Every winter, parents await his arrival with a little concern. The flu is a highly contagious seasonal viral infection. Each winter, without much suspense, she returns between the months of November and April. From 2 to 6 million people are affected each year, according to Public Health France. Be careful not to confuse it with a common cold: its symptoms are much more intense. And toddlers, with a growing immune system, are particularly vulnerable to it.

“Infectious, contagious and epidemic disease, of viral origin, generally characterized by fever, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, rhinitis and bronchitis.” This is how the Larousse defines the flu.

“It is an infection caused by an influenza virus”, explains Dr Fabienne Kochert, pediatrician in Orléans and president of the French Association of Ambulatory Pediatrics. There are three types of influenza virus infecting humans: A, B and C. “The most dangerous is A, because it mutates easily. »Only A and B can cause epidemics. Influenza is transmitted by the respiratory route. “The contagion is made with the micro-drops of saliva carrying the virus, which a sick person projects while speaking, coughing or sneezing. The flu can also be spread through the hands, when a person touches a contaminated object. Viruses can indeed survive for a few hours on a surface.

They appear one to four days after contamination. “The flu is characterized by a feverish state: high fever, dry cough, chills, fatigue, headaches…”, describes Dr Kochert. “Unlike the flu in adults, the flu that affects children can also be accompanied by digestive problems such as diarrhea or vomiting. “” No symptom is specific, that’s why we help a lot of rapid diagnostic orientation tests, and nasal swabs. We do them when there is a doubt, or to get an idea of ​​the virus that is circulating. The healing is done most of the time spontaneously, in 5 to 7 days. The most common complication in toddlers is acute otitis media, but pneumonia can also be observed.

Antibiotics are irrelevant, the flu is of viral origin. They will only be prescribed in the event of bacterial superinfection. “The treatment is to relieve the symptoms,” says Dr. Kochert. The aim is to improve the comfort of the child.

The main thing to allow your loulou to regain strength quickly is based on two words: rest, and hydration. He will therefore be offered to drink frequently. Better to avoid, for a few days, to put him in the nursery or at school, so that he can recover, and to prevent him from infecting his little friends … No need to leave him in bed all day, but he calm activities should be encouraged, so that he can get back in shape as quickly as possible.

“We only treat fever, usually with paracetamol, if it is poorly tolerated by the child. You shouldn’t want to normalize the temperature at all costs. “” Serious cutaneous, pulmonary, ENT, neurological infectious complications, etc. have been observed after short durations of treatment with ibuprofen and ketoprofen “, reports the Health Insurance on its Ameli.fr site. “This is why the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, when necessary, must be as short as possible (less than 3 days in the event of fever) and at a minimum dose. As for aspirin, “it should not be administered to children without medical advice, because of the risk of developing a rare but serious disease (Reye’s syndrome).

“If the child’s condition worsens, we must consult again,” advises Dr. Kochert. Hospitalization will sometimes be necessary in severe cases or if your baby is less than 6 months old.

“The flu can be prevented by barrier gestures during an epidemic”, which we have heard so much about since the arrival of Covid-19 in our daily lives.

Is :

• wearing a mask;
• the use of disposable tissues;
• sneezing or coughing into their elbow;
• regular hand washing;
• daily ventilation of its accommodation.

You should also remember to wash frequently what the child has touched, such as toys for example. In an epidemic period, parents of small infants are advised not to take them into confined spaces, to limit visits from friends and family members, especially when the latter are sick, to ask them to respect barrier gestures. , to avoid kisses.

“You can be vaccinated from the age of 6 months. The vaccine is not compulsory, but highly recommended for populations at risk (former premature babies, poorly tolerated asthma, congenital heart disease, immune deficiency, etc.). »It is administered in the fall.

Since it is not possible to vaccinate infants under 6 months of age, it is recommended that relatives of toddlers be vaccinated. This decreases the child’s risk of contagion. The vaccination must be renewed each year because the virus strains in circulation are transformed. The defenses that one acquires by having been ill or having been vaccinated are unfortunately not sufficient to protect against a new infection.