- This year was a really bad influenza season.
Dr. Sarah Adams.
Know her, love her.
I've worked with her several times.
She's a pediatrician with Akron Children's Hospital
and Pediatric Hudson location,
that's where she works out of.
She's here to talk about the flu and your kids.
- And Dr. Adams, thank you so much for joining us.
- Thank you for having me.
- I'm sure during a very-- - It's good to see you here.
- Busy time of year for you.
- Absolutely.
- So lets talk about how is this flu season?
Is this really bad in comparison to last year
or how is it looking?
- So, so far, so good.
This year, it hasn't been too bad.
Our peak time period though, over the winter,
is December, January, February, March.
- There's time. - So, so far, so good,
but there's still time and last year was particularly bad.
There was the CDC said
about 185 pediatric deaths due to influenza.
In this year already, there's been 16.
But the good news is hospitalization
for influenza this year, so far, is low,
which is really good.
- That is good.
With several months to go, it's not too late
to get the shot though,
if you haven't. - No, its not too late
and I highly recommend that you do.
- Okay. - So far, it seems to me,
the patients that I've had
that have had the influenza vaccine,
especially the children under two, have done very well,
and knock on wood, I haven't seen anyone in my office
that has had the vaccine so far.
- Oh good.
- So what separates the flu from other common colds?
Like, what makes it different?
- That's a very good question.
One of the biggest differences
is flu comes on very suddenly.
So, all of a sudden, your child could be well
and then they wake up, they've got a fever,
they've got a headache, they're really lethargic, coughing,
whereas a cold will come on gradually
and sometimes you get some other mild symptoms
with a cold like sneezing,
sore throat, but you can get that sometimes with the flu
but not as much as the other symptoms as I mentioned.
- So the fever is a big sign that it could be the flu,
is that correct?
- The fever can come with either,
the big sign is that it came all of a sudden.
- I always hear you feel like you get hit by a truck.
- Yeah. - You do.
- Okay. - It is exactly right.
Whereas a cold, they kind of get sick gradually.
Parents will tell me,
well, a few days ago, they started getting some congestion
and then, you know,
they progressively got maybe a little bit worse.
- You get that drippy throat.
- The good news is, flu usually only lasts about three days,
the worst part of it,
and a cold can last up to a week or longer.
So a cold comes on gradual, lasts longer.
Flu hits you hard, hopefully doesn't last very long.
- Wow.
- So if you feel like your child has the flu
and they get hit hard like that,
do you go to the doctor immediately
or is it something that you wait a little bit,
and kind of ride the storm, so to speak?
- So, I think the good news is,
most children can be cared for at home.
Something for fever and comfort,
lots of fluids, lots of rest.
But if your child under five, specifically under two,
because they can't tell you what's wrong,
I would at least call the doctor.
However, you wanna seek urgent care
or even the emergency room
if they're having any breathing difficulties,
if they're dehydrated,
or they're really lethargic or really irritable.
- Okay, right, you know when your kid is lethargic.
- I mean, its kind of this,
I feel like a gut instinct, as parents we know.
- So if somebody else is sick with the flu in the house,
how can you keep the whole family,
I think about our Supermom who comes on with her eight kids
and one kid gets sick, you're just like, what do you do?
- I feel like I just walk around with Lysol wipes.
- Yeah.
- It's not a bad idea.
- But, I mean, I'm like (hand gestures) everywhere.
- Probably one of the most important things is,
get the flu shot.
So even if one of the children is now diagnosed,
if the others haven't had the flu, I recommend getting it.
Of course, get it before you get the flu,
that's always gonna work more effectively.
But keep the child that's sick away from the others,
that's really gonna be your best defense.
Using Purell, washing your hands,
especially if you're at home
and you're about to prepare a meal
or your children are about to eat.
That's going to be most important.
- And, I mean, just because it's in the house,
not everyone necessarily has to get it, right?
- No, it's transmitted by respiratory droplets
but that doesn't mean that the child
has to be sneezing or coughing, you can just breathe on them
or they breathe on you, and you can get it.
So you just wanna kind of keep the distance,
wash your hands.
- Wash the bedding.
- So, would the Lysol wipes be a good option to kind of--
- To clean surfaces? - Yeah.
- Yes, it's not as common
to transmit on surfaces but it can.
- Right, okay. - Okay.
- Especially right around where the child
is spending most of their time.
- Right, I know, I feel like,
"Don't move, everybody stay put, let me disinfect the area."
- "Don't breath on me."
- But you don't have to get carried away.
- I'm kidding, kind of.
(laughter)
- Okay, so for more information,
you can always go to AkronChildrens.org.
It's so good to see you in studio,
usually you're out at the hospital.
- Good to see you. - Good to see you.
- And it's awesome to have you in here today.
- Thank you for having me.
- This is really helpful information.
- Healthy rest of the year. - Yes.
- I hope it does help.
- It's good to hear it's going well so far too.
- Yes, let's keep it that way. - Yeah, okay.