Influenza is Serious

During the 2003-2004 influenze season in the United States, influenza was the leading cause of vaccine-preventable death in children. Each year influenza attacks between 5 and 20 percent of the US population, and complications from the flu result in 200,000 hospitalizations (of which 20,000 are children).

Children play a significant role in transmitting influenza by spreading the virus to their family members and classmates at day care or school. Children aged 5 to 19 were approximately 3 to 4 times more likely to be infected with influenza than adults.

Who Should Get Vaccinated?

1. People at high risk for complications from the flu should get vaccinated each year:

   * All children aged 6 months - 5 years

   * Pregnant woman

   * People aged 50 years and older

   * People with certain chronic medical conditions

   * People who live in nursing homes or other long-term care facilities

2. People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from the flu:

   * All persons, including school-aged children, who want to reduce the risk of becoming ill with influenza or of transmitting influenza to others.

   * Healthy household contacts (including children) and caregivers of children under 5 and adults over 50 years, with particular emphasis on contacts of children less than 6 months old (since these children are too young to get vaccinated).

When to Get Vaccinated

October and November are the best times to receive a flu vaccination.  The nasal spray is longer lasting and covers more strains of the virus.  Thus getting it sooner is more effective. The peak flu season in the United States is in the winter, generally between December and March.  Studants away at school who miss our clinic dates and are at home on vaccation can make a nurse visit appointment and recieve the vaccination without a visit charge.

Vaccine Effectiveness

The flu vaccine's effectiveness depends on the age and health status of the person receiving the vaccine, as well as the "match" between the virus strains in circulation and the virus in the vaccine. You cannot get the flu from the vaccine.  Because the nasal spray contains more strains of the virus it has a greater potential for effectiveness.

Side Effects of the Vaccination

In children, side effects from FluMist (the nasal spray) could include:  runny nose, wheezing, headache, vomiting, muscle aches, and/or fever. In adults, side effects could include:  runny nose, headache, sore throat, and/or cough.  Although these are often short in duration.

Side effects from the flu shot could include:  soreness, swelling, or redness at the injection site, fever, and/or aches.

Symptoms of the Flu

Symptoms of the flue include fever (generally high), headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches, and stomach symptoms (such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea (more common in children than adults).

Complications from the flu include bacterial pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections, dehydration, and worsening of chronic conditions (such as asthma).

Information for Parents

Remind your children to:

* Cover their nose and mouth with a tissue when they cough or sneeze and throw the tissue away after they use it.

* Wash their hands often with soap and water, and especially after they cough or sneeze. Use an alcohol-based cleanser if soap and water are not available.

  * Not touch their eyes, nose, or mouth since germs often spread that way.

We will be able to provide the flu shot for $25 and the flu spray for $40 for any adult caregivers who wish to receive a vaccination together with their child(ren).

                  

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Child First Pediatrics is pleased to announce the launch of our new web site. Realizing the importance of providing child health information to parents, we have added a comprehensive Child Health Library to our web site. We hope that you find the information and resources posted here informative, useful and supportive. Check back often for new information.