View Full Version : Scared my child has the flu
My child just told me he feels sick. Flu is my worst fear. Is it the flu? What are the first signs in kids? Of course it happens on a Fri night. I had a cold a few days ago so I’m hoping it’s just my cold. Scared.
Maybe just the cold you had.
Seems most everyone I know including me has had the flu this year, no one had any serious issues.
It's miserable but extremely survivable.
What are the first symptoms in kids??
What are the first symptoms in kids??
Same as in adults.
Positive thoughts
If there's no fever or anything, I would think it's just a cold. You could always go to a walk-in clinic tomorrow for a quick test if you are really that worried.
All 3 of my kids had the flu, as did I and as did my husband. Unfortunately, each and every one of us had it at the exact same time and it was absolute balls but we lived.
Complications are rare. Millions of people will get the flu, and hundreds will die. That's a very small fraction, so thinking that will be the outcome is not the right way to think of the flu.
Ok thank you. What aren first symptoms in adults or kids?? Is there a way to know if it’s cold vs flu at first symptoms?
I'm not sure there is a huge distinction at first.
What was different about the flu for us was the enormous pain- really bad headaches (like, the first day was REALLY bad) and body aches in the back, legs. We also had regular cold symptoms like sore throat, cough, nasal congestion, and fever. Plus, that feeling like you are so sick you have no energy and any exertion sends you right to bed.
It was the headache and body aches that were the tip off for us. They were terrible and neverending. It lasted like 14 days in me (but I was able to function after about 8 or 9 days). Terrible!!!! Hope we NEVER get that again :-)
How high was the fever and how soon did the fever start?
Our fevers never really got too high. My 4 year old's was highest at 102 at one point. MIne got to 101, my sons ran around there. THe temp fluctuated throughout the day.
My 4 year old did have hallucinations for about 10 minutes one night, which was....scary as hell. But my friend's child had the exact same thing right at the same time.
But, they say to go in if you have trouble breathing, chest pain, kids are blue, or nonresponsive, fever goes away then comes back (which happened to my kids and docs were not phased), really bad vomiting, blood in sputum, stuff like that. WE had nothing like that.
What I remember both for my kids and still true with my recent flu, it came on real fast. No lingering, no guessing, in a matter of 2 hours I went from a slight scratchy throat to needing to lay down.
So this morning my child is sneezing and a bit sniffly. Has good energy and is happy with lots of personality. Overnight DC didn’t sleep well though, and thermometer read 99F. No fever now. Sound like a cold or flu?
To me .. that sounds more like a cold.
Well, can I throw the cat amongst the pigeons here - at some point in life most people get flu - your child might get/have flu. The point is that nearly everyone, apart from those with compromised immunity, chest complications and in old age gets through it just fine. I would go by your gut instinct here, if seemingly just sniffly and happy with a mild fever then its a cold virus and will run its course. Theres no way to really know if its flu or a cold virus definitively thought , especially as some people respond with less severe symptoms than others to flu. However, generally everything about flu is far more severe and the child would just be lying around with no energy and not be 'happy with lots of personality' . Some children get fevers at the drop of a hat, I know my daughter did. I've got this link for you, its the NHS advice on flu and colds in children.....and tells you what to look for and what to be concerned about.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/flu/
This morning I felt relieved it was a cold. Now I’m back to wondering if it’s the flu. My child is not sneezing or congested at all. Has a fever of 100, buried under blankets feeling cold. Still has energy and appetite though and is playing. Child’s only complaints are headache and feeling tired (did not sleep well at all last night so that could explain fatigue).
Jules, at this point why does it matter if it's a cold or the flu, your child has a bug of some sort, watch for the usual signs of secondary infection, beyond that, it's going to run it's course whatever you call it.
Nancy - you're right in many ways. I think I just want to know what to expect and how bad it could get. I'm scared of all of us getting the flu at the same time and how we'd cope. I'm just so scared of the flu in general.
Nancy - you're right in many ways. I think I just want to know what to expect and how bad it could get. I'm scared of all of us getting the flu at the same time and how we'd cope. I'm just so scared of the flu in general.
I just got over it, it's not that horrible. You and your family will be fine.
tryingtosurvive1
29-01-18, 01:48
go stock up on supplies if you're worried about everyone getting sick at once. Like saltines and stuff.
Hey, we're battling with a flu here too. Our daughter is nine years old, skinny and very tall, so when she got it, it took her down. She has been flat on her back since Friday. So usually the Dr.s here will say to come in after three days of fever when it does not go down. She has really high fever and I give her paracetamol at night. So last night it started, some hallucinations and I totally freaked out, but my hubby is super calm and took care of her.
Tonight she was so afraid to go to bed for what she labels as dreams. I realise this is all it is to her. Bad dreams. Who likes to have bad dreams right? SO I braved myself and when she asked for me to stay this night I did. Now she was up again twice with super strong hallucinations (or sleepwalking or whatever it is) and I give up. I cant deal with it. I freak out because I look at her and if I cant calm myself how can I calm her?
Husband is with her now again. Just really scared.
Of course I now calm myself and will take her to the doc tomorrow morning for reassurance.
Feel like I am failing my child :-(
Don't feel badly. Hallucinations are scary. My child has always gotten high fevers and has hallucinated a few times on them. It is very hard to see it - even when you know it's because of a fever, it's still very scary.
Thank you Jules. Its super scary and I am surprised how often it happens and no one really warns a parent that it can happen. Well, sure there must be reasons for that too.
We aim to grow with them. :hugs:
Growing up, I always wanted to be a doctor or veterinarian. I skipped my senior year in HS and went to the Institute for Human Resource Development at Hahnemann University Hospital, got my senior year of HS and freshman year of college in a year (yeah, I was a brainy nerdy long haired hippie dude musician :shades:). Part of my curriculum was shadowing a medical doctor two times a week. I had the stethoscope, white coat and all. One day, a little girl, maybe 2yo, came in. I remember her name to this day..."Love". She looked like a little doll. I watched as the doctor examined her and then as her mom and the doctor were talking, I found out she was terminal :ohmy: You'd never know it to look at her but she was. It just tore me up! I realized then that I couldn't do it because I would get to emotionally attached. I guess I needed to say that because of how I was and still am about my kids and they're adults!
For me as a parent, it just tore me up to see them sick. I remember when my son caught Roseola as a baby. He was soooo sick. I remember wrapping him up and walking back forth through the house all night long just to try and comfort him. I didn't have anxiety about it, just a deep pain in my soul seeing him suffer. I felt the same with my daughter when she told me about her anxiety and depression.
I guess the point is, I understand the concern. It sucks to see your child suffer :weep: I get that so many here are scared witless from all the media attention and this really is a rough flu/cold/virus season but all you can do is push through and take care of them and yourself. You're going to worry, it's only natural, but keep your focus on what's most important. Anxiety can and does take away a lot of things from a person's life but let the dragon be damned if it tries messing with your kid ;)
Be strong. Everyone will get through it. We have 6 more weeks of winter according to Punxsutawney Phil (he saw his shadow) and it will all start to fade away into Spring :D
Positive thoughts
So Mr. brainy nerdy long haired hippie dude musician, thank you for this post. It is nice to read about little Love. She will always be like the sparkle of star if her story travels over the world like this.
Now I am quite curious what you did then with your life...? It is to be admired that you knew your own strengths at such a young age already. Salute!
Being a parent is really a bit like a paradox. On the one hand you want to pack them in and hide them from the world. On the other you want them to live full lives and getting hurt and sick is part of this. Learning to trust and let go and still be positive is quite tricky. I always go haywire when my children are sick :wacko: so I try to use it to learn and strengthen my surviving skills in these situations :unsure:
As you say, they grow up and then there will be other challenges so we can only hope that they allow us to help them :welcome:
Thanks again. These replies are the reason I always come back to this forum. Support means to share and there is great strength in it!
:bighug1:
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