Symptoms: Fever, dry cough, sore throat, headache, extreme fatigue, stuffy nose and body aches. Symptoms can come on quickly and put you in bed for several days.
How is flu different from a cold? A cold generally stays up in the head while the flu brings body aches, fever and fatigue. With a cold, children often keep up with normal activities. With the flu, they often feel too sick to play.
If you're feeling sick: Stay home, rest and drink fluids.
If your child is sick: Same as above, but call a doctor or clinic if something doesn't seem right.
Go to the emergency room if: The child is breathing rapidly or with difficulty, has bluish skin color, becomes dehydrated, does not wake up or interact with others, is so irritable that he or she doesn't want to be held, or gets better only to become sick again.
To prevent the spread of flu:
Get vaccinated.
Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze.
