When to use and when not to use antibiotics to treat flu?

Associate Professor, Dr. Ta Anh Tuan, Head of the Department of Internal Medicine Intensive Care, National Children's Hospital, said that influenza A and influenza B are transmitted from person to person through small droplets (containing influenza virus) in the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks. In addition, children and adults are also at risk of contracting the disease when touching surfaces contaminated with the virus and then touching their mouth, nose or eyes.

Common symptoms of flu include: fever, sore throat, dry cough, headache, body aches, joint pain, fatigue, and feeling exhausted.

Children with the flu may have gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea). Most children recover in 1-2 weeks, but cough and fatigue may last longer than 2 weeks.

Influenza is mostly mild and self-healing, mainly treated and cared for at home, antibiotics are not effective against influenza virus, antiviral drugs are only used in some special cases, depending on the clinical situation, the doctor will have appropriate treatment instructions.

For people with mild flu, treatment and care at home mainly treat symptoms such as fever, reduce fever with the right dose, according to instructions; if the child coughs, use herbal cough medicine.

If your child has the following symptoms, take them to the hospital:

- Children with high fever ≥ 39.5 degrees Celsius use antipyretics and physical methods to reduce fever (cool room 26-29 degrees, actively apply warm water) but the temperature does not decrease. Or children with high fever ≥ 38.5 degrees Celsius for more than 3 days with no signs of improvement.

- Children breathe rapidly, breathe abnormally: wheezing, stridor, chest retraction, respiratory muscle contraction.

- Fast pulse compared to age (when the child has no fever), purple veins, cold extremities (when there is no high fever).

- Children cannot eat/drink.

- Children show signs of dehydration: dry lips, sunken eyes, dry mouth/tongue, thirsty, or urinating less (diapers are less wet than usual).

- Change in consciousness: children do not want to play, cry, are lethargic, have convulsions...

- Older children complain of stomach pain/chest pain, vomiting a lot..

- Parents/caregivers feel anxious and worried about their children.

- Children have risk factors for serious illness.

Do not use antibiotics or antiviral drugs on your own, but follow the advice and instructions of your doctor.

Antibiotics will be used with a doctor's prescription in case of bacterial superinfection. Meanwhile, antiviral drugs are used for people at high risk/with complications (only used for cases of fever under 48 hours). If there is respiratory failure, depending on the severity, respiratory support will be provided with oxygen or mechanical ventilation, electrolyte replacement, and treatment of heart failure if present...