MILD versus SERIOUS ILLNESS:
or, Knowing When to Worry
and Knowing What to Do
As our nation and community encounter and try to deal with the very
serious epidemic of H1N1 (swine) influenza virus, it makes sense
to take a moment to think about how do you know, when your
child gets sick, when to worry and what to do?
It turns out that the best guide to knowing when to worry and
to know what to do is not the name of the virus.
That is, finding out if the virus causing your child’s illness is H1N1
or not, does not help you know how worried to be or what to do.
The key item you need to know is how sick your child is, not the name
of the virus.
So how do you know how sick your child is?
The answer is actually fairly easy, since there are only two possible
answers: mildly ill or seriously ill.
Symptoms of Mild Respiratory Illnesses:
- Fever (100.8-105.8)
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
- Congestion
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Achiness
- Feeling tired
- Trouble sleep
- Decreased appetite
- Struggling to get air in and out of your chest
- Alterations in consciousness
- Stiff neck
- A “sense” that something very terrible is happening
What to Do if You Have A Mild Viral Illness
Antibiotics do not work.
So the use of Tamiflu is not recommended for use in mild viral
infections, it does little good, and could lead
What to Do if you Have Symptoms of Serious Illness
*Disclaimer*
The comments contained in this electronic source of information do not constitute and are not designed to imply that they constitute any form of individual medical advice. The information provided is purely for informational purposes only and not relevant to any person’s particular medical condition or situation. If you have any medical concerns about yourself or your family please contact your physician immediately. In order to provide our patients the best uninfluenced information that science has to offer,we do not accept samples of drugs, advertising tchotchkes, money, food, or any item from outside vendors.
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