Kids' Health Cold & Flu Tamiflu and Its Safe Use for Kids By Kristina Duda, RN facebook twitter linkedin Kristina Duda, BSN, RN, CPN, has been working in healthcare since 2002. She specializes in pediatrics and disease and infection prevention. Learn about our editorial process Kristina Duda, RN Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Sanja Jelic, MD on November 07, 2019 Sanja Jelic, MD is board-certified in pulmonary disease, sleep medicine, critical care medicine, and internal medicine. She is an assistant professor and attending physician at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, NY. Learn about our Medical Review Board Sanja Jelic, MD Updated on January 06, 2020 Print Tamiflu (oseltamivir) is a prescription medication used to treat influenza. It can shorten the duration and lessen the severity of flu symptoms if started within the first 48 hours of illness. In the event of a flu vaccine shortage or for those that are at high risk for flu complications or those who can't get the flu vaccine, Tamiflu can be taken to prevent the flu as well. Teresa Short / Getty Images Who Can Take It? Until the H1N1 (swine flu) outbreak of 2009, Tamiflu was not recommended for children under 12 months old or pregnant women. However, during that flu pandemic, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved its use in children as young as two weeks old and pregnant women. It was decided that any risk posed by the medication was not as great as the benefits it could provide. H1N1 was especially severe in young kids and pregnant women and it was determined that serious risks from the medicine was very low. Since then, Tamiflu has been approved and available for use in children over 2 weeks old as well as in pregnant women. Safety Concerns and Side Effects Although Tamiflu is approved for use in young children, there are side effects you should watch for. If you noticed any of these, stop giving the medication and tell your child's doctor or seek medical attention right away. SeizureConfusionAbnormal behavior - especially early in the illness Typical side effects that may occur in both children and adults include: VomitingDiarrheaAbdominal painDiaper Rash These are not considered serious and are generally not severe enough to warrant stopping the medication. If your child is allergic to any of the ingredients in Tamiflu, she should not take it. If she experiences any signs of an allergic reaction after taking it (such as rash or itching), stop giving the medication and contact her health care provider. Life-threatening symptoms of an allergic reaction include: Difficulty breathingSwelling of the tongueLip or facial swellingDifficulty swallowingSudden onset vomitingDizziness These symptoms are serious. If your child develops any of these after taking Tamiflu, call 911 or seek medical attention immediately. There have been some reports (mainly out of Japan) of teens and young adults experiencing hallucinations or hurting themselves while taking Tamiflu. Similar episodes have not been seen elsewhere or in other populations, but you should contact your child's health care provider if his behavior is abnormal while taking this medication. In most cases, the benefits that Tamiflu can provide to children outweigh the potential risks and side effects. If you are concerned about Tamiflu and your child, talk to his health care provider. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children and flu antiviral drugs. Updated September 11, 2019. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Tamiflu: Consumer questions and answers. Updated November 14, 2017. Genentech. Tamiflu prescribing information. Updated August, 2019.