Flu Medicine for Kids: 5 Important Tips to Know

Taking care of a sick child isn’t easy. The flu (influenza) is uncomfortable for everyone, and it can be scary when your child shows signs of coming down with the virus. 

If your child is sick with the flu, here are five tips on how to get them the right care. We’ll also cover how to use flu medicine for kids. 

1. Start prescription flu medicine for kids early

If you think your child has the flu, it’s best to see their pediatrician right away. They can recommend prescription antiviral medications to help your child fight the flu. Medication can help prevent severe symptoms and flu-related complications. 

Antiviral flu meds are most effective when you start them within 48 hours of the first symptoms. So, visit a healthcare professional as soon as you suspect the flu. A pediatrician will also make sure your child is recovering appropriately and isn’t developing any complications. 

Younger children, especially infants and toddlers, have a higher risk of developing flu-related complications, including:

• Pneumonia

• Dehydration

• Sinus and ear problems

• Trouble breathing

Seeing a healthcare professional at the start of flu symptoms is especially important for children with medical conditions that put them at higher risk for flu complications. 

Which medications can toddlers take for the flu?

Prescription antiviral medications are available for children as young as 2 weeks old. Your pediatrician will prescribe an antiviral medication based on your child’s age. Medications may include: 

• Tamiflu (oseltamivir): Children older than 2 weeks can take Tamiflu, but it works best if it’s started right away — within 48 hours of getting sick. The dose varies depending on the child’s age and weight, so it’s important for each child to have their own prescription. Tamiflu for toddlers or kids is available in the form of a pill and liquid. 

• Relenza (zanamivir): Relenza is approved for children who are at least 7 years old. Experts don’t recommend it for children who have asthma or other chronic lung conditions. 

• Rapivab (peramivir): Rapivab is an injection-only medication that’s approved for kids older than 6 months. 

• Xofluza (baloxavir): Baloxavir comes in pill form, and kids only need to take a single dose. It’s approved for people aged 12 and up, and for children over age 5 who don’t have any chronic medical conditions. 

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT

• When your baby gets the flu: The flu can look different in babies than it does in adults. Learn how to recognize flu symptoms in babies and what to do if they get sick.

• Can kids take Tamiflu? Yes, kids as young as 2 weeks old may be prescribed Tamiflu (oseltamivir). Here’s what to know about the safety of Tamiflu for babies and kids.

• OTC cold meds for kids: When your child gets sick, you’ll want to do everything to help them feel better fast. Here’s what to know before you reach for over-the-counter cold medications.

2. Be careful with over-the-counter flu medicine for kids

Even with antiviral treatment, your child will still experience some flu symptoms. These symptoms can last for 1 week or more. So, it’s no surprise that parents want to give their children something else to relieve these symptoms in the meantime.

There are many over-the-counter (OTC) children’s flu medications. With all the choices, it’s helpful to know what to look for to narrow down your search. Let’s focus on which flu medicines are actually safe for kids.

Avoid OTC medications in young children

Children under the age of 4 shouldn’t take cold and flu medications at all. That’s been the recommendation since 2007, when the FDA became aware that a large number of emergency department visits were related to the use of these medications in young children.

A close look at the situation determined that OTC flu medicine for kids comes with a high risk of side effects, but very little benefit. Follow-up studies showed that emergency room visits were cut in half after these medications were removed from shelves.

If you do choose to give your older child OTC cold and flu medication, remember to check packages for dosage instructions. All cold and flu medications have dosage directions on the back of the box for different age groups. Some products, including ones labeled “for kids,” may note that young children shouldn’t use the product. Or the directions will recommend speaking to a healthcare professional for dosage recommendations. 

How can you treat your toddler’s flu at home?

You don’t have to rely on OTC children’s flu medicine to help your little one feel better. There are many natural flu remedies for kids that you can try at home:

• Rest: Rest helps your child’s body focus on fighting off the flu infection and promotes recovery.

• Hydration: Kids can become dehydrated quickly, especially when they have a fever and a low appetite. Encourage fluids as much as possible. Oral rehydration solutions are great options and come in many flavors and forms, including ice pops.

• Honey: A teaspoon of honey before bedtime may help improve your child’s cough. Studies show honey works just as well (and often better) than cough syrup and cough suppressant for kids. But don’t give your child honey if they’re younger than 1 year old because they can develop botulism. 

• Cool mist: Consider using a cool mist humidifier in your child’s room. It can help soothe sore or irritated throats.

• Warm mist: Before bedtime and naps, sit in the bathroom with your child and breathe in warm, moist air from a bath or shower to help to break up mucus.

• Saline nasal drops: These non-medicated nose drops help melt mucus and make it easier to breathe.

• Bulb syringe: If your child can’t blow their nose on their own, use a bulb syringe to remove mucus from their nose. This will help them breathe better.

3. Don’t accidentally double up on flu medicine for kids

Pay close attention to dose measurements when you give your kids medicine. Babies and young kids often need much smaller doses than older children. Giving too much medication to a small child can cause big problems.

One of the major problems with OTC cold and flu medications is that they often come in combination forms. That means a single medication might have many different active ingredients in it. And this makes it easy to lose track of what your child is taking. Combination medications are a frequent cause of accidental overdoses and unwanted side effects.

For example, two common flu symptoms are fever and upset stomach. You might give your child a dose of acetaminophen (Tylenol) to help with their fever and some Alka-Seltzer (sodium bicarbonate) to help settle their stomach. But some varieties of Alka-Seltzer already contain the painkiller acetaminophen. By giving both, you could accidentally cause acetaminophen poisoning in your child. 

Many cough and cold medications have two or more active ingredients. Check labels carefully to make sure you’re not doubling up on the same ingredients. 

4. Look for child and toddler flu medications with few ingredients

Try to pick medications for kids that have only a single ingredient. This helps avoid accidental overdoses, and it lets you treat your child for the symptoms they actually have.

The drugs in cold and flu medications fall into one of four groups: 

• Painkillers

• Decongestants

• Antihistamines

• Cough suppressants

Here’s a rundown of single-ingredient medications you can find at your local drug store to treat your kid’s mild cold and flu symptoms. The chart also states the minimum age of use, according to the packaging.

Children younger than the “minimum age of use” shouldn’t take the medication. 

Talk to your child’s pediatrician about dosage instructions if you can’t find details on the packaging. 

5. Know when to go to the emergency room

Infants younger than 2 months old should always be checked by a healthcare professional right away if they develop a fever of 100.4°F, or if they might have the flu.

Children younger than 2 years old are at an increased risk of severe flu symptoms. Watch young children closely if you think they might have the flu, and don’t hesitate to seek emergency care if they develop any of the symptoms listed below, or if you’re worried.

Older children sometimes need emergency care, too. Any child can get seriously ill from the flu, even if they’ve had a flu shot. 

A child of any age should be taken to the emergency room if you notice the following symptoms:

• Trouble breathing

• Fever over 104°F 

• Irritability

• Not urinating or making wet diapers

• Not drinking or eating 

• You can’t wake them up, or they’re overly sleepy

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Written by:

Jennifer Sample, MD

After a fellowship, Dr. Sample worked as the medical director at the University of Kansas Hospital Poison Center (The University Of Kansas Health System Poison Control Center), which served the state of Kansas for poison exposures. In 2007, she returned to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, as a consultant in clinical pharmacology and medical toxicology.

Edited by:

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN, is a California-based registered nurse and staff medical editor at GoodRx, where he focuses on clinical updates and Latino health.

Reviewed by:

Kerry R. McGee, MD, FAAP

Kerry McGee, MD, FAAP, has over a decade of experience caring for babies, children, and teenagers as a primary care pediatrician. She has a special interest in adolescent health, particularly in adolescent mental health.

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