A Vernon pediatrician is warning parents that, among other disturbing symptoms, hallucinations are part of the ongoing flu outbreak.
Interior Health published a first-hand account of Dr. Kathryn MacKinlay’s daughter’s recent flu attack, which included some discomfort after an apparent auditory hallucination of people screaming.
“It’s 7 a.m. and after spending the night treating her high fever, Marissa is finally feeling better, but she’s suddenly terrified by what she’s hearing,” the North Okanagan doctor wrote.
Read more: 6 children in BC have died from flu-related illness this season: BC CDC
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6 children in BC have died from flu-related illness this season: BC CDC
“Most parents would be equally horrified to see their child so distressed: flailing, screaming and confused. Not me. As an emergency physician, I’ve seen many other children hallucinate these past few weeks while they were sick with influenza A”.
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MacKinley said the emergency department at Vernon Jubilee Hospital had been visited by children who heard loud sounds, saw objects that were too big or too far away and were afraid that someone or something was trying to hurt them.
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These episodes of delirium, Dr. MacKinley said, are brief and do not require treatment.
“As long as (my daughter) wasn’t confused or scared between these episodes, there was nothing I could do other than offer cuddles,” she said.
That said, there are other flu symptoms that can be treated, including vaccination.
“The best thing you can do during the illness itself is to offer hydration and help control the fever,” he said.
Read more: West Kelowna, BC family seeks answers after 9-year-old daughter dies
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“Kids with a fever often look very, very sick, but remember that the fever itself is not dangerous, and alternating Advil and Tylenol every three hours will bring the fever down.”
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MacKinley said that from September to April, most children have up to 10 respiratory viruses.
“This year we’re seeing a particularly nasty combination of flu, COVID-19 and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) in children under three, as well as common colds,” he said.
“Although it’s hard to see your child sick so often, almost all of these viruses can be managed at home with fluids, Advil/Tylenol, and a little TLC.”
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What raises the risk to something that requires an emergency visit, she said, is when a child goes into trouble breathing, becomes unusually pale, has white or blue lips, asthma or wheezing, and doesn’t respond to prescribed medications .
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With fever is in a child under three months, he said, go to the emergency room. If the fever persists for more than five days in a child of any age, a visit to the hospital is necessary.
A fever with a rash that looks like blisters or bruises that don’t turn white or go away when pressure is also a reason to go to the hospital.
The BC Center for Disease Control said last week it is aware of six reports of flu-related deaths among children and youth under the age of 19 in the province.
In a statement to Global News, the organization said that “early findings indicate that some of the children experienced secondary bacterial infections that contribute to serious illness that can be a complication of influenza.
“It’s important to know that death associated with the flu in previously healthy children remains rare. Public health is closely monitoring the situation and reminding people of the steps they can take to prevent themselves, their children and their loved ones loved ones against the flu.”
4:37 The flu claims the lives of 6 children in BC
One of those deaths was in West Kelowna. In late November, 9-year-old Ayla Loseth died from what her grandfather said was a bacterial infection while battling the flu. This case is now under investigation.
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“In general, if an unexpected event or death occurs with a patient in the hospital, that event is treated with the utmost seriousness,” Dr. Shallen Letwin, vice president of clinical operations at IH South, said in a statement .
“Interior Health will fully review the case to identify potential learning opportunities or system-wide improvements as part of our ongoing commitment to quality and patient safety in our hospitals.”
— With archives from Jasmine King and Amy Judd
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.