What are the Flu Symptoms in Kids

Flu is a viral infection caused by a strain of the influenza virus. When children share such close quarters as they do on the bus or in school, it can be rather easy to contract the virus. All it takes for the flu to become airborne is a sneeze or cough from an infected kid. Once in the air, your child need only inhale the virus to come down with this illness, which usually brings with it a number of uncomfortable symptoms.

Influenza Symptoms
1. When a child is suffering from the flu, look for symptoms to manifest within two to three days of infection. And though these symptoms often mimic that of a cold, they're always much more severe in nature.

At the very onset of this viral infection, most children begin to experience an almost unexplained sense of fatigue or exhaustion. This is largely due to his immune response, as antibodies are trying to "fight off" the virus, which commonly results in the child feeling more tired than normal.

This is usually followed by a fever, running anywhere between 103 to 105 degrees F, that is often accompanied by periodic episodes of the "chills" or the "sweats."

Along with both exhaustion and fever, the flu frequently triggers a dry, almost hacking cough. Rarely will this cough be productive in nature, meaning that it produces sputum during activity, but your child may generate some mucus during the course of the illness. For most children, coughing is generally followed by a sore throat and nasal congestion.

Besides these more common symptoms of the flu, any complaints about headaches, dizziness, muscle aches, nausea or a loss of appetite can all be good indications that it's the flu affecting your child. It is also quite usual for a child to suffer from some diarrhea or vomiting with this type of infection.

Treatment
2. To treat symptoms associated with the flu, make sure your child gets plenty of rest and fluids. Both factors can help your child get over this viral infection by boosting the immune system and combating dehydration.

In much more severe cases of the flu, talk to your doctor about a prescription medication. Antiviral drugs, like zanamivir and oseltamivir, are the first line of combat for viral infections, and they are taken by mouth for the duration of the illness.

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