PARENTS are being warned to think carefully before giving their children the anti-swine flu drug Tamiflu.

This follows reports that more than half of youngsters taking Tamiflu for swine flu symptoms suffer unpleasant side effects.

A total of 248 pupils aged 11 and 12 at a school in the south west of England were given Tamiflu earlier this year.

Spokesman for the Health Protection Agency, Katherine Lewis, said: "Just over half of the students reported that they felt unwell while taking the medication, almost all of them in line with known side effects of Tamiflu.

"A total of 33 per cent said they felt sick, 24 per cent had headaches and 21 per cent tummy ache."

The HPA also reported that one in five youngsters taking Tamiflu suffered from a 'neuro-psychiatric side effects' such as nightmares and sleeplessness.

Dr Mandy Bretman, director of public health for NHS Lincolnshire said that sometimes the side effects of Tamiflu can be worse than the symptoms of swine flu.

"It varies from individual to individual but yes in some cases the side effects can be worse," she said.

"Children under the age of one need to be seen by a GP.

"Young children are amongst those that seem to be most affected by swine flu but the vast majority are suffering mild symptoms.

"Antivirals can have side effects and if your child's swine flu symptoms are mild, you may not wish to give them the medication."

A swine flu victim, who asked not be named, was one of the unlucky people to suffer bad nausea after taking Tamiflu.

"Taking Tamiflu takes a day off the symptoms which were pretty unpleasant," he said.

"But if I'd known of the side effects before I'd taken it I would have decided to sweat it out."

For the full story see Monday's Lincolnshire Echo.