I am not a Doctor nor do I pretend to have all the answers but I've been a bit perplexed by the panic I've heard from people regarding my daughter's flu. She's been sick since Friday and it probably is the dreaded H1N1.
It started with a fever and headache and fatigue. It's not often that our vibrant six year old volunteers for bedtime, but she did Friday night at 8pm. We gave her some tylenol and sent her to bed.
Saturday was spent in bed with endless TV, homework, reading and other things to keep her busy but she tended to drift in and out of sleep and wasn't very hungry. I made sure to keep her hydrated and kept an eye on her fever, which hovered around 101 for the day. It spiked at night and we did Motrin this time and off to bed she went.
She was feeling much better Sunday but we kept her in bed and fairly immobile with easy activities and more television (Thank GOD for Planet Earth and good kids movies).
It wasn't until the evening where her fever spiked again and she got much more congested. She continued to be alert and hydrated. Still nothing to be very concerned about but as I shared this on Facebook and elsewhere I got some questions about why I had not taken her to the doctor yet (And I know they mean nothing but the best).
There really was no reason to. I had spoken to a family friend who is a physician and he assured me we were doing all the right things. Although because I wanted to be sure, I did just leave a message with my daughter's pediatrician with her symptoms.
But what parents must do is not panic. There will be a lot of sick kids with a system that will be overwhelmed. The best thing you can do is stay calm and keep your child at home unless you are faced with an emergency.
Here are some of Kaiser's Frequently Answered Questions for H1N1...
Q. What are the symptoms of H1N1 flu?
A. The symptoms of H1N1 flu include:
* fever or shaking chills
* cough
* sore throat
* body aches
* headache
* extreme tiredness (fatigue)
Some people also experience vomiting and diarrhea.
And when should you see a doctor?
Q. What if I have more serious symptoms?
A. Get medical care immediately if you or a family member:
* has difficulty breathing or chest pain
* has purple or blue discoloration of the lips
* is vomiting and unable to keep liquids down
* has signs of dehydration such as dizziness when standing, absence of urination, or in infants, a lack of tears when they cry
* has seizures (for example, uncontrolled convulsions)
* is less responsive than normal or becomes confused
Call your doctor's office right away if you have:
* a deep cough with a lot of mucus or a cough lasting more than three weeks
* a very sore throat and a hard time swallowing
* severe ear pain, sudden hearing loss, or discharge from your ear
* a fever with a stiff neck or a severe headache
* a high fever (more than 102 degrees)
* gotten better, then gotten worse again
As I stated at the beginning of this, I am not a Doctor and I'm not giving MEDICAL ADVICE, I'm just telling my own story and sharing information I've gotten from my own health care provider. There are many resources regarding H1N1 and Seasonal Flu and there are a lot of concerned parents, for very good reason. No one likes to see their child uncomfortable or ill and we certainly don't want to worry about them being hospitalized because of the flu.
The CDC has a tremendous amount of information on H1N1 and regardless of how you feel about this agency, information can only help you prepare you and your family for this virus.
So have your kids gotten sick yet? I know that when I called the absence hot line at my daughter's elementary school this morning the message center was FULL. Not a good sign.
As long as your child is hydrated, alert and breathing okay, you should be fine. But as the bolded information above indicates, get help immediately. Trust your instincts and if in doubt, call your doctor to get some reassurance.