Should I give my kid Tamiflu?
The flu season is in full swing, so, by now, I am sure you have heard of the “flu drug” Tamiflu (oseltamivir). It’s an oral antiviral medication that has been on the market since 1999. It first gained popularity in 2005 with a well-publicized shortage due to a scarcity of star anise –yes the spice! It is used in the production of Tamiflu. Now, amidst the 2009/2010 flu season, Tamiflu has become a household name.
We have received a ton of questions all about Tamiflu. So, I thought I’d write a little about Tamiflu and your child.
When treating children, the dose is weight-based and will be taken twice a day for five days to treat the flu and once a day for ten days for prophylaxis.
Tamiflu comes in capsules and suspension form. While suspension makes it easy to give specialized dosing to kids, it does present a couple of issues.
The first complication is the recent FDA warning about dosing errors. The confusion begins with the physician and pharmacist often giving the patient directions in milliliters whereas the original packaging has a dispenser marked with milligrams. To avoid confusion, it is best to double-check the directions and dispenser before leaving the pharmacy.
The second challenge, due to the drug’s popularity, is the short supply of the suspension form, with southern states most affected. According to Roche, the company that manufacturers Tamiflu, it takes equal production power to make a liquid treatment for one child or enough capsules to treat 10 people. Therefore, Roche is focusing on making the capsule form.
For older children, the capsules can be broken open and mixed with a sugary liquid, like chocolate syrup or applesauce, at home. The pharmacy staff can also compound the suspension easily enough by mixing the contents of the capsules with a sugary syrup. So, it should come as no surprise that most kids do not mind the taste of the suspension!
Tamiflu is usually well tolerated by children. Most side effects will occur within the first two days of beginning the treatment. Some common side effects are dizziness, headache, nightmares, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Tamiflu can be taken with food which may decrease the belly symptoms.
Currently, the CDC is highly recommending prophylaxis and treatment for “higher risk” kids only. These are kids that the flu can lead to more serious illnesses and complications. Higher risk groups include children under two years, two – four year olds with history of asthma and immunocompromised kids.
The CDC is recommending that for the general child population, the use of Tamiflu is not necessary. The truth is that for the average kid, Tamiflu will only reduce sick time by one day –not the cure all it was once thought to be. Additionally, with the widespread use of Tamiflu, pockets of antiviral resistant flu virus have already been observed.
So, the question remains, Should my child receive Tamiflu? Does the benefit outweigh the negative side effects and increased risk of resistance? For the average child, the answer is No. Unless your child is in the “higher risk” category, the benefits do not outweigh the risks.
Just a note: If you want to read more about the flu and flu treatment -see our All About the Flu series