Influenza Illness
Influenza Information Sheet
What is Influenza? Influenza is a collection of viruses that cause upper respiratory infections, usually in the winter time. You can expect the illness to start with chills which causes the body to generate lots of heat and therefore a fever. Fever is often to 104 or 105 F. Headache and general body and joint achiness follows with a non productive cough. Soon sore throat, runny nose and a worsening cough symptoms begin. Pink eye, abdominal pain, vomiting especially after bad coughing can all occur. And now for the bad news, it can last for 7 to 10 days. Characteristic of Influenza is the unusual fever pattern it can cause. The first phase, with high fever, lasts for 3-4 days, then comes a break for one day and the fever returns for another 3-5 days. The second phase has less fever but the cough really sounds bad and is the main thing people complain about with Influenza.How contagious is Influenza?
Unfortunately, Influenza is very contagious, incubating in as little as 3 days. It spreads rapidly across the country each winter. Since we are in a large metropolitan area with two wonderful airports that can take you everywhere in the world, "presents" from afar can come here rapidly also. Influenza is spread by respiratory droplets when you sneeze or cough. They can live on surfaces for hours. Doorknobs, elevator buttons, rails and just about any surface your child touches has been touched by others as well. Patients are contagious during the entire illness which includes the second phase with the terrible cough. Do not assume that you are not contagious on that blessed third or fourth day when fever temporarily is down.
Prevention
Avoiding ill people is the answer. Good luck! Good hand washing practices before every meal or snack helps as does not eating in areas known to harbor germs and that includes the doctor's office. Avoid other people's drinking cups, sport bottles and do not eat off other's plates. Do not have your sick child sleep next to you or in your bed or there will be more sick people soon! Getting plenty of rest, eating healthy foods and exercising are always good ideas to stay healthy. (We really did not have to tell you that.)
Treatment
Treatment consists of the usual symptomatic relief of fever, runny noses and that horrible cough. See our dosing chart for the correct doses for all of the medicines. We get a lot of calls for "The medicines are not working, doctor". Please follow the guidelines on this chart paying attention to dose and frequency of medicines and which ones can be given together. They really do help - but not if the right amounts or frequencies are not followed. Never give ASPIRIN products to a child (less than 21 years old). Aspirin and Influenza together can cause Reye Syndrome which is a very rare neurological illness characterized by rapid deterioration in mental awareness, often violent behavior and vomiting, coma and even death.
Worrisome signs and when to call the doctor
Fever not responding to Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen in the correct doses and frequencies (see the Doctor's Dosing Chart for correct dosing) or generally worsening conditions of the child 's health should prompt a call to the doctor. If the symptoms are just slightly worse, you might please your doctor and call during regular hours. Remember that fevers generally peak for the day around 5-7 PM and are lowest around 8 AM. Fast breathing (infants more than 50 breaths per minute, older children more than 40/minute) should prompt a call as would wheezing or not drinking for long periods of time. Ear pulling, rash, red eyes, or more symptoms appearing should prompt a call also.
Vaccines for Influenza have been difficult to make because these viruses change frequently making the vaccines less effective or completely ineffective. 60-80% effectiveness is usual (this is less than most other vaccines). The vaccine takes at least 7-10 days to make immunity. So, vaccinating about a month before Influenza season begins makes the most sense. This is ideally in October and early November. Inactivated Influenza vaccine has been around for decades and works well. A new nasally inhaled Live Attenuated Influenza vaccine came on the market at the end of 2003.
A word about the media.
Media hype is media hype. Sometimes it is hard to respond in a rational way, even for our friends in the media. Some years runny noses and a cough make us all turn on the TV as though it were brand new. Real medical news rarely comes from the TV or radio.
What is Influenza? Influenza is a collection of viruses that cause upper respiratory infections, usually in the winter time. You can expect the illness to start with chills which causes the body to generate lots of heat and therefore a fever. Fever is often to 104 or 105 F. Headache and general body and joint achiness follows with a non productive cough. Soon sore throat, runny nose and a worsening cough symptoms begin. Pink eye, abdominal pain, vomiting especially after bad coughing can all occur. And now for the bad news, it can last for 7 to 10 days. Characteristic of Influenza is the unusual fever pattern it can cause. The first phase, with high fever, lasts for 3-4 days, then comes a break for one day and the fever returns for another 3-5 days. The second phase has less fever but the cough really sounds bad and is the main thing people complain about with Influenza.How contagious is Influenza?
Unfortunately, Influenza is very contagious, incubating in as little as 3 days. It spreads rapidly across the country each winter. Since we are in a large metropolitan area with two wonderful airports that can take you everywhere in the world, "presents" from afar can come here rapidly also. Influenza is spread by respiratory droplets when you sneeze or cough. They can live on surfaces for hours. Doorknobs, elevator buttons, rails and just about any surface your child touches has been touched by others as well. Patients are contagious during the entire illness which includes the second phase with the terrible cough. Do not assume that you are not contagious on that blessed third or fourth day when fever temporarily is down.
Prevention
Avoiding ill people is the answer. Good luck! Good hand washing practices before every meal or snack helps as does not eating in areas known to harbor germs and that includes the doctor's office. Avoid other people's drinking cups, sport bottles and do not eat off other's plates. Do not have your sick child sleep next to you or in your bed or there will be more sick people soon! Getting plenty of rest, eating healthy foods and exercising are always good ideas to stay healthy. (We really did not have to tell you that.)
Treatment
Treatment consists of the usual symptomatic relief of fever, runny noses and that horrible cough. See our dosing chart for the correct doses for all of the medicines. We get a lot of calls for "The medicines are not working, doctor". Please follow the guidelines on this chart paying attention to dose and frequency of medicines and which ones can be given together. They really do help - but not if the right amounts or frequencies are not followed. Never give ASPIRIN products to a child (less than 21 years old). Aspirin and Influenza together can cause Reye Syndrome which is a very rare neurological illness characterized by rapid deterioration in mental awareness, often violent behavior and vomiting, coma and even death.
Worrisome signs and when to call the doctor
Fever not responding to Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen in the correct doses and frequencies (see the Doctor's Dosing Chart for correct dosing) or generally worsening conditions of the child 's health should prompt a call to the doctor. If the symptoms are just slightly worse, you might please your doctor and call during regular hours. Remember that fevers generally peak for the day around 5-7 PM and are lowest around 8 AM. Fast breathing (infants more than 50 breaths per minute, older children more than 40/minute) should prompt a call as would wheezing or not drinking for long periods of time. Ear pulling, rash, red eyes, or more symptoms appearing should prompt a call also.
Vaccines for Influenza have been difficult to make because these viruses change frequently making the vaccines less effective or completely ineffective. 60-80% effectiveness is usual (this is less than most other vaccines). The vaccine takes at least 7-10 days to make immunity. So, vaccinating about a month before Influenza season begins makes the most sense. This is ideally in October and early November. Inactivated Influenza vaccine has been around for decades and works well. A new nasally inhaled Live Attenuated Influenza vaccine came on the market at the end of 2003.
A word about the media.
Media hype is media hype. Sometimes it is hard to respond in a rational way, even for our friends in the media. Some years runny noses and a cough make us all turn on the TV as though it were brand new. Real medical news rarely comes from the TV or radio.