With or after the flu, do these signs of dehydration occur?
Feeling confused.
Very little or no urine.
Sunken eyes.
Dry skin doesn't spring back after being pressed.
With a cold or the flu, do you have any of these problems?
Wheezing or trouble breathing.
Ear pain or swollen, painful neck glands.
Headache that doesn't go away.
Sore throat that is very red or has white spots.
A cough with mucus that is yellow, green, or gray.
Temperature of 99.5ºF and up to 100.4F in a baby less than 3 months old.
Temperature of 102.2ºF and up to 104ºF in a child 3 months to 3 years old.
Temperature over 104ºF in a person 3 to 64 years old.
Temperature of 102ºF or higher in a person age 65 and older.
A bad smell from the throat, nose, or ears.
Is a fever and/or other symptoms, like coughing, getting worse?
Do you have pain or swelling over your sinuses that gets worse when you bend over or move your head, especially with a fever of 101ºF or higher?
Have you had the flu or a cold for more than a week and not felt better with self-care? Or, do you have new symptoms?
Self-Care / Prevention
The single best way to protect against getting the flu is to have a yearly flu vaccine. Guidelines for it are given every year from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Immunization Program. For information in English and Spanish, call 800.CDC.INFO (232.4636). On the Internet, access www.cdc.gov/vaccines. Ask your doctor if you and your children need a flu vaccine. {Note: Persons allergic to eggs should not get a flu vaccine.}
Wash your hands often. Keep them away from your nose, eyes, and mouth.
Use a tissue when you sneeze, cough, or blow your nose. If you don't have a tissue, sneeze or cough into your sleeve.
Try not to touch people or their things when they have a cold or the flu. If you can, stay away from persons who have the flu.
Get regular exercise. Eat well. Get plenty of rest.
Follow your doctor or health care provider's advice before taking vitamins, minerals, and/or herbal products that claim to prevent colds and flu.