Flu is one of the most common viral diseases, which is easily transmitted from a sick person to a healthy airborne droplet. The virus spreads quite quickly and acquires the character of an epidemic. Every year, medical experts try to invent new vaccines, but every year the flu changes its properties and therefore old vaccines become irrelevant. The 2013 flu is a modified H3N2 virus. In the group, the risk for the incidence of influenza, in the first place, is children. Therefore, all parents are urged to study the probable symptoms of the 2013 flu in children and the methods of its prevention.
How does the flu begin in children?
As a rule, the first symptoms of influenza in children are manifested in the first day after infection, and after 1-2 days you can see the full picture of the disease. This virus infection develops quite sharply, while the signs of the 2013 flu in children are typical for the clinical symptoms of the virus:
- high temperature of 38 degrees, which holds a minimum of 5 days;
- loss of appetite, nausea;
- febrile state and severe chills, weakness;
- growing headache;
- aches in joints and muscles;
- irritable pain in the throat, turning into a dry cough;
- runny nose.
It should be noted that not all the above symptoms are manifested simultaneously, much depends on the form in which the disease occurs. With a mild form of influenza, the child's fever does not rise above 39 degrees, with a slight weakness and headache. The body temperature can rise more than 40 degrees with a severe form of the flu, in addition, the children have nausea, vomiting, convulsions, hallucinations, even possible loss of consciousness.
As for infants, the first signs of influenza may be excessive anxiety, rejection of the breast, frequent regurgitation. Children become sluggish, can sleep for a long time or, conversely, do not sleep all day.
How to recognize that the child has the flu, not the common cold?
To distinguish the manifestation of a common cold from flu is fairly easy, although their symptoms are very similar. A cold usually begins with a cold, a sore throat and a small cough. Body temperature rarely rises to 38 degrees, while in case of influenza, in the first days of the disease, it is considered the minimum temperature. Among other things, the general condition of the child is practically not broken.
How dangerous is the 2013 flu for children?
Unfortunately, this virus under certain conditions is deadly to humans. To date, a lot of deaths are known around the world, especially for children and the elderly. The 2013 influenza virus can be especially dangerous for children who have weakened immunity or have other serious diseases. In addition, poor nutrition or difficult living conditions also contribute to the development of this virus.
At the first manifestations in children of the flu, 2013 follows urgently
Prevention of influenza in children
Of course, experts recommend that you do the vaccination, but you do not need to do it until a month before the epidemic begins. It is known that all diseases are associated primarily with the immunity of the child, so prevention, as well as treatment of influenza are aimed at strengthening the protective functions of the child's body. In addition, in the period of the epidemic, limit the child from visiting public places, ventilate the apartment, walk more outdoors and provide the child with a balanced diet.