Parents with school-going kids know all too well that schools and kindergartens are a hotbed for bacteria and viruses. Children play together in close quarters, share stationeries, food, etc.
Most kids are also not really diligent about washing their hands frequently.
Some infections, like the common cold, are mild and short-lived. Others, like influenza, can be dangerous for children. While falling sick is part and parcel of growing up, no one wishes to see their child suffer the serious complications of influenza. You could protect yourself and your family members from influenza with the flu vaccine.
Mommy, I don’t feel good today
These are surely the words that parents generally dread, especially if their child also appears tired, has a cough and fever, and says his body aches: which are all classic signs of influenza, or the flu.
Many parents mistake influenza for the common cold. Both share similar symptoms, but they are actually caused by different viruses. The other main difference between the flu and the cold is that the flu is much more serious, resulting in complications like pneumonia, as well as sinus and ear infections.
Children below the age of two years are at higher risk of hospitalisation from the flu, while those between two and five years are at high risk of the complications described above. There have been cases where children with chronic health problems, like asthma, nephrotic syndrome, etc, succumb to the complications of flu.
Is goes around quickly!
The flu virus is transmitted through droplets that travel through the air when sick individuals cough, sneeze or talk. A child may also get the flu by touching surfaces or toys which a person with influenza had touched, and then touching his/her own nose, mouth or eyes. The virus can stay alive on surfaces between two and eight hours.
When there is an outbreak of influenza in the community, school-aged children are the most vulnerable to being infected. Children are also a major source of influenza transmission, bringing the virus home and infecting their parents, siblings, grandparents and other family members.
Kids also harbour the virus for a longer period compared to adults, transmitting influenza for 10 or more days after their symptoms begin. Frequent episodes of the flu take a tremendous toll on the whole family. Children have to skip school, while parents have to take time off from work for costly doctor’s visits.
The flu shot: The best protection against flu
When your child falls ill, there is no way of knowing whether it is the harmless cold or the more serious influenza. That is why flu vaccination is the best way to protect your child and the whole family. Children below the age of six months are too young to get the vaccine. Protect them from flu by ensuring that older siblings and other family members, as well as carers at home, are vaccinated.
Don’t let the flu get the better of your kids or anyone else in your family! As the flu virus constantly mutates, they’ll have to get vaccinated every year, and so do you.
