Before we talk about whether you can administer tamiflu for kids or tamiflu for adults, it is good to understand how this medication works in the first place.
There is no doubt that you feel miserable when you have influenza. For almost a week, you can find yourself battling with fatigue, cough, headache, chills, muscle aches, and fever. If you have a child, it can be disheartening watching them suffer through the flu’s discomforts. You find yourself tempted to buy tamiflu online or any other medication that can reduce the child’s pain. Others would prefer to order for tamiflu cash on delivery.
For those dads or moms who don’t want to order tamiflu without prescription, they may prefer to talk with their pharmacist or doctor for their child who has developed symptoms akin to influenza.
There seems to be some confusion on whether or not Tamiflu is suitable for people of all ages.
To start with, Tamiflu is an antiviral medication. It works by blocking the influenza virus activity inside our bodies. It can help to reduce the length of time that a patient would feel ill if it when administered within the first 48 hours of the onset of symptoms. The duration in which you apply it is not more than one and a half days. The medication does not work on cold or other viral illnesses which may resemble flu. So, if you have a child and they have been ill for over two days, they would not derive any benefit from taking Tamiflu. In other words, please do not bother to give it to them at all.
How Tamiflu works?
Doctors advise parents to note that this medication does not resemble antibiotic, which cures urinary tract or strep throat infection. The flu is not cured by Tamiflu. Instead, it assists by reducing the duration of the signs of this ailment. Illnesses that are viral like influenza usually resolve themselves without treatment because they are self-limiting. Most children are going to feel better and be on the road to recovery in four to five days once a caregiver gives them extra attention, fluids, and plenty of rest.
Who should take Tamiflu?
Doctors advise that the medication should only apply to children whose risk of developing the complications of the flu are high or those children who are exhibiting severe symptoms of the flu.
Whose risk is considered high?
The children that have the following underlying medical conditions at high risk:
- Weakened immune system
- Neuromuscular disorders
- Cancer
- Heart disease
- Lung disease
- Children with liver or kidney disease, sickle cell disease, or diabetes
Are there side effects to Tamiflu?
Gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting, nausea, or diarrhoea are not the result of influenza. Doctors advise parents to be aware that gastrointestinal side effects can occur by anyone who takes the Tamiflu medication.
There are two choices that most physicians and parents have to consider. The first is if the child is going to do just fine by only using fever reducers, rest, and plenty of fluids to manage their symptoms; or secondly to go ahead and introduce the potential for vomiting, diarrhoea, or nausea.
It is common to notice minor side effects of using Tamiflu. However, when a doctor is deciding to treat, there are rare but more severe side effects that they would consider.
Can Tamiflu prevent the Flue?
Doctors warn that to prevent a person from getting the flu Tamiflu is not routinely given to them. In some cases, however, a physician may prescribe Tamiflu if a child with flu-like symptoms lives in the same household as a child or an adult at high risk for influenza complications.
However, because of the potential for antiviral resistant virus emerging, the widespread use of antiviral medications are not recommended by the CDC. Annual vaccination is the best way to prevent influenza. Anyone from age six months and above should get a yearly nasal spray vaccination or a flu shot as soon as they are available in the fall. This advice is from the recommendations of medical experts and doctors. It is an excellent defence to help spare your child and you the parent from the potential complications and discomfort of influenza even though it is not 100 per cent effective.