Seasonal Flu
Seasonal flu, like other diseases, affects different people in different ways. For some it can mean a few days home from school or work while for others it can become much more serious. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 5% to 20% of the population contracts seasonal influenza each year resulting in about 200,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths from flu-related causes. Complications can include severe bacterial pneumonia, dehydration and worsening of chronic medical conditions such as congestive heart failure, asthma or diabetes. Inflammation of the heart (myocarditis) may also occur as a result of a flu infection.
Is My Child at Risk?
While the majority of deaths resulting from seasonal flu occur in the elderly, the highest rates of infection and hospitalization are among young children.
People 2 through 64 years of age with certain chronic conditions or a weakened immune system are at higher risk for developing pneumococcal disease after a flu infection. You can learn more about this disease and the vaccines to protect against the illness on the CDC's web page.
What Are the Symptoms?
Common symptoms of the flu include fever, headache and/or body aches, fatigue, coughing and/or sore throat, and runny or stuffy nose, and chills. Many people confuse the flu with the common cold, which are both respiratory illnesses but are caused by different viruses. In general, colds are milder. Symptoms such as fever, body aches, extreme tiredness and dry cough are more common and intense with the flu and influenza can result in serious health problems such as pneumonia, bacterial infections or hospitalizations.
For an easy-to-read chart on cold vs. seasonal flu symptoms, click here. If you suspect your child has the flu, you should contact his or her pediatrician immediately. If any family member is diagnosed with the flu, the CDC recommends that they stay home for at least 24 hours after their fever (100°F or 37.8°C) is gone (without the use of a fever-reducing medicine, such as Tylenol®).
What Can I Do to Protect My Family?
The flu vaccine is the best way to protect your family against the disease. However, the flu vaccine is not approved for use in infants younger than 6 months old. Therefore, the best way to protect these children is to make certain that their household contacts and caregivers are vaccinated.
In addition to the flu vaccine, medical professionals recommend that you and your children wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your eyes, noses or mouths and try to avoid close contact with sick people. However, if someone in your family does get the flu, you may want to talk to your doctor about prescription antiviral drugs, which can prevent the rest of the family from becoming ill and lessen the symptoms of flu. Antivirals will only help those who have contracted the flu if it is taken within two days of experiencing symptoms.
For more tips on how you can prevent and treat the flu, check out www.preventchildhoodinfluenza.org.
Why Vaccinate?
Anyone who wants to reduce their chances of contracting the seasonal flu should receive the vaccine. However, immunization is especially important for people at high risk of serious flu complications including children aged 6 months through 18 years, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions, people who live in nursing homes/long-term care facilities, people 50 years of age and older, and people who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu. Household contacts and caregivers of children less than 6 months of age also should be vaccinated since these children are too young to receive the vaccine.
The CDC recommends children 6 months up to 9 years of age who are being vaccinated against seasonal influenza for the first time receive two doses.