Steroids and Swine Flu

[P_Mom]

I am just thinking.....with the start of school, and with the H1N1 Flu currently circulating......would steroids be a good thing to do right now? Being that it supresses the immune system, and children being (well, people younger than 25) a high risk group...........just a thought.

[Kayanne]

....that is a very good thought.

 

I guess it is just one more thing that we parents need to factor in our decisions on what type of treatment to do....

[peglem]

I've been wondering if steroids suppress the immune system or just the inflammatory response of the immune system? Wondering the same thing about zithromax. I've heard about immune modulating properties, but what exactly does that mean? How does it "modulate" (that means change, no?) the immune system?

[P_Mom]

I don't know...perhaps someone else on here can answer those questions.

 

I read that people with "supressed immune systems" are more at risk for serious complications from N1H1....as well as all illnesses.

Then it occurred to me that the kids that are on steroids may be more at risk because I believed their immune systems to be supressed from the steroids. It is one of the complications long term, I know, that steroids make you more susceptible to illness, etc. I wonder if the short doses these kids take can do the same. Not sure, but, unless my child was in an acute episode, I think to err on the side of caution and wait on the steroids.

[EAMom]

Hi All,

This would be a good question for Dr. Latimer!

I believe some this is "dose dependent". Higher steroid doses are immunosuppressive, lower doses are anti-inflammatory.

[thereishope]

What I've read is that any steroid will suppress your immune system, thus making you more suscpetible to any infection. If you are taking a steroid for a medical condition, you should stay on your steroid, but if you get sick, consult your doctor and go off the steroid so your body can fight the illness to its full capability. People on a steroid will be able to still take TamiFlu, if needed.

[bronxmom2]

I could be totally wrong about this...

 

But isn't the issue with our kids that their immune systems are really overactive-- won't stop creating antibodies?

 

And isn't what makes Swine Flu so very very dangerous for healthy young adults (as opposed to young kids and old people, who are usually most vulnerable to flu) is the possibility of cykotine storm-- which is basically, as far as I understand, the immune system going crazy trying to fight something and then drowning in itself. (sound familiar?)

 

If the real danger is the cykotine storm, maybe have the immune system slightly suppressed is not a bad thing?