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Blog Author: Dr. Dennis Kuo
It occurred to me the other day that we have been seeing an awful lot of children who have the flu. I’m thinking specifically of influenza, not just the generic “flu” that some use to describe any child with a cold and fever. While many children who have influenza have standard cough and cold symptoms, for many more the fever is higher, the symptoms last longer, the child is generally sicker. Children with actual influenza can be diagnosed by a rapid test, so we know we’re looking at something more than the common cold.
The Centers for Disease Control runs a weekly flu report that I always find interesting. It’s a bit early to pronounce judgment on this year’s flu season - is it worse than usual? is it a “bad” season? - but the numbers do suggest that we are right in the thick of it. Practically speaking, the flu reports help physicians decide when to test for flu - if it’s in the community, it’s worth testing patients. In addition, if your child (older than one year of age) has influenza, antiviral medications may be an option to help shorten the duration of symptoms. They don’t work as well as antibiotics for, say, strep throat, but they’re worth considering. The catch is that antivirals need to be started within 48 hours of start of symptoms. Something to think about when your child has the high fever, cough, and congestion that you might wait out with an older child.
One other thought comes to mind. Flu vaccines are now recommended for all children between 6 and 59 months, because these children tend to get sicker with the flu. Flu seasons such as this one remind us that influenza isn’t necessarily a benign illness, and there is a recommended alternative to help protect your child.