The flu or influenza is a common respiratory infection that affects children. It is a seasonal virus, causing infection between the late fall and late spring seasons. Droplets easily transmit the virus when children cough or sneeze, particularly if in closed quarters, for example in school or day care. The virus can also lay on surfaces for a long time, increasing the chances of contagion.
Types
There are three types of flu virus that affect humans: influenza A, B and C. Influenza A and B are the main cause of annual epidemics among humans. Influenza C only causes mild symptoms and does not cause epidemics. The influenza A virus is further divided into subtypes, based on two proteins at the surface of the virus, hemagglutinin (H) and the neuraminidase (N). These help identify the virus. For example, the new influenza virus of 2009 was influenza AH1N1. The seasonal influenza A virus is H3N2.
Symptoms
Children with the flu can have fever, runny nose and a dry cough. Other symptoms include sore throat, body aches, tiredness, headaches and vomiting. Children can become dehydrated due to decreased intake of fluids. Also, fever can cause them to have hallucinations, chills or become listless.
Complications
Children can become severely ill with respiratory distress and pneumonia. Symptoms of severe flu include rapid shallow breathing and retractions (tugging in of the abdominal and chest muscles to try and improve air exchange). Children in respiratory distress can become tired and listless, decreasing their ability to breathe and putting them at risk of respiratory arrest with apnea (periods of absence of respiratory effort).
Considerations
Children with chronic conditions like asthma and congenital heart disease are at risk of severe infection with the flu. It is important to distinguish the symptoms of flu from the symptoms of these conditions and identify signs of severe disease early. Prompt attention in these circumstances can prevent rapid deterioration, hospitalization and even death.
Prevention/Solution
The best form of prevention against the influenza virus is yearly vaccination. The virus changes every year, so the vaccine changes to protect against the prevalent strain of the virus for that year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend yearly vaccination for everyone age six months or older. This is especially important for people with high-risk conditions, like children with asthma and other chronic health conditions. Children less than six months of age have a high-risk of serious complications with the flu, but they cannot get the vaccine, so their caregivers should be vaccinated to avoid acquiring the infection.
