What children’s flu is: Children’s flu (short for “influenza”) is just like the adult variety — a contagious and common viral infection of the throat, nose, and lungs that usually rears its ugly head between the months of October and April.
What causes children’s flu: The culprit is the influenza virus; and different strains (or, rarely, new ones like the one in swine flu) circulate each year. Your child can catch the flu by coming into contact with an infected person (especially if that sick little — or big — someone sneezes or coughs on her!) or by touching something (a toy, a sippy cup) that an infected person has touched. If your little one comes down with the flu, symptoms usually last about a week, though some can linger for up to two weeks. Just don’t confuse influenza with the stomach flu (aka gastroenteritis). That’s caused by a variety of viruses (but not the influenza virus) and leads to diarrhea and vomiting, sometimes with fever.What the symptoms are:
- Dry cough
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Muscle aches and pains
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting and diarrhea occasionally
What to do about children’s flu: Making sure your child is comfortable will be your priority. Your doctor will probably suggest the following:
- Rest. Help your little one get plenty of R&R by letting her nap when she’s sleepy and encouraging lots of quiet activities during the day.
- Fluids. Offer lots of fluids to prevent dehydration (from fever and loss of appetite). You can continue to nurse and bottle-feed your baby; if she’s eating solids, try giving her a bit of applesauce or broth. You can give your toddler Popsicles too, along with soup or broth.
- Pain relievers. Give acetaminophen or ibuprofen to reduce the fever (but don’t give ibuprofen to babies younger than six months old).
Since the flu often makes sufferers alternately hot and then chilled, you might want to dress your child in layers that you can remove — or add — when needed.
When to call the doctor: Whenever you suspect that your child has been struck with the flu, call your doctor right away. Also, when it comes to kids and the flu, call your doctor if you notice the following troubling symptoms:
- If your baby is less than three months old and has a temperature of 100.4° or higher, call the doctor immediately. The flu can lead to serious complications, especially in young babies since they haven’t had a chance to build up a strong immune system yet. If your baby is between three months and three years, call your doctor if her temperature reaches 101.5° or higher (again, you’ll want your child to be checked for a serious illness).
- Extreme irritability (e.g., your child doesn’t even want to be held)
- Not drinking enough fluids
- Fever with any type of rash
- Symptoms improve but then return worse than before (this could be a sign of pneumonia or another serious infection)
- Fast breathing or trouble breathing
- Bluish skin color
- Seems confused, is not interacting or waking up, or has seizures
How to prevent children’s flu: Doctors recommend the flu vaccine for all children ages six months to 18 years old as the best defense from catching the virus. If your child has a chronic health condition like asthma or diabetes, it’s especially important for her to get vaccinated because the flu is more likely to lead to complications in those with other health issues. Since babies younger than six months are not old enough to get the flu vaccine, experts recommend that all other family members, including your baby’s caregiver, get vaccinated.
What if your toddler is afraid of the shot? Kids over two can get the flu vaccine in the form of a nasal spray instead. One thing to keep in mind: Because the nasal-spray flu vaccine contains weakened live flu viruses (as opposed to the flu shot, which contains killed flu viruses), it is not for people with weakened immune systems or chronic health conditions.
Whichever form of the vaccine your child gets, you’ll want to get your child vaccinated in September or October right before flu season starts (but it’s still not too late to get the vaccine later in the season). And even if the actual flu virus turns out to be different from the strains contained in the vaccine, the vaccination can make flu symptoms milder. So no matter what, your child will have some level of protection.
Other ways to prevent the flu in children:
- Wash your baby’s hands regularly (and teach your toddler hand-washing basics).
- Steer clear of other sick kids and parents (and their tissues!) to avoid illness.