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The flu or influenza and the common cold are
two separate illnesses which at the very beginning of the illness can
be very hard to determine which is which, the common cold can be caused
by any 1 of over 250 viruses, while the flu is caused by the influenza
virus alone and is a much more serious illness. The flu starts off with
very similar symptoms to those of the common cold but then other symptoms
begin to show within a few days, you can usually determine if your child
has a common cold or if it is the flu by these symptoms. The general symptoms
of the common cold along with:
* A high fever
* Severe muscle aches and pains
* Overall aching body
* Severe headache
* A loss of appetite
* Extreme weakness in the limbs
* Fatigue
A common cold will generally last for around a week and will gradually
go away of its own accord; the flu however can last for around 14 days
with the cough and fatigue symptoms lasting for much longer.
How is flu spread?
The flu can spread much like the common cold through airborne droplets
such as those found in a cough or sneeze, however it can also be spread
indirectly as it can live for up to 48 hours out of the body. This means
that it can be spread by the child infected touching items such as keyboards,
telephone handset, and doorknobs and more commonly in young children,
toys.
Who is more at risk?
Very young children under the age of 2 years are most at risk from flu
as are children who are prone to conditions such as asthma, heart problems
and those suffering from cystic fibrosis. This is due to the fact that
the influenza virus usually weakens the body's immune and defence systems
making the child more susceptible to other infections during this time.
Is there any treatment for the flu?
There is currently no medicine or treatment that can specifically cure
the flu with the best approach being prevention rather than cure, if your
child is more susceptible, then getting a flu vaccine is the best way
to go. If your child develops the flu then they should be allowed to get
plenty of rest, drink plenty of fluids and take child pain relief medication
such as Calpol to ease any aches and pains. Two important points to note
is that you should never give your child aspirin and that antibiotic will
have no affect on the virus.
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