What to do at the first signs of illness

With more than 200 common cold viruses and three types of flu virus floating around, winter bugs can be hard to avoid. If you tackle it early on you can avoid developing any longer lasting, debilitating symptoms and avoid a trip to the GP or A&E.

The main early signs of winter cold and flu bugs are:

• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Blocked nose
• Sore throat
• Headache
• A slight temperature

The best way to get the right care fastest is to visit your local pharmacy, where you can get advice on how to manage your symptoms and buy over-the-counter medicine. You do not need to see a GP unless you experience more serious symptoms as well.

Top tip: If you keep a well-stocked medicine cabinet ready in your home, then you will avoid being left unprepared if you find yourself with these symptoms at an inconvenient time, such as the middle of the night or early in the morning right before the school run.

Cold and flu medicines are the top sellers in winter at pharmacists. Many combine painkillers with decongestants, which can help to manage your illness.

Along with the right medicines, the best way to tackle illness head on is to:

• Rest
• Eat well
• Avoid stress
• Keep hydrated

Top tip:If you have a fever and pain, you may need extra fluids. You could also take paracetamol to help ease discomfort.

Children can be treated using some over-the-counter painkillers to help bring down a fever and ease pain. Both paracetamol and ibuprofen are available as a liquid, and can be given from the age of three months. Always check with your doctor if you aren’t sure which treatments you can give your child.

When to see a doctor

Whilst most bugs will run their course without leaving any real harm, there are certain cases when you or your child should see a GP. These include:

• If you or your child have a chronic condition e.g. asthma or diabetes
• If you have a very high temperature and feel ill e.g. severe headache or abdominal pain
• If your child is vomiting but does not have diarrhoea
• If your child stops drinking and is unusually lethargic

 

Dr Tim Spicer Chair of Hammersmith and Fulham CCG said: “Most winter bugs will come and go within a few days, and can be easily treated within the comfort of your home. Be sure to stock up your medicine cabinet well so that if you do find yourself becoming unwell you can deal with it effectively and avoid unnecessary stress.

“Children tend to get a lot of colds because the body takes time to build up immunity, so make sure you know how to manage them from the early stages. If something doesn’t seem right and you do feel a professional opinion is needed then call 111 or, if you’re really worried, make an appointment to see a GP.”

 

Many people are unaware that healthy children under the age of five are more likely to have to be admitted to hospital with flu than any other age group. In addition children can spread flu to vulnerable adults especially over the festive period. This is why the children’s flu vaccine is offered as a free yearly nasal spray to young children to help prevent them against flu.

Flu can be a very unpleasant illness for children causing a number of problems and this in turn can lead to missed school days.

In areas where primary school age children were given the nasal spray vaccine Public Health England found:

• A&E respiratory attendances were 74% lower
• Hospital admissions due to confirmed influenza were 93% lower

 

Children aged 2,3 and 4 (reception years) on 1 September 2016 will be offered flu immunisation in GP surgeries.  Children in years 1,2 and 3 will be offered immunisation at school.  If a child misses the school immunisation it should be noted that they would not routinely be eligible to have this undertaken at their GP practice.  When a child in years 1,2 and 3 misses the school immunisation session parents will need to liaise with their GP practice individually.  

Vanessa Andreae Vice Chair of Hammersmith and Fulham CCG said:

“It’s really important that children get the flu vaccine and I would strongly encourage all parents and carers to make sure they do.  As well as protecting the child from illness they should know that children are the most likely to spread flu across the community. Vaccinating them works towards keeping the community safe.

“The nasal spray is simple and painless, and I urge all parents to take advantage of this free vaccine and protect their child from flu.”