As the number of flu cases in the U.S. rises, one local pediatrician told WTOP, “the best treatment is prevention.”
Dr. Jessica Lazerov, a general pediatrician at Children’s National Hospital, said even if a child has had the flu, she still recommends getting the flu shot after they’ve recovered.
“We’ve seen a lot of influenza A in our region, and I think we’re starting to see some influenza B. And when they develop the flu vaccine, they take into account what strains they are likely to see,” she said. “We’re not always perfect in predicting because nobody has a crystal ball, but getting the flu shot is associated with better outcomes if you do happen to get the flu, and it does help prevent flu transmission.”
To treat a child who has the flu, Lazerov said to reach for honey instead of cough medicine to sooth a sore throat, but keep in mind, she said, that honey is not considered safe for children under 1 year old.
For pain and fever control, she said acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help, as can nasal saline drops. And make sure the child is drinking a lot of fluids.
Lazerov said parents should keep kids out of school while they have a fever, which is anything over 100.4, and for an additional 24 hours after their last fever when they haven’t had fever reducing medication.
“If they have severe symptoms or if they haven’t gotten any better and they’re just miserable, sometimes keeping them home longer than that,” Lazerov said.
While it is always OK to call a doctor, she said parents should trust their judgment.
“High fevers do not necessarily mean a child is very, very sick,” Lazerov said. “I would go by what the child looks like. If your child is playful and is drinking OK, and seems mostly like themselves, but they seem a little bit sick, you may be able to treat these things at home.”
But if their symptoms are concerning, like not keeping any fluids down, difficulty breathing, or something just seems off, Lazerov said definitely call.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Weekly Influenza Surveillance Report, Virginia, Maryland and D.C. all had a “very high” influenza activity level for the week ending Feb. 1.
D.C.’s influenza tracker showed the number of positive cases in the last week of January were 1,268. There were 261 cases in that same week in 2023.
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