Seriously, folks: Wash your hands.
This is not Mom talking. With flu season here and limited vaccine available, physicians are encouraging people to keep flu away the old-fashioned way: Cover your mouth when you cough, don’t share cups and utensils, and wash your hands – a lot.
“Most people think viruses are transmitted by sneezing or coughing, and they can be, but what I worry about most is shaking people’s hands,” said Dr. Carol Baker, a professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and member of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ infectious diseases committee.
“We don’t think about it, but our habits with our own loved ones are very loose,” Baker noted. “People drink out of other people’s glasses, pick up somebody’s else’s Kleenex.” Those are no-no’s, she said.
The influenza virus can stay alive for several hours on surfaces, so people should wash their hands after using a computer keyboard or telephone, both at home and in the office, Baker said.
Flu is often accompanied by a fever that runs its course in three to four days, said Dr. Ari Brown, a pediatrician and author of “Baby 411,” a parenting guide. She cites three red flags for parents that should trigger a doctor’s visit and possible hospitalization of children:
n Boomerang fever, which occurs when the fever breaks for 24 hours and then recurs. That can be the sign of a bacterial infection, she said.
n Air hunger, when a child is breathing shallowly and rapidly, sucking in the rib cage or flaring the nostrils to get more air. It may be a sign of pneumonia. Though parents worry about coughing, “It’s not what you hear as what you see,” Brown said.
n Dry diapers, or lack of urination, means a child is becoming dehydrated, a serious complication. Push clear liquids, gelatin or ice pops. If a child isn’t urinating at least every eight hours, Brown said, “See your doctor.”
Special precautions are required for newborns and infants, who need to be evaluated by a doctor immediately if they develop a fever, Brown said.
Elderly people with flu may not develop a fever at all, said Dr. Gisele Wolf-Klein, a geriatrician at Parker Jewish Institute in New Hyde Park, N.Y. However, they may exhibit confusion, fatigue and body aches.
Stay away from friends or colleagues who are coughing and sneezing, she suggested. “Stay warm,” she said. “Take time to grab that extra sweater.”
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