The seasonal change from the scorching heat to the breezy monsoons is refreshing. But hey, here come the risks of various diseases too. While you are enjoying the first showers of the season, your child may have started sneezing. And this can be more serious than just a few sneezes and coughs. Especially, after witnessing the pandemic in the past two years, we are more vulnerable to such risks and health issues.

What do we mean that it could be more serious than sneezes and coughing? We mean it could be influenza. Today, let’s talk about why you should be careful if your child is suffering from it frequently.

What exactly is flu and why are children at risk?

Flu or influenza is a viral infection that leads to cold, cough, fever and weakness in your body. And it can spread quite rapidly amongst children as they are still very young and hence don’t have a strong immune system as healthy adults do.1 While the children interact very closely with friends and other kids at school, you can well imagine how fast they can catch influenza.

Why should influenza or flu be a matter of concern for you?

You might be thinking that it’s just the flu and it will wear off eventually, why do you need to worry so much? But do you know that flu often leads to patients getting hospitalized and sometimes it might also be fatal? This is the reason we need to be vigilant when it comes to the flu.
Here’s another fact for you: influenza viruses change frequently and infection with one strain does not protect against all strains. So, if your child is getting it too often, then it impacts you seriously too. Want to know how? Keep reading:

1. Constant medication to temporarily relieve the fever and pain of influenza.
2. Naturally, when your child is infected by flu, studies get affected as the kid misses school. This again not only affects your child’s education but also keeps you stressed that they’re missing out on all the fun of school.
3. Frequent illness is not good for the overall development of the child. Every time your child gets affected by flu, your kid’s immune system weakens and the child feels tired. This not only affects the physical health, but also the overall well-being of your child.5
4. Every time your child is feeling low, you as a parent are worried. This is not a good sign for your well-being or your family’s.6
While it is true that influenza is not just a common cold, it is also true that by taking a few precautions and getting vaccinated, you can reduce the impact it may have on your household or child. In the next section, we will be talking more about this.

What precautions can you take to protect your child?

If your child is getting impacted by it too often, experts suggest you take extra care by following the below-listed precautions:
1. Vaccination: Recently, I attended a live session held by Blogchatter and Abbott India on Facebook about the importance of annual influenza vaccination in the #FightAgainstFlu and how can we as parents ensure the proper precautions and safety against the risks. With speakers like Dr. Mangesh Tiwaskar and Dr. Sadanand S Shetya, understanding the entire concept was pretty easy. I would recommend you watch the video for more information.
2. Regular hygiene: Just like the precautions we followed during the pandemic, follow the same precautions for flu too. Sanitize and wash your hands regularly to kill the influenza germs.1 Don’t share utensils or pick up someone else’s used tissues.5
3. Healthy diet: Eat healthy, do some exercises, sleep on time so you get plenty of sleep and rest, and drink plenty of liquids.4 Soups are a favourite in my household!
4. Stay at home: Avoid going in groups and meetings in case the infection spreads through you or you get affected more by it.1
I’m now relieved that I can protect my kid from flu by vaccinating them on time and other tips provided by the doctors during the live session and the research I have done. So are you going to join hands to #FightAgainstFlu?

References:
1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/flu/symptoms-causes/syc-20351719
2. https://www.mothersagainstinfluenza.in/
3. https://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4208.pdf
4. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/13756–colds-and-flu-symptoms-treatment-prevention-when-to-call#management-and-treatment
5. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/flu.html
6. https://www.mghclaycenter.org/hot-topics/psychological-effects-of-the-flu/