Influenza, Pediatric

Influenza is also called the flu. It's an infection that affects your child's respiratory tract. This includes their nose, throat, windpipe, and lungs.

The flu is contagious. This means it spreads easily from person to person. It causes symptoms that are like a cold. It can also cause a high fever and body aches.

What are the causes?

• Breathing in droplets that are in the air after an infected person coughs or sneezes.
• Touching something that has the virus on it and then touching their mouth, nose, or eyes.

What increases the risk?

• They don't wash their hands often.
• They're near a lot of people during cold and flu season.
• They touch their mouth, eyes, or nose without first washing their hands.
• They don't get a flu shot each year.

• Their immune system is weak. The immune system is the body's defense system.
• They have a long-term, or chronic, condition, such as:
  • A liver or kidney disorder.
  • Diabetes.
  • Asthma.
  • Anemia. This is when your child doesn't have enough red blood cells in their body.
• Your child is very overweight.

What are the signs or symptoms?

• Fever and chills.
• Headaches, body aches, or muscle aches.
• Sore throat.
• Cough.
• Runny or stuffy nose.
• Chest discomfort.
• Not wanting to eat as much as normal.
• Feeling weak or tired.
• Feeling dizzy.
• Nausea or vomiting.

How is this diagnosed?

The flu may be diagnosed based on your child's symptoms and medical history. Your child may also have a physical exam. A swab may be taken from your child's nose or throat and tested for the virus.

How is this treated?

If the flu is found early, your child can be treated with antiviral medicine. This may be given by mouth or through an IV. It can help your child feel less sick and get better faster.

The flu often goes away on its own. If your child has very bad symptoms or new problems caused by the flu, they may need to be treated in a hospital.

Follow these instructions at home:

Medicines

• Give your child medicines only as told by your child's health care provider.
• Do not give your child aspirin. Aspirin is linked to Reye's syndrome in children.

Eating and drinking

• Give your child enough fluid to keep their pee pale yellow.
• Your child should drink clear fluids. These include water, ice pops that are low in calories, and fruit juice with water added to it.
  • Have your child drink slowly and in small amounts.
  • Try to slowly add to how much they're drinking.
• You should still breastfeed or bottle-feed your young child.
  • Do this in small amounts and often.
  • Slowly increase how much you give them.
  • Do not give extra water to your infant.
• Give your child an oral rehydration solution (ORS), if told. It's a drink sold at pharmacies and stores.
• Do not give your child drinks with a lot of sugar or caffeine in them. These include sports drinks and soda.
• If your child eats solid food, have them eat small amounts of soft foods every 3–4 hours.
  • Try to keep your child's diet as normal as you can.
  • Avoid spicy and fatty foods.

Activity

• Have your child rest as needed. Have them get lots of sleep.
• Keep your child home from work, school, or daycare.
  • You can take them to a medical visit with a provider.
  • Do not have your child leave home for other reasons until their fever has been gone for 24 hours without the use of medicine.

General instructions

• Have your child:
  • Cover their mouth and nose when they cough or sneeze.
  • Wash their hands with soap and water often and for at least 20 seconds. It's extra important for them to do so after they cough or sneeze. If they can't use soap and water, have them use hand sanitizer.
• Use a cool mist humidifier to add moisture to the air in your home. This can make it easier for your child to breathe. You should also clean the humidifier every day. To do so:
  • Empty the water.
  • Pour clean water in.
• If your child is young and can't blow their nose well, use a bulb syringe to suction mucus out of their nose.

How is this prevented?

• Have your child get a flu shot every year. Ask your child's provider when your child should get a flu shot.
• Have your child stay away from people who are sick during fall and winter. Fall and winter are cold and flu season.

Contact a health care provider if:

• Your child gets new symptoms.
• Your child starts to have more mucus.
• Your child has:
  • Ear pain.
  • Chest pain.
  • Watery poop. This is also called diarrhea.
  • A fever.
  • A cough that gets worse.
  • Nausea.
  • Vomiting.
• Your child isn't drinking enough fluids.

Get help right away if:

• Your child has trouble breathing.
• Your child starts to breathe quickly.
• Your child's skin or nails turn blue.
• You can't wake your child.
• Your child gets a headache all of a sudden.
• Your child vomits each time they eat or drink.
• Your child has very bad pain or stiffness in their neck.
• Your child is younger than 3 months old and has a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher.

These symptoms may be an emergency. Do not wait to see if the symptoms will go away. Call 911 right away.