Introduction
Flu Vaccine
Signs and Symptoms
Care at Home
What Can Help to Prevent the Flu
When Can My Child Go Back to School or Nursery?
Introduction
Flu (or influenza) is an infection caused by a strain of the influenza virus and it mainly affects the nose, throat and lungs, although it can involve other parts of the body.
It is very infectious and can be spread easily through the air by coughing and sneezing or touching surfaces infected by the virus.
A person with influenza is contagious from a day before the symptoms start until a few days after. In healthy children, it is much like a bad cold, however, influenza can cause serious illness, especially in young children and those with chronic (long term) medical conditions.
Influenza tends to occur in the colder months of the year and each year, infections are caused by slightly different strains of the virus. Occasionally, one of these strains can cause a more widespread outbreak.
Antibiotics are not helpful for influenza as they do not treat viruses.
Flu Vaccine
Your child will be offered the flu vaccine, if they:
- are aged 2 and over
- go to primary school
- are in years 8 to 12 of post-primary school
- are aged 6 months to 2 years and in a clinical risk group
All eligible children are encouraged to have the flu vaccine each winter.
This not only reduces the risk of them getting unwell with the flu but also reduces the risk of them transmitting it to family members.
After the elderly (aged over 75 years), children under the age of 5 years have the greatest risk of being admitted to hospital with flu.
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Signs and Symptoms
- Fever
- Headache
- Cough and noisy breathing
- Runny nose
- Sore throat
- Nausea and vomiting
- Dizziness
- Aches and pains
- Tiredness
Influenza can be more serious in children with chronic conditions, including:
- Chronic respiratory conditions (including asthma)
- Chronic heart disease
- Chronic neurological or metabolic conditions
- Chronic kidney or liver problems
- Diabetes
- Immunocompromised (have a weakened immune system due to medicines or illness)
Click here for more advice on Fever and High Temperature symptoms.
Care at Home
Most children recover from influenza within 7 days without any treatment. However, symptoms such as cough can last up to two weeks.
- Bed rest
- Encourage them to drink sugary fluid/ ice lollies if not eating, to avoid dehydration
- Give paracetamol or ibuprofen if the child is uncomfortable or in pain to make your child more comfortable. Use one and if your child has not improved 2-3 hours later you may want to try giving the other medicine. However, remember that fever is a normal response that may help the body to fight infection and paracetamol/ibuprofen will not get rid of it entirely.
- Cough medicines don’t usually work but children over 1 year can have a spoonful of honey dissolved in a warm drink half an hour before bedtime to sooth their throat to reduce coughing at night.
What Can Help to Prevent the Flu
- Flu vaccine each year
- Regular hand washing
- Not sharing cups or cutlery
- Encouraging children to sneeze into a tissue, dispose the tissue in a bin and wash their hands
When Can My Child Go Back to School or Nursery?
Children and young people with mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, or slight cough, who are otherwise well, can continue to attend their education setting.
However, if your child has a high temperature or is unwell, they should stay at home and avoid contact with other people, where they can.
They can go back to school or childcare and resume normal activities when they no longer have a high temperature and they are well enough to attend.