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Much of the nation is in the middle of a flu epidemic. A lot of kids are sick and staying home from school, and a lot of parents are missing work to take care of their kids. Now, after years of questions about how old kids should be to get a flu shot, the Centers for Disease Control is about to settle that debate.
Muscle aches, high fever, just feeling bad. Little Sha Juanna has the flu.
“Right in here it hurts?” the doctor asks Sha Juanna.
Across the country, the flu is spreading – some schools have closed, thousands of kids are home sick. The medical advisory committee to the CDC (web|news) is now recommending that every child 6 months to 18 years of age get a flu shot.
“Flu shots are recommended and decrease the severity of the illness. The flu shot only has a certain amount of strains in it, so you can still get the flu [after] you get a flu shot, but your chances are greatly decreased if you get the flu shot,” says David Goo, M.D., Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
Dr. Goo says a shot can mean the difference between your child having a slight fever with a runny nose and having very severe symptoms that can lead to hospitalization and worse.
“The flu can be very severe, and there are certain epidemics of flu that have been noted in history to have killed thousands and thousands of people at one time. I’ve seen many, many children get sick and not die because they have gotten their immunizations. So my advice is to get all your immunizations and get your flu shot; that’s really going to protect you,” says Dr. Goo.
Along with the vaccination, experts say, good hygiene is a must.
“Wash your hands often. If you’re coughing, cover your face. Especially, if you have a tissue, cover your face with a tissue. If you have a high-risk child, you might want to limit the play-groups and things like that,” says Eric Zerla, M.D., pediatrician.
Experts say that vaccinating kids against the flu will help protect them and everybody else.
“They’re the ones growing the germ, taking it home, giving it to other people. So if we could slow down the spread of the virus in children, we could slow down the spread of the virus throughout the whole community,” says Dr. Carden Johnston, emergency room pediatrician.
Tips for Parents
* The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommend that these high-risk groups be given the flu shot:
o Children 6-59 months
o Anyone 65 and older
o Women who will be pregnant during the flu season
o Anyone who lives or works with infants under 6 months old
o Residents of long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes
o Any adult or child with chronic medical conditions, such as asthma
o Health-care personnel who have direct contact with patients
o Children ages 6 months to 18 years who are on long-term aspirin therapy
* For children under 9 who are getting a flu shot for the first time, it's given in two separate shots one month apart. It can take up to two weeks after the shot for the body to build up protection to the flu. (Nemours Foundation)
* Anyone who is severely allergic to eggs and egg products should not get a flu shot, because the ingredients for flu shots are actually grown inside eggs. Also, speak with your child's doctor if your child has ever had a severe reaction to a flu shot. (Nemours Foundation)
* Getting the shot before flu season is in full force gives the body a chance to build up immunity to, or protection from, the virus. Although you can get a flu shot well into flu season, it's best to try to get it earlier rather than later, if your child's doctor thinks it's necessary. (Nemours Foundation)
* A non-shot option called the nasal mist vaccine came on the market in 2003 and is now approved for use in ages two and up. (Nemours Foundation)
* Although there's no guaranteed way -- including the vaccine -- to prevent anyone from getting the flu, the most simple step you can take is to avoid large crowds. Since it's often nearly impossible to keep kids cooped up, the next best thing is frequent and thorough hand washing, which helps prevent the spread of infections like the flu. (Nemours Foundation)
References
* Nemours Foundation
* The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)
* The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
* The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
* Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
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