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I recently had the opportunity to ask Dr. Tanya Altmann a few questions about the flu. Here’s some answers and advice to help you get through the cold & flu season.
What are the best ways to relieve flu symptoms?
Your doctor may prescribe an antiviral medication to help shorten the duration of the flu, decrease symptoms, decrease transmission to family members and decrease chance of complications from the flu such as a secondary pneumonia.
Otherwise, the best ways to relieve symptoms are plenty of rest, fluids, acetaminophen for fever, aches and pains and of course time.
For infants and children with a stuffy, runny nose, use a drop or two of nasal saline and gentle suction if they let you. Also, sitting in a steamy bathroom for 20 minutes and running a cool mist humidifier/vaporizer in their bedroom at night will help thin and relieve congestion.
What is the best way to keep sickness from spreading once a family member becomes ill?
With multiple young siblings, you may wind up with more than one sick child at a time. With the families I see, siblings tend to have the same viral infection, just a few days apart. If cross-contamination is of concern when taking oral temperatures, use the no touch option on the new Braun No touch + forehead thermometer that takes fast, accurate readings by holding the thermometer two inches from the child’s forehead. It’s the easiest way to keep temperature taking as hygienic as possible.
Keeping your home germ free during cold & flu season may sound time consuming. However, there are certain places were germs typically linger that you’ll want to disinfect more regularly. Door knobs, sink handles, light switches and phones are all constantly touched places in your home where germs can be easily spread. Keep a box of disinfecting wipes on your kitchen counter (out of reach of young hands) so you’ll be reminded to clean these areas.
What are your thoughts on the flu shot?
One of my first recommendations for parents heading into cold & flu season is to get their family vaccinated. The flu can cause serious health problems such as pneumonia and is especially dangerous in young children and the elderly. The CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the flu vaccine for any child over 6 months of age and older. Ask your pediatrician if you have questions.
The idea that the flu shot causes the flu is one of the biggest misconceptions out there as the flu shot will not transmit the flu. The reason why people sometimes get sick after the shot is because they have caught a virus from somewhere else. Get the flu shot early in the season to minimize this risk and ensure you’re protected from the start.
How long is the flu contagious for?
In general, the flu is contagious beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 to 7 days after becoming sick. Children may pass the virus for even longer than 7 days. This means that you can pass on the flu to somebody else before you even know you are sick as well as while you are sick. After fever and other symptoms are gone for 24 to 48 hours and you are feeling better the level of contagiousness drops down and you and your kids should be able to return to normal activities.
I got a chance to try the Braun No-Touch Thermometer that Dr. Tanya Altmann mentioned. It’s one of the easiest to use that I’ve ever tried. You can either hold the thermometer up to two inches from the forehead to take the reading or you can gently make contact with the device in the same area of the forehead. The first method is perfect for taking the temperature of sleeping children without disturbing them. There is even a mute option for silent readings. The second way just “feels” more accurate though both methods work equally well. There no waiting with either method — you get accurate results in less than two seconds!
The Braun No-Touch Thermometer is available at Walgreens, Babies R Us and other major retailers. It has a suggested price of $59.99. You can find out more at www.braunthermometers.com.
Feeling lucky? Enter to win a Braun No-Touch Thermometer by filling out the form below.
A complimentary product/service was provided for this review, however, all opinions expressed are my own. I was not compensated in any other way. See Mommies With Cents disclosure policy for more details.
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I would to win it for my great grandchild.
need for my grandbaby’s..!!