Flu Epidemic Hits 19 States

Nearly 50% of Kids Will Get the Flu or Flu-Like Symptoms Nationally Recognized Pediatrician Offers Tips to Parents to Help Get Kids Back to Health

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According to the CDC, the first flu outbreak has hit -- with 19 states reporting cases of influenza. Close to 50% of kids will get the flu or flu- like symptoms this winter.

Dr. Paula Elbirt-Bender, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, provides "flu recovery tips" for parents on how to detect the flu in kids, how to treat it and when to notify the doctor.

What Every Parent Should Know About Dehydration and the Flu

Keeping Kids Out of Danger, Treating the Flu and Notifying the Doctor

• An average of 48% of children have flu or flu-like symptoms each winter.⁽¹⁾
  
  
• Studies show that during a flu epidemic, illness occurs first and most frequently among school-age children (ages 5-18) as compared with other age groups.⁽²⁾
  
  
• Cold and flu related diarrhea and vomiting is a significant cause of dehydration in children under 6 years of age.
  
  
• Dehydration occurs when the body loses more fluid than it is able to take in. This is often accompanied by an imbalance of body salts such as potassium or sodium.
  
  
• Signs of dehydration include: dry mouth, no tears when crying, decreased urination, lethargy and skin that is less elastic than usual. In infants, failure to produce a wet diaper after 8 hours or a sunken soft spot on the top of the head are additional signs of dehydration.
  
  
• Dehydration is a particular threat to infants and small children, whose loss of fluids is greater in proportion to their body weight than older children. Also, they are unable to communicate their lack of fluids effectively.
  
  
• Flu season officially begins in October and runs through the following April.
  
  
• Flu viruses are divided into three types - A, B and C. The viruses change from year to year, resulting in strains that have different symptoms each year. As a result, children seem to get the flu repeatedly, when in fact they are contracting different strains of the virus.
  
  
• While flu vaccinations are widely available, it is estimated that only 1%-7% of children receive them each year.⁽³⁾
  
  
• Children may also be at more risk for the complications of flu, such as bronchitis, pneumonia, and secondary bacterial infection, and thus for a greater number of hospital visits and absences from school.⁽⁴⁾
  
  

(1) Hall CB. Influenza: A Shot or Not? American Academy of Pediatrics 1987;79:564-566.

(2) Lenaway DD, Ambler A. Evaluation of a School-Based Influenza Surveillance System. Public Health Rep 1995; 110; 333-337.

(3) Hall CB. Influenza: A Shot or Not? American Academy of Pediatrics 1987;79:564-566.

(4) Hall CB. Influenza: A Shot or Not? American Academy of Pediatrics 1987;79:564-566.

CONTACT: Wendy Schwimmer, GCI Group, at 212-546-1430, or wschwimmer@gcigroup.com