When dehydration occurs, it’s important to restore the levels of fluids and electrolytes. Mild cases of dehydrations can sometimes be treated with oral rehydration solutions. In more severe cases, or when a child can’t keep liquids down, fluids must be restored intravenously.  A product, called hylenex recombinant, is easing the ability to rehydrate sick kids. Hylenex is made from hyaluronidase, an enzyme that breaks down hyaluronan (hyaluronic acid, an enzyme that holds cells together, like glue, and enables tissue to become a natural barrier).

There’s a reason for each and every sniffle, sneeze, ache, and pain. Learn why your body behaves the way it does, and discover the quickest ways to feel better.

Eating healthy is always a good idea, but during cold and flu season it’s especially important.

As with seasonal flu, there are steps to take to reduce risk for H1N1 infection. Everyone should practice good hygiene - wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth (you can pick up flu germs by touching contaminated surfaces). Those who are sick should avoid contact with healthy people and stay home until 24 hours after the fever is gone. For most healthy people, that’s 3 to 5 days after the first symptoms.

A new report from the CDC found secondary bacterial lung infections are now becoming more prevalent in H1N1. Roughly 29 percent of patients who died of H1N1 complications between May and August had secondary bacterial infections. Thus, researchers now say doctors should now also consider the need for antibiotics in patients with H1N1-associated pneumonia.

While the majority of women use soap and water on their hands after using the bathroom, men often need blunt reminders to lather up, according to research on hygiene habits conducted by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

Flu season has barely started, but swine flu cases have already begun to surge. Experts say vaccines won’t be ready for weeks but people should start preparing now.

Because of the threat of H1N1 flu, the Centers for Disease Control has changed its recommendations on who should get the pneumonia shot. Between the pneumonia shot, the seasonal flu shot and the upcoming swine flu shot ... what shots should you get?

With concerns about swine flu, or H1N1 virus, using hand sanitizer has become even more popular. Bottles of the alcohol-based formula are almost everywhere, from offices to college campuses, but does it really work? Doctors say: Yes!

Symptoms of the cold are more common, and can make the patient miserable for three to five days. A patient usually has a stuffy nose, congestion, some body aches and a growing cough.  According to the CDC seasonal flu and H1N1 symptoms consist of fever, more painful body aches, dry cough, diarrhea and severe fatigue. It’s hard, without testing, to tell apart the seasonal strain of flu from the H1N1 variety. 

One of the best ways to reduce the risk of getting the flu is with a flu shot. The flu shot is an injected vaccine that contains three inactivated (killed) strains of the flu virus expected to circulate in the U.S. in the current flu season. In June 2003, the FDA approved another option for flu prevention – the nasal spray flu vaccine (FluMist®). The nasal flu vaccine protects against the same strains of the flu virus as the flu shot. However, the spray contains live, but weakened forms of the viruses.

Seasonal flu kills predominantly the frail elderly. Researchers are trying to determine why the H1N1 swine flu virus, much like the Spanish Flu of 1918, is lethal to a portion of young people in good health.

As things look now, H1N1 is causing only mild to moderate illness, not the widespread deaths people are worried about.  CNN’s Sanjay Gupta recently visited emergency rooms to gauge the level of concern about H1N1.  The following is his 5 point panic prevention plan for parents.

The Red Cross offers a checklist for the Swine Flu and seasonal flu.

It is very difficult to distinguish the flu from other infections on the basis of symptoms alone. A doctor’s exam may be needed to tell whether you have developed the flu or a complication of the flu. There are tests that can determine if you have the flu as long you are tested within the first 2 or 3 days of illness.