Have you ever had the flu? If you have, you know how miserable it can make you feel. Most kids will get the flu sometime during their school years. When you have the flu, you usually get a fever (which can be high), have a cough, feel very tired, and may have a sore throat as well. It can make you feel sick for a few days or for as long as a week. Sometimes, it can be hard to tell if you have the flu or a cold, but with the flu, you'll usually have a higher fever and feel much worse. The flu is a type of virus, which means medicine will only help the symptoms such as the cough and fever. For most kids, the flu comes and goes, but for some, it can be a serious illness.

Most kids get the flu in the winter because germs spread more easily when kids are inside in settings such as classrooms. The best way to prevent from getting the flu is to wash your hands often, keep your hands to yourself, and go to your doctor for the flu shot or mist.