Atrium Health Floyd's Dr. Mark Boudreau Offers Tips for Parents  

ROME, Ga., Dec. 3, 2024 – Parents and caregivers spend a lot of time teaching their children to share, but unfortunately that sharing includes germs. Between daycare and school, fun festivals and holiday activities, the fall and winter months generally coincide with an influx of sicknesses.

Dr. Mark Boudreau, with Atrium Health Floyd Pediatrics on Shorter Avenue in Rome, is here to help your family prepare specifically for the season. Boudreau shares what you need to know about the most common illnesses seen during this season, including symptoms and where to go for treatment.

Most common illnesses

Respiratory viruses, including colds, flu and RSV, are the most common illnesses during the fall and winter months. An increase in bacterial infections, including strep throat, are also more common. Also, both viral and bacterial cases of pneumonia are not uncommon.

“Sometimes it is hard to diagnose these because many symptoms are common with other winter illnesses," Boudreau said. “The key is to pay attention to how your kids feel."

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, here is a brief overview of the most common illnesses:

• Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV): RSV, is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. However, RSV can be serious, especially in infants and older adults who are more likely to develop severe RSV and need hospitalization. 

RSV may not be severe when it first starts. However, it can become more severe a few days into the illness. Early symptoms of RSV may include a runny nose, eating or drinking less, and cough, which may progress to wheezing or difficulty breathing. Infants who get an RSV infection almost always show symptoms.

This is different from adults, who can sometimes get RSV infections and not exhibit symptoms. In very young infants (less than 6 months old), the symptoms of RSV infection may include irritability, decreased activity, eating or drinking less, apnea (pauses in breathing for more than 10 seconds), and fever (though fever may not always occur with RSV infections).

• COVID: COVID is a disease caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2. It can be very contagious and spreads quickly. The virus most often causes respiratory symptoms that can feel much like a cold, the flu, or pneumonia. Most people with covid have mild symptoms, but some people become severely ill. Symptoms may include: fever or chills; cough; muscle or body aches; sore throat; nasal congestion or runny nose; headache; diarrhea; nausea; shortness of breath or difficulty breathing; and loss of smell or taste.

• Streptococcus (strep throat): Strep throat is a mild infection in the throat and tonsils that can be very painful. Doctors can do a quick test to see if a sore throat is strep throat. Antibiotics can help people with strep throat feel better faster and prevent spreading it to others. Symptoms include: fever; pain when swallowing; sore throat that can start very quickly and may look red; red and swollen tonsils; white patches or streaks of pus on the tonsils; tiny, red spots on the roof of the mouth; and swollen lymph nodes in the front of the neck.

• Flu (Influenza): Flu is a very contagious viral infection that affects the air passages of the lungs. It's one of the most severe and common viral illnesses of the winter season. Most children are ill with the flu for less than a week. But some children have a more serious illness and may need to be treated in the hospital. Symptoms include fever (which may be as high as 103°F to 105°F); body aches; headache; sore throat; cough that gets worse; tiredness; and a runny or stuffy nose. In some cases, your child may also have symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

• Pneumonia: Pneumonia might start out with symptoms similar to a cold, but can be far more serious. Some symptoms include chest pain when breathing or coughing, fever or chills, nausea, vomiting and mental confusion. Serious cases of the flu can also lead to pneumonia, which is why getting the annual flu vaccine is so important.

 The difference between cold and flu

It's important to note that a cold and the flu have different symptoms:

 A cold is often mild but can produce a hacking cough that can last as long as 10 days. The flu can cause severe symptoms and lead to problems, especially in children, such as pneumonia and even death, so it's important to see your pediatrician for a diagnosis.

Here to help finding the right level of care

Boudreau said it is important to contact your pediatrician's office to see if you should take your child in for evaluation.

“These illnesses can all be very serious, and it is important to seek medical attention quickly," he added.

Atrium Health Floyd offers on-demand video visits, eVisits and even live chat to help you get convenient, expert care without leaving your home.

How to avoid illnesses

Unfortunately, there is no sure way to avoid every illness, but the key to avoiding most common illnesses is to keep your body as strong as possible and stay away from illness when able.

“Frequent handwashing is always important, especially this time of the year," Boudreau said. “Parents should also make sure their kids get any available vaccines that can prevent serious illness."

Don't be misled

There are many misconceptions when it comes to common fall and winter ailments:

• Antibiotics do not help viruses, like the flu, RSV and COVID.
• Green mucous does not mean your child has a bacterial infection.
• Though not as common, colds can cause fevers too.
• Just because you do not have a fever, does not mean you are not contagious.
• Dairy is not bad for colds and flus. In fact, it is a good source of vitamins and protein when your child's appetite is likely down.
• The flu shot will not give a child the flu. Because it is a dead or inactivated form of the virus, you cannot get sick from it. However, because it triggers an immune response, there may be mild side effects that feel similar to the flu.
• No over-the-counter medications will cure a virus. They may help symptoms, but make sure to talk to your pediatrician about what is safe to use in your child.

About Atrium Health Floyd
The Atrium Health Floyd family of health care services is a leading medical provider and economic force in northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama. Atrium Health Floyd is part of Charlotte, North Carolina-based Advocate Health, the third-largest nonprofit health system in the United States, created from the combination of Atrium Health and Advocate Aurora Health. Atrium Health Floyd strategically combined with Harbin Clinic in 2024 and employs more than 5,200 teammates who provide care in over 40 medical specialties at four facilities: Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center – a 361-bed full-service, acute care hospital and regional referral center in Rome, Georgia; Atrium Health Floyd Polk Medical Center in Cedartown, Georgia; and Atrium Health Floyd Cherokee Medical Center in Centre, Alabama; and Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center Behavioral Health, also in Rome. Together, Atrium Health Floyd and Harbin Clinic provide primary care, specialty care and urgent care throughout northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama. Atrium Health Floyd also operates a stand-alone emergency department in Chattooga County, the first such facility to be built from the ground-up in Georgia.

About Atrium Health
Atrium Health is a nationally recognized leader in shaping health outcomes through innovative research, education and compassionate patient care. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Atrium Health is part of Advocate Health, the third-largest nonprofit health system in the United States, which was created from the combination with Advocate Aurora Health. A recognized leader in experiential medical education and groundbreaking research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine is its academic core. Atrium Health is renowned for its top-ranked pediatric, cancer and heart care, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Atrium Health is also a leading-edge innovator in virtual care and mobile medicine, providing care close to home and in the home. Ranked nationally among U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals in eight pediatric specialties and for rehabilitation, Atrium Health has also received the American Hospital Association's Quest for Quality Prize and its 2021 Carolyn Boone Lewis Equity of Care Award, as well as the 2020 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Health Equity Award for its efforts to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in care. With a commitment to every community it serves, Atrium Health seeks to improve health, elevate hope and advance healing – for all, providing $2.8 billion last year in free and uncompensated care and other community benefits. 

About Advocate Health
Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit integrated health system in the United States – created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois, Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama, and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation's largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides nearly $6 billion in annual community benefits.