With flu season in full swing, it can be hard to know if your child is too sick for school or just feeling slightly under the weather. Oftentimes, it can be tricky to decide whether your child should stay home or is well enough to attend school.
At Pediatric Partners, our board-certified physicians recommend that you look for signs of a fever, cough, and runny nose, which are all connected with the flu. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the flu has reached epidemic levels in our country this season. In December 2014, four percent of Americans reported flu symptoms, the highest percentage since December 2010.
Pediatric Partners suggests keeping your child home from school for at least 24 hours after any fever is gone, and is backed by the CDC on this suggestion. Furthermore, the ultimate way to protect children against getting the flu is to get them vaccinated. The health providers at Pediatric Partners highly recommend the flu shot to anyone older than six months. Doing so can help eliminate symptoms that can lead to more serious health issues like respiratory infections, and it guards your child from germs at school.
Since the flu vaccine stays up to date with new scientific breakthroughs and medicinal improvements each flu season, a new shot should be administered each year to ensure your child receives the most current formula. If your child is not currently vaccinated for the flu, call Owl Now today at (863) 299-2630 to schedule an appointment for a flu shot.
This column is sponsored by Pediatric Partners and Owl Now Urgent Care.
CREDIT
column by VLAD V. ADLER, MD
BIO: Vlad V. Adler, MD is a board-certified pediatrician and clinic director at Owl Now Urgent Care in Lakeland, Florida.