Swine Flu advice please

[nevergoagain]

Seeing as NHS Direct/Swine Flu helpline are completely unable to give me any advice, I'm turning to the sages of NSC.

I'm pretty damn sure I've got it, symptoms all match online and they've given me a ref. to pick up the Tamiflu stuff but my concern is that I've got a 10 month old son in the house and I desperately want to avoid giving it to him. Do you think if I just avoid close contact with him that will be enough or should I send him and the missus to the grandparents for a few days to be doubly sure. Also not sure if I should take the pills or not, prefer not to if there are side effects etc...

 

[Marc]

can you son not go somewhere? stay with relatives/friends?
have you got a SHED you can live in for a week? that might help

 

[Da Man Clay]

I don't know the actual answer but to be on the safe side i'd probably send them to the grandparents. Get well soon.

 

[Gazwag]

Do not take Tamiflu, have plenty of fluid and paracetamol to control your temperature, I would also guess your wife and son will already be infected if they are going to get it so sending them off to grandparents could just infect them as well

 

[tedebear]

Personally I wouldn't take tamiflu, just grin and bear it if it isn't too severe. Aparently it only reduces our symptoms for a day. Lemsip/paracetamol etc should help with the temperature.

Whilst we aren't faced with it at the moment I don't think I would move out or send Arthur away if I did get it (I may change my mind if I do actually get it!) he's just as likely to get it if someone sneezes on him whilst getting a loaf of bread at the corner store... Your little man is obviously in the high risk category, as is Arthur, but if he gets it now he'll be far better off than getting it in winter. Just do your usual hygiene related stuff, wash hands, don't slobber etc, sneeze in tissues, separate cutlery etc. If he does get it, sleep him upright, and make sure he drinks more water than ever before, and use medised....go to hospital at the first sign of any difficulties...

I'm frightened beyond belief for Arthur as well, but am wondering if this flu is going to be like regular flu by this time next year?And besides once they are back at playgroup or nursery in september - it'll be back again with vengeance...

Just my opinion anyhow...

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

If I were you I would not worry too much about your nipper contracting it. You will have probably been contagious for a few days prior to your symptoms beginning (obviously you are most contagious when you start coughing and spluttering but you will have had the virus present when you have been kissing him goodnight etc. for the last few days)

If he catches it now, when the virus is relatively mild, he wil have a higher level of immunity if,God forbid, the H1N1 strain mutates in the Winter into a more virulent form. Even if he does not develop Flu syptoms just being exposed to the virus will give his immune system a chance to develop protection should this happen.

If your other half is OK I would just get off to bed and let her look after your boy and just keep vigilant in case he becomes ill. No need to ship him off unless you are both too unwell to look after him properly.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

The helpline just read off scripts and go through a flowchart of answers to their questions. To cover all eventualities they will give you a reference number for Tamiflu regardless if you need it or not.