Influenza
Influenza is a viral disease that attacks the respiratory tract. The influenza virus is divided into three types: A, B, and C, with A being the strain responsible for the majority of seasonal flu cases. Every year, just before winter, the incidence of infectious diseases of the respiratory tract increases, including seasonal influenza. While influenza can affect people at any age, infants and children under the age of 5 are at high risk of developing complications as a result of the infection.
Parents should become familiar with the symptoms of the disease, the method of treatment, and possible complications. More importantly, they must be aware of the importance of prevention through vaccination against influenza and of several simple rules of conduct.
Possible symptoms
Influenza does not show any symptoms at first. Typical symptoms consist of:
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Extreme weakness and fatigue -
High fever (over 38 degrees) -
Muscle pain -
Headache -
Dry cough -
Sore throat
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Runny or stuffy nose -
Loss of appetite -
Upset stomach and diarrhea
At-risk groups
Influenza is a potentially fatal disease, particularly for several groups in the population who are at high risk of developing complications:
- Infants and children under the age of 5.
- Pregnant women and postpartum women (up to 3 months following childbirth).
- Elderly people.
- Immunosuppressed people.
For infants and children, it is important to note that the chances of complications are even higher when there is another chronic underlying illness, such as chronic lung disease, including asthma, hematological diseases and endocrine diseases including diabetes.
Transmission
Patients with influenza are considered to be contagious from the day before the onset of the first symptoms (sometimes even earlier) and for up to 5 days after the onset of the symptoms. Influenza is spread through droplets; in other words, coughing, runny nose, and sneezing spread the virus in the patient’s environment and cause influenza. Anyone inhaling these droplets or who has come into contact through the nose or mouth may contract the disease. Another way the virus spreads is by coming into contact with a surface touched by a person with influenza, such as a door handle or elevator button, and then touching your nose or mouth.
Diagnosis
Influenza is generally diagnosed through a clinical examination by a physician.
For patients in the community and those who are hospitalized, a swab PCR test is generally performed.
Important to emphasize: there are other viral respiratory tract diseases that cause flu-like symptoms, but the risk of severe morbidity, complications, and mortality from influenza is even higher.
Duration
Influenza generally lasts about one week.
Treatment
If your child has influenza, it is first and foremost important that they rest and drink enough fluids. If you want to give an over-the-counter medicine to relieve the symptoms of the disease, first consult a pediatrician, and under no circumstances should you give a medication that contains aspirin, which can cause serious complications.
In the case of influenza in children who are immunosuppressed or or who have underlying diseases, you should also consult a pediatrician.
Critical symptoms
There are several symptoms that may appear in sick infants and children that require seeking immediate medical attention:
- Rapid breathing or respiratory difficulty.
- Cyanotic skin tone.
- Difficulty waking up or lack of response to the environment (apathetic).
- extreme irritability to the point where they won't let the parent hold them.
- Insufficient fluid intake, to the point of dehydration.
- No urination or tearless crying.
- Severe or continual vomiting.
- If symptoms of the disease improve but return with even higher fever or more severe cough.
Complications
The main and most common complication of influenza is pneumonia.
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Other possible complications
- Middle ear infection.
- Sinusitis.
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Rare complications
- Myocarditis.
- Encephalitis.
- Reye Syndrome.
- Guillain Barre Syndrome.
Prevention
There are several ways to reduce the risk of getting the flu:
- Flu vaccine: Every year, usually in the fall, you can get a flu shot at HMOs. The vaccine is also offered to children in grades 2–4 at school through student health services, providing good protection against the flu strains expected that winter. Vaccination is especially important for at-risk groups, such as children from six months to five years old and pregnant women (the vaccine protects both mother and baby)—in fact, it is the best way to protect infants and children from the flu. Keep in mind that the vaccine does not provide immediate protection; it takes about two weeks to become effective, so it’s recommended to get vaccinated early in the fall. Protection lasts 6–8 months, so yearly vaccination is advised.
Important to know: Since COVID-19 became part of our lives, it’s even more important to get a flu shot before winter to avoid overlapping illnesses. You can receive the flu vaccine and the COVID-19 vaccine at the same time or close together.
- Handwashing: Washing hands often reduces the chance of getting or spreading the flu. Wash thoroughly with soap and water, especially before eating, before handling food, after using the restroom, after contact with secretions, after coughing or sneezing, and after touching used tissues. If soap and water aren’t available, use an alcohol-based gel or wet wipes. Make sure to cover the whole hand with gel and wait until your hands are dry.
- Cover mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing: Avoid using your hands; use a tissue and throw it away. If no tissue is available, sneeze into your elbow, not your hand, to reduce the risk of spreading the virus when touching shared surfaces.
- Stay home when sick: If you start feeling ill, avoid going out and keep sick children home from school or childcare. Only return to normal activities once you feel better.
