As the holiday season rolls around, so does cold, flu and RSV season. And with all of these illnesses floating around schools and daycares and playgrounds and playdates, it can be hard to keep the little ones from becoming adorable little disease vectors for your next family gathering.
Healthe-Matters spoke with FPG Pediatrician—and father—Ronald D. Laracuente, MD, for some pro tips on protecting your kids this season.
Fever: When to Treat at Home, When to See a Doctor
If your child is running a fever—a temperature of 100.4 or more—how you respond will depend in large part on their age, as even minor viruses and illnesses can be fatally serious for the very young.
Under 3 months: “If your kid is under three months and has a fever, you should have that urgently evaluated,” says Dr. Laracuente. “You should be heading to a doctor immediately.” This can mean a pediatrician or an emergency room.
3-6 months: During this period, a fever isn’t necessarily reason to run to the emergency room right away, but you should check in with your pediatrician.
6+ months: “You can treat these fevers at home,” Dr. Laracuente. And most fevers should clear up within 3-5 days, at most.
Pro Tip: Keep children’s Tylenol (acetaminophen) on hand for managing mild fevers and symptoms safely and effectively. “You can give it to any age group,” says Dr. Laracuente. “Even infants.” And if you buy the liquid kind, you can better control dosage for your children. Drugs like ibuprofen and Motrin should not be given to children under six months.
When Is It More Than A Cold?
When your child first gets sick, you hope it’s nothing more than a simple cold. The key, Dr. Laracuente says, is to look at the trajectory of the illness.
Viruses tend to hit hard at first and then fade away over a week or so. But if your child seems to be getting better, only to suddenly get worse, that’s a good sign that there might be a bacterial infection or something else going on—and you should check in with your pediatrician.
Flu: Protecting Your Child From Yearly Flu
The 2023-24 flu season saw a record high in pediatric deaths, according to the CDC, but there is a simple and easy way to protect your child this season: the yearly flu shot.
“This is tried and true,” says Dr. Laracuente. “The flu shot reduces severity of symptoms and definitely reduces hospitalization.” It’s also safe for children. “You can give it to anyone over 6 months of age,” Dr. Laracuente says. “Under 6 months, there is no flu vaccine, but those kids can get protection from maternal antibodies, especially if the mom was vaccinated.”
The flu shot is highly recommended for any children with underlying respiratory issues, such as asthma, and/or immune disorders. Both can make your child more vulnerable to serious illness, should they catch the flu.
RSV: A Groundbreaking Treatment Protecting the Most Vulnerable
According to the CDC, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) sends roughly 75,000 children under the age of 5 to the hospital each year and can be particularly dangerous for babies 8 months and under. However, says Dr. Laracuente, a new antibody treatment is reducing incidence of severe infection by as much as 70%.
Traditionally, newborns can gain some immediate immunity if the mother has been recently vaccinated, as the protective antibodies can cross the placental barrier. In this
way, a vaccinated mother can protect her children. But for children under 8 months, there’s also a new antibody treatment making waves. “It’s a new medication and it’s a really good option for families,” says Dr. Laracuente.
Not an RSV vaccine, which prompts your immune system to create antibodies to fight RSV, this new treatment is an injection of the antibodies themselves. So there’s no fever or immune response after the injection, as your child’s immune system learns to fight the virus, simply a layer of protection that is immediately effective against the virus.
“As soon as RSV enters the body, your child is ready to fight it,” says Dr. Laracuente. “When their body sees RSV, they will have antibodies and white cells already trained to fight it.”
Need A Pediatrician?
To learn more about Pediatric Services at First Physicians Group, including locations in Lakewood Ranch, Sarasota, Osprey and Venice, click here.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Laracuente, click here.
Written by Sarasota Memorial copywriter Philip Lederer, MA, who crafts a variety of external communications for the healthcare system. SMH’s in-house wordsmith, Lederer earned his Master’s degree in Public Administration and Political Philosophy from Morehead State University, KY, and has no children he is aware of.