Influenza (flu)

Influenza, commonly known as "the flu," is a highly contagious viral infection of the respiratory tract. Although the flu affects both sexes and all age groups, kids tend to get it more often than adults. The illness even has its own season — from November to April, with most cases occurring between late December and early March.

Signs and Symptoms

The flu is often confused with the common cold, but flu symptoms tend to develop quickly (usually 1 to 4 days after a person is exposed to the flu virus) and are usually more severe than the typical sneezing and stuffiness of a cold.

Symptoms of the flu may include:

fever

chills

headache

muscle aches

dizziness

loss of appetite

tiredness

cough

sore throat

runny nose

nausea or vomiting

weakness

ear infection

diarrhea

Infants with the flu may simply seem sick all of a sudden or "just don't look right." The flu that people get is not the same strain of virus as the avian flu.

Treatment

Cases of the flu rarely require specific medical treatment. But some kids with chronic medical conditions may become sicker with the flu and need to be hospitalized, and flu in a newborn can be dangerous. For a severely ill child or one with other special circumstances, a doctor may prescribe an antiviral medicine that can ease flu symptoms, but only if it's given within 48 hours of the onset of the flu.