Complications of influenza in children
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Influenza for children is much more dangerous than a common cold. Every year, many children suffer from seasonal flu, and sometimes complications of the flu lead to death. What complications can a child have after the flu and how to reduce the risk of their occurrence?
Sad Facts about Influenza in Children
- Children often need medical help after the flu, sometimes because of complications do not live up to 5 years.
- Severe complications of influenza are most common in children under 2 years old.
- Children with chronic health problems such as asthma, diabetes and brain or nervous system disorders are at particularly high risk of developing serious complications of the flu.
- Each year, an average of 20,000 children under the age of 5 years are hospitalized because of complications of influenza.
Seasons of influenza vary in severity, but some children die from the flu every year. From 2003-2004 to 2011-2012, the number of child deaths ranged from 46 to 153 per year. In 2009, when the influenza pandemic H1N1 passed, from April 15, 2009 to October 2, 2010, there were 348 child deaths.
What are the symptoms of flu in children?
Symptoms of influenza in children are much more serious than cold symptoms. Symptoms of influenza in children start suddenly and usually cause a worsening of the condition within the first two to three days from the onset of the disease. Symptoms of influenza in children may include the following:
- high temperature from 38 degrees Celsius
- chills, baby shakes in fever
- extreme fatigue
- headache and aches all over the body
- dry, hacking cough
- sore throat
- Vomiting and abdominal pain
If all these symptoms are manifested, you should immediately consult a doctor who will help prevent flu complications in children. Here are some of the most common ones.
Bacterial pneumonia in children
Bacterial pneumonia is the most common and serious complication associated with influenza B. Influenza virus can damage the lung surface in children, restrict breathing and increase the risk of bacterial infections such as bacterial pneumonia.
Bacterial pneumonia occurs when harmful bacteria quickly enter the child's airways, causing swelling, fluid accumulation and inflammation in the air sacs of the lungs. Once the baby's lungs are filled with fluid, it can be difficult to breathe, which results in stitching pains in the chest, shortness of breath, fever and coughing.
Bacterial pneumonia can also be dangerous to life for the elderly and people with chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases.
[Encephalitis in children
A rare complication associated with influenza B is encephalitis. It usually occurs when the brain becomes inflamed as a result of viral infections such as influenza B. The cause of encephalitis is that the child's immune system is excessively stimulated in the fight against the influenza virus. Fever, headache are the first signs of a condition with encephalitis. Then there may be convulsions, confusion or loss of consciousness, drowsiness or coma. Encephalitis can affect people of all ages, but children younger than 7 years and adults over 55 are most susceptible to this infection.
Myositis in children
A frequent complication of influenza B, which primarily affects children, is myositis, or muscle inflammation. Symptoms of myositis - pain in the legs and muscles of the whole body, these pains often last from one to five days. Because of the influenza virus, the muscles of the body that are responsible for movement can become inflamed, which leads to muscle weakness and pain when walking or moving.
Reye's syndrome in children
A relatively small number of children and adolescents who recover from influenza B may develop a neurological disease called Reye's syndrome. This complication after the flu in children usually begins with nausea and vomiting and quickly progresses. Then the child may have confusion and nonsense.
Some children or adolescents may experience this condition after using aspirin to reduce the pain and chills associated with the flu. True, the percentage of these complications is low: less than three children with influenza, 100,000 of whom suffer from Reye's syndrome, but to avoid these conditions it is always helpful to consult a doctor before taking aspirin as a child.
Protection against complications of influenza in children - vaccination
The only best way to protect your children from the flu is to vaccinate each year .
The seasonal flu vaccine protects against three influenza viruses. Studies show which of them will be most common during the next season: influenza A (H1N1), influenza A (H3N2) and influenza B.
Each baby 6 months of age and older should receive an inoculation against seasonal flu in order to avoid complications. Children under the age of 5 years, as well as children of any age with a disrupted state of health, such as asthma, diabetes or a disorder of the brain or nervous system, are at a higher risk of serious complications of influenza (eg, pneumonia).
This must be taken into account to prevent the risk of complications of influenza in children from six months to 18 years.