Flu levels are the highest they’ve been in 25 years, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we’ve already seen nine pediatric deaths during this flu season alone.
That’s why one pediatric physician with Memorial Health, Dr. Nabeela Asma, stresses that it’s important to protect your family from the flu now, more than ever.
“It’s causing more severe symptoms like nasal congestion with high fevers,” she said, “Body aches is what is more of a prominent symptoms than that is different from the previous flu cases.”
She added, “We have also seen that there are several complications and one of them is breathing difficulty and that is the reason that most of the patients are getting hospitalized for.”
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Anyone aged six months or older can receive the flu vaccine no matter which stage of the flu season we’re in.
Getting your flu vaccine may not be a foolproof way to protect you from the flu, but it can help before you get it, and even after since it can reduce complications associated with the flu.
Don’t be afraid to get your family vaccinated, either. It protects you, your loved ones, and the rest of your community.
“I understand there’s a lot of scare around vaccines,” Dr. Asma said, “There’s a lot of myths and misconceptions; maybe it’s coming out from fads and people’s experiences, but we as a community want to protect each other and prevent more harmful effects and more deaths from happening.”
She added, “You don’t want to lose your loved ones.”
Dr. Asma also said maintaining good hygiene can act as a barrier between your family and the flu.
“Wash hands, clean hygiene every time you clean their nose,” she said, “Any secretions thorough washing and not use the same kind of towel or anything for any other sibling or any in the daycare, try to not use the same thing over and over again.”
The Memorial Health Lawton Community Healthcare Health Plex, which is located at the old Cinemark theater on Cache Road, has multiple options for families seeking treatment for the flu.
First, they’ll give your child a rapid flu test, which can tell whether they are flu-positive in around five minutes.
Children can receive supportive care.
“Supportive care is the mainstay,” Asma said, “We give Tylenol, Motrin, as needed for fevers. Motrin not less than six months of age, but after that, you’re okay to give Motrin, Tylenol.
Asma suggests that parents should pay attention to how your child eats and drinks, too.
“Good hydration, make sure your child is eating and drinking,” she said, “Eating might be a little less, but that’s expected, they’re not going to eat as normally when they’re sick.”
Children can also receive an antiretroviral, like oseltamivir, which are typically used for more severe cases. However, Asma added that this is an option for any child with the flu.
Asma said parents should take a child to the emergency room if a fever lasts more than three to five days, if the child has breathing difficulties, if urine appears dark, or if the child has excessive vomiting or diarrhea.
For infants, seek care if they stop producing tears, or if they look dehydrated.
The Memorial Health Lawton Community Healthcare Health Plex is ready to take care of you and your family during this flu season.
People in the community are invited to come out to the Health Plex’s Open House between noon and 2 p.m. on January 23rd.
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