Doctor shares advice for parents to avoid seasonal respiratory illnesses
SHREVEPORT, La. ( KTAL/KMSS ) – As leaves begin to fall and temperatures get cooler, doctors see an uptick in upper respiratory infections in children, like the common cold, RSV, flu, and COVID.
When it comes to these illnesses, Dr. Amar Husan, Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at LSU Health – Shreveport, says the symptoms vary.
"We see runny noses, we see sore throats, we see rashes, we see headaches, depending on the system we have gastrointestinal infections, they're having vomiting, they're having diarrhea," explained Dr. Husan.
He says parents should keep a close watch on changes in behavior. If your child is less active... irritable or refuses to eat or drink, these all could be signs of illness.
Dr. Husan says parents should seek medical help if symptoms worsen, such as if their child has a fever of 102 or higher.
In addition to a high fever, if your child is having breathing problems or has a persistent cough, Dr. Husan says something more serious could be going on. Your child could have pneumonia or bronchitis, and you should take them to the doctor immediately.
There are preventative measures parents can take to keep illness at bay. Vaccines are one of them.
"Parents should consider all age-appropriate vaccines, they should definitely consider the COVID vaccine, they should definitely consider the flu vaccine," says Dr. Husan.
He says parents should also ensure children eat healthy foods and get an adequate amount of sleep. Children should have about 10-12 hours of solid, healthy sleep, which improves and strengthens the immune system.
The most important preventative measure for getting sick, according to Dr. Husan is handwashing.
"You have to teach your child to be able to wash their hands with soap and water for approximately 20 seconds, especially when they're coughing, especially when they're sneezing and when they use the bathroom," he explains.
He says that handwashing decreases the probability of infection by 20-30%, especially in illnesses transmitted by droplets.
This is especially true for children who go to the daycare.
"There's a saying, small hands big bug. So, we definitely want to make sure we keep washing our hands. What they're going to be doing is playing with other kids, touching different surfaces, sharing different things, you want to make sure to teach your kids not to show their utensils," says Dr. Husan.
He says parents must take control of their children's health and take precautions seriously.
"This way if you keep your child health, you'll be able to go to your work. You won't be missing work, and you'll know you're doing the right thing for your child," he says.
