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When you have kids, flu season can be a long few months. From the fall through the spring, the flu virus often spreads like wildfire. Although everyone should take precautions, children who are younger than five years old are particularly at high risk of developing serious flu-related complications. To help your family survive flu season, Advantage Care Health Centers’ Pediatrician Dr. Mary Mulqueen has some important pediatric health care advice to share with you.
Basic Tips to Help Protect Kids from the Flu
This time of year, parents should be on high alert for flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough, sore throat and fatigue. To help you and your child stay healthy during flu season, take these three steps that our Pediatrician Dr. Mulqueen recommends.
1) Get a Flu Shot
The single most effective way to protect against the flu virus is to get your child vaccinated annually. The CDC recommends children six months and older receive a flu shot every year.
2) Help Stop the Spread of the Flu Virus
There are also a few precautions pediatric health care professionals recommend to reduce a child’s chances of catching the virus.
- Wash hands frequently
- Sanitize toys
- Teach kids to cough in their elbow
- Keep your children home from school and child care if they have symptoms of the flu
3) Take Antiviral Drugs if Prescribed
If your child does catch the flu, there are antiviral drugs available that can help to prevent complications from developing.
The Flu may Require a Pediatric Health Care Visit
For very young children and those in high risk groups, the flu can lead to dangerous complications. Each year, millions of kids get sick with seasonal flu; thousands are hospitalized and some children even die from the flu.
If your child is experiencing flu-like symptoms, Advantage Care’s primary and preventive care for children may be able to help.
Pediatrician Dr. Mary Mulqueen Helps Kids Survive Flu Season
Dr. Mulqueen is one of our primary care professionals who specializes in pediatric health care, including treating the flu. She is board-certified in both internal medicine and pediatrics and is available to see patients of all ages. She has a particular interest in caring for children and adults with Down syndrome, autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities.
According to Dr. Mulqueen, the best way to protect your child is to get a flu shot each year. If you would like to learn more about how our pediatric health care department can help your family, request an appointment today.
