Preapring Ahead for Swine Flu Diseases

Although the name 'swine flu' brings up a lot of extra fear and worry, it is important to note that swine flu is just an influenza A H1N1 virus. That means that it is just another type of flu virus, just like that causes our typical seasonal flu symptoms.
The big difference is that the current swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is new and most of us don't have any immunity to it. That is why it so easily became a pandemic virus (with the ability to cause a global outbreak), because it could easily spread from person to person

Swine Flu Symptoms
Although most of these symptoms may not actually get you to differentiate between a little cold and serious  flus, you should stay aware and take preacutionary measures. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control) , like seasonal flu, symptoms of swine flu infections can include:

• fever, which is usually high, but unlike seasonal flu, is sometimes absent
• cough
• runny nose or stuffy nose
• sore throat
• body aches
• headache
• chills
• fatigue or tiredness, which can be extreme
• diarrhea and vomiting, sometimes, but more commonly seen than with seasonal flu
• Signs of a more serious swine flu infection might include pneumonia and respiratory failure.

Swine Flu High Risk Groups
With regular seasonal flu, young children and the elderly are usually thought to be most at risk for serious infections, in addition to people with chronic medical problems. Swine flu high risk groups, people who are thought to be at risk for serious, life-threatening infections, are a little different and can include:

• pregnant women
• children under age two years old
• people with chronic medical problems, such as chronic lung disease, like asthma, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and immunosuppression
• children and adults with obesity
• It is important to keep in mind that unlike seasonal flu, more than half of the hospitalizations and a quarter of the deaths from swine flu are in young people under the age of 25.

Serious Swine Flu Symptoms
More serious symptoms that would indicate that a child with swine flu would need urgent medical attention include:

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish or gray skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

Read more on Swine Flu Symptoms vs. a Cold or Sinus Infection