what to do when your child is sick?

Between two and six million people contract the flu virus each year in France. It can affect all categories of the population, including children. “Many people think that only children with chronic illnesses develop serious complications from the flu, but this is not the casewarns Dr Sabrina Ma, pediatrician, on the site of the Cleveland Clinic, in the United States. Thousands of children are hospitalized each year because of the flu, and many of them have no other health problems.” To limit the risk of complications, it is important to react from the first symptoms of flu in children.

Flu in children: what are the symptoms?

According to the Ministry of Health, the main symptom of flu in children is fever above 38.5°. In infants under 6 months of age, it can also manifest as refusal or difficulty feeding.

Certain more serious symptoms should alert you:

• shortness of breath at rest;
• difficulty breathing;
• the reappearance of a fever after improvement of symptoms;
• the occurrence of a productive cough with purulent sputum or with the presence of blood;
• diarrhea;
• dehydration;
• disorders of consciousness.

Treatment of the flu in children: what to do?

To confirm the diagnosis, it is essential to consult a doctor. If contamination is confirmed, Health Insurance gives some advice on how to treat the flu in children.

To relieve fever, place it in a cool, ventilated room (between 18 and 20°C) and avoid overheated rooms. “Don’t cover it too much; remove layers of clothing to allow heat to escape and lower their body temperature, she alerts. Don’t undress him completely, because then he might get too cold and start shivering.” You should avoid cold baths (2°C below your temperature), as this risks causing shivers. It is important to give enough fluids to avoid dehydration.

At the same time, the Ministry of Health recalls that it is necessary to strengthen hygiene measures at home by ventilating the rooms and washing your hands regularly. “Protect those around you, particularly other children and pregnant women, by keeping them at a distance (avoid kisses and any contact)“, he recommends.

Some children remain contagious for up to two weeks after infection. To limit the risks, the child must have had no fever for at least 24 hours, and no vomiting or diarrhea for the same period of time, before returning them to school or their childcare facility. .

Flu in children: what medications to use?

The main treatment for the flu in children is fever medication. “Paracetamol is the recommended medication apart from its contraindications for use: a maximum of 60 mg per kilo per day, divided into four or six doses, i.e. approximately 15 mg/kg every six hours or 10 mg/ kg every four hours”underlines Health Insurance.

If, despite these various measures, you notice a worsening of the symptoms or their persistence, you must consult again or call the SAMU in an emergency. On average, the flu in children lasts between seven and ten days.