The flu vaccine: It’s not too late to get your children (or yourself) vaccinated

Are you confused about flu vaccines? If so, you are not alone. The recommendations change from year to year, and so each fall, parents are barraged with information about when, whether, and how to get their children a flu vaccine.

Fifteen to forty-two percent of preschool and school-age children get influenza each year. The symptoms in children can sometimes be difficult to differentiate from all the other viruses that children get during the year. A child (or adult) with the flu may have a runny nose, fever, red eyes, cough, headache, sore throat, and achy muscles. The flu is more likely to cause weakness and severe fatigue than a typical cold virus.

The influenza virus lives in the respiratory mucosa, and therefore, the virus is most likely to be found in nasal secretions or sputum. Sneezing, coughing, and rubbing the eyes and nose are common ways of spreading the virus. You’re most contagious during the first 24 to 48 hours of having the flu, but you can still spread it up to five or ten days after you get it.

The flu vaccine in general...

Each year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta tries to figure out what strains of the influenza virus are most likely to strike the United States each year. The vaccines are then made to target the particular strains that probably will be prevalent that year. The viruses tend to change over time, so predicting which strain will be present in a given year is not a perfect science.

Influenza A and B are two strains of the virus that generally strike in mid to late winter. Vaccines against influenza are given beginning in October, but may continue through late December.

There are two types of influenza vaccines: the inactivated influenza vaccine (Fluzone) and the live, attenuated vaccine (FluMist). The inactivated vaccine is given as a shot in the thigh for young children, and as a shot in the deltoid muscle in the shoulder for older children and adults. The live, attenuated vaccine is given via a nasal spray.

...and this year specifically

In years past, children six months old to two years old and children with certain medical conditions such as asthma, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses were targeted to receive the influenza vaccine. This is because there wasn’t enough of the vaccine for everyone, and children with these illnesses are most likely to have complications from the flu. Therefore, they needed the flu vaccine the most.

This year, there is enough vaccine to go around, and so it is recommended that all children over six months receive the vaccine. The affects of the flu are severe enough that all children should get a vaccine to prevent it whenever that is possible.

Which flu vaccine should my child get?

Children over two years old who do not have lung disease or other chronic disease, and do not have a suppressed immune system can get the nasal spray vaccine (which contains the live, attenuated virus). This vaccine should not be given to those who are around others with suppressed immune systems (such as patients getting chemotherapy).

If your child is six months old to two years old, he or she should get the flu shot (the inactivated vaccine). The flu shot is also appropriate for children with chronic disease or suppressed immune systems.

Children under nine who have not received the flu vaccine before should have two doses spaced at least one month apart. After a child hits nine years of age, one dose is sufficient.

Your child may have a sore arm or leg after the flu shot, and may have mild flu symptoms as a result of either type of vaccine. These side effects should go away quickly.

It is all right to get the vaccine if you have a mild viral illness. It is also all right for your child to get the vaccine along with any other vaccines your child is due to receive. Ask your doctor about all these details when requesting the vaccine.

Influenza can be an unpleasant illness that can last one to two weeks and may have complications such as ear infections, pneumonia, or neurologic complications that can affect the brain. In some cases, it can even kill people. It is a disease best avoided if possible.

Do your children get vaccinated for the flu each year? Do you? Do you have any questions about the vaccine or the flu itself?

Dr. Victoria McEvoy graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1975 and is currently an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at HMS. She is the Medical Director and Chief of Pediatrics at Mass General West Medical Group. She has practiced pediatrics for almost thirty years. She has been married to Earl for thirty six years and raised four children. She currently enjoys writing, traveling, reading, almost all sports, and spending time with her two grandsons.

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