Influenza: Complications (Pediatric Nursing)

00:01 Complications.

00:02 Most people who get the flu will recover in a few days to less than 2 weeks.

00:07 But there can be some serious complications.

00:10 Moderate complications include sinus and ear infections, and these usually happen in the second or third week after the viral flu illness has passed.

00:19 The patient will develop a secondary bacterial infection.

00:22 And I'm always telling my patients when I see them in the first week of their flu illness, how long they can expect to get over their flu illness, and then what sorts of complications to watch for in the future, such as, you know, if you develop ear pain or sinus pressure, or you know, a new fever after day 10, then we really need to see you back to check for these secondary moderate complications.

00:43 It's possible to also develop serious complications from the influenza virus and these can be life-threatening and can result in death.

00:50 So, pneumonia is a common serious complication and it can either be viral, bacterial, or a combination of both.

00:58 The patient can also develop myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart.

01:02 The patient can develop encephalitis, which is inflammation of the brain.

01:07 Myositis or rhabdomyolysis is inflammation of the muscles.

01:11 And also, multi-organ failure, including the respiratory and kidney systems.

01:18 The flu virus infection of the respiratory tract can trigger an extreme inflammatory response in the body and can lead to sepsis, which is the body's life-threatening response to an infection.

01:29 The flu virus can also exacerbate chronic medical conditions, such as asthma and chronic heart disease.

01:36 Complications in children can include fast breathing or troubled breathing, bluish lips or face, retractions, which is where they're sucking in with their ribs to help move more air, chest pain, severe muscle pain, dehydration, and the patient may not be alert or interacting well when they're awake.

01:58 Children can experience seizures, a really high fever, and you worry in < 12 week olds with any fever.

02:06 The fever or cough that improve, but then return or worsen, and this is when you're starting to wonder does that child have a secondary pneumonia? And then, of course, worsening of their chronic medical condition.