Swine fluuuuuuuu/ gripe A

[Pesky Wesky]

My daughter has (unconfirmed) of swine flu - unconfirmed because the doctor told us they're not doing any tests any more as it's so wide spread. They are just assuming that any cases as from now are swine flu. I think if you have some other medical problem, like asthma, they might do a trest to confim the diagnosis.
So far it's like any other flu aches, temperature, headache...
She was told by the doctor to stay away from school until she hadn't had a temperature for 24 hours, but when i phoned the school they had just got a circular informing them that students should be free of high temperatures for 48 hours before going back to school. The only thing the doctor prescribed was paracetemol and she told me if the fever went then came back again or if she had brathing problems or chest pain to go straight to A&E. I wasn't told to inform anybody, and the school doesn't need a medical certificate either, so it looks like all the panic about swine flu has died down.
Just thought i would let you know what the process is like in Madrid area

[jojo]

I hope she gets better soon!

The only thing I know about swine flu is that it actually is less severe "in general" that the common flu virus! Obviously both strains of flu (or any other virus or infection) can affect those who have other medical conditions or the elderly or infirm. But that aside the only problem with the swine flu is that the virus isnt the usual mutated version of the previous years common virus, so therefore is/was an unknown!

Flu has mutated and different strains have come and gone through the centuries and I cant see that ever changing. Eversince I can remember, the media have been sensationalising flu - Asian, bird, spanish, swine.... are the ones that spring to mind and as I say if you have underlying medical problems then care is needed, but for the fit and healthy amongst us, our bodies need to fight it, cos it strengthens our defences ready for future attacks! Alot of the symptoms associated with flu are in fact our own bodies in full combat, the problems can arise when our armies/antibodies get a bit confused or arent quite strong enough.

Its quite interesting how it all works and why all these symptoms manifest themselves ...... well, it is if you havent got them!!

Jo xxx

[jojo]

Hows she doing this morning?? Any signs that she's getting over it???

Jo xxx

[Pesky Wesky]

Originally Posted by jojo

Hows she doing this morning?? Any signs that she's getting over it???

Jo xxx

Hi Jo,
No fever last night and I don't think so this morning - she's still asleep - and she ate smth yesterday!!
Thanks for asking.
Got to go now. Got to make out my bills and send them off - very important!!
I'll be on the forum in the evening I hope

[Pesky Wesky]

Been there, done that and got the stamp in the book
Little Pesky Wesky is back at school!!
Basically she had a high fever for 3 - 4 days then for another 3 -4 days going down all the time.

[Xose]

Originally Posted by Pesky Wesky

Been there, done that and got the stamp in the book
Little Pesky Wesky is back at school!!
Basically she had a high fever for 3 - 4 days then for another 3 -4 days going down all the time.

Hi PW,
Did the school insist on 48 hours post fever before she went back?

I'm just wondering if it's only Galicia who've lost all interest in Gripe A as no one seems to be following any guidelines and communication appears to be zero between school, parents, pediatricians etc., etc.

Thanks,
Xose

[Pesky Wesky]

Originally Posted by Xose

Hi PW,
Did the school insist on 48 hours post fever before she went back?

I'm just wondering if it's only Galicia who've lost all interest in Gripe A as no one seems to be following any guidelines and communication appears to be zero between school, parents, pediatricians etc., etc.

Thanks,
Xose

The school said they had received notification from the "Comunidad de Madrid" that the recovery period should be 48 hours. That was as from last Monday, but the only reason I know that is because I phoned the school. I've not received any information from the school, town hall, comunidad etc about swine flu. Also, the school didn't ask for any medical certificate so they've got no way of checking should they want to.
I was talking to my SIL earlier on who's a teacher in the Basque country. She said they have to send a list of how many children are affected every day or week, I don't remember and THEY had just received info telling them the recovery period without fever was being reduced from 48 hours to 24, so each region is different. Perhaps it depends on the number of cases being registered.
From our brush with flu so far this year I would say the symptoms seem to be the same as any other flu. The differences could be that it seems to spread more quickly and it seems to affect groups of the population that ordinarily are not so prone to flu. This flu doesn't affect so many older people for example, but does affect teenagers a lot.

[m1beswick]

Hi All, This is my first message of the forum so not sure if it will work! Really pleased that Little Pesky Wesky is recovered - must have been a worry. My family have moved here to Barcelona (2 months ago), and daughter is almost 17 and in school here. She is asthmatic, although is much better here than in the UK. There she would be offered the vaccine that has just come available. Any ideas if it will be available here in the future? Got a doc appointment next week anyway, but was just wondering.....

[Pesky Wesky]

Originally Posted by m1beswick

Hi All, This is my first message of the forum so not sure if it will work! Really pleased that Little Pesky Wesky is recovered - must have been a worry. My family have moved here to Barcelona (2 months ago), and daughter is almost 17 and in school here. She is asthmatic, although is much better here than in the UK. There she would be offered the vaccine that has just come available. Any ideas if it will be available here in the future? Got a doc appointment next week anyway, but was just wondering.....

I don't know for sure, but probably.
Little PW is 15 by the way so perhaps I shouldn't be calling her that...
And welcome to the forum, by the way!!

[m1beswick]

Originally Posted by Pesky Wesky

I don't know for sure, but probably.
Little PW is 15 by the way so perhaps I shouldn't be calling her that...
And welcome to the forum, by the way!!

THere are worse things to be called, especially at 15! Great to read all the postings here.
I will just keep reading and asking about the flu vaccine - it is never an easy decision.