More children head to ER with H1N1

NORFOLK,Va - Five-year-old Sarah Sass is home, sick with H1N1. Yet, despite a temperature of 104.5 her mom, Laura Sass, is at work and not too worried.

"That 104.5...upset my sister. She said, 'well I don't know what I would have done', and I said, 'well there isn't anything you can do.'"

How can she be so sure? Well, Laura Sass isn't just a mother she's also a infectious disease doctor at Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters.

"My family keeps asking, 'why haven't you put her on any Tamiflu? Why didn't you treat her?'" Dr. Sass told WAVY.com.

It's hard for many parents to understand. Hundreds in Hampton Roads are knocking down doors at Emergency Rooms and pediatricians' offices.

"Frankly a lot of the children coming have typical flu symptom [and] don't need to be seen," said Medical Director Dr. Arno Zaritsky. He swears you can manage symptoms at home with acetaminophen, or ibuprofen, lots of liquids and plenty of rest.

Go to a doctor right away, however, if your child is having trouble breathing, can't keep down any liquids, or if a fever goes away completely then returns. "That's often a sign of a secondary infection," Dr. Zaritsky said.

As for Tamiflu, the drug many parents are demanding, it's recommended only for children with high risk conditions and only shortens the illness by one day.

"Tamiflu is not without side effects. It makes you throw up and then you're just trading one illness for another, and I'd rather not have her vomit," Dr. Sass said.

Instead the she will keep her daughter away from germ-filled waiting rooms and home on the comfy couch until she's all better. "Eventually she'll be back at school, realistically probably not until next Monday," Dr. Sass added.