We in the Bay Area are now officially in the throes of the flu season.
What helps distinguish influenza from a bad cold is the abrupt onset of fever (temperature >100.4F in babies and >101.3F in kids and adults), chills, body aches, headaches, and fatigue, followed a short time later by runny/stuffy nose, dry hacking cough, and sore throat.
Knowing how to recognize influenza symptoms, how to prevent the spread to others, how to decide to use antiviral medication, how long to keep your child home, how sick is too sick for school, how to choose sanitizers/ disinfectants, and many other resources can be found in this article from the AAP’s excellent healthychildren.org website.
By Sky Pittson, MD
