Parent’s Guide to The Flu
Bugs can make life unbearable. Bugs steal lunchmeat sandwiches and potato salad from our picnic baskets. Bugs cause our electronic gadgets to malfunction or crash. Also, while the flu bug is miserable for adults, it affects children worse.
Influenza
The flu is an abbreviated term for “influenza.” Common symptoms include a sore throat, fevers, diarrhea, exhaustion, a stuffy or runny nose, throwing up, head or muscle aches, and coughing. Generally, the common cold is concentrated in the nose, while the flu tends to spread throughout one’s entire body.
Should parents provide their children with flu shots? The majority of health experts hypothesize that flu epidemics initiate and circulate from younger adults to children. If a child is in one of these high-risk groups or has interaction with someone in these groups, he should yearly receive a flu shot:
- Out-of-home caregivers of kids
• Children and adults with the majority of chronic health problems
• Children aged 6-59 months
• People aged at least 50 years old
• People living in long-term care institutions
• Pregnant women
• Healthcare workers who give care directly to patients
Medications
How can the flu be prevented in children? Influenza vaccines are about 70%-80% effective in preventing a child from obtaining the flu. Additionally, some medications can prevent children from acquiring the flu. Other ways to prevent children from acquiring the flu include avoiding others who are sick; encouraging them to wash their hands, particularly before eating and after using the restroom; instructing them to avoid touching their nose or eyes and putting anything besides food in their mouths; and teaching them to never share cups, utensils, glasses, etc.
Breathing environment
However, if your child contracts the flu, focus on treating the symptoms of the virus. Suggested homecare procedures include drinking enough fluids, using non-prescription medicine to control body and fever aches, resting sufficiently, and using humidified air to provide a restful breathing environment while the child is snoozing. Also, ensure that your child’s nose is clean, particularly before eating and sleeping. Treat dry or stuffy noses with saline nose drops and a soft suction bulb of rubber. Lastly, a suction bulb made of rubber can clean young infants’ noses, while gentle nose blowing into tissues is sufficient for older children.
The flu can become one of the most annoying illnesses that adults and children alike can acquire. Fortunately, several means exist for preventing and treating this nasty bug that can take the fun out of your child’s childhood.
