Is Tamiflu OK for PANDAS kids?

[zim4fun]

Grrrr..........wouldn't be the holidays without sick kids! DD (9) who is being treated for PANDAS and is currently on Zithromax was up vomiting last night. Now today she has a fever. The flu is rampant here right now and this is how it has started with many people who have swabed positive. Should I bother taking her somewhere to be tested? If she does have it, can she even have the Tamiflu?? Gotta love weekends too when you can't call the doc to ask these questions!!!

[dcmom]

My pandas dd's got the flu several years ago. The one that got tamiflu fared MUCH better (pandas wise) than the one who didn't.

 

We got tamiflu into her within 24 hours of fever onset. (sister was just recovering from the flu, so we knew that is what it was) The fever subsided within another 24 hours. About 12 hours later she was spiraling very quickly into a pandas episode. We waited about 12 more hours (24 hours from fever subsiding), and gave her a steroid burst.

 

Within three doses of steroids, she was totally fine. She actually had over a year remission after that, so the steroids had long lasting effect.

 

Others on here have had bad luck with tamiflu. I would imagine that is the same as the general public, it does have side effects. I do think, with pandas, the quicker you can halt the illness, the sooner you can shut down the immune response- IMHO it is worth a shot. I believe (check with the pharmacy) that any side effects from Tamiflu would stop when you stop the drug.

[Missmom]

It is scary to give a pandas kid Tamiflu, because it lists as possible side effects in children neurological issues. That said, my son got the flu this year and was given Tamiflu right away. I immediately called his neurologist to ask her about giving it and she said definitely. I am glad I did. He was better in a day and did much better than my daughter (non pandas) who refused to go to the dr.