Lessons from last year’s flu season
Dayton Children's Hospital
The leaves are changing, the temperatures are dropping and that means it’s time to get your children their flu shots.
While it’s not as exciting as apple cider or hayrides, getting a flu vaccination is one of the most important things you can do to help you child stay well this winter. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently released its recommendations for flu vaccinations this year, and there are a few lessons we can learn from last flu season.
It was deadly for kids
Last fall and winter, the U.S. went through one of the most severe flu seasons in recent memory. The flu caused the deaths of 179 children in 2017-2018, and sent thousands more to the hospital. Almost half of these kids were otherwise healthy, with no underlying medical conditions.
“Even one child death is too many, given we have a proven and effective way to prevent children from getting the flu,” says Sherman Alter, MD, chief, infectious disease division at Dayton Children’s Hospital. “Many people don’t think of the flu as a serious illness, but these statistics show it is.”
Two major strains in one season
Flu season typically begins in October and runs through April. Last year, we had a double whammy with two different flu viruses circulating at different points in the season. Influenza A (H3N2) was the version that most kids were battling through the fall and winter. However starting in March, 2018, influenza B became the most common virus.
“This is why it’s important to get the vaccine, even if you already had the flu,” says Dr. Alter. “Most flu vaccines are quadrivalent. That means they can build immunity for four different types of flu virus with one vaccine. Not only will it reduce the risk of you getting the flu, but also the risk of developing more serious flu infections that can result in hospitalization and even death.”
So now what?
Make an appointment to get your child the flu shot. It’s recommended for everyone older than 6 months. Call today and get it set up — don’t wait. Remember there are many families needing to protect their children, so that’s a lot of kids to see in a short period of time for doctors.
Get the shot rather than the mist. For the past two years, the AAP advised against the FluMist nasal spray because it appeared to be less effective. While it has been reformulated, the AAP still prefers kids to get the shot to provide the best protection possible.
Make an appointment to get yourself and any other adults in the house vaccinated, too. All pregnant women should be vaccinated, as well.
“Vaccines are safe and effective,” says Dr. Alter. “There are very few side effects and they are much less severe than the symptoms of the flu. Making sure your children are fully vaccinated not only protects them from disease, disability and death, it helps protect the rest of the community as well.” This look at a children's health or safety issue comes from Dayton Children's Hospital. Email: newsroom@ childrensdayton.org.