Holistic healing

What to do if your child has flu symptoms

With the cold and flu season fast approaching, Braun has teamed up with leading paediatrician Dr. Ranj to advise parents on what extra measures they can take to help their children fight flu this winter.

With the cold and flu season fast approaching, Braun has teamed up with leading paediatrician Dr. Ranj to advise parents on what extra measures they can take to help their children fight flu this winter.

Checking their temperature Make sure you know how to check temperature accurately and get your child used to it too. Making it into a fun game can make the process easier, especially if they’re not feeling well. It is also a good idea to know your child’s temperature when they are well so that you can interpret a temperature reading more accurately. Likewise, if your child gets upset when having their temperature checked, think about using a ‘no-touch’ thermometer.

Keeping them hydrated Babies will often feed more when they are hot, both for comfort and to stay hydrated. You may find that they take less feed, but more often. Older children will lose heat through sweating and so ensure they have regular drinks when they have a fever, to keep them hydrated.

Staying cool Babies primarily lose heat through their head so when they are hot make sure their head is uncovered. For older children, offer them cool drinks or ice-lollies when they are bothered by fever. This is a great way to help them feel more comfortable. Make sure that the room your child is in is a normal temperature (around 18 degrees centigrade), so turn down the heating or open some windows. However, it shouldn’t be so cold that it is uncomfortable to you. Do not use tepid sponging to cool your child down. This isn’t very effective and may actually be counter-productive.

Knowing when to get help Know when to seek further help. You should keep a close eye on your child when the thermometer reads ‘elevated’ (or is yellow), and seek medical advice if it reads ‘high’ (or is red), or if they have any other worrying signs (such as a rash, floppiness, breathing difficulties, fits or signs of dehydration). Any child with a fever that lasts more than 5 days should be checked by a healthcare professional.