Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesRisks in ChildrenSigns and SymptomsWhen to Go to the ERDiagnosis and TreatmentFlu PreventionFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Risks in Children
Signs and Symptoms
When to Go to the ER
Diagnosis and Treatment
Flu Prevention
Frequently Asked Questions
The flu (influenza) can usually be managed in adults, teens, and older children, but babies and children under 2 are at high risk of complications due to their immature immune systems. Because of this, they are more likely to be hospitalized, developpneumonia, and possibly die as a result of the infection.
Babies under 6 months are at the highest risk overall because the flu vaccine cannot be used in them safely.
This article will describe the signs and symptoms of flu in babies and toddlers so that you know when it’s time to seek immediate medical care. It will also offer tips on how to prevent the flu, including the right time to get aflu shot.
PhotoAlto / Anne-Sophie Bost / Getty Images
What Causes the Flu?
Because the virus has many strains, each of which rapidly mutates, you can get flu year after year and even more than once a year. You are never immune to the virus.
Flu Symptoms: Type A vs. Type B
Why Young Children Are at a Greater Risk
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children under 5 years of age—and especially those under 2—are at higher risk of developing serious flu-related illnesses than older children and adults.
While no one is ever fully immune to the flu (because it is constantly changing), with every infection your body “remembers” the virus and creates longer-lasting antibodies to trigger a response should it return.
Because babies and toddlers have not developed these defenses, they are more vulnerable to severe infections and potentially life-threatening complications like:
On rare occasions, these and other complications can cause death.
Flu StatisticsAccording to the CDC, between 7,000 and 26,000 children under 5 are hospitalized each year because of the flu. Many more require care from a healthcare provider, urgent care center, or emergency room.In the 2019-2020 flu season, 199 children died of flu-related complications in the United States, a record high number.
Flu Statistics
According to the CDC, between 7,000 and 26,000 children under 5 are hospitalized each year because of the flu. Many more require care from a healthcare provider, urgent care center, or emergency room.In the 2019-2020 flu season, 199 children died of flu-related complications in the United States, a record high number.
Flu Risk Factors You May Not Know
Flu Signs and Symptoms in Babies
The flu can rapidly turn serious in babies in part because they cannot tell you what they feel. They may be fussy or experience symptoms you assume are related to the common cold. Even among toddlers who can speak, the symptoms are often very different from those in adults.
Even if you’re not sure what you are dealing with, it’s best to play it safe and speak with a healthcare provider. If they are not available, try atelehealth serviceor a walk-in clinic near you.
Flu Symptoms Every Parent Should Know
When to Go to the Emergency Room
If your child has the flu, it is important to recognize the signs and symptoms of a medical emergency. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department if your child experiences:
How Deadly Is the Flu?
The diagnosis of flu in babies and toddlers is based on observation and a review of the child’s symptoms. Nothing else is needed to confirm the diagnosis.
Other tests may be ordered if there are signs of complications such as pneumonia, encephalopathy, myocarditis, or sepsis, These may include blood tests, X-rays or other imaging studies, or anelectrocardiogram (ECG)to measure the electrical activity of the heart.
Your healthcare may prescribeantiviral medicationsthat can shorten the length and severity of the flu (and may even help prevent pneumonia). These are most effective when started within two days of the first signs of the flu.
In the United States, there are four antivirals approved for use in treating flu in children:
Stages of Flu Recovery: What to Expect
What Parents Can Do to Prevent the Flu
Preventing the flu in children is a far better option than treating it. Central to this is annual flu vaccination starting at 6 months of age.
There are two flu vaccine options currently available for children:
The CDC recommends that children receive the vaccine every year around the end of October. Children between the ages of 6 months and 8 years should get two doses if they have not been vaccinated before. Thereafter, they only need one dose.
Flu Prevention in Newborns
Babies under 6 monthscannot get the flu shot. This is because their immune systems are too underdeveloped and may react adversely to the vaccine.
However, there are still several ways to protect them from the flu:
Flu Prevention Tips
Summary
Children under 5 years of age, and especially those under 2, are at increased risk of complications from the flu (influenza), including pneumonia, myocarditis, and sepsis. To avoid this, it is important to recognize the signs and symptoms in babies and young children, including fatigue, fever, cough, poor feeding, persistent fussiness, vomiting, and diarrhea.
A Word From Verywell
Severe illnesses and rare cases of death from flu mainly occur in unvaccinated children. Despite what some people may tell you, the flu vaccine is safe and is in no way linked to autism, ADHD, or any other medical condition.
When it comes to babies and toddlers who have not yet developed the immune defenses to avoid severe infections, the benefits of annual flu shots far outweigh any risks, real or presumed.
The incubation period for the influenza virus (meaning the time from exposure to the appearance of symptoms) is anywhere from one to four days in babies.
Symptoms of the flu (influenza) tend to be at their worse two to four days after the onset of symptoms. Thereafter, they tend to rapidly wane and generally resolve within a week.
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Protect against flu: caregivers of infants and young children.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Understanding influenza viruses.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Key facts about influenza (flu).
Sangster MY, Nguyen PQT, Topham DJ.Role of memory B cells in hemagglutinin-specific antibody production following human influenza A virus infection.Pathogens. 2019 Sep 28;8(4):167. doi:10.3390/pathogens8040167
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Flu symptoms & complications.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pediatric flu deaths during 2019-2020 reach new high.
Bhat YR.Influenza B infections in children: a review.World J Clin Pediatr.2020 Nov 19;9(3):44–52. doi:10.5409/wjcp.v9.i3.44
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Influenza (flu) antiviral drugs and related information.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Vaccine for flu (influenza).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Who needs a flu vaccine and when.
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