A prominent doctor has pointed out the symptoms for which parents should be alert, as the flu season has seen an increase in young children admitted to hospital.
Dr Margie Danchin of Royal Children’s Hospital said both the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are causing serious infections in young children.
In statements to Today, he estimates that there has been an increase “around 20 percent of children in need of hospital admission” since March and April.
Since March / April, we have seen a big increase in the flu. (Today)
With hospitals struggling to keep up, Danchin described a set of symptoms that justify a trip to the emergency department.
“Parents are facing this massive influx right now … we teach them to look,” he said.
“If a child has an increase in breathing work or rapid breathing, what we call difficulty breathing, or any blue color around the lips, or any sign of dehydration, so if the child does not drink, if it is off, pale These are the things that should encourage a parent to take their child to the emergency department, rather than directly to the GP.
“If the child has a fever, cough, runny nose, this kind of milder respiratory symptoms, we would encourage him to get access to community care first.”
Influenza A is a particularly nasty virus that is spreading across Australia. (CDC)
Dr Michael Bonning, president of the Australian Medical Association of NSW (AMA), said children under the age of five are a “priority group for immunization” as they are suffering from serious infections.
“Over the last two years we have had much less exposure to some of these common respiratory viruses, including the flu and RSV,” he said.
“We know that for babies and young children who may not have been exposed to RSV in the last two years, this first exposure can be quite severe.
“That’s what we’re seeing with the flu, too.”
“Unprecedented” number of infections
Hospitals across the country are struggling with staff shortages as revenue from flu and coronavirus increases.
In NSW this year more than 1,300 people have been admitted to hospital, after nearly 9,400 presentations to emergency services with flu-like illness.
Australians are asked to treat the flu with the same caution as COVID-19 (Getty Images / iStockphoto)
Queensland has reported nearly 26,000 flu cases this year, four times the average for the past five years. Currently, more than 160 people are in public hospitals with influenza and 435 with COVID-19.
“The days of going to work stoically, coughing and sneezing with a sore throat and fever because you’re a good soldier, those days are over,” he said.
“The number of complete respiratory virus infections we’ve seen so far this year in Queensland is unprecedented.”
Australians are being asked to get a flu shot while it is still free.
Free flu shots are available to almost everyone in almost the entire country in June. (AP)
Residents in all states except Tasmania have been eligible for a flu shot during the month of June.
But starting next Friday, people will have to pay for a shot.
NSW Health Director Dr Kerry Chant said “flu immunization rates are not where they should be”.
“Only about one in three people in NSW has received their flu vaccine this year and we really need to see that figure increase, especially among vulnerable groups like young children and the elderly who are most at risk for serious illness. “, he said. .
“I want to remind people that the flu shot is still free for all NSW residents for another seven days, so please book now to take advantage of this important initiative to boost immunity levels.”