Four Bartow County children hospitalized due to the flu

BARTOW COUNTY, Ga. - Children are getting hit the hardest this flu season. In Bartow County alone, four children were hospitalized after coming down with the virus. Their mothers are warning that the symptoms move quickly and parents need to be extra vigilant this year.

It's been a rough eight days for 10-year-old Emily Moore as she continued to fight the flu at Children's Health Care of Atlanta at Scottish Rite on Monday. She is one of the four Bartow County children who has been hospitalized after testing positive for the flu.

Her mother, Jennifer Moore said this year's flu is no joke

"We took Emily in when her fever was 99.7, and she tested positive for the flu. That was a Saturday. The next night she woke up and couldn't breathe and we rushed her by ambulance to the hospital and she's been in the hospital ever since," said Moore.

Roberts can relate to everything Jennifer is going through since she too went through it with her son Cayden who was just released from the hospital.

"I have four children. My oldest is 25, he's the youngest. I've never had a child this sick," said Roberts.

In Cayden's case, Roberts said she gave him Tamiflu, but he only got worse.

"The first fever that got over 101, he went downhill fast. This stuff is taking over fast within twelve hours. He had so much mucus it was too much for him," said Roberts.

Roberts said Cayden too had to be rushed to the hospital because he couldn't breathe.

"He was in and out, hallucinating. He even, two years ago, his grandfather passed away. He said ‘Mama, am I going to see papa?’ That was hard for me to see him turn gray. Because everybody talks about the color of death," said Roberts

For Emily, she's still at the hospital, but her mother said she made great improvements.

"It's a miracle because the doctor told me when he saw my baby’s x-rays...  I do not understand how she is alive, is talking and responsive," said Moore.

Bartow County Emergencies Facebook page is covered up with prayers for all of the children's families and these mothers said they are thankful for all the support from the community.

Their message is the same. They want parents to be vigilant, look for signs, they said if they hadn't their children wouldn't be alive.