What it is
Influenza is a viral infection of the nose, throat and lungs that spreads easily through fall and winter. In children it tends to come on fast, with higher fevers than adults get, and most kids are through the worst of it in about a week. Antiviral medicine can shorten the illness, but it works best when started within the first 48 hours.
What you might notice
- Sudden fever and chills
- Body aches, headache and tiredness
- Dry cough and sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Vomiting or diarrhea, which is more common in children than adults
What we can do on video
- Assess the symptoms, how long they've been going on and your child's risk for complications
- Order a flu test at a lab or pharmacy near you when the result would change the plan
- Prescribe an antiviral when it's appropriate and you're still within the window
- Give you a fever and fluids plan, and a note for school or daycare
Caring for them at home
- Rest and plenty of fluids; small sips count
- Acetaminophen or ibuprofen dosed by weight (no ibuprofen under six months, and never aspirin for a child)
- A cool-mist humidifier and saline drops for congestion
- Stay home until fever-free for 24 hours without fever medicine
Be seen in person if…
- Breathing fast, working hard to breathe, or ribs pulling in with each breath
- Bluish or gray lips or face
- Not drinking, no wet diaper or urine for 8 hours, or crying without tears
- Very hard to wake, or not interacting the way they normally do
- Fever that improves and then comes back, or fever with a rash
- Chest pain, a seizure, or severe muscle pain that keeps them from walking
This information is educational and doesn't replace an evaluation by a clinician. Hugs is not insurance. Treatment is at the discretion of the clinician and limited to what can be safely assessed over video. Reviewed by the clinicians of LPMD Medical Group. Updated 2026-09-17.