Q. How do I know whether my child has the flu?

A. There are several signs and symptoms that might indicate your child has the flu, including:

• Fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, sometimes including shaking chills
• Tiredness and muscle aches
• Headache/sore throat in older children
• Cough
• Vomiting and diarrhea (only a sign in children)
• Congested/runny nose
• If child’s fever is under 100 degrees Fahrenheit or has congested/runny nose alone, they could simply have the common cold

Q. What can I do as a parent to help my child avoid the flu?

A. Besides getting a flu shot or FluMist for your child, there are several basic steps parents can take to help children avoid the flu:

• Clean hands frequently with soap and water or antibacterial hand gels
• Keep doorknobs, phones and other commonly touched surfaces clean
• Teach children to turn their heads when coughing and to sneeze into a tissue or their upper arm
• Avoid exposure to others that have a cold or the flu
• Do not share anything that goes into the mouth (cups, straws, etc.)

Q. I understand there are ways to keep my child from becoming very ill if we “catch” the flu early.

A. In addition to rest, fluids and fever medicine, there are treatments available if your child is diagnosed with flu within the first two days of illness.  The names of the medicines are Amantadine, Rimantadine, Zanamivir, and Oseltamivir. Each of these medications has indications and ages for use; your pediatrician can tell you which one, if any, is best for your child.  You may want your pediatrician to perform a rapid flu test to determine whether your child’s illness is caused by the flu.

Q. How should I care for my child who has the flu?

A. Always consult your child’s pediatrician, who likely will recommend plenty of rest, fluids and acetaminophen or ibuprofen (Note: NOT aspirin) to reduce a fever. 

Q. Should I take my child to the hospital’s Emergency Department?

A. You should first consult your child’s pediatrician, who can prescribe care. However, you should take your child to the Emergency Room if:

• He has a high fever you cannot control
• She is dehydrated from vomiting and/or diarrhea
• He cannot take fluids
• If her breathing is rapid or she is having a difficult time breathing
• He seems confused or he is not responding to you in a normal way

Q. Should I keep my child home from school? 

A. If your child is well, he should continue to attend school.  If your child’s school is reporting a high incidence of the flu, it is likely your child has already been exposed.  There is a high incidence of flu already throughout our communities. Your child should not attend daycare or school while he or she is ill. 

Q. How do I know if my child should be given the flu shot?  Not all children are candidates for flu shots, right?

A. Correct. Any child with the following underlying chronic conditions should get a flu shot:  This includes children with cardiac disease; pulmonary conditions, such as asthma and cystic fibrosis; immune deficiencies, or those taking medicines that affect the immune system; kidney disease; metabolic disease such as diabetes; sickle cell disease; any child on long-term aspirin medication; healthy children 6 to 23 months of age; and household contacts of children with any of the above conditions. Also, women who will be in the 2nd or 3rd trimester of pregnancy during the flu season should not have the flu vaccine.  Consult your child’s pediatrician. 

Q. How soon will the flu shot take effect?

A. It takes two weeks for one dose to become effective.  If your child requires two doses, it will take two weeks after the second dose to become fully effective.   

Q. My child’s pediatrician said my toddler should have two flu shots.   Why?

A. We encourage all children from the age of 6 months to be inoculated if they have certain high-risk conditions (see below).  Children aged 6 months to 8 years who have never had the flu vaccine should receive two doses – a month apart. This is recommended because these children likely have not been exposed to the flu in the past and they need two doses to have a good response to the vaccine.