Signs of the flu are:
- A sudden high fever
- Chills and shakes with the fever
- Headache, body aches, and extreme tiredness
- Sore throat and/or a dry, hacking cough
- Stuffy, runny nose
- Vomiting and loose, runny stools
How do I treat it?
- Encourage frequent fluids
- Treat fever
- Rest! Rest! Rest!
Call /see your health care provider if your child:
- Has a cough that won’t go away for a week
- Pain in the ear
- Fever that continues or comes back after 3-4 days
- Does not start feeling better or is worsening after 3-5 days.
See your doctor or go to emergency room if your child has any trouble breathing!
***Influenza does have a higher incidence of secondary
infections such as ear infection and pneumonia. If your child is improving from
influenza illness and then worsens again please follow up with your health care
provider.
So... how do I prevent it?
The flu vaccine is currently the best way to prevent influenza. If you'd like to read about it's effectiveness for yourself, try this
Healthline article.
...But vaccines aside, there are things you can do to make sure that the spread of influenza (and other viruses) is minimal.
Make sure to wash your hands frequently with soap. Try singing the Happy Birthday Song or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star while you wash to make sure you've washed thoroughly.
Don't cough into your hands! You touch multiple surfaces/people/things a day, so coughing into your hands could easily spread any germs you have to others. Try coughing here instead:
Stay away from others until your fever is gone and for at least 24 hours.
For even more information from a trusted source, read up on flu prevention at HealthyChildren.Org by clicking
here.
