Trust Your Instincts
Sometimes it is important to trust your gut. According to Dr. Joshua Schaffzin, a pediatric infectious diseases physician who is also the Director of Infection, Prevention and Control at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, “Classic flu feels like you’ve been hit by a truck because it’s abrupt onset, high fever, cough, sore throat and all over body aches. It’s very striking for parents because their kid is running around and all of a sudden they don’t want to get out of bed.” He goes on to say that“if a child comes home with a fever and isn’t feeling well, it’s not necessarily a time to panic. You do what you normally do. Parents take great care of their kids and [pediatricians] trust in that ability and knowledge and your keen sense of what’s normal and not. If parents have a gut sense that something is not quite right, it is perfectly reasonable to call your doctor. If the parents feel comfortable managing it at home, then that’s great.”