Flu or Cold?

IS IT THE FLU OR IS IT A COLD?

Influenza, or flu, is a respiratory infection caused by a variety of flu viruses. The most familiar aspect of the flu is the way it can “knock you off your feet” as it sweeps through entire communities.The flu differs from the common cold in the rapidity of its onset and the severity of its symptoms.  Flu outbreaks usually begin suddenly and occur mainly in the late fall and winter.

ARE THERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FLU VIRUSES?
The first flu virus was identified in the 1930s. Since then, scientists have classified flu viruses into types A, B, and C.  Type A is the most common and usually causes the most serious epidemics. Type B outbreaks also can cause epidemics, but the disease it produces generally is milder than that caused by type A. Type C viruses, on the other hand, never have been connected with a large epidemic.

Once flu invades a community, the infection moves quickly because of a very short incubation period - the time from infection to symptoms - of only one to three days. The virus spreads through airborne droplets caused by coughing and sneezing.   Known as a "sudden-onset" illness, flu hits its victims hard and fast. Acute symptoms last four to five days and include extreme fatigue, high fever, aching muscles, chills, sometimes a sore throat, and a severe cough that can linger for weeks.

SYMPTOMS	COLD	FLU
Fever	Rare	Characteristic high (102°-104°F) Chills. Sudden onset: lasts 3-5 days
Headache	Usual	Sometime
Gastrointestinal disturbances	No	Nausea & vomiting with some types
General aches and pains	Slight	Usual: often quite severe, especially the back and legs
Fatigue and weakness	Quite mild	Extreme: can last 2-3 weeks
Prostration (extreme exhaustion or lack of energy or power	Never	Early and prominent
Runny, stuffy nose	Common	Sometimes
Sneezing	Usual	Sometimes
Sore Throat	Common	Sometimes
Chest discomfort, cough	Mild to moderate; Hacking cough	Common; can become severe

If you get infected by the flu virus, you will usually feel symptoms 1 to 4 days later. You can spread the flu to others before your symptoms start and for another 3 to 4 days after your symptoms appear.
Typically, the fever begins to decline on the second or third day of the illness. The flu almost never causes symptoms in the stomach and intestines. The illness that some people often call “stomach flu” is not influenza.

Treatment of the flu is based on symptoms.  Rest, fluid replacement, Acetaminophen and similar types of medication for fever and general malaise.  Parents should take their children to a doctor if the child is listless, cannot be calmed down, is not drinking fluids or has difficulty breathing. 
Many people treat their flu infections by simply
* Resting in bed
* Drinking plenty of fluids
* Taking over-the-counter medicine such as aspirin or acetaminophen (Tylenol, for example)
Do not give aspirin to children and adolescents who have the flu.
Do not take antibiotics to treat the flu because they do not work on viruses. Antibiotics only work against some infections caused by bacteria.

Medicine for Treatment:

If you do get the flu and want to take medicine to treat it, your physician may prescribe one of four available antiviral medicines.
* Tamiflu (oseltamivir) helps adults 18 years and older and Relenza (zanamivir) helps adults and children 7 years and older who have an uncomplicated flu infection and who have had symptoms for no more than two days. FDA also has approved Tamiflu for use in children 1 year of age and older who have had symptoms for no more than 2 days. Both treat influenza type A and type B infections.
* Flumadine (rimantadine) helps adults who have influenza type A virus infections. It has no effect on influenza type B virus infections.
* Symmetrel (amantadine) may be taken by adults and children who are 1 year of age and older to prevent and treat type A influenza virus infections. Amantadine, however, is more likely to cause side effects such as lightheadedness and inability to sleep more often than is rimantadine.
To work well, you must take these medicines within 48 hours after the flu begins. They reduce the length or time fever and other symptoms last and allow you to return to your daily routine quicker.  

Do not give aspirin to a child or teenager due to Reye's Syndrome.  Reye’s syndrome, a condition that affects the nerves, sometimes develops in children and teenagers who are recovering from the flu. Reye’s syndrome begins with nausea and vomiting, but the progressive mental changes (such as confusion or delirium) cause the greatest concern. The syndrome often begins in young people after they take aspirin to get rid of fever or pain. Although very few children develop Reye’s syndrome, you should consult a health care provider before giving aspirin or products that contain aspirin to children. Acetaminophen does not seem to be associated with Reye’s syndrome. 

If your child vomits or has flu symptoms in the morning before school, please keep him/her home.  Food poisoning is rare and usually not the problem. 

Should your child come down with flu symptoms, we would appreciate it if he/she stays home to prevent the spread of this highly contagious, epidemic disease until he/she has been symptom-free for 24 hours.