The flu season tends to be the most worrisome period for parents out there, especially as they try to ensure their kid’s health and well-being more than ever, but is it enough? Well, not always because sometimes, no matter how vigilant and careful you are, no preventive measures seem to be enough to protect your child from the flu. As kids often get sick with the flu, it is not recommended for kids with flu to attend school as this might lead to more children getting infected with the flu. Now in case you feel unsure about your kid’s health and want to know more about the flu, then this article is just for you. Read on now and know more about this flu.
Table of Contents
What Are the Symptoms Of Viral Fever?
Kids health gets more affected by the flu than just the cold. Generally, people start feeling sick after about 2 days of coming in contact with the virus. These are some common viral fever symptoms:
• Headache
• Chills
• Fever which comes out of nowhere
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Tiredness
• Muscle pain
• Ear ache
• Sore throat
• Runny nose
• Vomiting or nausea
• Loss of appetite
• Diarrhea
• Cough
What Are the Causes of The Flu, And Is It Contagious?
The flu has got its name from the virus itself that causes it- the influenza virus. This virus spreads when a person sneezes or coughs, and the infected droplets are then inhaled by another individual. In case these droplets land on any object like the door knob or a water bottle, they can then get transmitted to the next person touching it.
Now, if you are wondering how contagious this flu is, then the simple answer is it is very contagious. In the case of adults, it can spread from a couple of days before they get infected until the symptoms are completely gone. But in the case of children, it can be much longer.
The flu usually happens during the time of annual epidemics. Epidemics are when any illness spreads rapidly and infects masses in a given area at the same time. Epidemics, on the other hand, are when pandemics spread worldwide. In the recent pandemic, doctors strictly recommended the wearing of masks to stop the spread of any germs further. Kids of and above two years need to wear a mask when out in public and around other individuals. Wearing masks are an effective way of stopping the spread of flu.
How To Treat the Flu
It is recommended for kids to stay at home to get better. Here are some health tips for kids to make sure your child gets well soon:
- Your kid should take plenty of rest because there is no alternative to it.
- Make sure your child sleeps well and peacefully.
- Prevent dehydration by ensuring your child has enough liquids
- Consult a doctor who is going to recommend medicines like ibuprofen to get relief from aches and fever.
- Make sure the clothes that your child is wearing are easy to take off as kids with flu tend to feel hot and cold simultaneously.
How To Understand If It’s Time For Your Child To Go Back To School?
As parents, it is not that difficult to understand if your child is too sick to be attending classes, but it can turn out to be a task to understand whether your child is ready to go back to school or not yet. Sending your kid back to school too soon can end up not only delaying your child’s recovery but also will end up putting other kids in school at risk of getting infected. Here are some things to take into consideration before you send your kids to school:
• If your child’s fever has been under control for more than 24 hours without any medication, then your child is safe to go back to school. Just make sure your child isn’t showing any other symptoms of the flu.
• You can also send your child back to school if he/she is experiencing only the mind symptoms of the flu-like a runny nose. Just make sure you pack enough tissues and their prescribed medicine for school.
• As a parent, you can always tell when your kid is looking and acting better, and this should be enough for you to know if your kid is ready to head back to school.
• In case your child has already taken the medication, wait for 24 hours, and if there are no severe symptoms, it is a green signal to send your kid back to school.
As parents, it is important to be aware of health and hygiene for kids, and let’s face it, ultimately, you are the one who has to listen to their intuition and make the call of sending your kid to school when infected with the flu. So remember you know your child the best and listen to yourself, but still, if you feel a little unsure, you can always consult a paediatrician.
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