Sisters diagnosed with swine flu | Rotorua News | Local News in Rotorua

Troy Wilson thought his 6-year-old daughter Chloe's sore throat was nothing more than a tickle.

That was at 4.30am last Monday. Just a few hours later, though, she was bright red in one cheek, had a temperature that was sky-rocketing and was not her usual self.

Chloe and then her sister Abby, 1, were soon added to the growing number of people who have caught the H1N1 flu strain, known as swine flu.

"Those first 24 hours were the most concerning part," Mr Wilson said.

"Our first thought was to put her in complete isolation. Then with her high temperature we had about half-a-dozen tepid baths and showers."

Chloe was the first to be hit. Instead of going back to school after the two-week break, she was taken to her grandmother's for the day. But as the morning progressed she worsened and was taken to Lakes PrimeCare and then to Lakeland Clinical Trial on Haupapa St where she was diagnosed with the pandemic strain.

Mr Wilson said he was called to give permission for her to go on pre-mixed Tamiflu and to take Chloe home.

"If you've got sick kids, get them treated," Mr Wilson said. "That's the role of being a parent.

"I was blown away when they said it was swine flu."

Soon after Chloe's diagnosis, Abby started showing the same symptoms - coughing, purple spots and high temperatures - but because of her age she couldn't undergo the same trial process that Chloe went through.

Instead the two girls were prescribed Tamiflu, and Mr Wilson and his wife Erin were also prescribed it as a precaution.

Mr Wilson said while he could cope with the constant battle of bringing their temperatures down, neither he nor his wife expected the nausea brought on by the medication.

"It made me sick and I had to have a white bowl next to me," Chloe said.

"It was sicky medicine."

Mr Wilson said there was nothing on the box to say it would make either children very nauseous and he felt terrible at having to make them take it.

After five doses they were deemed to be no longer contagious.

He had his flu jab a few months ago as his work for Event Promotions brings him into contact with thousands of people.

His mum, who looked after Chloe that first morning, had also had hers and was told she had not picked up the infection.

Lakes District Health Board communications manager Sue Wilkie said there had been five confirmed cases of H1N1 in the region so far this year but because this was the prevalent flu strain this year there were likely to be many more cases in the community.

"Rotorua Hospital has had several H1N1 cases in recent times this year," she said.

"It is important to stress that this is what we would be expecting, with overall influenza activity on a gradual rise, and at the level usually expected at this time of the year."

INFLUENZA

• Flu symptoms generally come on quickly and severely.
• Symptoms include a fever, which tends to be higher and lasts longer (three to four days) than the occasional low-grade fever that may accompany a cold.
• Flu symptoms also include body aches and severe tiredness or fatigue.
• A quick flu test can be done in the doctor's office and the results are usually available within a few minutes.
• These tests may help your doctor decide whether antiviral medications will benefit you if you do have the flu, but are more often used for the purpose of determining how widespread your flu is.
• Some practices have separate waiting areas for people with flu - ask the receptionist when phoning for an appointment whether there is one available or if you should wait in the car.