication of this?

I wanted the hospital to swab him but they don't do it so I will never know if he has had it or not and therefore am anxious in case he hasn't and catches it before his immune system has recovered. He is still on antibiotics.

pneumonia is a known consequence of SF. Is it bacterial or viral? They should at least be able to tell you that. If he is on antibiotics they must suspect it is bacterial. I think it is entirely fair to insist on a swab. Hope he gets better soon poor boy.

I had viral pneumonia after seasonal flu, when I was a teenager. However they gave me antibiotics as a precaution against any bacterial infection.
Also hope he gets better asap.

Think it was bacterial as he is still on antibiotics now. They will have said but to be honest so much that they tell you at the time is a blur because of the stress of it.

He is a lot better now. Think I may ask again about the swine flu.

Thanks for replies.

My ds2 had pneumonia after seasonal flu last December and was in hospital for over a week on serious iv antibiotics, a very poorly little boy, with an encapsulated infection in one lung that wouldn't shift.

He started with a minor cold, then his temp went up, then he started struggling to breathe (the whole drawing his chest/abdomen in sharply and going blue around the mouth thing). We took him to the gp once and out of hours/emergency doc twice, before he was rushed into hospital with a temp over 40 degrees and seriously ill. No-one would listen to us as they couldn't hear any chest sounds (apparently because his lungs were so infected, practically no air was able to get in).

Anyway, to answer your question. Ds didn't have a cough at any point and we were told that he had seasonal flu that went on to cause the pneumonia.

I think if its Swine Flu, there would be a cough. I'm no expert, but I think that's pretty much the only way to tell the difference between seasonal and swine flu. When ds1 had swine flu in July he had a sudden temp of 38.5 and an upset stomach, then really scary wheezing, followed by a nasty cough that continued for a few days.

gosh moosemama how terrifying. Glad he's ok now and that your ds is getting better hotpotmama.

Thanks pofacedandproud. I was 38 week pregnant at the time and slept on a z-bed in his isolation room at the hospital for over a week!

He's doing really well now, in fact he didn't catch swine flu off his brother, despite the fact they are inseparable and share a room, so he must be fighting fit.

hotpotmama, hope your ds is fully recovered soon. Its amazing how quickly little ones can bounce back from this sort of thing. Take care of yourself, its such a stressful thing to go through you need some tlc as well.

Thanks for your replies and good wishes pofaced and moosemama.

It is so stressful isn't it moosemama, can't imagine how you coped with being pregnant too. Am suprised the stress didn't send you into early labour!

I just can't remember if he had a cough or not before he was in hospital. I remember the temperature, loss of appetite shortness of breath and cold symptoms.

Anyway, I will ask them when we go back for his checkup later this month to see if they will test him.

Thanks again

my DD2 got Pneumonia last winter due to bronchelist (sp?) that was dx as viral rather than bact, so spend a work in local children ward very scarcy, hope your ok now though