It may not be easy. That’s because the symptoms of the flu in children are remarkably similar to those of colds and other viral illnesses.

That said, if the flu is going around and your child has the following symptoms, there’s a good chance that it’s the flu: the sudden onset of fever, typically 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38.3 degrees Celsius) or higher, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, and chills, followed by respiratory symptoms such as a runny nose and a dry cough. (If congestion or coughing shows up much before the fever, it’s more likely your toddler has a cold.)

Your child may also be irritable and have a poor appetite, a sore throat, and swollen glands. The flu can also bring on abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting.

How did my toddler get the flu?

The flu viruses (influenza A and influenza B) are potent pathogens in close quarters, spreading easily through the air. If your child is near a person with the flu who is coughing or sneezing, he’ll breathe in those infected droplets through his mouth or nose and get infected. A person with the flu is contagious for about 24 hours before symptoms begin and for about a week after.  Because the flu proliferates when people are in close contact, it travels easily through schools, daycare centers, playgroups, and families.

What can I do to prevent my toddler from getting the flu again?

You can help keep your child healthy by making sure that he eats well, gets enough rest and exercise, and practices good hygiene — especially by helping him wash his hands before eating and after going to the bathroom once he’s potty trained. Of course, you’ll want to wash your hands with soap and hot water too, to prevent spreading germs at home. Still, the flu is easy to pick up, no matter how healthy and conscientious your child may be.

As you may know, the strain of virus that causes influenza changes every year, so researchers develop a new flu vaccine each year to help prevent outbreaks. Because the risk of complications from the flu can be particularly dangerous to babies and toddlers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommends that all healthy children between the ages of 6 months and 23 months get a flu shot. They also recommend that household contacts and caregivers of children younger than 6 months receive the vaccine, to prevent spreading the flu to the babies.

Unfortunately, the flu vaccine isn’t foolproof. Its effectiveness depends on the health of your child (it’s more effective in healthy children) and how well the vaccine is matched to the virus that’s currently circulating; some years, those who develop the vaccine get a closer match than in other years. Effectiveness in healthy children ranges from 44 percent to 91 percent, but these rates vary from one year to the next. If your child does get the flu after getting vaccinated, there’s a good chance he’ll get a milder case. (Of course, the shot will not protect your child from other viruses that may seem like the flu.)

Please consult your family physician to discuss the benefits and risks of receiving a flu vaccination, or if you have any questions about the flu vaccine.When should I call my child’s doctor?

Call your toddler’s doctor:

• If your toddler has a fever over 103 degrees F (39.4 degrees C) or any fever that lasts longer than three days
• If your toddler develops a cough that persists for more than a week
• At the first sign of the flu if your child is HIV-positive or has a chronic illness (such as cancer, sickle-cell anemia, diabetes, or heart, lung, or kidney disease)
• At the first sign of the flu if your toddler has rheumatoid arthritis or Kawasaki disease, both of which are treated with long-term aspirin therapy. (In such cases, the benefits of aspirin outweigh the tiny risk of Reye’s syndrome.)
• If your child has an earache
• If your child is wheezing or seems to be working harder than usual to breathe
• If he becomes sick again soon after bouncing back from the flu, or if he has a high fever for more than three or four days. (He may have a secondary infection that needs to be treated.)
• If your toddler shows any signs of dehydration.