The last thing any of us want is to get sick and this can be difficult during the cold and flu season. In many states in the United States, the flu season is raging, and there is something else to be concerned about.
The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention said that some 26 million illnesses and 18,000 deaths have occurred from influenza during this year’s flu season. Hospitalization rates are up for those younger than 65, with children under four and those over 65 being at a greatest risk.
Most people are aware of the common flu symptoms, including fever, coughing, and runny nose. There is one flu season that many people don’t know to look out for, so a Nebraska nurse and mother, Brodi Willard sounded a warning. It came in 2018, but it is still appropriate today.
Willard shared the following on Facebook after her son was diagnosed with influenza B. He only had one symptom, hives.
She said: “Please read and share. My son came home from school with hives. Every time he would scratch, more would appear. We tried changing his clothes and giving him a bath, but nothing helped. I called his pediatrician. They said they had two kids come into the office that day with the same symptoms and tested POSITIVE FOR INFLUENZA.”
When the mother got worried and took her son to the physician, she was surprised to learn that it was a case of the flu.
She continued: “He has had NO symptoms. No fever, no cough, and no runny nose. He only has hives. Please keep watch on your children so if they develop hives, please call your pediatrician. I have never heard of this symptom but it is obviously something to be on the lookout for.”
Willard spoke to WOWT, saying that she didn’t expect the post to go viral. Little did she know that more than 167,000 people would share her post within four days. There were also many comments saying that their children also got hives when they caught the flu.
If you get hives, it is not always a great cause of concern but you should have kids tested and diagnosed if you think it may be a case of the flu. There’s one particular strain responsible for the majority of flu deaths, but it is not thought to be as dangerous because it does not mutate quickly.
That being said, it is a highly contagious strain and could cause complications, including bronchitis, pneumonia, inflammation of the heart or brain, and even organ failure.
It can be difficult to differentiate between influenza A and influenza B because they have similar symptoms. The common symptoms of the flu include fever, runny nose, cough, sore throat, and vomiting or diarrhea.
Don’t overlook the possibility of hives, and never underestimate the benefit of an early diagnosis. It can help your children or yourself to get better faster and to keep from spreading the virus to others.