Don’t Go Viral This Season: Winter Illnesses

The winter season is almost here. We want parents to feel well-prepared for the range of viruses and illnesses that tend to peak during this time. From the Flu to stomach viruses, understanding the symptoms and appropriate care can help you feel more at ease and prepared this season. In this guide, we’ll break down the key information for common winter illnesses and provide helpful tips to keep your family healthy and happy during the holiday season.

INFLUENZA A & B

Symptoms include:
- Cough, sore throat, runny nose, or fever. More muscle pain, headache, fever, and chills than with usual colds. The onset is more abrupt, and the symptoms are more severe than the common cold.
Lab test at a scheduled sick visit with your Parkside Pediatrics provider.
Care Advice: For a runny nose with lots of discharge, try to have your child blow their nose or you can suction their nose. Avoid cold or cough medications in young children. They are not approved by the FDA in children under 6 years. Antibiotics are not helpful for flu or other viruses. Try to get your child to drink lots of fluids. Sip warm fluids such as chicken broth or apple juice to soothe a sore throat, or some children prefer popsicles or ice cream. Use Tylenol or Motrin (over 6 months old) for fevers or pain.

Call us back if your child has any breathing difficulties, retractions, dehydration, earache or sinus pain, fever that lasts more than 3 days or if you have any further concerns.

RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus)

RSV is a viral infection of the smallest airways in the lungs. Wheezing is the main symptom.
Symptoms include:
- Wheezing, rapid breathing at a rate of over 40 breaths per minute, tight breathing (having to push the air out), coughing, fever, and a runny nose often precede breathing problems.
Respiratory panel lab tests can be completed at a scheduled sick visit with your Parkside Pediatrics provider.
Care Advice: Breathe warm mist, give warm clear fluids to drink. Only give breastmilk or formula to children under six months of age. Nasal saline to open a blocked nose. Use a humidifier in your home as dry air makes coughs worse. Use small, frequent feedings whenever your child has the energy to drink. Offer enough fluids to prevent dehydration.

Call us back if your child has any trouble breathing, wheezing gets worse, fever lasts more than 3 days, or if you have any further concerns.

COVID-19

Symptoms include:
- Cough, shortness of breath, fever or chills, loss of taste or smell, muscle or body aches, headache, sore throat, fatigue, and/or runny nose. Less common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Respiratory panel lab test can be completed at a scheduled sick visit with your Parkside Pediatrics provider.
Care Advice: Treatment of symptoms that are bothering you the most. Nasal saline to open a blocked nose. For fevers greater than 102 you may use acetaminophen or ibuprofen (over 6 months of age). Offer cool fluids in unlimited amounts to prevent dehydration. Only give breastmilk or formula to children under six months of age. Offer warm fluids to help with sore throat. Gently massage any sore muscles, and apply heat (heating pad or warm wet washcloth) for 10 min 3 times daily. Follow CDC recommendations regarding isolation protocols.

Call back if your child has any trouble breathing or if you have any further concerns.

STREP THROAT

Step Throat is a bacterial infection of the throat caused by streptococcus virus.
Symptoms Include:
- Pain, discomfort or raw feeling of the throat. Pain is made worse when swallowing. Sore throat, fever, headache, stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting. You can also see a rash on the child’s trunk during a strep infection. Looking at the throat, you may see the throat bright red with swollen tonsils, often covered in pus.
Strep lab test can be completed at a scheduled sick visit with your Parkside Pediatrics provider.
Care Advice: Strep infections need a prescription for an antibiotic. Give antibiotics as directed. For sore throat pain relief, offer warm fluids such as chicken broth or apple juice (or some prefer ice cream or popsicles). Acetaminophen or ibuprofen (over 6 months old) can help relieve pain. Offer plenty of fluids, and your child may prefer a soft diet. Strep throat responds quickly to antibiotics. The fever is typically gone by 24 hours and child may begin feeling better by 48 hours.

Call back if fever lasts more than three days or if you have any further concerns.

HAND-FOOT-MOUTH DISEASE

HFM is a viral infection that causes mouth sores (ulcers) and tiny blisters or red spots on the hands and feet.
Symptoms Include:
- Small painful sores in the mouth (on the tongue, sides of the mouth, and back of the throat). Mouth sores and pain when eating often precede the rash on the hands by a day or so. Small, thick-walled water blisters or red spots on the palms, soles, fingers, and toes are common. Low-grade fever of less than 102.
Lab test not required for this illness. Treatment of symptoms at home is recommended.
Care Advice: Encourage your child to drink plenty of fluids to help with hydration. Cold drinks such as milkshakes, popsicles, slushes, and sherbet are good choices. Offer a soft diet such as mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, cereals with milk, and ice cream. Fluid intake is more important than eating any solids. For pain relief or fevers greater than 102 you can give acetaminophen or ibuprofen (over 6 months of age). Blisters don’t need any special treatment. You can wash them like normal skin. If blisters open, they are contagious to other people, but they quickly dry over. Fever can last 2-3 days, mouth ulcers should begin resolving by seven days, and the rash on hands and feet begin resolving by 10 days (but you may see peeling on hands and feet).

Call back if your child has any signs of dehydration, fever lasts more than 3 days, or if you have any further concerns.

STOMACH VIRUS

Stomach Virus (Vomiting with diarrhea). Most vomiting with diarrhea is caused by a viral infection of the stomach and intestines.
Symptoms Include:
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps.
Lab test not required for this virus. Treatment of symptoms at home is recommended.
Care Advice: For children over 1 year of age offer small amounts of Oral Rehydration Solution for 8 hours. If child is vomiting with watery diarrhea they need ORS (such as Pedialyte). The key to success is giving small amounts of fluid. Offer 2-3 teaspoons (10-15 mL) every 5 minutes. Older kids can just slowly sip ORS. After 4 hours without vomiting, increase the amount. After 8 hours without vomiting, go back to regular fluids. Avoid fruit juices and soft drinks (they make diarrhea worse). Avoid solid foods until 8 hours without vomiting. Start introducing starchy foods that are easy to digest (such as cereals, crackers, and bread).

Call back if your child vomits all clear fluids for more than 8 hours, vomiting lasts more than 24 hours, blood or bile in the vomit, stomach pain is present even when not vomiting, dehydration suspected (no urine in over 8 hours; dark urine; very dry mouth; and no tears), diarrhea becomes severe, or if you have any further concerns.

COMMON COLD VIRUS

Symptoms include:
- Runny or stuffy nose, the nasal discharge starts clear but changes to gray (can also be yellow or green). Most children have a fever at the start. A sore throat can be the first sign. At times, the child also may have a cough and develop a hoarse voice. Sometimes, watery eyes and swollen lymph nodes in the neck also occur.
Lab test not required for this virus. Treatment of symptoms at home is recommended.
Care Advice: For a runny nose with increased discharge we recommend that the child blows their nose has their nose suctioned if needed. Nasal saline can be used to open up a blocked nose. Offer an increased amount of fluids. Use a humidifier if the air in your home is dry. Give acetaminophen or ibuprofen (over 6 months of age) for fever greater than 102 or pain.

Call back if your child has any signs of trouble breathing, earache occurs, fever lasts greater than three days or goes above 104 degrees, nasal discharge that lasts greater than 14 days, cough lasts more than three weeks, or if you have any further concerns.

Helpful tips to keep your family healthy and happy during this holiday season!

Wash hands regularly. Help teach your children how to properly wash their hands frequently!
Get vaccinations to help protect against certain illnesses.
Cover coughs and sneezes.
Disinfect toys, electronics, and communal objects.
Eat healthy and exercise regularly.
Drink plenty of water.
Avoid people who are ill. It is totally acceptable to cancel plans with people who are sick when you have children.
Prioritize sleep! Sleep is crucial for good health, so just like adults, children need their sleep.

And remember, we’re a call away for any questions or concerns. We wish you a safe and healthy Holiday Season!