Seasonal flu is raging through Maryland, taxing emergency rooms and threatening children and the elderly, state officials say.
Still, while the flu can be frightening when it attacks small children, most parents can control the damage at home.
“The reason most families bring their kids to the emergency room is due to the height of the fever,” said Dr. Melissa Sparrow, clinical director of pediatrics at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center emergency department. “A lot of people believe mistakenly that a high fever by itself can cause brain damage or is life-threatening.”
Usually, she said, Tylenol or Motrin will control the fever enough to perk up a child enough to enjoy a video or drink some water or juice, Sparrow said.
If your child does not respond, it?s time to call your doctor.
“When you have a child who is starting to look out of breath, they are struggling to take a breath, or they just can?t keep down fluids or you can?t get them to perk up, play a video game or talk to you, it?s time to bring them in,” she said.
“Influenza action has been on the increase the last two weeks,” said Rene Najera, epidemiologist with the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
The percentage of flu tests returning positive rose from 13.8 percent to more than 20 percent over this time, Najera said, with 722 confirmed cases since the season began Oct. 1.
Flu vaccinations are still available and can be effective, she said.
While most of the confirmed cases have been adults, Sparrow said, the proportion of grown-ups and children coming in complaining of flu is rising across all age groups.
“We definitely are seeing more flu this year than in the last few years,” Sparrow said.
