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Flu (Influenza)
Flu (or influenza) is a viral infection that tends to be more common in the colder months of the year. Most people catch flu in the winter as it spreads easily through people sneezing and coughing.
Flu is very different to having a cold. Some people say they have flu when they mean they have a cold or another viral infection. Both can have similar symptoms, and it can be hard to tell the difference.
Flu symptoms tend to come on quickly, but a cold can take a few days. With flu, for example, you can wake up feeling ok, but by the end of the day you can feel unwell and not able to do your usual things. Flu can make you feel unwell for up to two weeks.
Symptoms in children include fever, cough, sneezing, runny nose, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and sore throat.
All children aged 2-13 years are encouraged to have the flu vaccine each winter. If you are pregnant it's also really important to consider getting the flu vaccine. This not only reduces the risk of getting unwell with the flu but also reduces the risk of them transmitting it to family members. After the elderly (aged over 75 years), children under the age of 5 years have the greatest risk of being admitted to hospital with flu.
If your child has any of the following:
- Is under 3 months of age with a temperature of 38°C / 100.4°F or above (unless fever in the 48 hours following vaccinations and no other red or amber features)
- Becomes pale, mottled and/or feels abnormally cold to touch
- Is going blue around the lips
- Severe breathing difficulty - too breathless to talk or eat/drink or breathing that stops or pauses
- Has a fit/ seizure
- Becomes extremely agitated (crying inconsolably despite distraction)
- Develops a rash that does not disappear with pressure (the ‘Glass Test’)
- Difficult to wake up/ sleepy or confused
You need urgent help.
Go to the nearest Hospital Emergency (A&E) Department or phone 999
If your child has any of the following:
- Is 3-6 months of age with a temperature of 39°C / 102.2°F or above (but fever is common in babies up to 2 days after they receive vaccinations)
- Continues to have a fever of 38.0°C / 100.4°F or more for more than 5 days
- Breathing a bit faster than normal or working a bit harder to breathe
- Swelling of a limb or joint
- Complaining of severe pain that is not improving with painkillers
- Dry skin, lips, tongue or looking pale
- Seems dehydrated (sunken eyes, drowsy or not had a wee or wet nappy for 12 hours)
- Sleepy or not responding normally
- Crying and unsettled
- Poor feeding (babies) or not drinking (children)
- Getting worse or you are worried about them
- Is becoming drowsy (excessively sleepy) or irritable (unable to settle them with toys, TV, food or picking up) – especially if they remain drowsy or irritable despite their fever coming down
- Has extreme shivering or complains of muscle pain
- Is getting worse or if you are worried
You need to contact a doctor or nurse today.
Please ring your GP surgery or call NHS 111 - dial 111
If none of the above features are present
If your child has any other symptoms associated with their fever, you may want to look at the information on sore throat, cough, earache, diarrhoea and vomiting or tummy ache.
Additional advice is also available to young families for coping with crying of well babies.
Self care
Continue providing your child’s care at home. If you are still concerned about your child, call NHS 111 – dial 111
Self care: Looking after your child with flu like symptoms
- Rest and sleep
- Keep warm
- Encourage drinking plenty of fluids (water/juice/milk etc) to avoid dehydration (child's pee should be light yellow or clear)
- Give paracetamol or ibuprofen to your child if they're distressed or uncomfortable/ in pain – check the packaging or leaflet to make sure the medicine is suitable for your child, or speak to a pharmacist or GP if you're not sure
- Do not take paracetamol and flu remedies that contain paracetamol at the same time as it is easy to take more than the recommended dose
What are the complications of the flu in children?
The flu can lead to a lung infection called pneumonia. In some cases, the flu can lead to death. Children who have other health conditions that affect breathing, such as asthma, are at greater risk for flu complications. This is why it is so important to have your vaccination.
How to avoid spreading flu
Flu easily spread to other people. You're more likely to give it to others in the first 5 days.
Flu is spread by germs from coughs and sneezes, which can live on hands and surfaces for 24 hours.
To reduce the risk of spreading flu:
- Wash your hands often with warm water and soap
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze (if you do not have a tissue, cough or sneeze into the bend of your elbow, not into your hand)
- Bin used tissues as quickly as possible
Try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you have a high temperature or you do not feel well enough to do your normal activities.
Make sure you look at having the flu vaccine. This can help keep everyone in your family safe during the winter months.
For more information on Fever (over 3 months of age) visit our page.
We also have a page on fever and high temperature for newborn babies.
The NHS website has useful information on looking after a child with flu, how to find a pharmacist, and the importance of the flu vaccine.
For wear and tear, minor trips and everything in between.
Self-care
You can treat your child's very minor illnesses and injuries at home.
Some illnesses can be treated in your own home with support and advice from the services listed when required, using the recommended medicines and getting plenty of rest.
Sound advice
Children can recover from illness quickly but also can become more poorly quickly; it is important to seek further advice if a child's condition gets worse.
For information on common childhood illnesses go to What is wrong with my child?
Pharmacists are experts in many aspects of healthcare and can offer advice on a wide range of long-term conditions and common illnesses such as coughs, colds and stomach upsets. You don’t need an appointment and many have private consultation areas, so they are a good first port of call. Your pharmacist will say if you need further medical attention.
Sound advice
- Visit a pharmacy if your child is ill, but does not need to see a GP.
- Remember that if your child's condition gets worse, you should seek further medical advice immediately.
- Help your child to understand - watch this video with them about going to the pharmacy.
For information on common childhood illnesses go to What is wrong with my child?
Health visitors are nurses or midwives who are passionate about promoting healthy lifestyles and preventing illness through the delivery of the Healthy Child Programme. They work with you through your pregnancy up until your child is ready to start school.
Health Visitors can also make referrals for you to other health professionals for example hearing or vision concerns or to the Community Paediatricians or to the child and adolescent mental health services.
Contact them by phoning your Health Visitor Team or local Children’s Centre.
Sound advice
Health visitors also provide advice, support and guidance in caring for your child, including:
- Breastfeeding, weaning and healthy eating
- Exercise, hygiene and safety
- Your child’s growth and development
- Emotional health and wellbeing, including postnatal depression
- Safety in the home
- Stopping smoking
- Contraception and sexual health
- Sleep and behaviour management (including temper tantrums!)
- Toilet training
- Minor illnesses
For more information watch the video: What does a health visitor do?
School nurses care for children and young people, aged 5-19, and their families, to ensure their health needs are supported within their school and community. They work closely with education staff and other agencies to support parents, carers and the children and young people, with physical and/or emotional health needs.
Contacting the School Nurse
Primary and secondary schools have an allocated school nurse – telephone your child’s school to ask for the contact details of your named school nurse.
There is also a specialist nurse who works with families who choose to educate their children at home.
Sound Advice
Before your child starts school your health visitor will meet with the school nursing team to transfer their care to the school nursing service. The school nursing team consists of a school nursing lead, specialist public health practitioners and school health staff nurses.
They all have a role in preventing disease and promoting health and wellbeing, by:-
- encouraging healthier lifestyles
- offering immunisations
- giving information, advice and support to children, young people and their families
- supporting children with complex health needs
Each member of the team has links with many other professionals who also work with children including community paediatricians, child and adolescent mental health teams, health visitors and speech and language therapists. The school health nursing service also forms part of the multi-agency services for children, young people and families where there are child protection or safeguarding issues.
GPs assess, treat and manage a whole range of health problems. They also provide health education, give vaccinations and carry out simple surgical procedures. Your GP will arrange a referral to a hospital specialist should you need it.
Sound advice
You have a choice of service:
- Doctors/GPs can treat many illnesses that do not warrant a visit to A&E.
- Help your child to understand – watch this video with them about visiting the GP or going to a walk in centre
For information on common childhood illnesses go to What is wrong with my child?
If you’re not sure which NHS service you need, call 111. An adviser will ask you questions to assess your symptoms and then give you the advice you need, or direct you straightaway to the best service for you in your area.
Sound advice
Use NHS 111 if you are unsure what to do next, have any questions about a condition or treatment or require information about local health services.
For information on common childhood illnesses go to What is wrong with my child?
A&E departments provide vital care for life-threatening emergencies, such as loss of consciousness, suspected heart attacks, breathing difficulties, or severe bleeding that cannot be stopped. If you’re not sure it’s an emergency, call 111 for advice.