It requires patience. The flu also causes five or six days of fever. And before resuming normal activity, or going back to school, it can therefore take even more than a week. “We are under real pressure,” say the pediatricians. And they add that it is often parental concern that fills up studies and clogs up the phones.
Were we expecting a wave like the current one?
“We have been saying for at least two months: pay attention to what happened in Australia,” he explains Paul Biasci, pediatrician from Livorno of the Fimp, the main trade union of the category, of which he was national secretary. “Every year the flu comes and, if it was violent on the other side of the globe, we expect the same from us. This year, by the way, it arrived early. This is also a problem because we are in the midst of a vaccination campaign in all regions ”.
For now, the most affected are children and teenagers. What is the advice for parents?
“In the meantime, don’t worry,” Biasci always explains. Many emergency rooms, on the other hand, are besieged, as are the doctors. “We are going crazy. Don’t worry about your sick son. There are people who contact us very agitated in the morning because their son was 38.5 the night before. But after 12 hours it’s too early for a visit or exams. Once the doctor wasn’t even warned, now two or three calls arrive for the same flu”.
What are the symptoms?
“Always the same. High fever, a lot of cough, cold, general malaise”.
How long does the flu last?
Also according to Biasci, the duration is one of the aspects that surprises parents, who perhaps have forgotten how the flu works. “They worry because it lasts longer than other common viral or feverish illnesses, which go on for two or three days. Here we are talking about 5-6 days of fever and more than a week to go back to school”. A very important aspect is precisely respecting the recovery times. “There is no need to be in a hurry to return to the community, there is the risk of relapses. We heal well.”
What are the treatments?
The same drugs are always used. And that is “antipyretics for fever and possibly other products for symptoms. And antibiotics should not be taken. One of the reasons why some children are brought two or three times to be examined is that the parents ask for antibiotics because the fever does not go away. But a serious doctor does not prescribe it, that must be reserved when there are complications, that is, bacterial over-infections “.
Does Covid still circulate among the little ones?
“Yes, Covid is still there, if we look for it we will find it – says Biasci – But now out of ten sick patients we see nine cases of flu”.