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How to protect children during influenza season?

Updated: 2021-11-19

Influenza is an acute infectious disease caused by the influenza virus. 

As the temperature drops, influenza enters a high-incidence period, infecting many children. How can we stop it?

Parents can vaccinate their children in advance. Every year, Centers for Disease Control across the country formulate vaccines based on predicted influenza epidemic strains, and it's preferable for children to be inoculated one or two months before flu season starts. However, vaccination is not suitable for children under 6 months old.

Children who are exposed to flu patients can also take medication for temporary prevention, although this should not be done for children under 3 months old.

Parents also should remind their kids to wash hands frequently, keep their rooms clean and ventilated, stay away from crowds, wear masks when going out, and exercise often.

After a child is diagnosed with influenza, those with milder illnesses can go home and take medication, while those with more severe symptoms need to be hospitalized. 

Because taking aspirin and other salicylic acid drugs can increase the risk of severe encephalopathy, it is not recommended to use these drugs to reduce fevers. In addition, parents should not blindly use antibiotics.

The most commonly used drugs for the treatment of influenza are neuraminidase inhibitors.