I need some real advice

Ok, my 3 year old son has Swine Flu. Now, he is taking Tamiflu, but he seemingly doesn't want to. We think it may be due to the taste, but I have seen a lot of people on here say bad things.

I'm showing signs of the illness too, and I'm a veru concerned parent. I haven't started this thread to start a fight or make a point. All I want to know is the facts. Why is this product bad. Frankly, I don't care what your opinions are, although feel free to add them.

Please can I just get some clear advice about this stuff so I can try to understand the risks and why my son may not want to be taking it. He is having it in food (strawberry youghut after the cap is broken and mixed in with it) so we know he likes the food it's in. I'm not saying I will agree with your advice and suddenly stop, but if I know what kind of reaction I'm looking for I might be able to act.

reply to post by NoHopeForSome

First, please please please do not listen to all of the crazies who are going to post here and tell you how Tamiflu is going to turn your child into a trans-dimensional hyperspace slug or something. I don't really think this is the best place to be asking for medical advice. If you have concerns, I would suggest you call the doctor and share your concerns with him.

However, there is lots of information online about this. Tamiflu may, in rare cases, have severe side effects (as can any medication, or, for that matter, shellfish or peanuts for some people). Of the most concern, and still being studied, are possible neurological problems associated with the drug. So keep an eye on your child's behavior, and if they behave strangely, consult the doctor immediately.

Please keep in mind, though, that these side effects are VERY rare (about 50 million people have taken Tamiflu, and cases of neurological problems in Japan, for example, number just over 100). It is FAR safer for your child to be on this medication than to take them off of it and deal with swine flu.

Further, if you aren't feeling well, especially since your child is sick, and would advice you to seek medical care. If you are a healthy adult with no complicating conditions, it seems unlikely that you would be placed on Tamiflu, but it is still best to consult with a doctor.

To read more about these issues, you can see the wikipedia page for this drug (en.wikipedia.org...). Please, though, don't freak out by reading that list of adverse effects. They are all VERY rare.

Best of health to you and your child!

[edit on 14-7-2009 by suomichris]

I agree, if your child is sick, listen to the physicians not to people here. This is a great place to listen to ideas but not a place to set your life by.

I had a coworker that was on tamiflu, his wife had h1n1 and as a precaution he had to take it. It made him feel a little weird and it can cause hallucinations, although he did not experience that. It did leave a bad taste in his mouth, like rust or copper kind of...but overall it didnt do any damage...he is still alive, and never caught the flu from his wife.
I would probably make my kid take it, but only after research...

reply to post by NoHopeForSome


I agree with the other poster about ignoring the craziest of the claims.

My concern though is:
1. Tamiflu hasn't shown to be very effective so why risk it?
2. Swine Flu hasn't shown to be very strong so why risk it?
3. Swine Flu is not the deadliest in babies or elderly. It is deadliest in people with healthy immune systems, or underlying conditions. So again, why risk Tamiflu on a 3 yr old.

If you still decide to give it to him, here are my suggestions from experience:

The child probably doesn't want it because of the taste. My 18 month old has been on medicines his whole life, because he was very premature, so we battle this issue regularly.

I would advise not mixing it with the kids food, this just ruins the whole dish. Dissolve it in just enough juice for one drink or spoonful. This will make both or your lives easier. Use prune juice or Hawaiian Punch. Something with a strong flavor. Don't put it in the kids favorite drink, because then you ruin their favorite drink. Have a follow up drink of something he likes to wash it down.

Strange. There was something odd like that. We were all sat on the sofa and I was watching Star Trek. He has been asleep, but when he woke up, he was looking out of the window (which is on the same wall as the TV) and was laughing. He wasn't laughing at the TV, as nothing funny was happening, but he was laughing at something. He has done this twice now, so I'll keep an eye out for it.

As for the taste thing, that may explain why he doesn't want to have it. I know this place isn't a haven for medical advice, but I can at least get the other side of the story here, rather than the government/media crap. I was told to go to work as normal today, even though I am high risk to catch it next. That speaks volumes for why this country is in the state it is in.

How is it deadliest on people with healthy immune system?

OP, please keep us posted on how things go and best wishes.

Originally posted by getreadyalready
My concern though is:
1. Tamiflu hasn't shown to be very effective so why risk it?
2. Swine Flu hasn't shown to be very strong so why risk it?
3. Swine Flu is not the deadliest in babies or elderly. It is deadliest in people with healthy immune systems, or underlying conditions. So again, why risk Tamiflu on a 3 yr old.

Can you provide some evidence for these claims? I agree with you on point 2: swine flu isn't any worse than normal, seasonal flu at this point. Further, re: point 3, I can find that most of the early deaths in Mexico were young, healthy adults, but I'm not sure that pattern has continued...

reply to post by NoHopeForSome


I just created a thread about the exact same thing today and Im from near Leeds also....

seems to be hitting us here especially the kids.....no schools have closed down so far.....my kid hasnt got it yet but my friends daughter was diagnosed with it. I will ring my friend later to find out how they diagnosed it as swine flu or are they treating any flu like symptons as swine flu....his 5 month daughter is on liquid form anti viral and his 3 yr old is on capsules...

this site is pretty bad when it comes to fear mongering so I think we need to keep up to date on swine flu cases and see whats going on with it....

Personally if I get it, I think i will try and fight it out....

Originally posted by jokei
How is it deadliest on people with healthy immune system?

I'm not sure about this with swine flu (see my post above), but with the 1918 flu pandemic killed more young, healthy adults than others. I have heard it hypothesized (although I can't find the link at the moment) that this was likely due to an overreaction of a healthy immune system to the virus. Those who were immunocompromised didn't react in such a way (as their immune system was weaker), and so suffered the effects of the flu itself, but not the deadly overkill immune response.

Originally posted by NoHopeForSome
Ok, my 3 year old son has Swine Flu. Now, he is taking Tamiflu, but he seemingly doesn't want to. We think it may be due to the taste, but I have seen a lot of people on here say bad things.

I'm showing signs of the illness too, and I'm a veru concerned parent. I haven't started this thread to start a fight or make a point. All I want to know is the facts. Why is this product bad. Frankly, I don't care what your opinions are, although feel free to add them.

Please can I just get some clear advice about this stuff so I can try to understand the risks and why my son may not want to be taking it. He is having it in food (strawberry youghut after the cap is broken and mixed in with it) so we know he likes the food it's in. I'm not saying I will agree with your advice and suddenly stop, but if I know what kind of reaction I'm looking for I might be able to act.

You have to understand that only a doctor or a nurse practitioner, can legally give you that advice. Anyone else in the medical field would loose their license. Get a second opinion. Go to a bigger city and find another doctor. Be aggressive.

Tamiflu as stated and reported is not that affective,,,,,,,,

To understand why Tamiflu does not work is to understand the DNA / RNA structure of the virus. But this virus has mutated constantly since it first hit the world scene.........Tamiflu is for the human strains only.......these two strain only make up 2 parts out of 4 of the virus........The virus is attacking each host differently with one of the strains being more dominate like the avian aspect..........Tamiflu will not fight against the avian characteristics of the virus........The swine flu thread discussed all of this back in May........Sorry most of the members contributing this information no longer post here on ATS.........I just lurk around a little and caught your thread........

I know several people that have taken Colloidal Silver and its in my emergency pack...........

There are several threads here (a couple months old now) concerning natural medicines that seem to help and work......

Vitamin D is extremely important.........Not sure of what the children recommendations are........there is plenty on the web........

Hydration is important as well........If you are at home.....use a flat 7-up to stay hydrated.

This virus affects everyone differently.........It can be very aggressive for some. It seems to be very aggressive in children........monitor very closely and don't take the risk by saying lets see how my child is in the morning......If you are thinking you need to go to the hospital..........You should have left the day before.......Don't think you have to have a temp of 103.......many cases the patient has a very low temp like 95 or 96

The reality of this virus is that it can kill you in a 24 hour period..........There are so many documented cases of this happening.

We will send some prayers your way.........

Thanks for all the advice guys. I will take what has been said and try to remember it when dealing with the kids.

I know that things will probably be ok, but I just can't take that risk, and I knew I would be able to find some kind of infomation here from a first person source, rather than generic stats on the consumption of this drug.

I'll try and post anything that happens on here.

I won't go into the whole tamiflu debate. thats a personal choice for when one has time to weigh the pros and cons.

Hopefully you will not have contracted it. So, I would advise that you keep yourself and the place clean and germ free with the use of NATURAL products. White distilled cheap stuff. Lemon juice, bicarbonate of soda, table salt. Et.c I personally would avoid spray bleach cleansers and airfreshners and all those harsh chemicals. You don't want those irritating you or your childs lungs.

If you have a bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide Volume 20(6%) you know the stuff for mouth gargle and cuts & grazes, use that diluted 1 cap full HP to 5 caps water. to clean worktops etc.

Pure Essential Oils of Lavender, T-Tree, Geranium, Lemon etc all very efficient for killing virus. Look up these and Thieves Oil Blend on ur PC. Was apparently devised during the plague of London, when a band of thieves who were perfumers used this blend to protect themselves whilst robbing the dead and dying. I'm a Clinical Aromatherapist, I will be relying on E. oils to protect myself & my kids.

Holland and Barrett have a good deal on Lavender right now £2.50 aprox for 10 ml. Always follow contra indications when using essential oils.

Coloidal silver (MMS) is something else to look into. Theres a recent thread has a very informative video in it,

Vitamin C, again, look it up. theres lots at BTS and throughout the net on immune system boost & Pandemic/Swine Flu.
Try not to stress too much, easier said than done.

I wish you all the best. u2u me if you wish. Let us know how things go for you both. Mx

Originally posted by Cloudsinthesky
Tamiflu as stated and reported is not that affective,,,,,,,,

Where? By who?

To understand why Tamiflu does not work is to understand the DNA / RNA structure of the virus. But this virus has mutated constantly since it first hit the world scene.........Tamiflu is for the human strains only.......these two strain only make up 2 parts out of 4 of the virus........The virus is attacking each host differently with one of the strains being more dominate like the avian aspect..........Tamiflu will not fight against the avian characteristics of the virus........The swine flu thread discussed all of this back in May........Sorry most of the members contributing this information no longer post here on ATS.........I just lurk around a little and caught your thread........

I don't mean to be rude, but it is rather hard to take you seriously with the excessive, unnecessary ellipses. I'm also not sure you know what a "strain" is, as I can't make any sense out of this paragraph.

reply to post by suomichris


H1N1 is an example of a strain. What is being called "Swine Flu" is a concoction of several different 'strains' of flu. Avian Flu is H5N1, typical influenza is a H1 type. There are dozens of threads on here with more technical advice on this particular flu.

In general, antivirals only serve to shorten the duration of a flu. They don't do a lot to cure it, and they don't treat any symptoms. So far Tamiflu hasn't even proven to shorten the duration, so there is not much of an upside to its use.

The Swine flu has been shown both in the 70's and this time around to mimic the Spanish Flu. It killed healthy individuals by their own immune systems attacking the linings in the lungs until they were bloody, raw, and incapable of providing enough Oxygen. Smokers, babies, and elderly people do not have symptoms as serious as young healthy adults.

I would probably not take the Tamiflu myself, but when it comes to one of my children....what a dilemma! I would probably do as the OP, I would try it, as well as alternative therapies, and at the first sign of trouble, I would discontinue it.

IMHO, those who are getting the Swine flu now are the lucky ones. You won't need the controversial vaccines, and you will have some immunity built up. Those that catch it on round 2 this fall and winter will have the super version!

reply to post by NoHopeForSome


It's almost impossible to give advice since your son is so young. Keep an eye out for bad reactions and don't be hesitant to refer again to the doctor.

Japan has banned tamiflu after what I believe were 60 fatalities blamed on the drug.
Donal Rumsfield owns the company which makes tamiflu. Is not that enough to make you look for an alternative?