Health care officials recommend flu shots for babies and toddlers
Add two more shots to your list of immunizations for your baby or
toddler.
It is now recommended that healthy children age 6 months to
23 months receive annual flu shots. The recommendation comes this year
from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention because these
children are just as likely to as the elderly to be sent to the
hospital for the flu in order to rule out more serious infections.
“When young children come to us with a high fever, the first
couple of days we don’t know if it is the flu or an underlying
bacterial infection like pneumonia,” says Denise Bratcher, DO,
infectious disease specialist at Children’s Mercy Hospitals and
Clinics. “So we wind up admitting a lot of these children for
observation. This could be prevented if the child has received a flu
shot.”
Children under the age of 9 who have never had the vaccination
must receive two doses of the vaccine one month apart, because their
bodies have not built up enough antibodies to fight the flu. Doctors
recommend that babies start receiving the vaccine in October, along
with other high risk people. High risk children include those 6 months
and older with chronic medical conditions, including a weakened immune
system, diabetes, kidney disease, or heart and lung problems, such as
asthma.
“I recommend the influenza vaccine for all children. Parents
need to discuss the issue with their pediatric health care provider,”
says Mary Anne Jackson, MD, infectious disease specialist at Children’s
Mercy.
It is best to schedule an appointment with your pediatrician
for flu shots, Jackson says. When meeting with your pediatrician, be
sure to mention if your child has any allergies to eggs before getting
the shot. Also, if your child has a fever or recent illness, you should
wait until she is better before getting the flu shot.
Doctors stress that the flu vaccine should be plentiful this
year, as opposed to previous years when there has been a shortage.
“Maintaining updated childhood immunizations is one of the
most important steps parents can take to prevent infections in
children,” Bratcher says. “This is yet another illness that can be
prevented among young children by immunization.”
