Kids and The Flu

2004-2005 Flu Season
This year's flu season is getting started, but it is not to late to get
your kids a flu vaccine if you can find one. Unfortunately, we have
encountered shortages like we had last year, and there are some other
factors that may make it difficult for you to get your kids a flu shot.

The announcement that Chiron Corporation, one of the big manufacturers
of flu vaccine, would not be able to distribute any of its flu vaccine,
has cut in half the amount of flu vaccine available in the United
States. If your doctor ordered their flu vaccine from Chiron, then they
simply may not have any flu vaccine to give your child. However, since
the Chiron flu vaccine, called Fluvirin, is only approved for adults
and children over age 4 years, it is likely that your Pediatrician has
at least some supply of flu vaccine from Aventis, the other major flu
vaccine supplier, whose flu vaccine is called Fluzone.

Even if your doctor has flu vaccine, because of new recommendations
issued by the CDC and ACIP in response the Chiron situation, unless you
or your child is in a high risk or priority group (see below), you will
likely be 'informed about the urgent vaccine supply situation and asked
to forego or defer vaccination' this year.

Another big factor is that this year's recommendations have changed so
that all children between the ages of 6 and 23 months should get a flu
shot. In addition, close contacts of infants under 6 months old should
also get a flu shot.


That means that your Pediatrician's office is going to have to give a
lot of flu shots this year, which may cause logistical problems, even
if they don't run out of flu shots. It takes time to give all of these
children flu shots, especially when you add in all of the other high
risk children with diabetes, asthma, and other medical problems who
also need a flu shot. So get started early and make sure that you have
some place to get a flu shot, whether it is from your Pediatrician, the
health department, or any place else you can get one.


When should your kids get their flu shots?
Younger kids and those with health problems should get their flu
vaccine early, during October or November. If your child is under 9
years old and is getting the flu vaccine for the first time, then he
should get started in October because he will need two flu vaccines one
month apart to get full coverage and protection. If your younger child
doesn't already have a well child checkup scheduled in October, you
might call your Pediatrician to see when you can get his flu vaccine.
Many doctors are setting up 'flu clinics' where you just see a nurse
and get your flu vaccine, either during or after office hours.


Who Should Be Vaccinated With the Flu Shot This Season
Priority groups for vaccination with inactivated influenza vaccine this
season a
all children aged 6 to 23 months,
adults aged 65 years or older,
persons aged 2 to 64 years with underlying chronic medical conditions,
all women who will be pregnant during influenza season, residents of
nursing homes and long-term care facilities,
children 6 months to 18 years of age on chronic aspirin therapy,
health-care workers with direct patient care, and
out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of children aged less
than 6 months.


Other Vaccination Recommendations
Healthy persons who are 5-49 years of age and not pregnant, including
health-care workers (except those who care for severely
immunocompromised patients in special care units) and persons caring
for children aged less than 6 months should be encouraged to be
vaccinated with intranasally administered live, attenuated influenza
vaccine (Flumist).
Persons in priority groups identified above should be encouraged to
search locally for vaccine if their usual health-care provider does not
have vaccine available.
Many children aged less than 9 years require two doses of vaccine if
they have not previously been vaccinated. All children at high risk of
complications from influenza, including those aged 6-23 months, who
present for vaccination should be vaccinated with a first or second
dose, depending on vaccination status. However, doses should not be
held in reserve to ensure that two doses will be available. Rather,
available vaccine should be used to vaccinate persons in priority
groups on a first come first serve basis.

Vaccination of Persons in Non Priority Groups
Persons who are not included in one of the priority groups above should
be informed about the urgent vaccine supply situation and asked to
forego or defer vaccination. Keep in mind that where flu vaccine supply
is sufficient, additional priority groups have been added, including
all adults aged 50-64 and out-of-home caregivers and household contacts
of persons in high-risk groups.

Information found at http://pediatrics.about.com/od/kidsandtheflu/

I got my children the flu vaccine at my local GP