There have been numerous studies of the effect of flu in young children with findings that are truly frightening. In particular there were two studies published in 2000 in the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of Pediatrics. These studies have found that even healthy children of less than 2 years old are far more likely to require hospitalization  due to flu complications than older children. There is a significant death rate for children that catch the flu before reaching an age of over 23 months.





For the flu season of 2003 ñ 2004 there were 152 reported deaths related to flu of children under the age of 18 years. Most of these children were under 5 years of age, and at least 40 percent healthy prior to catching the flu. Sadly only six of these children had been vaccinated to aid in preventing the flu.



It is very important to get a head start on vaccinating your children against flu; this is especially true if they have not previously received a flu shot. The first time a child receives a flu vaccination it is necessary that they receive two shots, about 30 days apart.  The first shot is to prime the immune system and the second dose is what actually provides the immunity against the flu virus. The best time to take your child in for their flu shot is about October through November.



In addition to getting your child a flu shot there many things you can do to help prevent them catching the virus. The incubation period for the influenza virus is 1 ñ 4 days. It is common for an adult to be infectious from 1 day before symptoms become apparent to 5 days after. Children can be infectious for upward of 10 days, and it is not uncommon for very young children to be able to transmit the virus for up to 5 days before they become ill.



Some simple ways to help prevent the spread of influenza include teaching  your children not to share eating utensils and drinking cups with others, and to wash their hands frequently, especially before eating and when returning home from school or play. If you have a child in daycare, ensure that it is the childcare providerís policy to inform all  parents at the first sign of illness of any of the children. In this way you can remove your  child from that daycare to an alternative childcare provider until the bug has run its course.



A few preventative measures and a flu shot can go a long way in helping keep your children safe and healthy through the flu season.



Information Source



American Academy of Pediatrics

 

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