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Florida health officials have announced that one child has died of flu. It was the first flu-related death of children in Florida during the 2018-19 season.
The Office of Epidemiology, Department of Health, Florida, reported in a report obtained by SELF that the unidentified child had been tested positive for influenza B virus in a health care provider, and that the death was reported between September 30th and October 6th. underlying health problems and was in good health before contracting the flu but had not been vaccinated, says the report. No other information was available. "Because of the rare nature of these childhood flu-related deaths and the privacy concerns of the victim and her family, the department does not release the county or its age," says Brad Dalton, Press Officer, Florida Department of Health.
Although it is the first pediatric death associated with influenza in the state of Florida, it is unclear whether it is the first pediatric death of the 2018 influenza season. 2019 in the United States because it has not yet been reported by the Centers for Disease Control. Prevention (CDC). The CDC told SELF they would issue an updated surveillance report on the flu on Friday.
This news is both tragic and shocking, given the beginning of the flu season. In fact, the CDC recently urged people, especially children, to be vaccinated against the flu by Halloween, a deadline that has not even been set yet. "The flu can have terrible effects on children and adults," SELF William Schaffner, MD, an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, told SELF. "That it happened so early in the season does not raise our eyebrows."
That said, it is certainly possible for a person to develop a serious case early in the influenza season, which usually extends from October to February, although it may last until May. "Unfortunately, influenza can occur all year long, although it is more common during the winter months," says Richard S Watkins, associate professor at Northeast Ohio Medical University and infectious disease specialist in Akron, Ohio. . Doctors "tend to see it seriously by the end of October," SELF's Amesh A. Adalja, MD, an infectious disease specialist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Sanitary Safety told SELF. "But it's not unusual to get it so early."
Anyone can develop serious flu complications – even death – but children and the elderly are the most vulnerable.
You tend to be exposed to the flu virus throughout your life and gain immunological experience as you get older, says Dr. Adalja. But children do not have this experience. (Your immune system also tends to weaken and develop other health problems when you reach your mid-sixties, which is why older people are also at risk.) "[Children] react to a new virus, he adds.
As a result, a child can develop serious complications – such as pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections and ear infections – or even die from the flu, says the CDC. "Normal and healthy children can become very sick and have to be admitted to the hospital within 24 hours of the onset of flu symptoms," says Dr. Schaffner. Children under 5 years of age, especially those under 2 years of age, are at "high risk" for serious influenza complications, according to the CDC. Children can not be vaccinated either before the age of 6 months.
And because flu is extremely common and contagious, "once she gets into a community, she can reach a lot of people, especially children," says Camille Sabella, MD, director of the Center for Pediatric Infectious Diseases. Cleveland Clinic Children's
That's why the flu shot is so crucial for adult children and for people surrounding children still too young to get vaccinated.
The vaccine works by causing the formation of antibodies in your body about two weeks after your vaccination, says the CDC. These antibodies then help protect you from infection with the viruses in the vaccine. The vaccines include the influenza viruses that, according to experts, will be the most prevalent during the next season, and they usually protect against two influenza A viruses and one virus. influenza B.
"The flu vaccine is the best way to prevent deaths from the flu," says Dr. Adalja. "We find that the vast majority of children who die of the flu are not vaccinated." It should be noted that the flu vaccine is not 100% effective and that it is always possible that a child dies of the flu after getting vaccinated. . However, even a flawed flu vaccine helps to reduce the risk of hospitalization and death. "It's much less likely that if your child gets the flu, he will die," says Dr. Schaffner.
There are some other things you can do to help protect your child if the flu spreads in your home or classroom.
"It will be difficult to completely avoid exposure to the flu. That's why the best thing to do is get your child vaccinated, "says Dr. Adalja. This year, the flu vaccine is available as an injectable or nasal vaccine. Once you have taken care of it, you will want to make sure that your child is often washing hands with soap and water. Hand sanitizers are also a good tool for fighting the flu, says Dr. Schaffner.
People can be contagious with the flu even before having symptoms. It is also important to teach your child good general hygiene practices (for example, do not share bottled water with other people), says Dr. Adalja. And stress to your child that if they see a lot of sneezing and coughing, they should try to avoid them as much as possible, says Dr. Schaffner.
At home, the best way to protect your child is to ensure that all family members are vaccinated against the flu and to practice good hand hygiene, says Dr. Schaffner.
If your child gets the flu, do not panic.
First, call your child's pediatrician as soon as possible, who can prescribe an anti-viral drug like Tamiflu, says Dr. Schaffner. This can shorten the course of the disease and help reduce the risk of your child developing serious complications, he says.
Then make sure your child is comfortable and drinks a lot of fluids, says Dr. Adalja. You can also give them an over-the-counter medication like ibuprofen or acetaminophen if they have fever to try to lower it and lessen the pain, he says.
Because flu spreads easily, you will also want to keep your child at home and away from others, whenever possible, says Dr. Schaffner. After 24 hours without fever (without the help of a fever medication), your child can go back to school, says the CDC.
If your child is sick for more than a week, if he develops new symptoms or if his symptoms worsen, consult your doctor.
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