FLU INFORMATION
What is the u?
Inuenza (the u) is an infecon of the nose, throat,
and lungs caused by inuenza viruses. There are
many dierent inuenza viruses that are constantly
changing. They cause illness, hospital stays and
deaths in the United States each year.
The u can be very dangerous for children. Each year
about 20,000 children younger than 5 years old are
hospitalized from u complicaons, like pneumonia.
How serious is the u?
Flu illness can vary from mild to severe. While the u
can be serious even in people who are otherwise healthy,
it can be especially dangerous for young children and
children of any age who have certain long term health
condions, including asthma (even mild or controlled),
neurological and neurodevelopmental
condions, chronic lung disease, heart disease, blood
disorders, endocrine disorders (such as diabetes), kidney,
liver, and metabolic disorders, and weakened immune
systems due to disease or medicaon. Children with these
condions and children who are receiving long-term
aspirin therapy can have more severe illness from the u.
How does the u spread?
Most experts believe that u viruses spread mainly by
droplets made when people with the u cough, sneeze
or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of
people who are nearby. Less oen, a person might get the
u by touching something that has u virus on it and then
touching their own mouth, eyes or nose.
What are the symptoms of the u?
Symptoms of the u can include fever, cough, sore throat,
runny or stuy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fague
and somemes voming and diarrhea. Some people with
the u will not have a fever.
How long can a sick person spread
the u to others?
People with the u may be able to infect others
by shedding virus from 1 day before geng sick to 5 to 7
days aer. However, children and people with weakened
immune systems can shed virus for longer, and might be
sll contagious past 5 to 7 days of being sick,
especially if they sll have symptoms.
PROTECT YOUR CHILD
How can I protect
my child against the u?
To protect against the u, the rst and most important
thing you can do is to get a u vaccine for yourself and
your child.
Vaccinaon is recommended for everyone 6 months
and older.
It’s especially important that young children and
children with long term health condions get vaccinated.
(See list of condions under “How Serious is the Flu?”)
Caregivers of children with health condions or of
children younger than 6 months old should get
vaccinated. (Babies younger than 6 months are too
young to be vaccinated themselves.)
Another way to protect babies is to vaccinate pregnant
women because research shows that this gives some
protecon to the baby both while the woman is
pregnant and for a few months aer the baby is born.
A new u vaccine is made each year to protect against
the u viruses that research indicates are most likely to
cause illness during the next u season. Flu vaccines are
made using strict safety and producon measures. Over
the years, millions of u vaccines have been given in the
United States with a very good safety record.
The Flu:
A Guide For Parents
For more informaon, visit www.cdc.gov/u or www.u.gov or call 800-CDC-INFO
Is there a medicine to treat the u?
Anviral drugs can treat u illness. They can make people
feel beer and get beer sooner and may prevent serious
u complicaons, like pneumonia, for example, that can
lead to hospitalizaon and even death. These drugs are
dierent from anbiocs, but they also need to be pre-
scribed by a doctor. They work best when started during
the rst 2 days of illness. It’s very important that anviral
drugs be used early to treat the u in people who are very
sick (for example people who are in the hospital) or peo-
ple who are at greater risk of having serious u complica-
ons. Other people with u illness may also benet from
taking anviral drugs. These drugs can be given to children
and pregnant women.
What are some of the other ways
I can protect my child against the u?
In addion to geng vaccinated, take – and encourage
your child to take – everyday steps that can help prevent
the spread of germs.
This includes:
Stay away from people who are sick.
If your child is sick with u-like illness, try to keep him or
her in a separate room from others in the household,
if possible.
CDC recommends that your sick child stay home for at
least 24 hours aer his or her fever is gone except to get
medical care or for other necessies. The fever should
be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.
Cover coughs and sneezes with a ssue. Throw the
ssue in the trash aer it has been used.
Wash hands oen with soap and water. If soap and
water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs
spread this way.
Keep surfaces like bedside tables, surfaces in the
bathroom, kitchen counters and toys for children clean
by wiping them down with a household disinfectant
according to direcons on the product label.
MAY 2013 | CS239139-A
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.
If your child is 5 years and older and does not have other
health problems and gets u-like symptoms, including a fe-
ver and/or cough, consult your doctor as needed and make
sure your child gets plenty of rest and drinks enough uids.
If your child is younger than 5 years (and especially younger
than 2 years) or of any age with a long term health condi-
on (like asthma, a neurological condion, or diabetes, for
example) and develops u-like symptoms, they are at risk
for serious complicaons from the u. Ask a doctor if your
child should be examined.
What if my child seems very sick?
Even children who have always been healthy
before or had the u before can get very sick
from the u.
Call for emergency care or take your child to a doctor
right away if your child of any age has any of the
warning or emergency signs below:
Fast breathing or trouble breathing
Bluish or gray skin color
Not drinking enough uids
(not going to the bathroom or not making
as much urine as they normally do)
Severe or persistent voming
Not waking up or not interacng
Being so irritable that the child
does not want to be held
Flu-like symptoms improve but then
return with fever and worse cough
Has other condions (like heart or lung disease,
diabetes,or asthma) and develops u symptoms,
including a fever and/or cough.
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 giving
the u to other children or caregivers.
When can my child go back to school
aer having the u?
Keep your child home from school, day care or camp for
at least 24 hours aer their fever is gone. (Fever should
be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.)
A fever is dened as 100°F (37.8°C) or higher.
These everyday steps are
a good way to reduce
your chances
of geng all sorts of
illnesses, but a yearly
u vaccine is always the
best way to specically
prevent the u.
