Kids and the Flu
Influenza - What is the Flu?
Learn everything you need to know about influenza, or the flu, including a history of the major flu pandemics, development of the flu vaccine, and common symptoms.
Have the flu?
Do your kids have the flu? Learn classic flu symptoms so that you can recognize if your kids have the flu and what flu treatments, if any, are recommended to help them get better as soon as possible.
Deaths From Flu
Deaths from flu are a lot more common than people think. Thousands of adults and hundreds of kids die each year from the flu, which is a good reason to get a yearly flu vaccine.
Flu Season Update
Get updates, activity reports, and the latest recommendations about this year's flu season.
Flu Season
Although flu season is usually thought of as occurring in the winter, the severity and timing of the start and peak of flu season actually varies from year-to-year. Review when you can expect cold and flu season to start, so you can be sure to get your kids a flu shot to get them protected from the flu.
Flu Symptoms
Understanding what typical flu symptoms are in children can help you figure out if your child is sick with the flu and they can include a sudden onset of high fever, muscle aches, tiredness, headache, cough, sore throat, and runny nose.
Avoiding the Flu
Whether or not you got a flu shot, since it isn't 100% effective, you should follow these steps to help prevent you and your family from getting sick with the flu.
Cold and Flu Treatments
Typically, parents are told to just treat the symptoms of a cold or the flu and make their child comfortable, because these common infections are caused by viruses and there are no treatments. While symptomatic treatments are important to help your child feel better, this is not totally true anymore. There are many medications available now to help treat the flu.
Flu Shot Recommendations
Review the new CDC guidelines of who is considered high risk or in a priority group and should get a flu shot this year, even with the flu shot shortages.
Preparing for Flu Season
Preparing for flu season should start with getting a flu vaccine - the best way to prevent flu.
Swine Flu
Swine influenza or swine flu is a type of flu that normally only affects pigs. Recently, human swine flu cases have been reported in California and Texas.
Cold vs. Flu Screening Quiz
Do you have the flu or just a simple cold? Take our cold vs. flu screening quiz to find out.
Tamiflu
Tamiflu is a prescription antiviral medication that can be used to treat and prevent influenza infections (the flu) in children and adults, if their symptoms have started within the last day or two before starting to take Tamiflu.
Tamiflu Side Effects
Although its use is somewhat controversial, mainly because it is only supposed to decrease flu symptoms by a day and high rates of its use have raised concerns that it may lead to flu virus strains that become resistant to flu medications, it does seem to help many children with the flu. Review how Tamiflu is used and learn about possible side effects.
Flu Activity Map
A weekly Influenza Surveillance report prepared by the Influenza Division of the CDC.
Protecting Young Children From The Flu
Advice for parents on how flu spreads and protecting their young children from the flu.
Flu and Flu Shot Quiz
Are you ready for this year's flu season? Take our Flu and Flu Shot Quiz to see if you know everything you should to keep your family safe from the flu.
Flu Shot Shortages
Why is there a shortage of flu shots for children who are 3 years to 9 years old? I have a 4 year old with asthma. I've contacted my pediatrician, but they have no answer... What are the drug companies saying?
Flu Shot Delays
The American Academy of Pediatrics recently alerted pediatricians and parents 'that there will be a delay in getting flu shots for children 6 months of age through age 3 until at least November.'
Preparing for Cold and Flu Season
Summer is just ending and kids are barely back in school, but it is time to start thinking about cold and flu season already, including planning on where to get your flu shot.
Flu and Children at School and Home
How to prevent children's flu at home and school.
Flu Resources and Alerts
Flu resources, articles, and alerts to help you keep yourself and your kids healthy during the 2004 to 2005 flu season.
Flu Resources and Alerts
Flu resources, articles, and alerts to help you keep yourself and your kids healthy during the 2004 to 2005 flu season.
Flu Questions and Answers
Learn more about flu shots, including whether or not this year's shot will protect you from getting sick, how long it takes for a flu shot to work, and if you can get sick even if you get a flu shot.
This Year's Flu Season Problems
Review the reason for this year's flu shot shortage and what you can do about it to make sure you get a flu vaccine if you or your child is in a high risk or priority group.
2005-2006 Flu Season Update
Stay up to date on this year's flu season, including learning about flu shots, flu activity reports, and tamiflu, which some people are stockpiling because they think it will help them if there is a bird flu outbreak.
Flu Season Update for 2004 and 2005
An update on the this year's flu season, including information about flu vaccines, flu shots, flu activity, and any possible vaccine shortages caused by the Chiron situation and loss of flu shots.
2004 Flu Activity Reports
Stay up to date with regular reports on what is happening during this year's flu season.
2003-2004 Flu Season
Last years flu season had several highlights. Learn to protect your child from the flu by reviewing what happened during last year's flu season.
Flu Season 2003-04
Get help getting ready for the coming flu season.
Current U.S. Flu Report
Weekly updates on flu activity in the United States. Useful to see if the flu is active in your community.
Google Flu Trends
Explore flu trends across the U.S., including state-by-state graphs showing flu activity for the current flu season.
