"What's Going Around" is a weekly series looking at what illnesses are circulating among kids in the community.

Activity is up over last week, with a lot of upper respiratory infections, sore throats and elevated fevers, says Jan Briggson, practice manager for Child Health Associates in Ann Arbor.

Influenza-like illnesses are increasing as well, though the practice does not routinely test for the type of flu — seasonal or swine — in accordance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control.

And most of the kids with flu-like illnesses haven't even needed to come into the office, unless they had underlying health conditions, Briggson said, though parents should always call just to be sure.

Briggson attributes some of the increased illness to the colder weather. When people run heat in their homes, it usually keeps the air drier, which makes the body more susceptible to viruses. Dry air dries out nasal passages, which helps the virus stick.

On the flu vaccine front, Briggson said she expects CHA to receive all of its shipments of seasonal as well as novel H1N1 flu vaccine by the end of October.

Your turn: What illnesses are going around in your kid's world?

Jen Eyer is on the Community Team at AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at 734-623-2577 or jeneyer@annarbor.com, or you can visit her at 301 East Liberty.