Navigating Influenza A Season, And All That It Has Taught Me

If you’re a parent sending your little one off to daycare or preschool for the very first time, buckle-up. You’re about to step into the world of never-ending sniffles, mystery fevers, and a crash course in every home remedy known to humankind (plus a few you’ll invent along the way).

Honestly, I always thought my parent friends exaggerated how their kids kept getting sick every month once they began daycare/school. It wasn’t until I started sending my older son to preschool that I truly understood that contracting some sort of bug monthly could even be an understatement. My son would not only return home unwell, but he would also soon spread it to the adults at home, and the most concerning part would be passing it on to my younger 1-year-old baby.

With Influenza A cases rising since late September and escalating all October in KL/Putrajaya, many parents like myself are increasingly worried about our children’s wellbeing, especially when more than 80% of the recent Influenza A clusters are detected in schools and kindergartens.

Unlike the common flu, the Influenza A symptoms tend to be more severe, with health authorities even confirming the death of a minor recently. According to the Ministry of Health (MoH), around 6,000 students have been infected across schools, with 97 clusters reported nationwide. These numbers are unsettling, particularly for parents with young children in group settings.

There are important steps parents can take to help prevent their children from contracting the virus, recognise when they might be experiencing it, and provide proper support throughout their recovery.

While we can’t shield our kids from every germ, we can take a few smart steps to keep them healthier:

1. Get Vaccinated -Your first line of defence:

Flu prevention, the bear essentials

The first step of prevention is to take the Influenza A vaccination, even for adults. Vaccination helps to reduce the risk of contracting the virus and it will also reduce the severity of the symptoms. With the rise in cases locally, many clinics and hospitals are offering affordable vaccinations. As of now, MoH via KKM offers free vaccinations to seniors 60 years old and above with at least one chronic illness.

While vaccination is not free for kids, it's an investment worth taking especially if one can afford it.

2. Act Early- Don’t wait for it to get worse:

   When it comes to Influenza A, early intervention can make a significant difference. Early symptoms such as sudden fever, cough, sore throat, or body aches call for early intervention. Antiviral medications prescribed and administered within 48 hours early can help shorten the duration of illness and prevent complications like pneumonia. Acting quickly also helps contain the spread within the family, especially if you have younger children or elderly members at home.

   
   

3. Practice good hygiene -The simplest things matter most:

   
   

   

   Masked but mighty

   Oftentimes, the most simple prevention gets overlooked. Aside from teaching children good hygiene habits, parents should model it themselves - which really is the best teaching method. Simple hand washing with soap regularly, hand sanitising, mask wearing (especially when in school orunavoidable crowded areas) and covering the nose/mouth area when sneezing or coughing are some straightforward habits. Constant reminders of these actions help to reinforce them as part of normal daily routine. It is indeed a challenge when the kids are younger. I try to separate my younger baby from my older son when possible and quickly clean up the crime scene (aka sneeze splatter on toys or furniture) to reduce the risk of spreading.

   
   

4. Maintain a balanced diet - Fuel for stronger immunity:

   Sufficient nutritional intake would help to build children with stronger immune systems and help with faster healing with those who are down with infections. Daily consumption of proteins, vegetables and fruits is important, although it may be easier said than done. Creativity with picky eaters by hiding vegetables (eg: blended veggies in mashed potatoes) and making eating fun with interesting shapes / colours / variety of meals goes a long way. Here’s my zucchini pizza that my son thoroughly enjoyed, so much so that there wasn’t much left for adults to eat. 😀

   
   

   

   A slice of healthy happiness

Stricter boundaries are also needed for empty calories snacks, sugary foods/drinks and fast foods by being firm and parents modelling the same (yes, my husband and I don't indulge in ice cream and shaved ice for a while now..or at least when the kids are present!).

You can also consider additional supplements such as Vitamin C to support the child’s immunity. I give my 3 year old Sambucol especially when he is in the phase of being more picky with certain fruits.

5. Home remedies - Comfort & care the natural way:

If our little one is unfortunately down with the virus despite our best efforts, it’s best to visit the doctor for professional advice.There are plenty of home remedies to consider if parents are not keen for their children to consume medications.

Here are some that have worked for us:

• Manuka honey (for those above 1 year old): A great natural antibacterial ingredient to help soothe sore throats and coughs.

💡Pro tip: look out for at least UMF 15+ for effective antibacterial properties.

Since it’s sweet-tasting, most kids are more than happy to consume it. In fact, my son sometimes pretends to cough because he wants some honey!

Nature’s golden remedy

• Cool-mist humidifier: Helps ease dry cough by loosening mucus and keeping airways moist.

💡 Pro tip: Empty, rinse, and dry the tank every day. Do a deeper clean with vinegar or mild soap a few times a week to prevent mold or bacteria buildup.

• Saline nasal sprays (such as Sterimar): Excellent for relieving nasal congestion. Since I have a baby at home who started getting infected before he turned one. Read about saline sprays and rinses here.

💡 Pro tip: I use the Sterimar baby blocked nose version.

• Sleeping next to a cut onion: It can aid decongestion overnight (though be prepared for a strong oniony smell in the room!).

💡Pro tip: To reduce the lingering odour, keep a small bowl of baking soda or coffee grounds in the room to help neutralise the smell by morning.

Grandma’s flu fix

• Drinking steamed onion and apple: Surprisingly, my kids loved it!

💡 Pro Tip: Using sweeter apples like Fuji apples help cut through the sharp smell of onions.

• Fermented garlic honey: Another natural remedy known for its antibacterial and immune-boosting properties.

💡 Pro Tip: When making fermented garlic honey, use raw, unpasteurised honey and fresh garlic cloves. Lightly bruise garlic before adding to help release their natural compounds.

Each child responds differently, but these gentle natural remedies often help bring comfort and a little relief during those tough flu days.

“Quarantine” survival guide

Being unwell usually means staying home and missing out on playtime and school, but there are still plenty of ways to keep little ones happy, engaged, and connected while they recover. Here are some ideas to make sick days a little brighter and more meaningful:

• Social connections: FaceTime or video call family or close friends is something fun to keep them socially active and connected with others despite being quarantined.

• Indoor adventure: Playing tent with pillows and blankets helps to keep up their imagination and makes staying home fun.

• Low energy fun: Encourage low-energy creativity like colouring, play dough, simple painting, or sticker art. It keeps their hands busy and minds engaged while they rest.

• Read and unwind together: Pull out their favourite books for storytime cuddles. You can even create a “mini library” corner or let them read to you; it helps them feel empowered and comforted.

The goal is simply to keep a sick kid entertained in their lows- with warmth, creativity, and a little extra patience while they heal.

Little acts of care

No flu blues with a little act of love

As parents, we can use this opportunity to teach our little ones empathy by caring for others. Building a care package for friends and family who are unwell is a great activity and works as a nice parent-child bonding session. Parents can sit with their child to list down some items to put together in the care package - this includes but is not limited to story or activity books, mini arts & craft set, vitamins, healthy snacks (such as tempeh chips or dehydrated vegetable chips) and even a personalised get well soon card. Then, get the little one to be involved by going out together to pick out the items or maybe DIY them. This helps to also build some decision-making and autonomy in kids.

As parents, we try our best to be in control of situations. However, there are times where things are “out of our control” which really adds stress to heavy work and family demands. While prevention is obviously ideal, there are many other actions parents can take to support their little ones and even looking outward to support others who are down with Influenza.

Chua Pei Wen