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Home › Articles › Toddler Health › Tackling Influenza

Tackling Influenza

Healthy Decisions This Flu Season

By Dr. Aneema Van Groenou

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Yes, it's flu season again, and your child may already have the obligatory runny nose and nagging cough. But is there anything you can do to make it go away – or even prevent the flu in the first place?

The flu, or influenza, is an infection of the nose, throat and upper airway. Common symptoms are a stuffy nose, sore throat and an annoying cough. Basically, it feels like a cold – maybe even a bad cold. You or your child may also experience headaches, fever, chills, muscle pain, generalized achiness and fatigue.

Treating Your Child at Home
For a fever: Use children's acetaminophen every six hours or ibuprofen every eight hours as directed to keep your child's temperature normal. Remember, young children with fever feel very unwell, but may improve quickly when their fever is treated.

For a cough and sore throat: Warm broth may help soothe your child's throat. A popsicle will also help the sore throat while hydrating the child. Use cough drops or hard candy to soothe the throat in children older than 4 years.

For a stuffy nose: Use a nasal bulb suction to clear out the congestion blocking your child's nose. You can also use saline nasal washes four times a day to help clear the mucous. Make saline nasal drops by mixing 1 cup of warm water with a half teaspoon of salt.

When Should I Call the Doctor?
Call the doctor if your child has a high fever, has a fever that lasts more than five days, is having difficulty breathing, is not eating or drinking well, is not urinating well or is acting unwell. See your doctor if you are worried about your child's symptoms.

The influenza virus is very contagious, so it gets around quickly. Every winter, many people get the flu and recover from it within a few days. The virus spreads through contaminated droplets in the air and on dirty hands.


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