If your child has/had H1N1, what were the early symptoms?

[lecach]

DS (who is almost 5) woke up this morning with a stuffy nose and I at first thought it was allergies since I have been bothered with mine so much. He felt really warm so I took his temp - it was 100. He said his belly hurt but I thought it was becuase he didnt poop yesterday. He had some awful smelling gas.

By the time we needed to leave the house (2 1/2 hours after we got up) he was fine and didnt even seem warm anymore so I took him to daycare. But now I am starting to wonder if he's got the early H1N1 symptoms.

Does anyone who has been through this know what the early symptoms are in kids?

We hear so much about H1N1 that I am probably just paranoid.....

 

[james'mommy]

My DS hasn't had the H1N1 but I have. For me it started with a headache and backache. I also had body aches, fever and severe fatigue.

 

[ktlm]

I suspect my DD (3) came down with H1N1 2 weeks ago, because it is rampant in our area. There are so many kids with it that when we called the doctor she told us they weren't testing anymore and because DD is normally a very healthy kid there was no reason to bring her in unless her fever hit 104 or we felt that she was having some sort of significant breathing issue that seemed more than what she gets with regular colds. She said for most of the kids in our area it has been very mild. DD's started with a stomach ache and a fever of 100 to 101. Tylenol almost immediately took care of the fever, but when it wore off the fever would come back. She also complained of wrist pain and some body aches. Within 24 hours her fever and body aches were completely gone, but she then had a stuffy nose and some chest congestion. She felt fine and was running around like crazy by the 3rd day, but she still had some congestion and then a runny nose for a few more days and she started in with that lingering cough you sometimes get at the end of the cold or flu. I know of one kid that they thought had H1N1 so they tested him and his brother, even though his brother wasn't really showing any symptoms yet, but was complaining he was a little tired. The funny thing was the sick kid did not have H1NI, but the brother did! He never got any worse- no fever, no congestion, just felt tired for 2 days and then was fine. Hopefully if your DS has it, it is very mild-- he may not even have any more symptoms.

 

[allyphoe]

There's no special H1N1 symptoms, particularly since (at least around here, and what I've seen on national media) H1N1 has such a high false-negative rate on rapid flu swabs that any "flu-like illness" is presumed to be H1N1.

I had such a flu-like illness over the summer, and had sneezing, a 101+ fever with chills for 3-5 days, felt like someone had beaten me with a stick all over my entire body, and was utterly exhausted.

My DD6 often gets a low-grade fever with seasonal allergies, and low-grade fever + stuffy nose is IMHO not a typical set of flu symptoms.

The CDC has a symptom list here: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/sick.htm Note that while they say that you can have the flu without a fever, the "how long should I stay home" information presumes that you have a fever.

Really, unless you're sick enough to need hospitalization, it doesn't matter to you if you have the flu. They're no longer giving antivirals to anyone who isn't high-risk for complications, so the "treatment" will be "stay home and take OTC meds as needed for symptom relief." It does matter to other people (particularly pregnant women, who are at such an increased risk of dying from H1N1), but again, staying home is the right answer.

 

[laceemouse]

There's no special H1N1 symptoms, particularly since (at least around here, and what I've seen on national media) H1N1 has such a high false-negative rate on rapid flu swabs that any "flu-like illness" is presumed to be H1N1.

I had such a flu-like illness over the summer, and had sneezing, a 101+ fever with chills for 3-5 days, felt like someone had beaten me with a stick all over my entire body, and was utterly exhausted.

My DD6 often gets a low-grade fever with seasonal allergies, and low-grade fever + stuffy nose is IMHO not a typical set of flu symptoms.

The CDC has a symptom list here: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/sick.htm Note that while they say that you can have the flu without a fever, the "how long should I stay home" information presumes that you have a fever.

Really, unless you're sick enough to need hospitalization, it doesn't matter to you if you have the flu. They're no longer giving antivirals to anyone who isn't high-risk for complications, so the "treatment" will be "stay home and take OTC meds as needed for symptom relief." It does matter to other people (particularly pregnant women, who are at such an increased risk of dying from H1N1), but again, staying home is the right answer.

Amen! We have dozens of friends with pretty minor cold and flu symptoms and they are being told they have H1N1. Some are getting the flu swab check (which can only tell if you have some flu, NOT H1N1) and if it comes back positive or not they are saying they have swine flu. The whole thing is being blown way out of proportion. Some people are being given Tamiflu and others are told no since they are not high risk.
Anyone with flu symptoms, or even cold symptoms, should try not to spread them around, but I am sick of hearing everyone with a sniffle say they KNOW they have swine flu. It can only really be confirmed with a blood test and doctors are not doing that unless you are hospitalized.

 

[tinkerfan1]

My DS(15) had a scratchy throat and NO fever. I had the same (although I may've had a fever and wouldn't have known b/c I was on a ton of Ibuprofen). We went to urgent Tx Center and were told it was allergies and to take Zyrtec. Next day, DS was worse. I had an appt with is regular doctor whom we could not get in to see the day before so I went ahead and kept the appt. Doctor gave him a swab confirming flu. He, too, said it was
H1N1, altho they were not sending them away to confirm that. His words, "if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, I'm calling it a duck." He was frustrated because he said DHEC was not taking anymore of the cases and testing them unless the patient was in the hospital or something like that. He prescribed Tamiflu to both of us. He also prescribed Tamiflu to my husband as a preventative since we had exposed him. My other DS (13) had been into the office the week prior and Dx with bronichitis. The doctor said that he had probably had swine flu as well and had given it to us and that he had just missed it. It is that easy to miss... Once we took the Tamiflu, we felt fine! We could not be around anybody for 3 days but I worked from home with no problems!

 

[WantToGoNow]

Me and ds8 started yesterday morning (like 3 am) with vomitting and diarrhea. That was the end for me but ds woke up with a low-grade fever and a slight cough that got worse throughout the day. Then he started complaining of a headache and his back hurting. So I made him a dr appt. His appt. was at 7:30 last night. They had him go in the back door and put a mask on him immediately. In the end, they said it was just a virus that's been going around and that it would be short lived (under 24 hrs). Today he has a cough but nothing else. My oldest dd had her run with the vomitting/diarrhea the day before yesteray and my cousin's kids have been taking turns with just the fever - apparently these are all symptoms of the same virus but it affects everyone differently. Waiting for dd5 to have her turn - I hope it's just fever/cough.

 

[MickeyMomTo2]

Amen! We have dozens of friends with pretty minor cold and flu symptoms and they are being told they have H1N1. Some are getting the flu swab check (which can only tell if you have some flu, NOT H1N1) and if it comes back positive or not they are saying they have swine flu. The whole thing is being blown way out of proportion. Some people are being given Tamiflu and others are told no since they are not high risk.
Anyone with flu symptoms, or even cold symptoms, should try not to spread them around, but I am sick of hearing everyone with a sniffle say they KNOW they have swine flu. It can only really be confirmed with a blood test and doctors are not doing that unless you are hospitalized.

You're right that every person with the sniffles does not have swine flu, but if you test postitive for the flu right now, it is swine flu. That is the only flu strain circulating at this time.

 

[MickeyMomTo2]

DS (who is almost 5) woke up this morning with a stuffy nose and I at first thought it was allergies since I have been bothered with mine so much. He felt really warm so I took his temp - it was 100. He said his belly hurt but I thought it was becuase he didnt poop yesterday. He had some awful smelling gas.

By the time we needed to leave the house (2 1/2 hours after we got up) he was fine and didnt even seem warm anymore so I took him to daycare. But now I am starting to wonder if he's got the early H1N1 symptoms.

Does anyone who has been through this know what the early symptoms are in kids?

We hear so much about H1N1 that I am probably just paranoid.....

I hope it is nothing and he is better! I'm surprised you're allowed to take him to daycare though. My kids' preschool and school don't allow kids to come if they have had a fever in the past 24 hours.

 

[lecach]

I hope it is nothing and he is better! I'm surprised you're allowed to take him to daycare though. My kids' preschool and school don't allow kids to come if they have had a fever in the past 24 hours.

I guess I just didnt think about since it was only 100 and it was gone by the time we left. We do have a 24 hour rule but I wasn't thinkink of 100 as being a fever. I need to find out what the rule is for sure.

 

[AMYSER]

Lecah- Your signature made my day!
MILs......

 

[happy.family.of.6]

we were diagnosed today. first symptoms-low grade fever, lathargy and light cough-that's all we have had.

From their website.



The symptoms of swine flu in people include fever >101.5, lethargy, coughing, runny nose, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, and lack of appetite. Diarrhea and vomiting have also been reported in those testing positive for the swine flu virus.


Symptoms last a week or longer.


The incubation period of swine flu is one to 7 days.


People may be contagious from one day before they develop symptoms to up to 7 days after they get sick.


There are two influenza antiviral medications that are currently effective against H1N1 flu. The drugs are oseltamivir (Tamiflu ®) and zanamivir (Relenza ®). They work best if given within 2 days of becoming ill, but may be given later if illness is severe or for those at a high risk for complications

 

[MickeyMomTo2]

I guess I just didnt think about since it was only 100 and it was gone by the time we left. We do have a 24 hour rule but I wasn't thinkink of 100 as being a fever. I need to find out what the rule is for sure.

I just hope it is nothing! Your son is absolutely adorable (I am assuming that is him in the pic)!

 

[lecach]

I just hope it is nothing! Your son is absolutely adorable (I am assuming that is him in the pic)!

Thanks! That is him. And my Avatar is the picture of him at Christmas when he received bacon

So far I haven't heard anything from daycare so that's a good sign. His daycare is right across the street from where I work so I can get to him in 5 minutes or less when needed.

 

[scuba]

You're right that every person with the sniffles does not have swine flu, but if you test postitive for the flu right now, it is swine flu. That is the only flu strain circulating at this time.

Not 100% accurate, repectfully I am telling my patients that 90% of positive influenza A are indeed H1N1

 

[lecach]

crud. Fever of 103. Vomiting. Lethargy. Waiting on Dr. to call.

 

[scuba]

crud. Fever of 103. Vomiting. Lethargy. Waiting on Dr. to call.

As of yet, not one who tested positive for INFLUENZA A in my ER presented with vomiting. Certainly in my little part of rural Ohio I would believe that the CDC might have a leg up on my practice, however I would have to believe that vomiting and diarrhea is rare in most H1N1 cases.

 

[brergnat]

Vomiting HAS presented in some H1N1 patients, but is much more common with "regular" flu.

Hope your son feels better soon! My (now) 5 year old got sick with flu at this exact time last year. It was confirmed as Influenza (this was before Swine Flu). He had those EXACT symptoms. And, he was really sick for about 3 days. He was ordered to stay home from school for the week. He wasn't back to normal until a full 7 days later. I was surprised that he had gotten the flu so EARLY, and it wasn't "circulating" yet...but he had it.

Just because the flu is not widespread or "circulating" in your area does not mean that someone won't get it. Just wanted to point that out.

 

[happy.family.of.6]

Diarrhea and vomiting are also symptoms. It's on CDC website. My son had vomitting as well. Im not sure how it is out there, but here (colorado) they are not giving any antiviral meds or taking tests unless there is someone who is under 2 or high risk. I am high risk, so we got the tests and meds. Just FYI.

 

[lecach]

I work in a high risk environment so I bet I will miss a lot of work next week. I work in a retirement home. Thank goodness I have a lot of sick leave.