I had dinner with my favorite group of mom friends the other night, and one of them asked me an interesting question.<\/p>\n
The 6 of us met years ago in a mom\u2019s group and have been friends ever since. One of the moms is a flight attendant and gives great advice about traveling with young kids. One is a professor who teaches early childhood development and is our go-to person for behavioral issues. I\u2019m, of course, the one they ask about anything medical.<\/p>\n
My friend noticed I had a bad cough and asked, \u201cDo you have the flu?\u201d and then quickly added, \u201cWhat exactly is the flu anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n
This is, actually, a very good question. Influenza is not a cold. And while we do shorten its name to \u201cflu,\u201d it\u2019s not the same as what you may hear called the \u201cstomach flu\u201d \u2013 which isn\u2019t flu at all. Confusing? I get that \u2013 let me see if I can clear things up a bit.<\/p>\n
Both the flu and a cold are respiratory illnesses caused by viruses. Influenza, or flu, are terms we use to describe a serious viral illness. It usually starts very quickly, causing:<\/p>\n
People feel\u00a0really miserable with the flu! It typically lasts longer than a cold and is much more intense. The flu can also cause you to miss an entire week of school or work. It puts thousands of previously healthy kids in the hospital each year.<\/p>\n
Colds are milder and don\u2019t last as long \u2013 your child may have a:<\/p>\n
Usually, though, your child won\u2019t have body aches and a high fever, as with flu.<\/p>\n
And that other illness causing intense vomiting and diarrhea? It\u2019s really called \u201cviral gastroenteritis.\u201d It\u2019s fine to call it a \u201cstomach bug\u201d but to call it the flu is confusing.<\/p>\n
Why? As awful as they are, stomach bugs last just a day or 2 and most kids get better quite quickly; few are hospitalized or have serious complications. On the other hand, the real flu \u2013 influenza \u2013 isn\u2019t just a bad cold. But it\u2019s also not the virus that causes a day of bad vomiting and diarrhea.<\/p>\n
And while there\u2019s no vaccine for the common cold or stomach viruses, there is one for the flu. So if people think flu is the same as an easy-to-resolve cold or stomach bug \u2013 they won\u2019t always accept that life-saving influenza vaccine.<\/p>\n
So my answer to my friend? Nope, I don\u2019t have the flu \u2013 just a cold. But, I\u2019ll be getting my flu shot in a month because I sure don\u2019t want to get the flu.<\/p>\n
Find more resources for parents<\/p>\n
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: American Academy of Pediatrics:
\nInfluenza (Flu)<\/a><\/p>\n
\nSurviving the Stomach Bug: Truths & Tips for Parents<\/a><\/p>\n