With influenza spreading rapidly in our state and San Luis Obispo County our staff is fielding many calls with a common theme: "When should I bring my child to the office to be evaluated if I think she has the flu?" In general very young and children with chronic illnesses are at greatest risk for complications and death. Children under age 5 and especially under age 2 with flu symptoms (fever, headache, sore throat, congestion, runny nose, cough, malaise, general aches/pains... etc) are at the highest risk for complications like ear infections, bronchitis, pneumonia and bacterial blood infections. An abundance of caution is appropriate if your child or loved one falls into this age group. Use acetaminophen to treat fever (refer to the website or practice app for doses) and manage aches and call the office to schedule an appointment if you note rapid or labored breathing, inadequate fluid intake, significant agitation or lethargy and/or find it difficult to sooth or console your child. Part of our job at PTP is to evaluate children and reassure concerned parents...so if that is you...please call.

As noted in a previous post children with underlying medical conditions like asthma, cystic fibrosis, diabetes and cancer at special risk and need also careful monitoring and/or an office visit. Anti-viral medications can sometimes be modestly helpful but have potential side effects and are only helpful in the first day or two of an influenza infection.
New highly accurate molecular testing is now available in the office to determine if influenza is the cause of your child's illness. It is done on site and has a short turn around time to allow prompt specific treatment if appropriate.
Call us and consider checking out this site for more information if your child is ill and you are wondering if she should be seen. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/high_risk.htm