Several children in Colorado and Texas have died in early outbreaks of the flu. The news has sent some parents across the country rushing to pediatricians in search of vaccines for their children. In some areas, there's not enough vaccine to be had. NPR's Joanne Silberner reports on what the current flu season might mean to children, and what parents can do to help protect kids.
Vaccination Guidelines from the CDC:
Flu, or influenza, is caused by viruses that infect the nose, throat and lungs. The flu usually spreads through the air from person to person when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks.
Unlike the common cold, the flu causes severe illness and can be life threatening. Each year more than 114,000 people in the United States are hospitalized because of the flu and more than 36,000 people die from complications.
Influenza and its complications are the sixth leading cause of death among children 4 years old and younger.
Some children are at high risk of having complications from the flu. The CDC advises that following groups be vaccinated each year to prevent the flu:
Infants 6 to 23 months of age; and children 24 months to 18 years of age with chronic health problems, such as asthma or other problems of the lungs, immune suppression, chronic kidney disease, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, sickle-cell anemia. The CDC says children 6 months to 18 years of age who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy should also get the vaccine.
Children under 6 months old can become severely ill from the flu, but are too young to receive the flu vaccine. The best way to protect them is to make sure that family members and caregivers are vaccinated.
The CDC advises parents to have children vaccinated in October and November, before the peak flu season.
Excerpted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention factsheet on Flu and Kids
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. 9(MDYwMzgxODUyMDE2MzQ1Nzg1MTRlNTA2Yg000))
