I Think I Have The Flu

Are you feeling a bit under the weather lately? A little woozie, achey, stuffy?

You may have a cold, or is it the flu? Check out the accompanying chart and then read the following article for some advice on how to deal if you do indeed have the flu.

The following information is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/takingcare.htm

If you get sick with flu-like symptoms, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people except to get medical care. Most people with the flu have mild illness and do not need medical care or antiviral drugs.

However, some people are more likely to get flu complications (for example young children, people 65 and older, people with asthma, diabetes or women who are pregnant) and they should talk to a health care provider about whether they need to be examined if they get flu symptoms.

Also, it’s possible for healthy people to develop severe illness from the flu so anyone concerned about their illness should consult a health care provider.
There are emergency warning signs. Anyone who has them should get medical care right away.

What are the emergency warning signs?

In children   

•    Fast breathing or trouble breathing

•    Bluish skin color

•    Not drinking enough fluids

•    Not waking up or not interacting

•    Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held

•    Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

•    Fever with a rash

In addition to the signs above, get medical help right away for any infant who has any of these signs:

•    Being unable to eat

•    Has trouble breathing

•    Has no tears when crying

•    Significantly fewer wet diapers than normal

In adults

•    Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

•    Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen

•    Sudden dizziness

•    Confusion

•    Severe or persistent vomiting

•    Flu-like symptoms that improve but then return with fever and worse cough