3-Year-Old Dies Of Flu At Aurora Hospital, Prompting Vaccine Push

AURORA, IL --- Officials in Kane County are sending an urgent message to residents, especially those with children, to get a flu shot. The push to promote flu vaccines comes after a three-year-old girl died of flu-related complications at an Aurora hospital last month, Daily Herald reports.

Kane County Coroner Rob Russell told Daily Herald that the girl, who died Dec. 21, did not have any pre-existing medical problems and had experienced flu symptoms for a couple days before she was hospitalized at Rush-Copley in Aurora. After showing initial signs of improvement, the girl reportedly lost consciousness and died.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say flu risk is currently high in Illinois, according to another article on Patch. Illinois is currently one of 24 states designated by the CDC as having widespread flu activity.

The flu has claimed the lives of more than a dozen children throughout the U.S. this season, CDC reports. Children and infants with the flu are at especially high risk, along with pregnant women, elderly people, and patients with chronic illnesses.

According to the CDC, flu symptoms include, but are not limited to:

• Fever or feeling feverish/chills (Though not everyone with flu will have a fever)
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle or body aches
• Headaches
• Fatigue (tiredness)
• Vomiting and diarrhea, which is usually more common in children than adults.

The CDC urges that parents should seek immediate medical attention for their children if they are experiencing the following symptoms:

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
• Fever with a rash

Seek immediate medical attention for infants who experience:

• Being unable to eat
• Trouble breathing
• No tears when crying
• Significantly fewer wet diapers than normal, which may indicate dehydration

To find a place to get a flu vaccine near you, enter your zip code into this flu vaccine finder, provided by the CDC:

Related: Illinois Flu Risk 'High,' CDC Says

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