Flu Information

The H1N1 flu seems to have come and gone. After seeing a large numbers of sick children in the fall of 2009, there has been very little flu activity across the US this Winter. One thing that H1N1 has taught us, is that influenza can be very unpredictable. No one knows for sure whether H1N1 will return or not. The H1N1 strain will likely be included in next years flu vaccine, so hopefully we will not see another outbreak like we experienced in the past year.

More up to date information on H1N1 can be found at the CDC's H1N1 website.

Flu Symptoms

Both the seasonal flu virus and the H1N1 strain of the flu have similar symptoms. Symptoms include the following:

• Fever
• Cold symptoms (runny or stuffy nose, cough, sore throat)
• Body aches
• Fatigue and chills
• Vomiting and diarrhea in some people

Symptoms that Require Medical Evaluation

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish or gray skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

Which Children Need Medicine for the Flu?

There are medications that can lessen the severity of the flu (Tamiflu). Most children do not need treatment. Ultimately, the flu is a virus and like other viruses the body must fight it off. Current recommendations for who needs treatment are as follows:

• Children under 2 years of age
• Children from 2-5 years old who have moderate to severe symptoms
• Any child who has asthma or other chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes, chronic breathing problems, cerebral palsy, or cancer.
• Any child who requires hospitalization for the flu

The earlier the flu medicine is started, the more likely it will shorten the illness or lessen the severity. There is diminishing effectiveness of the flu medicines after the 1st 48 hours of the illness. If your child has any of the above risk factors contact our office as soon as you suspect your child may have the flu.

Testing for the Flu

The existing office flu tests are not very good at detecting the H1N1 strain of the flu. Depending on the test used and at what time in the illness the test is obtained, current test will detect the H1N1 flu virus accurately somewhere between 40-70 percent of the time. For this reason, the majority of cases of H1N1 will be diagnosed based on the symptoms the child has and not based on an office lab test.

When Can My Child Return to School?

A general rule of thumb is that people with the flu should remain home until they have not had a fever for over 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications (acetaminophen or ibuprofen). It is not unusual for the fever with the flu to last 3 to 5 days.