Treatment

To ease symptoms, your doctor will recommend that you rest and drink plenty of fluids (at least eight cups daily). For the fever and body aches, you can take over-the-counter pain relievers. If any of the four antiviral drugs mentioned in the Prevention section above are taken within 48 hours of the start of symptoms, they may speed recovery by about one day. Because influenza is a viral infection, antibiotics are not effective. Children who are suspected of having influenza, and who have high fevers, should never be given aspirin to treat the fever. This can cause the disease called Reye's syndrome. Instead, acetaminophen (Tylenol) should be used.