About Flu

Influenza, more commonly known as flu, is an unpleasant and sometimes very serious illness. It causes children to feel unwell for many days, meaning they miss school and everyday activities.

Flu is caused by a respiratory virus which infects the throat, nose and sometimes the lungs. There are four types of flu virus: A, B, C and D. Types A and B are the strains which cause seasonal flu epidemics.

Flu is contagious and can be spread from person to person easily. It is difficult to diagnose as it is similar to other respiratory illnesses.

Flu can cause many symptoms and can lead to serious complications such as:

• Bronchitis
• Diarrhea
• Middle ear infections
• Pneumonia

Many people mistakenly refer to a bad cold as the flu, but flu is a much more serious illness. Children with existing health conditions are at an increased risk of being seriously unwell. This includes children with:

• Asthma
• Diabetes
• Kidney, liver or heart disease
• A spleen that doesn’t function properly
• A weakened immune system.

It is possible to spread the flu virus before the symptoms appear. People with the flu are most likely to spread the illness during the first 3-4 days. Younger children can continue to spread the illness for several days after first falling unwell.

Don’t take the risk with flu – vaccinate your child every year. Book your child’s flu vaccine with one of our pediatricians in Dubai today.