HOUSTON -- Houston emergency rooms are filling up with flu sufferers, KPRC Local 2 reported Wednesday.

"We've had whole families coming in," said the head of emergency medicine at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston's Medical Center.

Dr. Joan Shook told Local 2 that emergency rooms all across Houston are being flooded with patients with flu-like symptoms.

But Shook doesn't believe the flu warrants a visit to the emergency room because it can be treated at home with over-the-counter medicines, rest and lots of fluids.

But she said that non-emergency influenza can be miserable for many.

"Real influenza is a viral illness that's marked by a high spiking fever, dry cough and muscle aches and you can be sick seven to 10 days," said Shook.

Shook suggested Tylenol or Motrin to bring down fever and plenty of water.

But foremost, she said call a private doctor or clinic before making a trip to the ER.

She said she believes influenza will spread rapidly now that children have returned to schools.

"Wash your hands and wash them often," said Shook, to prevent the spread of the live virus which comes from nasal and mouth droplets.

"Everyone 6 months and older should come in for a flu shot if they have not this year," said Dr. Rebecca Laster, who works on the preventive end of the highly contagious flu bug.

She reported a huge number of clients coming to the Texas Children's Pediatric Associates Gulfton in southwest Houston with fever, muscle aches and coughs.

Laster says clinics can quickly diagnose Influenza with rapid diagnostic test that simply require a quick swab of the mouth and results are available in minutes.