Influenza, also known as "the flu," is an infection caused by a virus. Symptoms of the flu often include fever, headache, cough, sore throat, runny nose, tiredness, and body aches. Most kids with the flu feel better in about a week, but some feel tired and weak for a few weeks after having the flu. 

Sometimes the flu causes more serious problems, especially in young children and in children with other medical problems (such as asthma, HIV, or diabetes). Getting the flu vaccine every year helps protect kids from the flu.

• Follow your healthcare provider's instructions for giving any prescribed medicines.
• Give acetaminophen (Tylenol® or a store brand) or ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®, or a store brand) for fever, sore throat, or body aches. Read the package label and follow the instructions on how much to give and how often to give it.
• Do not give ibuprofen to babies under 6 months old.
• Do not give aspirin to your child or teen. It has been linked to a rare but serious illness called Reye syndrome.
• Do not give cough or cold medicines to children under 6 years old, because they can cause bad reactions. Only give these medicines to children over 6 years old if your healthcare provider says it's OK.
• Let your child rest as needed.
• Offer your child plenty of liquids. Babies can continue to breastfeed or take formula.
• To soothe your child's cough:
  • Run a cool-mist humidifier in your child's bedroom. Clean after each use.
  • If your child is older than 12 months, it's OK to give 1–2 teaspoons of honey at night. If your child is under 12 months old, do not give honey.
• To help with a runny or stuffy nose:
  • Run a cool-mist humidifier in your child's bedroom. Clean after each use.
  • For babies: Put a few drops of saline (saltwater) into the nose, then gently suction the mucus out with a bulb syringe 2–3 times a day. Don't do this more than 2–3 times a day or the inside of your baby's nose may get swollen or sore.
  • For older kids: Give 2 sprays of saline nose spray 3 times a day.
• Your child can return to school and activities when they feel better and haven't had a fever for 24 hours without using a fever-reducing medicine (such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen). Check with your healthcare provider if you're not sure whether your child is ready to return to school and activities.

Your child:

• Has new or worsening symptoms (such as fever, cough, headache or ear pain)
• Does not feel better in 3–4 days or is getting sicker

Your child:

• Isn't drinking at all or has signs of dehydration, such as a dry or sticky mouth, sunken eyes, extreme thirst, less pee than usual, darker pee than usual, little or no tears when crying, or decreased alertness
• Has trouble breathing; signs include fast breathing, the muscles pulling in between the ribs, or the nose puffing out with each breath
• Gets a stiff neck
• Seems very sleepy or confused

You know your child best. If your child has symptoms that worry you or seems very sick, call your healthcare provider or take your child to the ER.

How does the flu spread? The flu spreads easily from person to person. It can spread when a person with the flu coughs and/or sneezes the virus into the air and someone else breathes it in. It also can spread when someone touches the influenza virus on another person or a hard surface (such as a doorknob), then touches their own eyes, nose, or mouth.

Your child may still spread influenza up to 10 days after getting sick. To help reduce the spread of influenza and other viruses, teach kids to:

• Sneeze into a tissue, if possible, then throw the tissue away and wash their hands well. If a tissue is not available, they should sneeze into their upper sleeve or inner elbow, not their hands.
• Wash hands well and often with soap and water and scrub for at least 20 seconds. This is especially important after coughing or sneezing, or after having a bowel movement (poop). If soap and water are not available, they can use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

Should my child get the flu vaccine? Kids over 6 months old should get the flu vaccine every year, as recommended by their healthcare provider. People who get the flu vaccine still might get the flu, but the illness is likely to be less serious.

Is there a treatment for the flu? Antiviral medicines are available to treat the flu. Healthcare providers may prescribe antiviral medicine for very ill children, very young children, children with some types of medical conditions (such as asthma, HIV, or diabetes), or kids who are more likely to have problems if they get the flu. The medicine can shorten the illness by 1–2 days. It works best if children start taking it within 48 hours of the start of the flu.

Antibiotics can't treat the flu because they only work against bacteria, not viruses.