Can a 5 Yr Old Get the Flu Again a Few Months Aorar From the Last Time He Got It?

Influenza in children

Influenza (or "influenza") is a respiratory infection acquired by influenza virus. Influenza outbreaks happen every year, usually between Nov and April. Considering influenza viruses change – oft from twelvemonth to year – people don't stay immune for very long. That's why people tin can catch the influenza more than once. The term "seasonal flu" is used for the influenza viruses that spread every year.

How does influenza spread?

Flu viruses are constitute in the olfactory organ and throat. Children tin catch flu from siblings, parents, other family members, playmates or caregivers.

Germs usually spread in one of 3 means:

• Directly contact —such every bit kissing, touching or property hands—with an infected person. If you have a virus, you will take germs in your olfactory organ, mouth, eyes or on your skin. By touching other people, yous can pass on the virus.
• Indirect contact means touching something—a toy, doorknob or a used tissue—that has been touched by an infected person and now has germs on it. Some germs, like the ones that crusade colds and diarrhea, can stay on surfaces for many hours.
• Through the air when a person coughs or sneezes. Droplets from the coughing or sneeze may accomplish another person's nose or mouth.

How do I know if my child has influenza?

The flu strikes more than quickly than a cold, and makes people feel worse. Children with colds usually have energy to play and continue up their daily routines. Children with influenza are usually in bed.

Typical influenza symptoms include:

• sudden fever,
• chills and shakes,
• headache,
• musculus aches,
• extreme fatigue,
• dry cough,
• sore throat, and
• loss of ambition.

Children with the flu may have many of the same symptoms as adults, just in that location can be differences:

• Newborns and babies may accept a high fever that can't exist explained, and no other signs of sickness.
• Immature children usually take temperatures over 39.5°C and may have febrile seizures (convulsions).
• Upset breadbasket and pain, vomiting, and diarrhea are common in younger children. Earaches and ruby-red eyes are also common.
• In some cases, muscle inflammation can lead to severe leg or dorsum pain.

Tin can the flu cause whatever other complications?

Most salubrious people recover from the influenza without any serious problems. Fever and musculus aches normally last only two to 4 days, only coughing and tiredness can continue for one to 2 weeks or more than.

In young children, flu can crusade croup (an infection of the throat and vocal cords causing hoarseness, barking cough, noisy breathing), pneumonia (lung infection) and bronchiolitis (infection of the tiny airways that atomic number 82 to the lungs causing wheezing and difficulty breathing).

Influenza can weaken the immune system, leading to bacterial infections of the ear (otitis), lung (pneumonia) or sinuses (sinusitis).

Flu is more severe in children under 2 years of age and in children with certain chronic weather such every bit heart, lung or neurological problems.

In rare cases, influenza tin can affect the encephalon or centre.

What can I do if my kid has influenza?

• Continue your child as comfortable as possible. Offer plenty of fluids and minor, nutritious meals.
• If they accept a fever, dress them in lightweight clothing and keep the room temperature around twenty°C.
• To ease pain, aches or a fever with a temperature greater than 38.v°C, use acetaminophen. Ibuprofen may be used for children over 6 months old. Unless your medico says otherwise, requite the dose recommended on the packet every 4-half dozen hours until the kid's temperature comes downwardly. Don't give acetylsalicylic acid (ASA [eg, Aspirin])—or any medicine containing it—to children and teenagers with colds because it can pb to encephalon and liver damage (Reye syndrome).
• Don't give over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medicines to children younger than half-dozen years old unless your doctor prescribes them.
• Gargling with warm water will ease a sore throat. For children 3 years of age or older who can safely suck on hard processed without choking tin use sugarless hard candy or lozenges containing beloved, herbs or pectin. Pharynx lozenges containing medications that numb the throat (dyclonine, benzocaine, hexylresorcinol, menthol and phenol) should not be used by young children because they tin can arrive hard for them to consume.

Antiviral medications

If your child has lung or heart disease, an affliction that affects the allowed organization or some other chronic condition that requires regular medical attention and you recollect your child may have influenza, call your doctor right away. Your doctor may prescribe an antiviral drug. These drugs may also be prescribed for healthy people with severe influenza. They should be taken within 48 hours of the get-go symptoms to be about effective.

When should I phone call my medico?

Phone call your doctor or take your baby to an emergency section if your baby is under 3 months of age and:

• is having trouble animate,
• is not eating or is airsickness, or
• has a fever (rectal temperature of 38.v°C or college).

Phone call your doctor or take your child to an emergency department if your kid is:

• breathing rapidly or seems to be working hard to exhale,
• having breast pain, or is cough upward bloody sputum (phlegm or saliva),
• coughing so bad that they are choking or vomiting,
• drinking very little fluid and have not urinated (peed) at least every vi hours when awake,
• vomiting for more than iv hours, or has severe diarrhea,
• much sleepier than usual, doesn't want to feed or play, or is very fussy and cannot be comforted,
• not feeling better afterward five days and still has a fever, or was feeling meliorate and suddenly develops a new fever, or showing signs of the influenza and has a serious chronic illness.

Take your child immediately to a hospital emergency department or call 911 if your kid:

• has severe problem breathing or blue lips,
• is limp or unable to move,
• is difficult to wake upward or does not respond,
• has a potent neck,
• seems confused, or
• has a seizure (earthquake).

How can I preclude the spread of flu?

• Influenza tin exist prevented through immunization. Children over 6 months quondam should go a influenza shot each year.
• If there are children younger than 5 years former or someone with a serious chronic condition in your habitation, anybody living in the house should go a flu shot. This is peculiarly important if at that place are children under vi months quondam in the habitation, since babies this age can't get the flu shot themselves and could become infected if a family unit member gets the flu.
• Handwashing is the virtually important way to reduce the spread of viruses.
• Go along babies under three months erstwhile away from people who are sick, if possible.
• Teach your children to cover their olfactory organ and mouth with tissues when they sneeze or coughing, or to coughing into their upper sleeve or elbow.
• Avert sharing toys that immature children place in their mouths until the toys have been cleaned.
• Avoid sharing cups, utensils or towels until they have been washed.
• If your child attends daycare, tell the caregiver virtually any symptoms and ask if your child should stay home that twenty-four hours.
• Make sure your child receives all of the recommended vaccines. They will aid prevent some of the complications, such as bacterial infections of the ears or lungs.

Reviewed by the post-obit CPS committees

• Infectious Diseases and Immunization Committee

Last updated: August 2021

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Source: https://caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/health-conditions-and-treatments/influenza_in_children

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