Influenza - Anoka,MN

Updated on February 27, 2011
L.S. asks from Anoka, MN
6 answers

My 9 year old tested positive for influenza yesterday and we are basically quarantined until next Thursday, or until she no longer has a fever for 24 hours.

I'm just wondering if anyone else has gone through this, how long it lasted, if other family members contracted it too and any comfort tips as she is feeling miserable.

Of course this is the year we neglected to get flu shots. I was told that everyone who's been exposed to her needs to get a flu shot, including her after she is recovered from this. For any nurses out there, would it be ok for me to get one today, after being exposed to the flu? If so, would it prevent me from getting it?

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So What Happened?

Well we are on day 4 now and no signs of changes yet. Aside from the fact that her brother at her dad's house now has it and I think I might be getting it too. She tested with just 1 strain, but I wasn't told which type it was. As soon as we are healthy, we'll be tracking down flu shots!

More Answers

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E.B.

answers from Duluth on

Three years ago, we all got Influenza A, because the strains the flu shot covered were not the ones that went around. Most years, according to my doc (who has three small kids), they are very accurate, and DO in fact prevent the most frequent, common, and vicious strains that go around. Last year, H1N1 went around our area well before we got the vaccine, so my family had that, too. If you are willing and really want to avoid the flu, I would hurry to your doc and ask for an anti-viral medicine, like Tamiflu. My doc isn't a big fan of Tamiflu; she says it might just be worse than actually having the flu. But ask your doc about side effects and determine for yourself whether it's worth it. One big side effect is nausea, and to ME, that's worse than having influenza...but that's me. You also have to catch influenza in the first couple days to give an anti-viral to the family. We never did it, partially because it took a couple days for us to be sure our kids were so miserable it had to be flu before we went to the doc. Um...influenza stinks. When my oldest has had it, he is so miserable he doesn't even want to watch tv. Tylenol will help reduce the high fever, and will go a long ways toward making them comfortable, but my kids were so miserable the Tylenol made them nauseated and my younger actually threw it up, with H1N1. It is HIGHLY contagious. If you have particularly vulnerable people in your family and the ability to remove them from your house, I'd recommend doing it. I would say that a week is definitely what it will take for her to recover. I think our fevers were typically gone sooner than that, but the total fatigue made the idea of going to school just impossible. He would never had made it through the day. I'd also say that, after a week, you'll definitely know who else has it. We counted on at least a week from work/school and then another week where we dragged our behinds around, trying to act normal at work/school, and then another week to recover the house--laundry, dishes, general cleaning that didn't get done because we were so sick and tired. In my experience, day 1 is the worst. When we had H1N1, I didn't leave my bed for 27 hours, and we have two small kids, so that's saying something. I didn't eat. I got up to pee, but it was torture. After that, I was tired and miserable, but not on the verge of delirious. (Ok, maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but not a ton.) Anyway--it IS highly contagious, and in both cases, my whole family got it. I was concerned about this year, because we had a baby in December, so my whole family got vaccinated AND I am being super-careful about handwashing this year. Anyway--good luck. Hunker down. I found it helped to get out and purchase a few new things for my kids to do when they felt better. We also threw out conventions like night and day, letting them and us sleep when we could and be up when we could. It seemed there really wasn't such a thing as too much sleep, with influenza. They and we could always sleep more. Good luck! You have my sympathy!

K.B.

answers from Milwaukee on

The flu shot does not prevent the flu (it only covers the major ones that they think will be big this season) but it will help you get over it quicker and lessen then syptoms.

It took me about a week (without flu shot, I am allergic to eyes), my daughter had the same thing but only lasted two days (she got the flu shot).

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J.W.

answers from Minneapolis on

My oldest (5 at the time) got H1N1 in October 2009 before any flu shots (H1N1 or regular) were available, and everyone else in our family stayed healthy, including the 1 year old. We totally quarantined my oldest in his bedroom - he only came out to use the toilet. We moved the tv in there (not that he did anything but sleep for the first few days.) We brought his meals in there (not that he ate much.) My husband and I put on big sweatshirts every time we went in my son's room to take care of him, and took them off when we left. (I did primarily take care of my oldest, and my husband took care of the youngest, although he was still breastfeeding so had to be around me some.) I washed my hands obsessively. I disinfected all the doorknobs, faucets, telephones, etc daily. My husband and one-year-old washed their hands obsessively.

As for helping her feel better, tylenol or ibuprofen will help keep the fever lower, and that will help her feel a little better. My son was actually beyond even wanting to feel better, he just slept for a week. He had high fevers (103+, when the ibuprofen wore off) for eight days. Whatever she thinks sounds even a little good to eat, give it to her, no matter whether you think its something she "should" eat when sick. She just needs calories. My son lost three lbs (a lot for a kid!) in the eight days he was sick. Same goes for drinks, get her to drink as much fluid as you can. And just let her sleep - my son slept 16-18 hours of the day at the beginning. Also, it was two weeks after the fever was gone before he was really himself again. He continued to be really tired and kind of out of it, just generally not feeling well - it was almost a month between first symptoms and when I felt like "he's back!"

Good luck - you're in for a long haul. If you have extended family around, ask them for help. Stock up on disinfecting wipes. Wash your hands. I wish your daughter a speedy recovery, and continued good health for the rest of your family!

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D.B.

answers from Charlotte on

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S.W.

answers from Minneapolis on

I'm not sure it would help to get the shot after you've been exposed, since the shot takes two weeks to be effective. The shot introduces dead virus into your system so that your immunities are then built up to these flu virus strains. The shot this year contains several flu strains, so it still could be useful even after your daughter has had one type of flu.

Here's a reliable source of info: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/flu-shots/ID00017/NSECTI...

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A.R.

answers from Omaha on

There are 3 types of the flu going around. You didn't say which strain she tested positive for. My son had flu-A. He had a fever for a week and spent the week on the couch. Lots of coughing. After the week he got up. In another 2 days or so you couldn't even tell he had been sick. My younger son did get it from him as well as my FIL. My FIL also developed pneumonia and is in the hospital, but he is older and his body doesn't fight things quite as well. We were given albuterol for a nebulizer to help as well as a cough medicine. Lastly, our doctor told us that if someone else starts to get it there is a medicine you can get from the doctor, and if it's in the first 2 days it knocks out the flu and you don't get it. We were also told if someone starts to get it within 24 hours give them theraflu. Anyway, that's our experience this year. I don't know about the flu shot things.

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