The research, which studied seasonal flu rather than swine flu, found that although antivirals shorten the duration of flu in children by up to a day and a half, they have little or no effect on asthma flare-ups, increased ear infections or the likelihood of children needing antibiotics. Tamiflu was also linked to an increased risk of vomiting for children.
The researchers, who studied the treatment of flu in 1,766 children, said it was difficult to generalise their findings to the treatment of swine flu but that their research could show
the effects of antivirals might be limited.
They said: "While morbidity and mortality in the current pandemic remain low, a more conservative strategy might be considered prudent, given the limited data, side effects such as vomiting, and the potential for developing resistant strains of influenza."
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