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The Flu
A Guide for Parents
Influenza (also known as flu) is a contagious respiratory
illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat
and lungs. Flu is different from a cold, and usually comes on
suddenly. Each year flu viruses cause millions of illnesses,
hundreds of thousands of hospital stays and thousands or
tens of thousands of deaths in the United States.
Flu can be very dangerous for children. CDC estimates that
between 6,000 and 26,000 children younger than 5 years
have been hospitalized each year in the United States
because of influenza. The
flu vaccine is safe and helps
protect children from flu.
What Parents Should Know
How serious is flu?
While flu illness can vary from mild to severe, children
often need medical care because of flu. Children younger
than 5 years and children of any age with certain long-term
health problems are at high risk of flu complications like
pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus and ear infections. Some
health problems that are known to make children more
vulnerable to flu include asthma, diabetes and disorders
of the brain or nervous system.
How does flu spread?
Flu viruses are thought to spread mainly by droplets made
when someone with flu coughs, sneezes or talks. These
droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people nearby.
A person also can get flu by touching something that has flu
virus on it and then touching their mouth, eyes, or nose.
What are flu symptoms?
Flu symptoms can include fever, cough,
sore throat, runny or stuffy nose,
body aches, headache, chills,
feeling tired and sometimes
vomiting and diarrhea (more
common in children than adults).
Some people with the flu will not
have a fever.
Protect Your Child
How can I protect my child from flu?
The first and best way to protect against flu is to get a yearly
flu vaccine for yourself and your child.
- Flu vaccination is recommended for everyone 6 months and older every year. Flu shots and nasal spray flu vaccines are both options for vaccination.
- It's especially important that young children and children with certain long-term health problems get vaccinated.
- Caregivers of children at high risk of flu complications should get a flu vaccine. (Babies younger than 6 months are at high risk for serious flu complications, but too young to get a flu vaccine.)
- Pregnant women should get a flu vaccine to protect themselves and their baby from flu. Research shows that flu vaccination protects the baby from flu for several months after birth.
- Flu viruses are constantly changing and so flu vaccines are updated often to protect against the flu viruses that research indicates are most likely to cause illness during the upcoming flu season.
Is flu vaccine safe?
Flu vaccines are made using strict safety and production
measures. Millions of people have safely received flu
vaccines for decades. Flu shots and nasal spray flu vaccines
are both options for vaccination. Different types of flu
vaccines are licensed for different ages. Each person should
get one that is appropriate for their age. CDC and the
American Academy of Pediatrics recommend an annual flu
vaccine for all children 6 months and older.
What are the benefits of getting a flu vaccine?
- A flu vaccine can keep you and your child from getting sick. When vaccine viruses and circulating viruses are matched, flu vaccination has been shown to reduce the risk of getting sick with flu by about half.
- Flu vaccines can keep your child from being hospitalized from flu. One recent study showed that flu vaccine reduced children's risk of flu-related pediatric intensive care unit admission by 74%.
- Flu vaccine can prevent your child from dying from flu. A study using data from recent flu seasons found that flu vaccine reduced the risk of flu-associated death by half among children with high risk medical conditions and by nearly two-thirds among children without medical conditions.
- Flu vaccination also may make your illness milder if you do get sick.
- Getting yourself and your child vaccinated also can protect others who may be more vulnerable to serious flu illness, like babies and young children, older people, and people with certain long-term health problems.
What are some other ways I can protect my
child against flu?
In addition to getting a flu vaccine, you and your child
should take everyday actions to help prevent the spread
of germs.
Stay away from people who are sick as much as possible to
keep from getting sick yourself. If you or your child are sick,
avoid others as much as possible to keep from infecting
them. Also, remember to regularly cover your coughs
and sneezes, wash your hands often, avoid touching your
eyes, nose and mouth, and clean surfaces that may be
contaminated with flu viruses. These everyday actions can
help reduce your chances of getting sick and prevent the
spread of germs to others if you are sick. However, a yearly
flu vaccine is the best way to prevent flu illness.
If Your Child is Sick
What can I do if my child gets sick?
Talk to your doctor early if you are worried about your
child's illness.
Make sure your child gets plenty of rest and drinks
enough fluids.
If your child is 5 years or older and does not have a long-term
health problems and gets flu symptoms, including a
fever and/or cough, consult your doctor as needed.
Children younger than 5 years of age - especially those
younger than 2 years - and children with certain long-term
health problems (including asthma, diabetes and disorders
of the brain or nervous system), are at high risk of serious
flu complications. Call your doctor or take your child to the
doctor right away if they develop flu symptoms.
What if my child seems very sick?
Even healthy children can get very sick from flu. If your child
is experiencing the following emergency warning signs, you
should go to the emergency room:
- Fast breathing or trouble breathing
- Bluish lips or face
- Ribs pulling in with each breath
- Chest pain
- Severe muscle pain (child refuses to walk)
- Dehydration (no urine for 8 hours, dry mouth, no tears when crying)
- Not alert or interacting when awake
- Seizures
- Fever above 104°F
- In children less than 12 weeks, any fever
- Fever or cough that improve but then return or worsen
- Worsening of chronic medical conditions
This list is not all inclusive. Please consult your medical
provider for any other symptom that is severe or concerning.
Is there a medicine to treat flu?
Yes. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines that can be
used to treat flu illness. They can shorten your illness and
make it milder, and they can prevent serious complications
that could result in a hospital stay. Antivirals work best when
started during the first 2 days of illness. Antiviral drugs are
recommended to treat flu in people who are very sick (for
example, people who are in the hospital) or people who are
at high risk of serious flu complications who get flu symptoms.
Antivirals can be given to children and pregnant women.
How long can a sick person spread flu to others?
People with flu may be able to infect others from 1 day before
getting sick to up to 5 to 7 days after. Severely ill people or
young children may be able to spread the flu longer, especially if
they still have symptoms.
Can my child go to school, day care, or camp if
he or she is sick?
No. Your child should stay home to rest and to avoid spreading
flu to other children or caregivers.
When can my child go back to school after
having flu?
Keep your child home from school, day care, or camp for at
least 24 hours after their fever is gone. (The fever should be
gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.) A fever
is defined as 100°F (37.8°C)* or higher.
call 800-CDC-INFO
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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