Does My Child Have the Flu?
November 28th, 2011
Does My Child Have the Flu?
As we head into peak flu season, it might be helpful to review just what exactly is “the flu.” The flu is caused by the influenza virus and circulates in the winter season. It is characterized by sudden onset of high fever, body aches, cough, headache and fatigue. These severe symptoms can last up to 4-5 days and generally make a person miserable.
Influenza is sometimes confused with colds or stomach “bugs” but it is not the same thing.
Vomiting and diarrhea illnesses are often erroneously referred to as ‘the flu’ but are not caused by the influenza virus. The influenza virus does not typically causes intestinal symptoms. (Although it may occasionally cause vomiting in some young children.)
Since the flu and colds both cause respiratory symptoms, it can be confusing to figure out which one you or your child has. A comparison of symptoms:
SYMPTOM COLD FLU
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Fever Rare or Low-grade (up to 104F) High
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Body aches Minimal Prominent
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Cough Mild to Moderate Common and Severe
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Stuffy Nose Prominent & Common Sometimes
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Headache Rare Prominent
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Fatigue Mild Can last up to 2 weeks
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Complications Ear/sinus infection Can be serious: Pneumonia
If you are not sure if your child may have the flu, call our office for an appointment. We have rapid flu tests that can detect the virus. A nasal swab is used to obtain a specimen and the test takes 10 minutes to run. If the test is positive, we may opt to treat your child with anti-viral medication but only if started within 24-48 hours after onset of symptoms. These medications help lessen the severity and length of illness.
And don’t forget, it is not too late to still get a flu shot. We have vaccine available in our office for our patients and their parents!
Jaime Fell, PA-C
