A few days ago my daughter Avril came home from school with the flu. Avril is 5 and is in good health. Today she has the flu She has body aches and she has an ear ache,and a sore throat.

My wife seems to think that our daughter needs to see a doctor now. I feel that this something that can happen often with kids. She tends to like get like this often. So what is the story.

A flu can be quite dangerous in small children and the elderly, as their ammune systems' are not as strong as middle aged people, the symptoms can feel much more severe in vunerable people.

Your daughter should indeed go to the doctor to have her nose swabbed for a proper flu diagnosis.

If it's Influenza Type A it can last as long as 10 days. There is nothing that can really be done about it aside from alternating Tylenol and Motrin (stay away from Tamaflu if the doctor recommends it, it has some nasty, albeit rare, side effects).

These things can wax and wane, but it's better to play it safe with a swab and a proper diagnosis.

Not only am I a nurse, but my 9 year old just had the flu two weeks ago with very high temperatures. And, yes, I took him to his pediatrician.

Your daughter will also have to be out of school until she is fever free for 24 hours without medication.

Oh, and your reddie above...

travel32 does not find this helpful : I know that cold and Flu can be a severe broblem with younger and older people,and that these things can be sereuos. So is it unusual?

Had you read the rule of the site you would have read that reddies are to be given for factually incorrect information. The post above was indeed CORRECT information. You owe that member an apology.

Did your child start school this year for the first time? Sometimes kids get sick a lot in their first year of being around other sick kids. It is unfortunate, but many parents send their kids to school sick. However, that being said, you really should take her to a doctor because if it is the flu, and not just a cold, she may need to be on antibiotics. Go to her pediatrician please.

if it is the flu, and not just a cold, she may need to be on antibiotics. Go to her pediatrician please.


We don't give antibiotics for the flu as it is a virus just like a cold. ;)