ATLANTA — When the temperatures drop, respiratory illnesses tend to rise. This year is no exception.
"We had a very early start to the RSV season," said Dr. Andi Shane, medical director of hospital epidemiology at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. "Thankfully, RSV seems to be declining a little bit . . . the challenge is that we have been seeing quite a lot of children who are having influenza infections."
The Centers for Disease Control influenza map shows Georgia and much of the Southeast are reporting 'very high' levels of flu activity. The Georgia Department of Public Health reported 201 metro area flu hospitalizations for the week ending Dec. 23; more than double the 85 it reported for the week ending Dec. 9.
"We're always busy, but that's what we're trained for and that's what we're ready for. We've had surges in past seasons," Dr. Shane said. "What we typically see is flu starting after the winter break, usually in January and early February, so this is a little bit of an early start to the flu season, which is unusual for us."
She told 11Alive most of the kids they're treating for flu haven't gotten their flu vaccine this year. The cases range in severity.
"Flu makes you feel lousy. Our main concern with children is being able to eat and drink," Dr. Shane said. "The flu vaccine does a very good job at preventing severe illness and preventing hospitalizations. It's a safe and very effective vaccine. "
She said it's not too late for anyone considering the flu vaccine to protect themselves against the virus and severe complications.
"We really are urging parents to make sure that their children are vaccinated against flu and against COVID," she said. "It is not too late to get either one of those vaccines not only for children, but anybody in the household who is taking care of the child."
They are also seeing cases of rhinovirus and COVID-19, although that's expected at this time of year.
"This aligns with what other places are seeing around the country, both in children's hospitals and also in our adult colleagues," Dr. Shane said. "We are seeing an increase in children with COVID but thankfully so far, not an increase in children who have MIS-C, which is the post-inflammatory condition that a rare number of children may develop after."
She said parents should seek medical attention if they're concerned about their child's health.
"Parents really know their children best . . . Ideally, a pediatrician who knows the child is the best person to seek medical care," she said. "If a pediatrician is not available, an urgent care center. If a child is having difficulty breathing or there's some other concern that a parent thinks that the child needs emergent care, they should bring them to directly to an emergency room."