My 7 year old has swine flu....

[Crystal0608]

Background: couple weeks ago son had croup and bronchitis, We all had a touch of something. Both kids had there seasonal flu shots. H1N1 shots won't be in the doctor's office until next week.

Yesterday earlier my son was fine, went to soccer and scored a goal, played awesome even though it was raining through some of the game. He was spending the weekend with grandma. We ate supper there and left at 6 and he wanted to watch tv and not hyper as usual running around (very adhd), but figured he was tired from lots of playing. About an hour later, my mama calls and says he's coughing a little. I give her some dimetapp left over from the bronchitis to give him b/c he doesn't want to come home (had plans for the zoo today with g-ma). Well, bout 8:30 she called and he's burning up, threw up 3 times in a row, and "didn't look right". I'm over there in 5 minutes and he was on fire and he told me his stomach, arms, and legs hurt. I take him to the hospital and his temp is up to 102.9. In triage he body went into shakes and it was pitaful to watch, I've never seen anything like it. They made him wear a mask and immediately put us in a room. I was able to get a sheet and his body got even warmer and he was shaking more. It was about 45 mins later before a doctor checked him and got the nurse to give him 300mg of motrin in intervals and she got his temp down to 101.8 and he drunk a Sierra Mist, so they discharged him after monitoring him for a while, maybe 1am? The nurse was so sweet and when I promised him a cookie at home if he could hold the thermometer under his tongue (he wanted to sleep instead), the nurse was like cookie? I'll get you a cookie! and brought him 4 snack packs and plus a sierra mist for us without asking which was much appreciated. The doctor felt since he was a healthy child, tamiflu may do more harm than good and only decrease the H1N1 by 1/2 a day. He said the good thing (like this ordeal could be good..) is that the strain going around currently is probably milder than whats going to be here in Jan or Feb and children his age seem to recover quickly. All the cases he is seeing is H1N1 b/c seasonal flu hasn't hit our area yet. He said he could have had it before all the symptoms showed (quickly). He'll be out of school a few days, which will make 6 days when they can only miss 10 a year. I have no clue who he got it from either. I'm keeping my dd separated from him still he's over it, though they spend every day together, including yesterday, so hoping she doesn't get it. He's still sleeping in my bed and burning up still. Gotta wake him soon, trying to wait til he gets 8 hrs of rest. Just venting b/c I barely slept and noone I know is awake yet....

 

[Acklander]

Hope he's feeling better soon. I hate it when the kids are sick. If it makes you feel any better, my son had it a few weeks ago, and no one else in the family caught it, so maybe his sister will be fine.

 

[Mermaid02]

Hugs to you and your little one........ I hope he is well quickly!

 

[beattyfamily]

hope he has a speedy recovery.

 

[JessicaR]

Oh I'm so sorry on top of recovering from one thing he now has the flu! Poor baby boy. I hope his symptoms are short lived and mild. Sleeping is a good thing though so you may want to let him do it as often as his body wants to.

 

[Jennasis]

Did they actually test him for H1N1?

It seems like they aren't testing for it anymore and just labeling everything Swine Flu. I'm wondering if that is partially why the numbers are so high now as far as number of cases, or if it is instead meant to keep the actual number of identified cases down?

Either way, I am so sorry you're going through this! Poor lil guy. SOunds like he's being a real trooper about it. Here's to a speedy recovery.

 

[Tinijocaro]

Hope your son is feeling better soon.

Interesting to hear about the next wave in Jan or Feb. I also heard yesterday that this wave will be over before too long, but will most likely come back in Jan or so, possibly more severe. I'll be thankful for a reprieve, but wish my kids would get it now, rather than later.

There is so much sickness in the schools and I have to say, parents can be so stupid and reckless.AND HE STILL SENT HIM TO SCHOOL!

Another girl who didn't look well told me that she went to bed with a fever the night before but since she didn't wake up with one, her mom sent her.

And yet another one could hardly hold up his head and obviously had a fever-his parents both teach at the high school. This is the second time they've sent him in sick because "He didn't want to miss school"

 

[LuvOrlando]

I was sorry to read this. I hope your little boy is back to himself soon. Just remember all the warnings about how kids get really sick, then improve only to crash again a day or 2 later. Try to keep him still and get him well hydrated and well fed with maybe a vitamin today and tomorrow in case the second phase is worse. Hopefully you won't need it and your child will be one of the lucky ones with the mild form.

 

[Crystal0608]

Thanks for the well wishes ya'll.

Jenassis, no the didn't swab him. The dr said he had all the symptoms and was positive it was the flu w/o sticking the swab in his throat. He said it was the H1N1 b/c of the seasonal not in our area yet.

I wish our peds would have let him get the mist a week ago- they had it but for only certain high risk patients, the shot won't be in until next week, so too late for ds. The dr also mentioned if ds had asthma or other health issues, he would recommend the Tamiflu. I have to folow up with our peds in 5 days.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

My 10 year old got the flu a few weeks ago. They didn't do a separate test for swine flu but said it was very likely. It was a relatively mild case and no one else in the house got it. He was only "really sick" for about 36 hours. The problem was that he ran a low grade (99.5) fever for about 4 days after that.

 

[kilee]

I pray for a quick recovery for your son. I am really thinking schools are going to have to bend on the absentee policy this year. I have a feeling sooner or later it will end up being mandated due to H1N1 this year.

I know even at work we are going to be more flexible w/ employees who are out of sick time and need to be absent due to the flu.

 

[sunnyday123]

poor baby...hope he's starting to feel better soon. H1N1 has hit here too. Dd's school is closed because 1/2 the students were out or sent home between Wednesday and Thursday. I picked her up Thursday and she had a slight fever,headache, belly ache & sore throat. I woke up Friday with the same symptoms. Saw the Dr ( and got to wear very attractive masks!) and were told we had a mild case and given a list of what-to-do's for over the weekend. We were told the same thing about the Tamiflu. She seems to have bounced back very well, while I have only slept all weekend. I've seriously never been so tired in my life. Hope your little guy feels better soon!

 

[TaraPA]

I hope he's feeling better soon - and that you get a nap in today! Being up all night with sick children is no fun, and weakens your immune system now that you're exhausted. Take your vitamins!

I'm really second guessing my decision NOT to get the H1N1 vaccine when it was offered to us 2 weeks ago. DS9 was in for his regular 9-year check up & they asked if I wanted him to get it. DS has always had a reaction to his regular shots, and she did say there is always a slight chance of contracting whatever you're vaccinating against when getting it, which was enough for me to say no. Plus, he was scheduled for 2 other routine shots that would have had to have been re-scheduled if he got the H1N1 vaccine that day.

I asked the doctor what her opinion was. She said her daughters got the shot because she brings home so many germs from work. She said if she was not a physician she would not have given it to them. She said they stopped testing for H1N1 weeks ago, everyone that comes in with flu-like symptoms is given meds & it has been running it's course in 3 days. She said her office has seen no serious effects from it, and thinks the media is scaring people into a panic. She said 3 years ago they treated more regular flu patients than the last 2 years with the Swine Flu scare, so the numbers in their office haven't risen significantly enough to warrant such a public scare.

That reassured me that I made the right choice. Then just yesterday 2 of DSs friends are home sick with the flu, and now I see many on the DIS have kids that have it to. I'm thinking I should call the doctor back & schedule that shot! Our school district has been on strike for almost 2 weeks, the only good thing is that kids are home & not spreading the germs as much as if they were in school.

 

[luvmy3]

Hope your ds gets better quickly

 

[Just Jan]

Poor Guy. Let him sleep, his body needs it. When he wakes make sure he drinks.
My 17 yr old had H1N1 last week. She woke up Thursday morning (the 15th) to get ready for school and went right back to bed. She called me at work and sounded aweful.
When she woke Friday she cried and said she had the worst headache she has ever had! After speaking with the triage nurse at the dr office she gave us an appt. Because she was seen a little more than 24 hrs of developing her symptoms they decided to treat her with Tamiflu. She took the first dose at 8pm and woke Saturday morning feeling MUCH better though she still slept a lot! She returened to school Friiday (the 23rd).
I knew to keep her out of school for a week , but I tell ya, Tamiflu is amazing! She was fever free and back to herself by Monday.

Make sure you take care of your self too!

 

[mrssmee]

I asked the doctor what her opinion was. She said her daughters got the shot because she brings home so many germs from work. She said if she was not a physician she would not have given it to them. She said they stopped testing for H1N1 weeks ago, everyone that comes in with flu-like symptoms is given meds & it has been running it's course in 3 days. She said her office has seen no serious effects from it, and thinks the media is scaring people into a panic. She said 3 years ago they treated more regular flu patients than the last 2 years with the Swine Flu scare, so the numbers in their office haven't risen significantly enough to warrant such a public scare.

I believe your doctors office and/or your area is in the minority. Take a look at the numbers on the CDC website and you will see that the number of flu cases our country is experiencing right now is unprecedented. I am actually kind of shocked by your doctor's statement. This is NOT a case of the media turning the situation into a panic. Back when this virus first surfaced in the spring, the media did indeed make alot of people panic. Now, however, while there is no need to "panic", there is a need to be concerned.

I knew to keep her out of school for a week , but I tell ya, Tamiflu is amazing! She was fever free and back to herself by Monday.

I agree about the Tamiflu! When my son got the flu a few weeks ago, he suffered for days. When my daughter got the flu this past week, our pedi went ahead and gave her Tamiflu since she is under age 4. She had it in her system less than 8 hours after getting her first symptoms, and because she got it so early it made a HUGE difference.

Also, my husband came down with the flu this week as well, and his doc also gave him Tamiflu within hours of getting his first symptoms. He gave me Tamiflu as well to help prevent me from getting the flu since two of my household members have it.

 

[Crystal0608]

I wish they would have given ds Tamiflu. When the peds open at 2pm I'm going to call and ask for a callback since they have his chart and medical history and may have a diff opinion about meds. He woke up around 10am and the only thing he wants to drink is milk, so he's held that down so far and ate a jelly biscuit, asked for eggs then didn't touch them. He hasn't got out of my bed all morning, so not like my hyper baby. Thank goodness for spongebob. Both great-grandmas want to come help with him, but I told them no I don't want it to spread. Dh's dad came by to check on him, but with a face mask. My grandma said my 1/2sister (18) is also sick and feverish and her boyfriend has also been sick, so I guess it's making it's rounds unfortunately. Hoping everyone's kids get better quickly.

 

[DisneyMissy318]

Definitely going around! We had DD11 in the ER at about 4am Friday morning - she woke up - took her temp and it was 102.8 - 15 mins later it was 103.7 - in the car we go! She had body aches - earache, bad headache and sore throat. We went to the ER hoping for strep throat! She tested negative for strep and no ear infection - so was diagnosed with "the flu". They did not swab for the flu - but diagnosed - gave her 800mg of Motrin - she slept for about 2 hours in the ED - her temp was about 101 when we left - they released her with Tamiflu - which must be a wonder drug!! No more symptoms - low grade 99 fever yesterday - so far today - normal! She's still pale and has been resting - but I think we dodged the bullet!

As an FYI - the Tamiflu was 10 pills - $99 retail!! Ouch! It is at the highest tier on our insurance so we paid $60.

 

[Just Jan]

As an FYI - the Tamiflu was 10 pills - $99 retail!! Ouch! It is at the highest tier on our insurance so we paid $60.

My daughter is covered under her father's health insurance. I paid the $50 co-pay, but like you said...money well spent.

 

[sersee05]

He gave me Tamiflu as well to help prevent me from getting the flu since two of my household members have it.

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I maybe be misreading this...but I thought Tamiflu couldn't prevent Swine flu?????.. ..or are you saying he gave it to you in case you do come down with it and then you will be ready???