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K
eep these tips in mind as we
come near the u season:
Get a u shot!
Cover your cough or sneeze.
Try to stay away from those who
are sick.
Wash your hands often with
soap and water. If you are
not near soap and
water, use a hand
sanitizer.
Drink lots of
uids—and get lots of
rest. is can help with
earaches, colds, sore
throats and the u.
Be patient. e u,
colds and ear infections can
heal on their own. But it takes
When your
child is sick
Over-the-counter cough and cold
medicines for children can have major
side effects and may not be helpful in
children under 6 years old. Never give
adult medicine to children. Over-the-
counter medicines should be given only
when prescribed by a doctor. To help
ease your child’s cold symptoms:
Use saline (salt water) drops to
relieve a stuffy nose. Avoid drops that
contain medicine.
Use a suction bulb to clear the nose
of infants up to 6 months old.
Place a humidifier in the child’s room.
Offer the child lots of fluids.
Give acetaminophen (such as Tylenol)
or ibuprofen (such as Motrin) to relieve
a fever. Ibuprofen should be used only
for children older than 6 months. Never
give aspirin to children.
Call your child’s doctor if:
You have questions about any
medicine.
You are unsure of how much
medicine to give.
Your child’s health gets worse.
Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics; U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Take care of your
health this season
time. Most of us will even feel
better without medicine. See your
doctor if you feel very tired or have
a high fever, a sore throat, a runny
or stu y nose, or muscle aches.
Not sure it’s an
emergency? Call your
doctor. Or call our Advice
Nurse Line at
800-
391-2000
. ey can give
you advice on where to go
and what to do.
Should I take
an antibiotic?
Antibiotics don’t work on
viruses. Sometimes they can cause
more harm than good. ey are
strong drugs that can only work
on infections caused by bacteria,
some fungi and some parasites.
ese are small bugs that can live
in our bodies. Taking antibiotics
when you don’t need them can
cause “antibiotic resistance.”
is means the bacteria can’t be
killed by an antibiotic. When this
happens, the infection will not
heal. It could even be deadly! Only
take antibiotics when prescribed
by your doctor. Be sure to follow
your doctor’s orders.
Sources: MedlinePlus; Project AWARE; DHCS ER Collaborative
colds and the flu
family
health
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