Flu Update: High Cases, Slight Decline at Cook Children's
Cook Children’s Medical Center – Fort Worth continues to see more than 900 positive influenza A cases, a record high compared with previous years.
More than 1,900 patients were tested for influenza A, B, and RSV during the week of Feb. 2 - 8. At Cook Children's Medical Center at Prosper, 310 patients have been tested for influenza A with 41.9% testing positive.
While data shows a slight decline, the positivity rate for influenza A remains at 47%. On Feb. 11, Cook Children's Emergency Department in Fort Worth saw 410 patients. The department's average daily patient volume is 379.
Cook Children’s encourages families to take precautions, as flu cases remain high.
Flu and Respiratory Illness Prevention Tips:
- Keep your children at home and away from public areas if they are not feeling well
- Wash your hands
- Cover your nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing
- Avoid touching your nose, mouth, and eyes
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick
- Get a flu shot
Managing Symptoms
If your child is sick, call your pediatrician first. They can help you decide whether to take your child to the doctor's office, urgent care, or the emergency room.
For many children, viral illnesses like the flu, RSV, and COVID-19 can be managed at home with supportive care. Over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help reduce fever and discomfort. Avoid ibuprofen in infants younger than 6 months.
Maintaining hydration is crucial. Please encourage your child to drink fluids and consider giving them electrolyte drinks or popsicles. Saline nasal drops and cool-mist humidifiers can help alleviate congestion.
A fever is defined as a temperature of 100.4 or above. A temperature above 100.4 in babies less than 2 months old is a medical emergency and needs to be evaluated in the emergency room. Any fever lasting longer than four to five days, or one that continues to climb and does not break with fever reducers, should be evaluated by a physician.
When to Seek Medical Attention
While most cases can be managed at home, it's essential to recognize the signs of respiratory distress or dehydration, which require immediate medical attention.
Signs of respiratory distress:
- Increased number of breaths per minute
- Increased heart rate
- Bluish color around the mouth, on the lips, or on the fingernails
- Pale or grayish skin
- Grunting sound during exhale
- Nose flaring
- The chest appears to sink in with each breath
- Head bobbing when breathing in
- Change in alertness
Signs of dehydration:
- Urine output significantly below the child’s normal (at least once every 8 hours)
- Not producing tears when crying and eyes appear sunken
- In infants, the soft spot on top of their heads looks sunken
- Dried mucus membranes (lining within the nostrils, mouth, throat)
- Sleepy and unresponsive
If your child exhibits any of these signs, seek immediate care at an urgent care facility or the emergency department. Reserving visits to urgent care or the emergency department for truly urgent needs, helps ensure timely care for those who need it most, reduces wait times for everyone, conserves resources, and limits your child’s exposure to other viruses.
