THE FLU: WHAT CMS FAMILIES NEED TO KNOW
WHAT IS THE FLU?
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The flu is caused by the influenza virus, whichinfects the lungs, nose and throat
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Flu can cause mild to severe illness, andsometimes, can lead to death
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Each year in the United States:
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5-20 percent of Americans fall ill to the flu
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Children are two to three times more likelythan adults to get sick with the flu, and theyfrequently spread the virus to others
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Young children are at the greatest risk fordeveloping serious flu complications, as well asthe elderly and those with certain healthconditions
HOW DOES FLU SPREAD?
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There are two ways to get the flu. Usually flu isspread from person to person through coughingand sneezing. Occasionally, people can get theflu from touching a germ-infested surface
WHAT ARE THE COMMON SYMPTOMSOF FLU?
Often we get confused about the symptoms of theflu and how they are different from a common cold.Knowing the symptoms of the flu is important andwill help you act quickly to get your child feelingbetter faster
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Common symptoms of flu include: fever of 100degrees or higher, severe headache, muscleand body aches, exhaustion and dry cough
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Children often have additional flu symptomsthatare rare in adults, such as nausea, vomitingand diarrhea
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Symptoms of a common cold include: stuffynose, sneezing, sore throat and hacking cough
SIMPLE STEPS FOR KEEPING YOURCHILD HEALTHY
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According to the Centers for Disease Controland Prevention (CDC), the best way to preventyour child from getting the flu is to take him/herto get a flu vaccine
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You should talk to your child about practicinggood health habits, such as:
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Washing hands frequently with soap andwarm water for at least 20 seconds
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Covering mouth and nose with a tissue whensneezing or coughing, and disposing of thetissue in a proper trash receptacle
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Avoiding sharing drinks, water bottles orsilverware with others
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You can help prevent the flu from spreading athome by disinfecting frequently touchedsurfaces, toys and other commonly shareditems
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Also, if someone in your household gets the flu,a health care provider can prescribe amedication – called an antiviral – that canactually prevent other members of thehousehold from catching the flu
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Studies show that some antiviral medicationsare up to 89 percent effective in preventingthe flu when taken once daily for seven days
DON’T TAKE THE FLU LYING DOWN
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If you are concerned about your child’s flusymptoms, call your health care provider early.Call your health care provider immediately if your child has a chronic disease. Some childrenmay benefit from an antiviral medication, whichcan be prescribed by a health care provider andcan help lessen the duration of the virus andreduce the risk of complications, such aspneumonia
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To be effective, antiviral medication should betaken within 12-48 hours after flu symptomsbegin
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If your child has the flu, it is important forthem to stay home from school until theyhave been free of fever for at least 24hours without the use of fever-reducingmedicines. It is also important to get lotsof rest and drink plenty of fluids.
With flu season upon us, it is important that we work together to keep our children andschool healthy. By keeping our children flu-free, we benefit the community as a whole.Additionally, healthy students miss fewer days of school, which results in less stress on thefamily. Following are answers to frequently asked questions about the flu and how to help
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