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this year's flu is causing hallucinations in kids

fever hallucinations happen because the body's high temperature impairs the functions of the brain.

by maija kappler
published dec 16, 2022
read time 2 minute read
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read time 2 minute read
join the conversation
flu fevers may cause hallucinations in children
although hallucinations with a fever aren't typically dangerous and are generally brief, there are times when a medical care is a good idea. getty
we’re heard that this year’s flu is particularly nasty, but some symptoms may be even worse than anticipated. according to one canadian doctor, children sick with the flu are regularly experiencing hallucinations. dr. kathryn mackinlay, a pediatrician in vernon, b.c., wrote about her young daughter’s experience hearing sounds that weren’t there on the website for interior health, a regional health authority.
“most parents would be similarly terrified while seeing their child in such distress; flailing, yelling and confused. not me,” mackinlay wrote. “as an emergency doctor, i have seen many other kids hallucinating these last few weeks while sick with influenza a.”
she and her colleagues have treated children sick with the flu who reported “hearing loud sounds, seeing objects as too large or too far away, and feeling scared that someone or something is trying to hurt them,” she said.
these instances are understandably scary, for both parent and child — but mackinlay wants parents to know that they aren’t particularly harmful, either.
“thankfully, these episodes of delirium are brief and do not require treatment,” she said.
also known as fever hallucinations, seeing and hearing things that aren’t there — sometimes even experiencing strange tastes or smells — happen because of the body’s high temperature, which can impair normal brain functioning, according to u.s. news.

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when to see a doctor for a fever

although hallucinations with a fever aren’t typically dangerous and are generally brief, there are times when a medical care is a good idea.
according to mayo clinic, if your child is listless and confused, vomits repeatedly, has a severe headache, a fever that lasts more than three days or has a seizure with the fever, it’s time to consult a doctor. seizures along with a fever are also concerning for adults, in addition to chest pain, sensitivity to light, a stiff neck and pain when bending neck, a rash, among other symptoms that are outlined here.

    make sure kids are hydrated

    there isn’t much you can do while your child is hallucinating, she said, other than to focus on the basics: make sure kids stay hydrated and try to keep their fever down.
    “kids with fevers often look really, really sick, but remember that the fever itself is not dangerous,” she said. 
    tylenol and advil can both be helpful for lowering fever. and although children’s pain medication is in short supply, there are solutions. pharmacists can suggest alternate medications, and dosages can be changed to be appropriate for children. mackinlay provides a link to oak valley health’s dosing suggestions for converting adult doses of acetaminophen (tylenol) and ibuprofen (advil) to children’s doses, based on age and weight.
    story continues below
    prevention is important, too. the canadian pediatric society recommends that all children over the age of six months get a flu vaccine every year.
    mackinlay’s daughter marissa has recovered from the flu, and is feeling much better now, she wrote.
    “we are back to playing in the snow and hearing no voices other than the shrieks of laughter of healthy kids.”
    maija kappler is a reporter and editor at healthing. 
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