General information and care
General information
How can you tell the difference between the H1N1 influenza virus (formerly referred to as swine flu) and the regular seasonal flu? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all types of flu can cause fever, coughing, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, headaches, body aches, chills and fatigue. Those suffering from H1N1 may experience all of the above symptoms more severely, in addition to nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Caring for yourself if you get sick
If you are diagnosed with the H1N1 flu, you should stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone unless you're seeking medical care. The CDC also recommends that you:
- Avoid close contact with others, especially those who might easily get the flu, such as people age 65 years and older, people of any age with chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease), pregnant women, young children and infants.
- Clean hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub often, especially after using tissues or coughing and sneezing into your hands.
- Cover coughs and sneezes.
- Wear a facemask when sharing common spaces with other household members to help prevent spreading the virus to others.
- Drink clear fluids such as water, broth, sports drinks or electrolyte beverages made for infants to prevent becoming dehydrated.
- Get plenty of rest.
You should seek medical attention immediately if you experience any of these symptoms:
- Difficulty breathing or chest pain
- Purple or blue discoloration of your lips
- Vomiting and unable to keep liquids down
- Signs of dehydration, such as feeling dizzy when standing or being unable to urinate
Caring for a sick person at home
If you are the caregiver for someone who has H1N1 flu, you should protect yourself and others in the household.
- Avoid being face-to-face with the sick person. When holding small children who are sick, place their chin on your shoulder so they will not cough in your face.
- If you're unable to avoid close contact with a sick person, consider wearing a face mask or respirator, if available and tolerable.
- Ask the person's health care provider about any special care that might be needed, especially if the person is pregnant or has a health condition such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma or emphysema.
- Ask the patient's health care provider whether the patient or you, as the caregiver, should take antiviral medications such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu®) or zanamivir (Relenza®).
- Keep the sick person away from other people as much as possible, especially others who are at high risk of complications from influenza.
- Make sure everyone in the household cleans their hands often, using soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub.
Seek immediate medical care for the patient if they have any of these symptoms:
- Difficulty breathing or chest pain
- Purple or blue discoloration of the lips
- Vomiting and unable to keep liquids down
- Signs of dehydration, such as feeling dizzy when standing, being unable to urinate, or (in infants) crying without shedding tears
- Seizures (for example, uncontrolled convulsions), or if they are less responsive than normal or become confused
page modified 03/09/2010