Recent Feedback
My Daughter Is suspected to have swine flu She is now on tamiflu medication, what are the risks and shall i just treat it as normal flu, she has episodes of high fever ranging from 39-41.3 sometimes which is treated through parcitmol and ibprfuinne evrey 4 hours for the first and 6-8 hours for the second. please advice.
Hello, and I'm sorry to hear your daughter is not feeling well. How old is your daugher and has she been tested for flu? If so, has that sample been sent for identification of swine flu (H1N1)? Basically we're considering any flu this time of year to be swine flu until proven otherwise, but that doesn't mean that ALL cases are definitely swine flu. Whether or not it is swine flu, you should treat it the same way. Here's a link to the Center for Disease Control website which discusses swine flu. http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/So far, swine flu is considered susceptible to Tamiflu (oseltamivir), however treatment must be started withing 48 to 72 hours of the onset of symptoms at the latest. Some people have described confusion associated with taking Tamiflu, so wach closely for any abnormal behavior or confusion. These symptoms should be reported to your doctor right away.Overall though, your daughter needs time to recover, and that can take a couple of weeks. During that time, you may notice fevers that come and go. The fever itself is her body's way of fighting off the virus, and will never be harmful to her. It is uncomfortable to have fevers, so Tylenol (every 4 hours) or ibuprofen (every 6 hours) are appropriate. Do not use alcohol rub downs or cold water baths to bring down her temperature, as these things can be harmful. Some children can get very sick with the flu, but most people seem to be doing fairly well with swine flu. It is important to make sure your child continues to take in fluids and doesn't become dehyrdated. Signs of dehydration include not urinating for more the 8-10 hours. Some children can also develop a pneumonia on top of the flu, so watch for signs of difficulty breathing. Ultimately keep in close touch with your pediatrician should you have any concerns. Masks are not necessarily needed or helpful in preventing the spread of the flu, but hand washing is very important. If there are any infants or elderly in your household, it would be wise for them not to share blankets, cups, utensils or room space with your daughter until she is better. Please let me know if this answer helps or if I can be more specific.
Thank you for your promtness, My daugter is 4 years old, she was born extreamly premature with 23.5 weeks gestation. Although she is now fine completely and recovered from the premature compleication that she use to have, but it concerns me that she had saturation problems at early stage of her life go to spo of 73 or sometimes to 68 but that is all irrelvent today, and she is doing well with no major complication from her early birth.
We started treating her with tamiflu 48 hours after seeing the syptoems and we felt that she was ill.The doctor sent some culture sample from her nose and throat to a lab for testing and result should be back tommorw evening to confirm wheather she has H1N1 or not. The Doctor that saw her started her on Tamiflu right away.
My concern is about the fever, what shall i do if her fever shoots up above 41c some doctors told us to put her in the shower with warm water and let her stand for two minutes while she wet? is that Wrong shall i stop doing it. We also Use sponging on the forehead to reduce the fever if the fever is within acceptable range 38-39.7c What is the best way to treat fever obviouly we are also giving her Tylnol ( Similar) and ibprufine as you have described. I also didn't understand this statment " some people have described confusion associated with takeing tamiflu, so watch closley for any abnormal behaviour or confusion" What shall i be looking for ? What sort of Behaviour.
Let me first tell you how happy I am to hear that such and early premature infant is now doing so well! It's very rare to get through all of that without any long term complications. It sounds like your physician is sending all the appropriate tests and has also begun treatment appropriately. My statement about confusion while taking Tamiflu referred to possible side effects of the medication. Sorry if I was not clear. If she seems confused or 'not with it' or seems to be acting extremely agitated, I would consult your physician right away. As to the fever, there is no 'maximum temperature' which I would worry about. No matter how high her fever gets, it will not cause her harm, nor will it cause her brain damage. I would not 'chill' her by getting her wet and letting her stand, but if it makes her feel better, a damp sponge or washcloth to the neck and forehead can relieve some of her discomfort. Remember that it is normal for her temperature to fluxuate during the day, so it may go up quite high only to drop back down again, and that if this is definitely flu, she may have these symptoms for some time. As long as she is otherwise doing well (no trouble breathing, staying hydrated, staying alert) there is no cause for concern. Does that information help? I wish you luck and hope she feels better soon!
Experience: Pediatric hospitalist at a dedicated children's hospital
Thank you XXXXX you have been supporative yesterday as i was confused of what to do. Just to let you know that My Daughter Tests Are Back and Its H1N1 Negative, which is relif ..
Thank you again.