8 Ways to Soothe a Sick Kid

Last updated on February 28th, 2018 at 10:27 pm

No mom wants her child to feel miserable — and the common cold can really wipe a kid out! Fortunately, combining a few simple moves with time-tested remedies can help ease your little one’s symptoms. So the next time she starts coughing and sneezing, try these savvy tricks to soothe your sick kid in no time.

1. Push an ice pop. “This frozen treat can help soothe a sore throat, plus provide extra fluid to prevent dehydration,” says Dr. Susan Besser, a family physician in Memphis, Tenn., and a mother of six. Giving your child plenty of liquids will also help thin out mucus, making it easier to cough it up.

2. Choose the right remedy. An over-the-counter medication is one of the best ways to relieve cough and cold; just make sure to check the label for age restrictions. A multi-symptom drug is useful in many cases, but don’t assume that it’s a one-size-fits-all treatment. “If your child isn’t experiencing each of the ailments listed on the box, you’re giving her unnecessary meds,” says Besser. “That may cause uncomfortable side effects, like insomnia or nausea.” She advises matching up your child’s specific symptoms with the medicine you give her.

3. Use an extra pillow. “Elevating a child’s head will keep those nasal secretions flowing forward and out of the nose,” says Dr. Peter I. Liber, a pediatrician in Wheaton, Ill., and a father of four. That can prevent postnasal drip from turning into a cough — and help her sleep more soundly.

4. Have a cooldown. While waiting for that acetaminophen or ibuprofen to kick in, a cold washcloth or icy drink can provide relief for a feverish child. Skip the cool bath, though: Liber explains that may raise his core temperature — and actually worsen fever.

5. Soothe with steam. “Adding moisture to the air can help loosen up congestion,” says Besser. Keep a vaporizer or humidifier in your child’s room, and remember to change the water daily to prevent bacteria growth. Or run a hot shower and let her sit in the fogged-up bathroom for up to 15 minutes.

6. Teach good hankie habits. “Clamping your nose with a tissue and blowing forcefully can lead to nosebleeds or even a ruptured eardrum,” cautions Besser. Instruct your child to clear her nose gently. While you’re at it, remind her to toss the tissue in the trash afterwards and wash her hands to avoid spreading germs.

7. Calm with creams. Turns out those mentholated topical ointments and creams your own mom gave you really do work. According to a recent study, sick kids whose parents applied a vapor rub to their chest 30 minutes before bedtime slept better, breathed easier and coughed less throughout the night than those who didn’t. Just make sure to follow the directions on the package, and avoid using in and around the nose.

8. Protect his nose. You can’t always help whether your little guy uses a tissue or his sleeve to wipe his nose. “But you can keep his nostrils from getting red,” says Liber. He suggests applying a thin layer of petroleum jelly beneath his nose and on the outside of his nostrils to keep the skin from becoming chapped.

Team up With Schools to Fight Flu Season

Last updated on March 3rd, 2018 at 12:41 pm

This cold and flu season, kids are at risk of picking up more than just math and reading skills at school. The good news is that many school districts have been preparing for a potential pandemic influenza outbreak for a few years, so they’re ready to tackle this year’s challenging season, says Dr. Lani Wheeler, executive member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on School Health. “Most schools and school districts are doing a great job.”

But as a proactive parent, you can look for specific things — and take some vitally important steps — to ensure your child’s school is in the best possible position to keep cold and flu bouts to a minimum this year.

What to Look for

• School bathrooms should be well-supplied with plenty of soap and paper towels. A recent study found that washing hands without soap is virtually worthless in terms of fighting germs. Completely drying hands is also vital, as viruses are more apt to survive and multiply on a moist surface.
• Every classroom for young children such as preschoolers or kindergartners should have a sink so they can wash hands frequently. Critical hand washing times include before and after group play, outdoor play, snack time, lunch and bathroom breaks. If a classroom does not have a sink, the school should provide plenty of alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizers should be stored beyond the reach of young children because ingesting this substance could cause serious side effects.
• All students’ schedules should allow plenty of time to wash hands on a regular basis, especially before lunch.
• Young children, and even middle school and high school students, should be reminded often by teachers to cough and sneeze into the inside of their elbow. This will help prevent the spread of colds and flu to other kids.

What You Can Do

• Attend the next Parent Teacher Association (PTA) meeting and share your concerns. Use this as an opportunity to connect with other parents and organize an email list of parents interested in health-related topics. Appoint one parent as the liaison between your group and the school nurse so information can be passed along quickly and efficiently.
• Check with your child’s teacher to see if there is anything she needs. For example, the limited school budget may create a shortage of soap and germ-fighting supplies. To help, organize a fundraiser to pay for supplies. When it comes to their children’s health, parents are almost always happy to assist.
• If you have the financial means, take a supply of extra strong tissues to your child’s classroom. When kids blow their noses, it’s important that the tissue doesn’t rip apart. A broken tissue could allow germs from the nose to transfer to the hands. Once on the hands, germs can easily spread in a highly contagious environment such as a classroom.
• Confirm that your child’s teacher and school have updated contact information for your family, including email addresses; home, work and cell phone numbers; and a backup emergency contact. In the event of a flu outbreak or school closure, you may need to be reached during the day. It’s important that your child’s school has all relevant information, especially if you have recently changed jobs or moved.
• Check your school’s Web site for updates and information on flu-related news. Make sure you are always up to date on communications from the school.
• Gather a list of school faculty contact numbers and resources. If an outbreak occurs, you won’t have time to scramble for contact information.
• Make sure your child’s school has an action plan in place and is prepared for an outbreak. The school nurse or principal can typically answer your questions or concerns. Schools should communicate with the local health department to determine school closures and be prepared to separate students and staff members who exhibit flu-like symptoms while at school. If no plan is in place, contact your local health department so its representatives can work with your school nurse and administrators.
• Talk personally to your child’s teacher and make sure he or she is prepared to provide parents with at-home assignments for students who have to miss more than a few days of school.

Every school is bound to be hit by one or more outbreaks, but being prepared and working closely with teachers and administrators can help make this flu season go by with as few sniffles as possible.

Seasonal Flu and Swine Flu Fundamentals

Last updated on March 3rd, 2018 at 12:51 pm

To keep your family healthy and safe this flu season, it’s important to know all you can about the two types of influenza circulating. Seasonal flu and H1N1 (swine flu) share some important similarities, but they also differ in critical ways. Here are the flu fundamentals on everything from symptoms to prevention.

Seasonal and Swine Flu Differences

Who’s at risk: Seasonal flu and swine flu appear to infect different populations. For seasonal flu, the elderly are the most likely to contract the virus and to develop complications. For swine flu, children and young adults are at highest risk. “While older adults can get H1N1, it is infecting those 25 and younger at a much higher rate,” explains Dr. Aaron Milstone, an infectious disease specialist at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore.

Vaccines: Because swine flu and seasonal flu are different illnesses, they involve two separate flu vaccines. That means there is one vaccine to protect against seasonal flu and a second to prevent H1N1. Both vaccines can be delivered by either nasal spray or injection.

Seasonal and Swine Flu Similarities

Symptoms: Both viruses usually trigger fever, cough, runny nose or congestion, and body aches. “The viruses are very similar in terms of the symptoms they cause,” says Dr. Matthew Davis, associate professor of pediatrics and internal medicine at the Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit of the University of Michigan Medical School.

Red-flag warnings: Most people with swine flu and seasonal flu get a mild illness that might make them feel miserable for a few days but isn’t life-threatening. But with both types of flu, it’s important to watch for red-flag warning signs that suggest a person is developing severe complications.

• In children, look for fast breathing or breathing difficulty. Also, act fast if skin appears bluish or the child has a fever with a rash. Failure to wake up or interact, and extreme irritability, are also warning signs. In addition, symptoms that improve but then return with fever and a worse cough need immediate attention.
• In adults, red flags include breathing difficulty, pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen, sudden dizziness, confusion, or severe or persistent vomiting.

Prevention: Both viruses are transmitted through tiny amounts of mucus released when you talk, sneeze or cough, explains Dr. Robert W. Frenck Jr., professor of pediatrics in the division of infectious diseases at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. You can prevent the spread of both flu viruses by developing these healthy habits:

• Wash your hands. Several times a day, wash your hands with soap and water, especially before eating. If you don’t have sink access, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Cover your cough. If you feel the urge to cough or sneeze, cover your mouth with a tissue and then throw the tissue away. If you don’t have a tissue handy, cough into your elbow.
• Stay home. If you get sick, plan on staying home for four days, or until the fever has been gone for 24 hours without the aid of fever-reducing medication.
• Get vaccinated. “Vaccination is the best way to prevent influenza, whether it’s seasonal flu or H1N1,” says Dr. Davis. To find H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccination clinics near you, contact your local or state health department.

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Pediatric Safety Editor’s Notes

• With regards to vaccinations for the 2010-2011 flu season, the CDC states that “Each year, the seasonal influenza vaccine contains three influenza viruses – one influenza A (H3N2) virus, one influenza A (H1N1) virus, and one influenza B virus. The 2009 H1N1 influenza virus strain is included in the 2010-2011 seasonal flu vaccine because scientists continue to see this virus strain circulate in the U.S.” UPDATE: The H1N1 vaccine was included in the 2010-2011 seasonal flu shot

• For the latest information on the flu, please visit Flu.gov on our Awareness page.

Spotting Your Child’s Cold and Flu Symptoms at Every Age

Last updated on August 29th, 2015 at 09:06 pm

When adults get hit with the flu, there’s no mistaking it. You’re feverish, your head feels stuffed up and you ache everywhere. But with kids, the signs aren’t always as easy to detect.

“Young children with the flu can run the whole gamut of symptoms,” says Dr. Martha Snyder, a pediatrician and assistant professor of pediatrics at Duke University School of Medicine. “Some children have the mildest of mild symptoms, while for others, symptoms are very severe.”

Below is your guide to spotting flu symptoms no matter what your child’s age, and ways to bring relief.

Infants Under Six Months

Babies in the first six months of life are at the greatest risk of complications from the flu, says Snyder, because their immune system is not fully mature yet and their very small airway makes it easy for them to experience respiratory distress.

If your infant has a fever, call your doctor and watch for other signs of illness, such as dehydration. “When babies this age don’t feel good, they usually don’t want to drink,” she adds. Provide plenty of water to keep an infant hydrated.

Children Six Months to 2 Years

Kids under the age of 2 who come down with the flu often have respiratory symptoms (cough, runny nose, sneezing), high fevers (sometimes as high as 104 F), diarrhea and vomiting. “But while many kids have all of these symptoms, others may only have one,” says Snyder.

Recognizing the early signs in toddlers is especially important, she says, because they can also get dangerously dehydrated very quickly. In addition, because of their smaller airways, babies can quickly progress to having wheezing and labored breath, which requires medication. Signs that a child’s breathing is compromised include wheezing, fast breathing or shortness of breath, and nose flaring.

Children 2 to 4 Years

A child who can’t talk yet (or can’t talk well) obviously can’t tell you that his body aches all over, so you need to be alert for behavioral changes, says Snyder. For instance, in many cases, children with the flu will have shaking chills and refuse to walk, because their legs are very achy.

“With kids under the age of 4, you really have to watch them to see how they’re acting. Respond to anything that seems out of the ordinary,” adds Snyder. “Young kids often have a limp look to them. Or they’re so uncomfortable they just want to be held.”

Children 4 to 6

Once kids can tell you how they feel, listen for complaints similar to an adult’s. But be aware that if your child is under the age of 6, oral over-the-counter cold and flu medications are not recommended. “You should never give children this age decongestants, cough suppressants and other OTC cold remedies, because of the side effects,” says Snyder.

But there are other things you can do. “It’s OK to give your child acetaminophen or ibuprofen for fever or pain reduction,” adds Snyder. It’s also safe to apply topical soothers to help relieve symptoms. And some children don’t mind saline nasal sprays for stuffy noses but be careful not to use them too often (more than six times a day), since overuse can cause swelling of a child’s nasal passages.

Other beneficial non-drug treatments for colds and flu include chamomile tea with honey, and a cool mist humidifier. Just be sure to use one that has a humidity gauge and to keep the level at no higher than around 50 percent to avoid a mold problem.

Children Over 6

For children over the age of 6, symptoms are essentially the same as adults’. And at this point, OTC decongestants and cough suppressants are generally safe, although they’re not recommended for children with certain health conditions. For instance, if your child is taking medication for ADHD, ask your doctor before giving your kid a decongestant, since the combination of the two drugs has been shown to cause heart problems.

In addition, kids with asthma or any kind of respiratory problem should stay away from cough suppressants, says Snyder, because these products may make it harder for them to clear secretions from their lungs, which can lead to pneumonia.

National Influenza Vaccination Week

Last updated on March 3rd, 2018 at 02:36 pm

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urges parents to vaccinate themselves and their children from the seasonal flu and H1N1 influenza during National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW). NIVW is a national observance established to educate the public about the importance of influenza vaccination and is being held January 10-16, 2010. Originally scheduled to be held in December of 2009, the date was changed to a time that demand for flu vaccines usually decreases significantly. The CDC hopes to encourage more people to get vaccinated to help curb the spread of both H1N1 and the seasonal flu.

“Vaccination is your best protection against seasonal and 2009 H1N1 flu viruses,” says Dr. Anne Schuchat, Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at CDC. “Influenza is a contagious disease that can cause symptoms such as fever, sore throat, cough, extreme tiredness, runny or stuffy nose, and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea. Complications can include pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections and ear infections, and worsening of chronic medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and some neurodevelopmental conditions.”

“This year, more than ever, do all you can do to protect yourself and your children from the flu,” says Schuchat. “The 2009 H1N1 flu virus is spreading rapidly. We’re already seeing it attack otherwise healthy children, teens, and young adults. Medical clinics on college campuses are being flooded by persons with influenza. So keep informed, wash your hands often, cover your coughs and sneezes, keep sick children at home, and if you’re sick, stay home from work and get you and your family vaccinated against seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 flu.”

Children are in the high-risk category for the H1N1 influenza virus, as it seems to have a stronger impact on young, healthy kids than the seasonal flu usually does. It is recommended by the CDC to vaccinate all people ages 6 months to 24 years for H1N1 influenza and seasonal flu and especially any person who has a medical condition that would make them more susceptible to complications of influenza, such as asthma or an immune disorder.

Many people wonder why it is necessary to get an influenza vaccine yearly instead of once, or every few years like other vaccines. The CDC states:

Flu vaccines are effective for a year from the time they are administered. For children ages six months to eight years who have never received a seasonal flu vaccine before, two doses are needed, spaced four weeks apart. One dose will suffice for older children. For the 2009 H1N1 flu vaccine, all children through age 9 years should receive two doses.

As for infants younger than six months, the CDC says this:

Children under six months are too young to receive flu vaccine, but they are among the most vulnerable to developing serious, even fatal, complications from flu. This makes vaccination of their family members and caregivers especially critical for their protection.

CDC also recommends that close contacts, especially family members and caregivers of all children less than six months old, get a seasonal flu vaccine each year to provide added protection to this high‐risk group.

If you have questions about whether your child should or should not receive either type of influenza vaccine, please talk with your child’s doctor who can help you determine whether or not to vaccinate and which type of administration (injection aka “flu shot” or the flu mist nasal spray) is the best for your child if you do choose to vaccinate.

For more information and resources about protecting your children from H1N1 and seasonal influenza, please visit www.Flu.gov/getvaccinated

Cold and Flu Guide

Last updated on August 29th, 2015 at 09:03 pm

Cold and flu season is once again upon us. When kids get sick during this time of year, many parents aren’t sure how to tell the difference between a cold and the flu, and at what point they should take their child to the doctor. Cold and flu symptoms can be similar and confusing. The rapidly spreading 2009 H1N1 influenza virus is also a growing concern for parents. Using the guide below can help you determine whether your little one needs symptomatic treatment at home, or whether it is time to seek a doctor’s help.

Winter colds:

• Cold symptoms may include: Stuffy nose, sneezing, cough/chest discomfort (mild to moderate; hacking cough), mild to moderate sore throat, mild aches and pains, mild fatigue.
• Complications from a cold can include: Sinus infection and/or ear infection, lower respiratory infection such as bronchitis.
• Prevention of a cold: Thorough hand-washing and avoiding contact with others who have colds as much as possible. Disinfect toys if a sick child has played with them. Disinfect household surfaces and doorknobs.
• Treatment for a cold: Treat symptomatically with clear liquids, over-the-counter (OTC) medications, and get plenty of rest. For young children, ask your doctor’s advice before giving OTC medications. Never give more than one medication containing acetaminophen (Tylenol) See your doctor if symptoms worsen or if they are not getting better after a week.

Seasonal Flu and 2009 H1N1 Influenza

• Flu symptoms may include: High fever (102 to 104), headache (may be severe), aches and pains (moderate to severe), extreme exhaustion (early on in the illness and prominent), fatigue and weakness (can last up to 2-3 weeks), cough/chest discomfort (can become severe). May have stuffy nose, sore throat, and/or sneezing.
• Complications from the flu can include: Bronchitis and/or pneumonia, which may require hospitalization.
• Prevention of the flu: Same as for colds. In addition, an annual flu shot or flu mist, upon your doctor’s recommendation. Anti-viral drugs may be prescribed if you have been exposed to the flu.
• Treatment for the flu: If you suspect that you or a family member has the flu, contact your doctor right away. He or she can tell you whether an office visit is necessary, based on symptoms and previous health history. For any child who has an underlying health condition (especially asthma or other respiratory problem), an office visit is in order, as soon as possible, or go to the emergency room if it is after office hours. Influenza is a serious illness and requires monitoring for complications. If necessary, Amantadine or rimantadine (anti-viral drugs) should be started within the first 24-48 hours after onset of symptoms. Follow your doctor’s advice for treatment of symptoms.

If your child has any signs of respiratory distress (trouble breathing) such as:

• Shortness of breath
• Labored breathing (watch for retractions – chest muscles being sucked in when inhaling)
• Paleness or grayish/blue tint in the skin, especially in the face and lips
• Wheezing
• Severe coughing

..call 911 or seek emergency medical help immediately.

These guidelines are of a general nature and not intended to replace the advice and supervision of your physician or pharmacist.

Copyright 2009 Tamara Walker, R.N. All Rights Reserved. May be used only with author’s permission.

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