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Symptoms include:Child Discipline TacticsDiscipline is the process of teaching your child what type of behavior is acceptable and what type is not acceptable. In other words, discipline teaches a child to follow rules. Discipline may involve both punishment, such as a time out, and, more importantly, rewards. It sounds so straightforward, yet every parent becomes frustrated at one time or another with issues surrounding children and discipline.To read more, click hereRelated to parenting school-age children ADHD, puberty in girls, puberty in boys, learning disabilities, children's health, autism and vaccines, school lunches, getting ready for school, giving the sex talk, children's vitamins, chores for children, overactive bladder in children© 2008 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.A high-grade fever up to 104 degrees FChills and shakes with the feverExtreme tirednessHeadache and body achesDry, hacking coughSore throatVomiting and belly pain

Some parents mistake the flu for a stomach bug. That’s because unlike adults, children with the flu can have nausea, stomach pain, and vomiting.

he illness comes on fast and is more intense than a cold

flu is highly contagious, particularly when kids share close quarters like they do in school classrooms

spreads when they inhale droplets that are coughed up or sneezed by an infected person, or when they come in direct contact with mucus or spit from someone who has the flu.

spread the flu a day before their symptoms start, and 5-7 days after they get sick.

The best way is to get a yearly vaccination. The CDC says all people 6 months and older should get one.  

Pregnant women and caregivers of children younger than 6 months or of children with certain health conditions should get the shot.

When you wake up

Yearly immunization with the inactivated influenza vaccine(What is a PDF document?) (flu shot) or the nasal spray flu vaccine(What is a PDF document?) prevents flu infection and its complications in most people.

Yearly immunization with the inactivated influenza vaccine(What is a PDF document?) (flu shot) or the nasal spray flu vaccine(What is a PDF document?) prevents flu infection and its complications in most people.

Have heart disease.

Have diabetes or kidney disease.Have a disease or take a medicine that causes problems with your immune system.

ommon cold with a runny nose, sneezing and sore throat.

Fever over 100 F (38 C) Aching muscles, especially in your back, arms and legs Chills and sweats Headache Dry cough Fatigue and weakness Nasal congestion

Colds rarely cause a fever or headaches. Flu almost never causes an upset stomach. And "stomach flu" isn't really flu at all, but gastroenteritis.

Is it a cold or the flu?

sore throat

fever

cough

stuffy or runny nose

body aches

headache

chills

fatigue

H1N1 flu is also known as swine flu. It's called swine flu because in the past, the people who caught it had direct contact with pigs. That changed several years ago, when a new virus emerged that spread among people who hadn't been near pigs.

Some of the complications caused by flu include bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes. Children may get sinus problems and ear infections.

more severe and last longer than those of the cold.

Recovery takes about one to two weeks. Influenza can be deadly, especially for the weak, old or chronically ill.

Most people who get influenza will recover in one to two weeks, but others will develop life-threatening complications (such as pneumonia). Millions of people in the United States (about 10% to 20% of U.S. residents) are infected with influenza each year.

The flu can make chronic health problems worse.

Influenza is an extremely variable disease; similar viruses are found in pigs and domestic fowl.

It is possible to get vaccinated against influenza

People at high risk for complications from the flu; People 65 years and older; People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities that house those with long-term illnesses; Adults and children 6 months and older with chronic heart or lung conditions, including asthma; Adults and children 6 months and older who needed regular medical care or were in a hospital during the previous year because of a metabolic disease (like diabetes), chronic kidney disease, or weakened immune system (including immune system problems caused by medicines or by infection with human immunodeficiency virus [HIV/AIDS]); Children 6 months to 18 years of age who are on long-term aspirin therapy. (Children given aspirin while they have influenza are at risk of Reye syndrome.); Women who will be pregnant during the influenza season; and All children 6 to 23 months of age.

There are some people who should not be vaccinated. This includes: People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs. People who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination in the past. People who developed Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) within 6 weeks of getting an influenza vaccine previously.

Children less

People who are sick with a fever. (These people can get vaccinated once their symptoms lessen.)

flu season runs from October to May

The vaccine prevents against infection from the flu viruses that researchers predict will be most common in the upcoming year

most cases occurring between late December and early March

For a severely ill child or one with other special circumstances, a doctor may prescribe an antiviral medicine that can decrease the duration of illness by 1-2 days and prevent potential complications of the flu

If an antiviral medication is prescribed, be sure to discuss any possible side effects with your doctor.

Given as an injection, the flu shot contains killed flu viruses that will not cause the flu, but will prepare the body to fight off infection from that particular type of live flu virus if someone comes into contact with it.

Symptoms, which usually begin about 2 days after exposure to the virus, can include: fever chills headache muscle aches dizziness loss of appetite tiredness cough sore throat runny nose nausea or vomiting weakness ear pain diarrhe

all kids 6 months through 4 years old anyone 65 years and older all women who are pregnant, are considering pregnancy, have recently given birth, or are breastfeeding during flu season anyone whose immune system is weakened from medications or illnesses (like HIV infection) residents of long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes any adult or child with chronic medical conditions, such as asthma kids or teens who take aspirin regularly and are at risk for developing Reye syndrome if they get the flu all health care personnel caregivers or household contacts of anyone in a high-risk group (like children younger than 5 years old, especially those younger than 6 months, and those with high-risk conditions) Native Americans and Alaskan natives

The nasal mist contains weakened live flu viruses that cannot cause the severe symptoms typically associated with the flu, but can cause some mild symptoms

drink lots of fluids to prevent dehydration get plenty of sleep and take it easy take acetaminophen or ibuprofen to relieve fever and aches (do not give aspirin to children or teens as it may cause a rare but serious illness called Reye syndrome) wear layers, since the flu often makes them cold one minute and hot the next (wearing layers — like a T-shirt, sweatshirt, and robe — makes it easy to add or subtract clothes as needed)

Kids who are sick should stay home from school and childcare until they are without fever for at least 24 hours without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.

So to have the best protection against the flu, it's important to get the vaccine every year.

It is given in places like hospitals, clinics, community centers, pharmacies, doctor's offices, and schools

infants under 6 months old anyone who's ever had a severe reaction to a flu vaccination anyone with Guillain-Barré syndrome (a rare condition that affects the immune system and nerves)

After 5 days, fever and other symptoms have usually disappeared, but a cough and weakness may continue

Call the doctor if your child:

has flu symptoms has a high fever, or fever with a rash has trouble breathing or rapid breathing has bluish skin color is not drinking enough fluids seems very sleepy or lethargic seems confused has flu symptoms that get better, but then get worse

All symptoms are usually gone within a week or two

The flu is contagious, spread by virus-infected droplets that are coughed or sneezed into the air

The flu usually occurs in small outbreaks, but epidemics — when the illness spreads rapidly and affects many people in an area at the same time — tend to occur every few years. Epidemics often peak within 2 or 3 weeks after the first cases occur.

Preventing the Flu From Spreading There's no guaranteed way — including being vaccinated — to prevent anyone from getting the flu

Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently with soap, especially after using the bathroom, after coughing or sneezing, and before eating. Never pick up used tissues. Never share cups and eating utensils. Stay home from work or school when you're sick with the flu. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then put it in the trash. If a tissue isn't available, cough or sneeze into your upper arm, not into your hands.