With flu season upon us, it is important to keep our children healthy. Children are two to three times more likely than adults to get sick with the flu, and on average, one in three children in the U.S. is affected by the virus each year.

Usually flu is spread from person to person through coughing and sneezing. Occasionally, people get the flu from touching a germ-infested surface.

It is important to know the difference between cold and flu. Common symptoms of the flu include high fever, severe headache, muscle and body aches, chills, sore throat, exhaustion and dry cough. Children may also have nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Often cold symptoms come on gradually and they include stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat and hacking cough.

Simple Steps for Keeping Your Child Healthy:

• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the best way to prevent your child from getting the flu is to take him/her to get a flu vaccine.
• Talk to your child about practicing good health habits, such as:
  • Washing hands frequently with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds
  • Covering mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing-preferably into the inside of the elbow or with a tissue and disposing of the tissue immediately into the trash
  • Avoiding sharing drinks, water bottles, eating utensils and cell phones
  • Avoiding touching their eyes, nose and mouth
• You can help prevent the flu from spreading at home by disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, toys and other commonly shared items.
• You can prevent spreading illness to others by keeping your sick children home from school until they have been fever free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication). It is important for your sick child to get rest and drink plenty of fluids.
• Some children may benefit from an antiviral medication, which can be prescribed by a doctor to help lessen the number of days that a child is sick with the virus. To be affective, antiviral medication should be taken within 12-48 hours after the flu symptoms begin. A doctor may also prescribe the antiviral to prevent the child from getting the flu; if taken within the first 12-48 hours of exposure to the flu virus there is an 89 percent chance the medication will keep him/her from getting sick.

For additional information on the influenza virus you can visit www.cdc.gov/flu.

Parents and caregivers should use the following questionnaire to assess the health status of their child on a daily basis. Flu-like symptoms should be reported to Attendance.

Does your child have:

• Fever (100° F or greater) OR Feels warm/has flushed appearance/is sweating or shivering? □ Yes □ No
• Sore Throat? □ Yes □ No
• Cough? □ Yes □ No

Should I keep my child home?

• If you checked yes to fever AND one of the other symptoms, keep your child home. Child should stay at home at least 24 hours after he/she no longer has a fever or signs of a fever (without the use of a fever-reducing medicine).
• If your child has been diagnosed by a healthcare provider with an illness other than influenza, such as strep throat, follow your healthcare provider’s recommendation and school policy for when to return to school.
• If you have questions about your child’s health or symptoms, call your child’s healthcare provider.

What should I tell my child's school?

• If you checked “yes” for fever AND one of the other symptoms, tell your child’s Attendance Office that your child is home with influenza-like illness.
• If your child has been diagnosed by a healthcare provider with an illness other than influenza, such as strep throat, tell your child’s Attendance Office.

What should I do when my child is ready to return to school after an influenza-like illness?

• Send your child to the office or attendance clerk with a note from you, the parent or guardian, saying that your child has been well for the past 24 hours.

Hoja de Investigación de los Síntomas de Gripe para Padres y Personas que Cuidan Niños Los padres y las personas que cuidan niños deben usar diariamente el siguiente cuestionariopara determinar el estado de salud de sus niños. Los síntomas de gripe deben reportarse a la oficina o asistencia de la escuela.

Su hijo/hija tiene:

• ¿Fiebre (100° F o mayor) O se siente caliente/tiene apariencia afiebrada/está transpirando o temblando? □ Sí □ No
• ¿Dolor de garganta? □ Sí □ No
• ¿Tos? □ Sí □ No

¿Debo mantener a mi hijo/hija en casa?

• Si usted contestó “Sí” a la fiebre Y a uno de los otros síntomas, entonces mantenga a suhijo/a en casa. Su hijo/a debe permanecer en casa hasta que ya no esté enfermo/a por 24 horas después de no tener fiebre o síntomas de fiebre (sin el uso de medicinas reductoras de la fiebre).
• Si el proveedor de cuidado de salud de su hijo/a lo ha diagnosticado con otra enfermedadtal como el estreptococo, siga las recomendaciones de su proveedor de cuidado médico ylas normas de su escuela acerca de cuando debe regresar a la escuela.
• Si usted tiene preguntas sobre la salud o síntomas de su hijo/a, llame al proveedor del cuidado de la salud de su hijo/a.

¿Qué debo decirle a la escuela de mi hijo/hija?

• Si usted contesto “Sí” a la fiebre Y a otro síntoma, dígale al personal de la oficina de la escuela que su hijo/a se quedará en casa con síntomas de gripe.
• Si el proveedor de cuidado de la salud de su hijo/a lo ha diagnosticado con otra enfermedad tal como el estreptococo, dígaselo al personal de la oficina de la escuela.

¿Qué debo hacer cuando mi hijo/hija esté listo para regresar a la escuela después de una enfermedad como la gripe?

• Mande a su hijo/a a la oficina de la escuela o personal de asistencia con una nota suya padre, madre o tutor, diciendo que su hijo/a ha estado bien en las pasadas 24 horas.