It hasn’t gotten us in about 4 years, but when the flu gets you, you remember. The flu was probably as sick as my kids have ever been. This winter it started early. Here’s a few tips to keep you ahead of the game:
1. Tell your kids to wash their hands more often because of the flu. Discuss what the flu looks like in others- if they see a red-faced kid with snot everywhere, explain to them to stay our of their face.
2. Stay home if you have it! We’ve all seen victims of the flu at the library, the store, etc. Please stop! A person with the flu is contagious for about a day before symptoms begin and for about five days after.
3. Notice the signs- a sudden, high fever is usually the first symptom of the flu. If your child already had coughing or congestion, it may just be a cold. For us, the flu was immediate and debilitating. Kids slept for most of the day.
4. If you have a baby, follow this advice found on BabyCenter.com:
Call your baby’s doctor if your baby:
- Is younger than 3 months old and has a fever of 100.4 degrees F or higher. A baby this young needs to be checked for serious infection or disease.
- Is between 3 and 6 months old and has a fever of 101 degrees F or higher.
- Is 6 months or older and has a fever of 103 degrees F or higher.
- Has any fever that lasts longer than three days.
- Develops a cough that is not improving after a week.
- Develops signs of the flu and is HIV-positive or has a chronic illness (such as cancer; sickle-cell anemia; diabetes; or heart, lung, or kidney disease).
- Develops signs of the flu and has rheumatoid arthritis or Kawasaki disease, both of which are treated with long-term aspirin therapy. (In such cases, the benefits of aspirin outweigh the tiny risk of Reye’s syndrome.)
- Seems to have an earache. (He may pull on his ear and fuss.)
- Is wheezing or seems to be working harder than usual to breathe.
- Becomes sick again soon after bouncing back from the flu. (He may have a secondary infection that needs to be treated.)
- Shows any signs of dehydration.
