Chennai: Paediatricians in the city are reporting an unusually early seasonal surge of influenza cases among schoolchildren, with infections spreading rapidly from children to other family members.Doctors said they were seeing more cases than last year, with July and Aug witnessing a substantial rise. “However, if the symptoms are mild, we generally do not screen or test for influenza. It is contagious, and when one child gets infected, it can spread quickly,” said Dr Vasanthi Thiruvengadam, HOD, pediatric general medicine, Kanchi Kamakoti CHILDS Trust Hospital.She added that schoolchildren are particularly vulnerable because of prolonged close contact in classrooms. Parents should watch for fever, a running nose, malaise and respiratory symptoms, while oxygen saturation should be monitored if the child develops breathing difficulty. Infants below one year and children with heart disease, asthma or other respiratory conditions face a higher risk of complications.Doctors advised parents to consider annual flu vaccination. Children up to nine years may require two doses in the first year, followed by an annual dose as advised by doctors. Usually, flu cases begin around Sept and continue into March. But this year, hospitals started seeing plenty of cases as early as July.Doctors said intermittent showers and changing weather conditions could be contributing to the early rise in viral respiratory infections, including influenza, H1N1 variants and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).Dr Madhuri Prabu, consultant neonatologist and paediatrician at Motherhood Hospital, said, there had been a steep increase in influenza cases compared to last year. “Unlike a common cold, influenza can cause high fever of 103°F – 104°F, severe headache, body pain, marked tiredness and significant cough and cold symptoms. In severe cases, it can progress to viral pneumonia, requiring hospitalisation or intensive care. A common cold generally causes low-grade fever and milder symptoms,” she said.Children diagnosed with influenza should stay away from school until fully recovered. Families should also avoid sharing food, drinks and water bottles when a child is unwell.
