Has anyone had a child with asthma get H1N1?

[r4blessings]

My eight year old son has asthma, and fall is his tough time of year. I have been reading up on how to best prevent H1N1 and he is on a waiting list at our pediatrician for the vaccine, but it is going around our town, and in our school and I am starting to panic.

From what I understand, this strain of the flu really hits asthmatic kids especially hard, and of course, I've seen the threads on the dis about children (and adults) being hospitilized and dying from H1N1....so now I'm not getting a lot of sleep.

I have four kids, but only one with asthma, and I'm just praying that he gets the vaccine soon. So, has anyone had a child come down with swine flu, that has asthma? And if so, what did you do?

Just looking for some reassurance....

 

[golfgal]

Yes, our DS14 had it. We got him into the Dr right away and he was put on Tamiflu and did great-was feeling better in hours. He typically gets pneumonia with any respiratory illness and didn't get that at all with the flu .

 

[monkeybug]

My friends son had it and he has bad asthma. She took him to the Dr. at the first symptoms, but they didn't give him tamiflu (which I find strange) He did fine though! No complications!

 

[luvmy3]

I know what you mean. My asthmatic ds stayed home today because I was so paranoid about his cough that I didn't want to send him to school. I ended up going to the ped. urgent care center because he is wheezing and his inhaler isn't being as effective as it normally is. She didn't test for the flu because his fever wasn't over 100 and he wasn't achy anywhere.We went home with an Rx for Prednisone but I'm calling his doc in the morning. He is complaining of a bad headache now and a stomach ache. There was a kid in his class with the flu last week, but there was no confirmation of H1N1.
I don't think I'll be sleeping at all tonight.

 

[ShelShelsmommy]

My daughter (3 at the time) has asthma and got Swine Flu. They put her on Tamiflu right away, and she recovered quickly. Our main issue with her was her super high fever. She had the cough for 3 weeks after the Swine flu...I was told that was normal though.

 

[LuvOrlando]

One on my DS's best friends' has Asthma and had H1N1. He was home from school for 2 weeks but I don't think it was very serious. Still, this does nothing to make me feel better about my own kids. Just because this kid was ok doesn't mean mine would be. Everyone is different. I mean, someone has to be on the wrong end of a statistic right? I'm not taking any chances I don't have to take.

 

[tinatark]

One on my DS's best friends' has Asthma and had H1N1. He was home from school for 2 weeks but I don't think it was very serious. Still, this does nothing to make me feel better about my own kids. Just because this kid was ok doesn't mean mine would be. Everyone is different. I mean, someone has to be on the wrong end of a statistic right? I'm not taking any chances I don't have to take.

Dang, out of school for 2 weeks does sound serious.

 

[r4blessings]

Thanks for all the replies already! My son, typically gets pneumonia each winter when he gets sick as well. I do know it is so important to get them to the DR right away....so I am watching ds like a hawk! My dd5 came home from K today looking not quite right, and saying she didn't feel well
But she was ok all evening, no fever, just quiet. So, I'm making myself crazy trying to keep my son away from her, and watching them both.

I feel like chicken little! Thanks for making me feel like I am not alone, in worrying. I hate asthma! Especially, since his seems to be getting harder to control....

 

[quentina]

My eight year old son has asthma, and fall is his tough time of year. I have been reading up on how to best prevent H1N1 and he is on a waiting list at our pediatrician for the vaccine, but it is going around our town, and in our school and I am starting to panic.

From what I understand, this strain of the flu really hits asthmatic kids especially hard, and of course, I've seen the threads on the dis about children (and adults) being hospitilized and dying from H1N1....so now I'm not getting a lot of sleep.

I have four kids, but only one with asthma, and I'm just praying that he gets the vaccine soon. So, has anyone had a child come down with swine flu, that has asthma? And if so, what did you do?

Just looking for some reassurance....

Yes, vaccine yesterday, qualified because of asthma. No swine...hopefully the vaccine works!

 

[tinker-belle]

My ds has bad asthma and had H1N1 in June. He went undiagnosed for a week and a half until finally his pulmonologist suggested we get him tested (which the pediatrician didn't do). On day 10 of the fever we had him tested and it was positive. At that point it was too late for tamiflu and the fever broke the next day. He missed all his finals but was okay (but did give it to his 11 month old brother too- who we got on tamiflu by day two, and by day three his fever broke)

In terms of pneumonia. He had pneumonia when he was six. When he got it again when he was 7, the doctor had him get the pneumonia shot. He gets the seasonal flu shot every year, and we hope to get him the H1N1 shot this sunday.
Even though he already had it, the doctor said it's not clear how many months of immunity getting the flu offers, so he should get the shot anyway.

 

[kilee]

Try to hang in there. There are lots of scary reports, but I guess the comfort you can hang onto is that most people still do recover fully.

I am currently out of work this whole week w/ H1N1, and I have asthma. I too feel a little like "chicken little". I've been to the doctors 3 times and the ER once because my chest felt tight and I felt problems breathing. So far-- so good. The other night I felt so heavy in my chest and had trouble breathing deep that I had my husband take me to the ER. They listened to my lungs-- did a chest xray--- nothing-- my lungs were clear. I then scheduled a doctors appt yesterday just for a "lung check" because I'm so paranoid. My doctor told me I seem to be recovering well and my lungs still sound really good, my peak flows were perfect and my pulse ox perfect. Doesn't make me feel better mentally though....I'll feel better when I feel like the virus is completely gone.

It does seem that every time I get an "all clear" the pressure goes away--- so I'm starting to think it might be a bit in my head.

 

[Jeninindy]

Yes, my son had the flu last week. 103 temps x 2 days, felt like crap for a few more. They did start the Tamiflu within 48 hours. He was sick on monday, back to school on friday.