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Dr. Kim Mulvihill Reporting Flu season is around the corner. Some parents may worry about getting young children vaccinated against the virus. But a new study provides some reassuring results.
It is the biggest study ever conducted on the flu vaccine for this age group. The Centers for Disease Control funded the research.
Federal health officials now recommend all healthy children ages six months to five years get vaccinated against influenza. The virus is more likely in small children to cause problems in their lower respiratory tract, and land them in the hospital.
Karen Hardy M.D./ California Pacific Medical Center: "So it doesn't cause a common cold. It causes pneumonia, bronchialitis, significant infections in the chest."
And chronic lung scarring that can last a lifetime.
Dr. Hardy: "Some of them end up, every year, oxygen dependent for life."
In some cases these complications can be so severe that these young infants and children can die. That's why it's so important to get them vaccinated.
A new study shows the flu vaccine is safe for kids. Researchers looked at 45-thousand children ages six months to just under two years old. After they were vaccinated, researchers detected no significant problems.
Simon Hambridge, MD/ Lead Researcher: "Given the size of the study, I think that it was surprising how few problems we saw associated with the vaccine. We did find one-- a slight increase for one problem and that was for mild vomiting and diarrhea."
Dr. Karen Hardy is director of the pediatric pulmonary group at CPMC. She finds the study very reassuring.
Dr. Hardy: "I would say get it! Take your child in and get your vaccines."
Dad Alex Danielson now feels more confident about vaccinating 15-month-old Myriam.
Alex Danielson/ Dad: "In the past I've been skeptical about giving her a flu shot, but if the doctor recommends it, then I'm all for it"
But Christine's baby Lachlan has to wait till he's at least six months old.
Remember, children under two getting the flu vaccine for the first time need two doses given at least a month apart. If they have gotten the vaccine in a previous year, they should have one dose.
What about the nasal-spray vaccine?
The "flu shot," an inactivated vaccine (containing killed virus) is given with a needle, usually in the arm. The flu shot is approved for use in people older than six months, including healthy people and people with chronic medical conditions.
The nasal-spray flu vaccine is a vaccine made with live, weakened flu viruses that do not cause the flu (sometimes called LAIV for "Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine"). LAIV is approved for use in healthy people five years to 49 years of age who are not pregnant.
It takes the vaccine about two weeks to work. After vaccination, antibodies that provide protection against influenza virus infection develop in the body.
October or November is the best time to get vaccinated, but you can still get vaccinated in December and later. Flu season can begin as early as October and last as late as May.
