The Wilson girl is one of the few young people to die from the flu in North Carolina this winter. As of Dec. 14, 14 influenza-related deaths have been reported in the state. Ten of them were over 65 years old.
Dr. Lori Langdon, a pediatrician and director of pediatrics at Campbell University, said Jasmine’s family was right to seek hospital treatment and offered advice to other parents on when to contact the hospital.
“We’re not scared of the height of the fever or the numbers. We’re scared of how they’re dealing with the fever,” she said.
When your child is sick, it’s important to watch for signs of dehydration.
“It really pushes the fluid out,” Langdon said. “Don’t worry if they aren’t eating solids; you need to actively feed them liquids.”
Children who are not drinking water or urinating should be taken to the emergency room and treated with an IV.
Langdon, who offers advice on YouTube, noted that other respiratory infections are swirling this winter as well.
“The number one reason we seek a higher level of care is if we have difficulty breathing,” she said.
“We are now being attacked by RSV.”
If your child has trouble breathing, they should always go to the hospital or get emergency treatment.
“If your stomach muscles move to help you breathe, your shoulders shake, or your head shakes, these are all bad signs that you’re having trouble breathing. Seek medical attention, even on the weekend or in the middle of the night. “There is a need,” says Dr. Langdon. He said.
The Mayo Clinic suggests the following symptoms should see a doctor:
- A fever of 100.4 degrees in newborns up to 12 weeks old.
- Children of any age have a fever or a fever that lasts more than 2 days
- difficulty breathing or wheezing
- ear pain
- Untypical irritability or sleepiness
- not interested in eating
Doctors and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that everyone six months of age and older get an annual influenza vaccine.
This has two important benefits:
- Reduces the chance that people who get the flu will become seriously ill. A study cited by the CDC found that vaccinated patients had a 26% lower risk of intensive care unit admission and a 31% lower risk of death from influenza compared to unvaccinated patients. did.
- The more people who are vaccinated, the less likely it is that the flu will spread.