According to a survey by the National Influenza Center, the proportion of influenza B patients among influenza patients this year is gradually increasing.
Schematic diagram of the proportion of influenza B in the north and south and the country: source of Jiangsu Disease Control and Control
So, what is this influenza B, and what is the difference between it and what we often say about influenza A, and how can parents prevent it?
What is the difference between influenza B and influenza A?
Influenza B, like influenza A, is one of the subtypes of influenza.
It is highly contagious, endemic in winter, and prone to small outbreaks in the population.
At the same time, the onset of influenza B is acute and changes rapidly.
Once a child is infected with influenza B, the body temperature will rise rapidly within a day or even a few hours, and it will also be accompanied by common flu symptoms such as headache, body aches, sore throat, and may also have complications such as otitis media, sinusitis, pneumonia, encephalitis, and even lung and kidney failure, sepsis, etc., which can be life-threatening.
In contrast to influenza A, influenza B may cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea, and the probability of febrile seizures and myositis is higher than that of influenza A.
Although influenza A and influenza B are both influenza types, they are classified into different subtypes. This also means that if you have influenza A, your child still has the possibility of being infected with influenza A.
Parents can distinguish between influenza A and influenza B through the table below, so as to be more prepared to deal with sudden situations that may occur in their children, such as febrile seizures.
How should I take medication for my child's influenza B?
After your child is diagnosed with influenza B, the first priority is to treat and take medication according to the doctor's instructions. If you are unclear about the specific medication details, parents can refer to the following points:
- Antipyretics
Many children will have symptoms of high fever after suffering from influenza B, so fever reducers are essential.
So should the child need to use antipyretics as soon as he has a fever, or do he need to wait until his body temperature rises above 38.5°C to use antipyretics?
In fact, body temperature is not the decisive factor for whether a child should use antipyretics, and parents should be more concerned about the child's mental condition.
For example, if a child has symptoms such as listlessness, muscle aches, and headaches when his body temperature is less than 38.5°C, parents should give their children fever-reducing medicines.
On the contrary, when the child's body temperature exceeds 38.5°C, there is no special history of febrile seizures, heart disease, etc., and the child is in a good mental state and has no discomfort, parents can consider temporarily withholding the use of antipyretic drugs for the child.
When using fever reducers, parents also need to pay attention to the following two points:
However, the specific time interval of taking will vary according to the different ingredients and dosage forms of the drug, and parents should also refer to the instructions of the drug they purchased before taking the drug.
- Antivirals
When a child suffers from influenza B, parents can choose antiviral drugs for their child, such as oseltamivir, mabaloxavir, zanamivir and peramivir, according to the child's specific situation, such as age, weight and other factors.
For children who do not respond to oseltamivir, zanamivir or peramivir may also be used instead.
In addition, some antiviral drugs such as oseltamivir and zanamivir can also play a certain role in preventing influenza, when the child is not vaccinated, but the classmates or family members around them begin to show symptoms of influenza, parents can also give their children antiviral drugs to help children prevent influenza.
For specific how to take it, parents can refer to the table below:
- Rehydration salts
Because children with influenza B may have diarrhea, which can easily lead to dehydration, parents must give their children electrolyte supplements in time!
Take oral rehydration salts III according to the instructions and give your child more easily digestible, highly nutritious foods in the diet.
In these cases, be careful!
When the child has any of the following conditions, parents should not wait any longer, and take the child to the hospital for medical treatment as soon as possible, which is the best policy!
1. Persistent high fever (≥39°C) for more than 3 days;
2. Severe cough, thick sputum, bloody sputum or chest pain;
3. Rapid respiratory rate, wheezing or difficulty breathing;
4. Pale or bruised skin;
5. Tachycardia:
For children < 12 months of age, the heart rate > 160 beats/min;
For children aged 12-24 months, heart rate > 150 beats/min;
For children aged 2-5 years, heart rate > 140 beats/min;
6. Slow response, obvious agitation, and need prolonged stimulation to be awake;
7. Tics of febrile seizures;
8. Severe vomiting and diarrhea;
9. When the child is less than 2 months old and has fever.
Of course, the most effective way for both children and parents to prevent the flu is vaccination!
In addition, the current flu vaccine in the mainland can also cover the current epidemic of influenza B, so parents who have not yet taken their children to be vaccinated must take their children to be vaccinated as soon as possible.
More testimonials
The child has a fever repeatedly, and the body temperature cannot be lowered even after taking antipyretics, what is going on?
The child's nasal congestion and runny nose are cold or rhinitis, so you can tell the difference
This kind of "cold" has a high fatality rate, and children with these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately