Flu in Children: Symptoms, Treatment, and Pediatric Care in Anchorage, Alaska
The flu can make children feel sick very quickly. Fever, chills, body aches, headache, tiredness, cough, and sore throat can come on suddenly.
At Alaska Children’s Urgent Care and Outreach in Anchorage, our pediatric providers can evaluate flu symptoms in children, determine whether testing may be helpful, and recommend treatment based on your child’s age, symptoms, and risk factors.
What Is the Flu in Children?
Influenza, commonly called the flu, is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can affect the nose, throat, and lungs and spread when someone with the flu coughs, sneezes, or talks.
Children younger than 5 years old, especially those younger than 2, and children with certain medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, or weakened immune systems are at greater risk of serious flu complications.
Flu Symptoms in Children
Flu symptoms can vary from child to child, but they often begin suddenly.
Common flu symptoms in children include:
Fever or feeling feverish
Chills
Cough
Sore throat
Runny or stuffy nose
Headache
Muscle or body aches
Tiredness or low energy
Reduced appetite
Vomiting or diarrhea, which can occur more often in children than adults
How Is the Flu Diagnosed in Children?
A pediatric provider may diagnose influenza based on your child’s symptoms, physical examination, recent exposure to illness, and whether flu is circulating in the community.
Not every child with flu-like symptoms needs testing. When a test may help guide treatment, a provider may collect a nasal or throat sample. Rapid flu tests provide results quickly, but a negative result does not always rule out influenza.
How Do You Treat the Flu in Children?
Many otherwise healthy children with mild flu recover with supportive care at home.
Depending on your child’s symptoms, care may include:
Encouraging fluids to help prevent dehydration
Allowing plenty of rest
Using age-appropriate fever or pain medicine as recommended by your child’s healthcare provider
Monitoring breathing, hydration, fever, and overall alertness
Do not give aspirin or aspirin-containing medicines to a child or teenager with suspected influenza unless specifically directed by a healthcare provider.
Your provider may also recommend a prescription antiviral medicine. Antiviral medicines generally work best when started within the first one to two days after symptoms begin.
Antiviral treatment is especially important for children who are very sick or at higher risk of flu complications.
Antibiotics do not treat influenza because the flu is caused by a virus. They may only be needed if your child develops a separate bacterial infection, such as certain ear infections or bacterial pneumonia.
When Should You Seek Urgent Care for Your Child’s Flu?
Consider having your child evaluated if:
Fever is high, persistent, or returns after your child seemed to be getting better
Your child is having difficulty drinking enough fluids
Your child is urinating less often or showing other signs of dehydration
Coughing is persistent or worsening
Your child develops ear pain or another new symptom
Your child has asthma or another chronic medical condition that’s worsening
Your child is younger than 5 years, especially if they’re younger than 2
Seek emergency medical care right away if your child has:
Fast breathing or trouble breathing
Bluish lips or face
Ribs pulling in with each breath
Chest pain
Seizures
Severe dehydration
Severe muscle pain or difficulty walking
Unusual sleepiness, difficulty waking, or abnormal responsiveness
A fever of 100.4°F or higher in a baby younger than 12 weeks
A fever above 104°F that’s not controlled with fever-reducing medicine
For non-emergency flu symptoms, a telemedicine visit may be a convenient first step.
Alaska Children’s pediatric providers can review your child’s symptoms, fever, hydration, medical history, and current medications and help determine whether your child should be seen in person
Why Choose Alaska Children's Urgent Care and Outreach in Anchorage?
Alaska Children’s Urgent Care and Outreach provides pediatric-focused care for flu and other respiratory illnesses in Anchorage. Our Anchorage clinic offers same-day and next-day pediatric appointments, with walk-in care also available.
Our pediatric team can evaluate your child’s symptoms, determine whether testing or prescription treatment may be appropriate, and help you understand what to do next.
Medical Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Contact a qualified healthcare provider for recommendations based on your child’s individual symptoms and health needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if my child has the flu or a cold?
Both illnesses can cause coughing, sore throat, congestion, and tiredness, but flu symptoms tend to begin more suddenly and are more likely to cause fever, chills, headache, significant fatigue, and body aches.
Cold symptoms usually develop more gradually and are more likely to center on a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, and a milder cough.
How long does the flu last in children?
For many children, the most intense flu symptoms improve within several days, and most uncomplicated cases improve within about a week.
Coughing and tiredness can sometimes continue after the fever and other symptoms have improved.
When can my child return to school after the flu?
Your child should stay home while they’re sick and unable to participate normally in school.
In general, children can return when their symptoms have been improving overall for at least 24 hours and they’ve been fever-free for at least 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication.
Can you have the flu without a fever?
Yes. A child can have the flu without developing a fever. Although fever is common with influenza, not everyone who gets the flu will have one.
