How do they know it's swine flu?

[Homemaker]

I've been hearing about all the people coming down with swine flu. It's at a local level all across the country. I hear reports of people coming down with the flu and quick as a wink getting the diagnosis of it being swine flu. My daughters friend at school went to the doctor on Monday and by Tuesday evening everyone hears it's swine flu.

The last I heard, they were not able to send all cases to a lab to be diagnosed. Did they quickly scramble and set up new testing centers over the summer to confirm cases, or are they going by symptoms only? Are the numerous cases being reported to us accurately?

[Cat]

My lilDD had something last month that was *kind of* flu-like, but more like a cold. I didn't want to send her to school to possibly pick up something else while her immune system was already down, so I kept her home.

 

Of course, after 3 days home, she needed a doctor's slip to return to school. The school knows me as a responsible parent, so they would have waived that, they said. But the doctor's office wasn't swamped at that tme, so THEY wouldn't just fax in something. So she had an appointment.

 

The doctor told me at that time that, yes, Swine Flu is in the area, but they don't assume it's actually Swine unless it's accompanied by a fever. Since lilDD had only a VERY low-grade fever, she wasn't considered to have it. No tests, just "professional opinion".

 

The way I understand the general attitude, if people have the symptoms, they're considered to have Swine Flu. If it goes into the more serious stages, actual tests are done so that the best treatment is given.

 

 

 

 

[Granny]

97% of confirmatory test swine. Quick tests showing A presumptive as swine. Some B's showing up so there is more than one flu strain floating around as typical of any year.

[cowgirl8]

my college daughter lives in a dorm apartment with 3 others. One came down with the flu and she said she was diagnosed with swine flu. Then another in the apartment came down with a flu, but she was diagnosed with regular flu. All within days of each other, so whats up, what are the odds of roommates getting a different flu...sounds fishy. They sent both home for a week. I predict that there will be a missquoted number of H1N1 cases of flu.

[nini2033a]

my 18 year old, gone at college daughter with asthma, spent last night in the ER, with low protein count, high white cell count, swollen neck, painful breathing, coughing, generalized pain all over, cant swallow. The Dr said FLu but not what kind, gave her a shot to bring down the swelling in her neck, antibiotics, new/stronger asthma meds, pain killers, ,,,

I am terrified, especially since hearing that the kids with already breathing difficulties have the most problems with this flu.

 

[cowgirl8]

how scary, if it werent scary enough for a young daughter just to be away from home, this happens. Keep up informed at how she is doing. My prayers are with you........

[SlingMama]

According to what my pediatrician DH has researched and read the seasonal flu has not hit yet, so any flu is swine flu and not regular flu. Now not all docs may be aware of this. In fact, the reason DH mentioned this is because a friend of mine has a little boy that was exhibiting flu-like symptoms and her pediatrician told her "it's seasonal flu and not swine flu - I've been seeing a lot of this." I repeated this to my DH and you should have seen the blank look he gave me - because 'tis not the season for regular, old winter flu. But 'tis the season for swine flu.

 

Now whether or not a person that has flu-like symptoms has swine flu or a bad cold or some other malady ... I don't know exactly how the docs can tell. I think sometimes the diagnosis is clear cut and other times it is vague, depends on the symptoms.