If your child is over four years old and is typically in a healthy condition, and they start to have flulike symptoms including a fever, cough, or body aches, consult your doctor as needed to make sure that they do not have the influence of virus. Regardless of the verdict, make sure your child gets plenty of rest and drink enough fluids.
If your child is younger than five years old, or has chronic medical problems, it is important that you take your child to the doctor immediately if they start to demonstrate flulike symptoms. Younger children or those with chronic medical conditions are at a higher risk of serious complications from the flu infection. It is important to talk to your doctor early in such cases.
The swine flu and even the seasonal flu can often be hard to detect. It is important you take your child to the doctor right away if your child has any of the following symptoms:
– Fast Breeding or Trouble Breathing
– Bluish or Gray Skin Color
– Not Drinking Enough Fluids
– Severe or Persistent Vomiting
– Being Lethargic, Not Waking up, Not Interacting with Others
– Showing Signs of Increased Irritability
– Typical Flulike Symptoms That Improve the Then Return with a Higher Fever or an Increased Cough
Especially with the swine flu and seasonal flu picking up steam during the school year, it is important that you keep your child home to rest whenever they experience flulike symptoms. This will both help your child to recover more quickly as well as to help stop the spread of flu to other children.
You should wait at least 24 hours after any fever has subsided. During his 24-hour period, the fever must be eliminated and not rising without the use of fever reducing medicine. A good rule of thumb is to consider anything over 100°F as a fever.
