Flu Medication

Flu is short for influenza, a very contagious viral infection that attacks your respiratory system, i.e. your nose, throat, and lungs.

After a few days of bed rest, the flu will most likely resolve on its own.

The flu is easily spread by the respiratory droplets of an infected person and can be transmitted from coughing, talking, or by physical contact such as shaking hands.

If you touch your nose, mouth, or eyes with unwashed hands, you could be putting yourself at risk, which is why hand hygiene is so important.

The symptoms for cold and flu are similar, so it can be hard to tell the difference.

But the best way to tell the difference is how well you’re able to go about your day.

If you have a cold, you won’t feel great, but you can probably go into work and go to the shops - if you have the flu, you will most likely be bedridden until the worst of it passes.

Cold symptoms appear gradually, whereas the flu is sudden.

The cold and flu are viral infections, so antibiotics won’t work.

You should make sure your child is drinking plenty of fluids, as fever can cause dehydration, in addition to rest.

If you need to clear your child’s stuffed nose, introduce a humidifier or use a decongestant oil like Olbas, dabbed on their pillow or clothing.

You may want to administer a painkiller suitable for children such as Calpol or Nurofen, but make sure to speak to a doctor or pharmacist first to ensure it will be safe and effective for your child’s cold.

When taking a ‘cold and flu’ medicine, it’s important to check what the active ingredients are to make sure they don’t interact with any other medicines you might be taking.

Whether you can take ibuprofen with your cold and flu medicine may depend on whether that also contains ibuprofen.

Make sure not to take two products containing ibuprofen as you may exceed the recommended dose.