What is the flu?
Flu is short for influenza, which is a viral infection causing symptoms such as:
- Fever
- Chills
- Cough
- Body aches
- Headaches
- Nausea and vomiting
It can also lead to earache or sinus infections, and severe cases may lead to pneumonia. The best way to keep your child getting the flu is to have them immunized according to the recommended schedule for a child their age. Dr. Marak can advise you on when to get your child vaccinated for flu.
Your child needs a flu shot each year, and if they’re under nine, they need a shot and a booster if they’ve not had one before. The influenza virus strains change each year, which means that a vaccine that worked against the dominant flu strains last year may not be effective this year.
The advantage of immunization is that your child is less likely to contract flu, and if they do, they’ll only have a mild case. That means they won’t have to suffer the severe symptoms of full-blown flu, they won’t lose school time, and they won’t risk the potential complications flu can cause if they have other health issues or a weakened immune system.
How would my child catch the flu?
Flu is spread through contact with infected droplets sneezed or coughed out by someone who has flu.
Your child could catch flu either by breathing in these droplets directly if they’re near someone who's coughing or sneezing or by touching something that has the virus and then putting their hands near their mouth or nose.
The more children receive vaccination against flu, the less likely it is to spread around, and this is another good reason to have your child immunized.
What should I do if my child has flu?
If you’re worried about the severity of your child’s flu symptoms, then book a sick visit with Dr. Marak at Ross Bridge Medical Center Pediatrics. She can assess your child’s condition and, if necessary, take a swab from their throat to confirm flu.
As influenza is a virus, antibiotics don’t have any effect. The best way to care for your child is to:
- Keep them in bed or resting on the couch
- Make sure they drink plenty of water
- Give them food that’s nutritious but easy on the stomach, like chicken broth
- Give them any medicine Dr. Marak prescribes
Make sure your child’s improving each day, and if they aren’t or they’re not feeling better after a week, check in with Dr. Marak again.
The best action you can take for your child’s health is to get a flu shot each year, so if you want to find out more about immunization, call Ross Bridge Medical Center Pediatrics today, or book an appointment online.
