What Parents Need to Know About the 2025–2026 Flu Season

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Dr. Sharon Vuppula, pediatric hospitalist at Southern NH Medical Center, part of a nonprofit health system, shares what families should know about the 2025–2026 flu season. She explains why a new influenza strain is leading to more severe illness in children, outlines key symptoms to watch for, and emphasizes the importance of vaccination, early testing, and timely treatment such as antivirals. Dr. Vuppula also highlights warning signs that require urgent medical care and offers practical steps parents can take to protect their children and reduce the spread of flu at home and in the community.

As a pediatric hospitalist at Southern NH Medical Center, a nonprofit hospital in Nashua, New Hampshire, I am seeing more children hospitalized with influenza this season than we typically expect.

The flu is arriving earlier and spreading more widely, and some children are becoming seriously ill, especially those who are very young or have underlying health conditions. This makes prevention, early recognition of symptoms, and timely medical care especially important for families right now.

This year's flu

Influenza (the flu) is a seasonal respiratory virus that can cause serious complications in children, including pneumonia, hospitalization, and, in rare cases, death. A new influenza strain, H3N2, has emerged this year and is associated with an increased risk of severe illness, especially among children and individuals with chronic medical conditions. Unfortunately, there has been a rise in reported influenza cases over the past few weeks.

Tips to prevent your child from catching the flu

It’s not too late for your child to receive the influenza vaccine. We encourage every patient to talk with their doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician associate about what is best for them and their family.

• Children 6 months of age and older can be vaccinated.
• Vaccination helps prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death- especially important this year due to the new strain.
• Family members and caregivers should also receive the influenza vaccine to reduce the risk of spreading the infection to children.

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Flu symptoms and signs
Common symptoms include:

• Fever or feeling feverish/chills
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle or body aches
• Headaches
• Fatigue (tiredness)

In children, vomiting and diarrhea may also occur more commonly than in adults.
How to know if your child has the flu
If your child has flu-like symptoms, contact your child’s pediatrician to discuss testing. The flu is a virus. A positive influenza test may mean your child could benefit from antiviral treatment.

Tamiflu is often used to treat influenza in:

• Children under 5 years old
• Children of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
• Treatment is most effective when Tamiflu is started within 2 days of symptom onset, so it is important to contact your pediatrician promptly.

When to seek medical care urgently
Seek immediate medical care if your child has:

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish lips or face
• Ribs pulling in with each breath
• Chest pain
• Severe muscle pain (child refuses to walk)
• Dehydration (no urine for 8 hours, dry mouth, no tears when crying)
• Not alert or not interacting when awake
• Seizures
• Fever above 104°F that does not respond to fever-reducing medicine
• Fever or cough that improves but then returns or worsens
• Worsening of chronic medical conditions

For more information about influenza, talk to your pediatrician and check updates from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.

Dr. Sharon Vuppula is a pediatric hospitalist at Southern New Hampshire Medical Center with a strong background in pediatric infectious diseases, antimicrobial stewardship, and infection control. She is dedicated to improving patient outcomes through evidence-based practices and multidisciplinary collaboration. Her clinical expertise spans the management of complex pediatric infections and the implementation of strategies to optimize antibiotic use and prevent hospital-acquired infections.

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