Traditional Culture Encyclopedia - Weather inquiry - In the flu season, how to prevent your baby from getting the flu?

In the flu season, how to prevent your baby from getting the flu?

What is "flu"

Influenza is the abbreviation of influenza, a serious respiratory infectious disease caused by a specific influenza virus. There are four types of influenza viruses: A, B, C, and D. The influenza viruses that cause human infection are mainly types A and B.

Influenza viruses mutate easily and spread rapidly. They can cause seasonal epidemics every year, and outbreaks may occur in places where people gather, such as schools, child care institutions, and nursing homes. Susceptible groups

WHO data shows that about 20% to 30% of children worldwide suffer from seasonal influenza every year. The annual influenza infection rate in children is high, with the highest infection rate among children aged 5 to 9 years old. . Transmission of influenza

Main sources of transmission: patients and latent infections (people who carry the influenza virus but have not yet developed the disease). It is contagious from the end of the incubation period to the acute stage of onset. The virus generally continues to be detoxified in human respiratory secretions for 3 to 7 days. Children, immunocompromised and critically ill patients can detoxify for more than 1 week.

Main transmission route: Influenza virus is mainly spread through droplets such as sneezing and coughing, and is infected through direct or indirect contact with mucous membranes such as the oral cavity, nasal cavity, eyes, etc.; infection can also be caused by contact with items contaminated by the virus. .

Peak period of infection: 24-48 hours after the onset of influenza is the peak period of virus shedding. It takes 5 days for older children. The amount of detoxification in younger children is the same as that of adults, and the detoxification time will be longer. Long-term detoxification is common in infants and young children (>1 week); the detoxification time of children with low immune function or deficiency is longer. Influenza symptoms

Influenza generally manifests as acute onset, fever (high fever may occur in some cases, reaching 39~40℃), accompanied by chills, chills, headache, muscle and joint aches, extreme fatigue, and loss of appetite. Systemic symptoms include sore throat, cough, nasal congestion, runny nose, retrosternal discomfort, facial flushing, vomiting, diarrhea and other symptoms. Some high-risk groups may develop complications from influenza. Pneumonia is the most common complication, and other complications include neurological damage, heart damage, myositis, etc.

Mild influenza often presents similar to a common cold, but the fever and systemic symptoms are more obvious. Severe influenza mainly occurs in high-risk groups such as the elderly, young children, pregnant women, or those with chronic underlying diseases, but can also occur in the general population.

The clinical manifestations and complications of influenza in children are similar to those in adults. Children infected with influenza B are sometimes characterized by vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Children have higher rates of morbidity and complications from influenza compared with adults. Acute laryngitis, acute otitis media, tracheitis, bronchitis, bronchiolitis, and pneumonia caused by influenza virus infection are more common in children than in adults. What can parents and children do?

1. Pay attention to personal hygiene habits and wash your hands frequently, especially before meals and after using the toilet, after touching your eyes, nose or mouth, and after going out and returning home;

2. Keep the environment clean and Ventilate, and try to avoid going to crowded and poorly ventilated places;

3. Try to avoid contact with patients with respiratory infections; take personal protection (such as wearing a mask) when contact is necessary;

4. If a family member is infected with influenza, it is recommended to isolate as much as possible and reduce contact with the child;

5. Add or remove clothing for the child in a timely manner according to temperature changes, get adequate rest, have a balanced diet, and strengthen exercise to enhance physical fitness and immunity. ;

6. Influenza vaccination is the most effective way to prevent influenza and can significantly reduce the risk of influenza and serious complications in recipients. What should schools and childcare institutions do?

1. Actively carry out various forms of health education on influenza prevention and control knowledge;

2. Advocate environmental sanitation, scientific hand washing and other hygienic behaviors to improve students, faculty and staff's awareness of influenza prevention and control. Correct understanding and self-protection ability;

3. Strengthen environmental sanitation and ventilation in classrooms, libraries (reading rooms), offices and other places where students and faculty study, work and live, and maintain air circulation;

p>

4. Strengthen morning inspections and monitoring of students’ absence from school due to illness. Once a student is found to have symptoms such as fever, cough or sore throat, parents should be notified in time and take their children to see a doctor. If influenza-like epidemics are discovered, they must be promptly reported to the disease prevention and control agency and education administrative department in the jurisdiction. What to do after a child is diagnosed with influenza

What should parents do

1. Children infected with influenza should be isolated and treated as soon as possible;

2. Let the child rest and drink plenty of water. , the diet should be easy to digest and nutritious;

3. Open windows in the room for ventilation and maintain air circulation;

4. When taking care of children, parents should also pay attention to their own protection ( (such as wearing a mask, washing hands after contact, etc.) to avoid cross-infection; other family members should try to reduce contact with the sick child, especially children who are not infected with influenza.

It is recommended that parents keep their children away from school for the time being, rest at home, and try to avoid going to places where people gather.

What should schools and daycare institutions do

1. Strengthen monitoring and timely reporting

Strengthen the daily morning and afternoon inspection system, absenteeism due to illness, Absence registration system, if an abnormal increase in influenza-like cases is found in a short period of time, it should be reported to the education administrative department and the local health administrative department.

2. Do a good job in case management

When influenza-like cases are discovered, they should wear masks in time, notify parents to take their children to the doctor or go home to rest, and follow up on the progress of their children's condition in a timely manner and outcome.

3. Maintain good environment and personal hygiene

Pay attention to maintaining air circulation in classrooms, dormitories, canteens and other places, and frequently open windows for ventilation to keep the air fresh; public places Clean regularly to keep the environment clean. Instruct students to pay attention to personal hygiene, wash hands frequently, and do not use towels. Cover your mouth and nose with tissues or sleeves when coughing and sneezing, and wash your hands immediately after coming into contact with respiratory secretions (such as after sneezing). Wear a mask after developing flu-like symptoms or when in contact with sick people.

4. Actively carry out health education

To carry out health education, posters, blackboards, foldouts, etc. can be used to promote health and disease prevention knowledge and improve teachers and students' self-protection awareness and ability.

5. Other measures

Schools and child care institutions where epidemics occur should reduce or avoid organizing group activities based on the development trend of the epidemic. If necessary, measures such as suspending classes and taking holidays can be taken based on expert advice to prevent the spread of the epidemic.