Flu Shots are available at Mindful Pediatrics & Who Should Receive the Flu Shot

Who should receive the Flu shot?

The CDC and American Academy of pediatrics both recommend that all children receive the influenza (flu) vaccine annually.  Although I am aware that flu vaccine prevents significant mortality and morbidity annually, I find it difficult to recommend that we vaccinate our children (potentially) more than 80 times over their lifetime.  How many times are they truly likely to get infected by influenza over their lifetime?  That being said, certain populations are considered higher risk and I do recommend the following:

• The highest risk for serious infection is in the first 6 months of life.  The problem is that these children are not eligible to receive the flu vaccine.  In general I recommend vaccinating close contacts including siblings, parents and regular caretakers.  This is often called “cocooning”.
• Children under the age of 5 years old (especially in the first 3 years) are also more likely to be hospitalized and suffer complications from the flu.  In general I would consider vaccinating children in day care, school or with older siblings in these settings.
• Children with chronic illness regardless of age should be considered for the flu shot. Examples include: Prematurity, asthma, other chronic respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, chronic gastrointestinal illness, diabetes, seizures, and immune deficiencies.
• Women who are likely to become pregnant or are pregnant during the flu season should also consider getting vaccinated, as they are more likely to suffer complications including mortality.
• Families that travel frequently in the fall and winter are at higher risk for contracting infectious illnesses and may consider getting a flu vaccine for that reason.
• We know that adults over the age of 65 years old or younger adults with chronic health conditions can also be at much greater risk for complications.  It is sometimes wise to vaccinate the child in order to protect a family member or close contact.

A few basic guidelines for vaccination:

• Although the American Academy of pediatrics and CDC only recommend avoiding vaccines with serious illness, I only recommend vaccinating your child if they are completely healthy. For most children I would simply wait a week or two after they have recovered from an acute illness.
• For children with chronic illness I recommend setting up an appointment to personally discuss whether it makes sense to vaccinate your child.  For children with complicated illness, it can be more challenging to assess the risk/reward ratio.
• Children who have severe egg allergy may need to receive the vaccine at an allergist office.