Swine flu symptoms in children

Swine flu symptoms in children

Swine flu symptoms are similar to those of seasonal flu. Fortunately, most people who are infected with the virus experience only mild symptoms. However, a minority of people develop more severe disease.

Mild symptoms of swine flu

Swine flu symptoms in children (and adults) are similar to those of seasonal flu. The most common include:

• Sudden fever (body temperature higher than 38C or 100.4F)
• Sudden cough or shortness of breath

As well as some of the following:

• Headache
• Tiredness
• Chills
• Sore throat
• Runny nose
• Sneezing
• Aching muscles
• Loss of appetite

Additional stomach symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea due to swine flu have also been reported.

Warning signs to look out for

In children, warning signs that the infection is becoming more severe include:

• Having trouble breathing, or breathing too fast
• Bluish or grey coloured skin
• Difficulty in waking up
• Lethargy
• Lacking alertness and not interacting
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Flu like symptoms which improve, but return again with fever and worse cough

If your child is experiencing any of these, then you must contact your doctor immediately.

This article was published on Wed 9 September 2009