Pediatric Associates of Austin Swine Flu FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS REGARDING SWINE FLU (H1N1)

We are currently experiencing a high volume of calls enquiring about H1N1, or swine flu, and have developed this list of frequently asked questions to hopefully answer some of your queries. Please don’t hesitate to call if you still have questions or concerns that you did not find addressed here.

My child has a fever and his classmate has the flu. Should I bring him in?

Your child certainly could have influenza but whether this needs to be addressed in the office depends on the severity of his fever and other symptoms as well as his age and general health. This year we have found that the rapid flu test can be falsely negative in the first 24 hours so therefore if your child only has mild signs of illness we recommend waiting until after this time period to come in for an appointment.

Why aren’t you treating everyone who tests positive with Tamiflu, or giving Tamiflu prophylaxis?

In the majority of cases this has typically been a relatively mild disease and therefore the CDC has recommended a watchful approach to treatment. This strategy will allay some of the shortages of Tamiflu that have already been seen in some areas. The CDC recommends that treatment with antivirals (Tamiflu) only for certain individuals who are considered at high risk, including infants and children under 5 years of age and those with suppressed immune systems or other conditions that may adversely affect their ability to recover from influenza.

 My child has asthma and now someone in his class has H1N1 flu. Should I keep him home from school?

At this time there has been no recommendation from Texas Department of Health or the CDC to take such steps but if we do receive any directives we will post them on the web site.

 If my child was diagnosed with flu, how long will he be contagious? When is it okay to return to school, daycare, church etc?

The current guidelines regarding H1N1 advise that a child can return to school or daycare either 4 days after starting antiviral medication, or being at least 24 hours fever free without the use of fever reducing medications such as Tylenol or Advil. However, if your child continues to have symptoms such as a bad cough he may be contagious beyond the time frame suggested in these guidelines.

 My child had flu this summer. Will they still need a flu shot?

Yes: the vaccine for the seasonal flu will still be needed as it covers different strains than those currently circulating and causing illness. Seasonal flu shots are recommended for children over 6 months of age.

Can the seasonal vaccine and the 2009 H1N1 vaccine be given at the same time?

Inactivated 2009 H1N1 vaccine can be administered at the same visit as any other vaccine, including pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine. Live 2009 H1N1 vaccine can be administered at the same visit as any other live or inactivated vaccine EXCEPT seasonal live attenuated influenza vaccine.