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HomeHealthSurge in Severe Flu Cases in Children Raises Concerns

Surge in Severe Flu Cases in Children Raises Concerns

Influenza Cases Surge in Children, Strain on Hospitals

Since the beginning of the year, the number of severe influenza cases in children has increased significantly. In early February, approximately five times as many children were admitted to major pediatric hospitals with the flu compared to early January, according to data from the German Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases (DGPI).

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) also reported an unusually high number of school-age children infected with the flu last week, as well as many young children requiring hospitalization.

"This year’s flu season is relatively severe," DGPI Chairman Tobias Tenenbaum told the German news agency dpa. "Often, entire families are affected."

While the situation is not yet dramatic, Tenenbaum emphasized the high workload and strains on healthcare systems.

Both younger and older children are being affected by the flu, with the main impact seen in children between the ages of five and eight. Some children with severe illness have underlying conditions, such as asthma. However, Tenenbaum cautioned that anyone can be affected.

He advised parents to seek medical attention immediately if their child experiences severe difficulty breathing, stops eating sufficiently, has a fever that persists for several days, or shows a general deterioration in health.

Severe cases of the flu can manifest as pneumonia, severe bronchitis, or febrile seizures. Tenenbaum also mentioned the potential for influenza to lead to muscle inflammation, typically in the calves.

The German Association of Pediatricians (BVKJ) described the situation in children’s hospitals as tense. "We are again seeing an increase in influenza and RSV cases, resulting in more severely ill infants and toddlers who need to be hospitalized," said Axel Gerschlauer, spokesperson for BVKJ North Rhine-Westphalia, to the Rheinische Post newspaper.

Similar to previous years, bed capacity is once again strained, and "in some cases, our patients need to be transferred to other cities," Gerschlauer said. "The fundamental problem remains: there are too few beds and, in some cases, too few staff in children’s hospitals to provide adequate, local care for all sick children during the infection season."

Gerschlauer pointed out that influenza vaccination is still possible for children. "It is important for parents to know that many health insurance companies now cover influenza vaccination for healthy children as well. Anyone interested can inquire at their pediatric practice about where the vaccination can be administered."

The Standing Vaccination Commission currently only recommends influenza vaccination for children with chronic illnesses.

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