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All Children 6 to 23 Months Old Should Get Flu Shot

In 2004, CDC recommended that all children 6 months to 23 months old get a flu shot.

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Children Less Than 2 More Likely to Be Hospitalized

Recent studies have shown that children less than 2 years old – even healthy children – are more likely than older children to end up in the hospital if they get the flu. In some cases, they can even die.

To protect their health, all children 6 months to 23 months old should be vaccinated against the flu. (The flu shot is not approved for use in children less than 6 months old.)

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The Studies

Two studies published in 2000 showed the same results: that otherwise healthy children under 2 years old were more likely to be hospitalized for serious flu complications than older, healthy children. These studies were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of Pediatrics.

Based on this information, CDC recommends that all children 6 months to 23 months old get a flu shot.

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Flu-Related Deaths in Children During the 2003-2004 Season

During the 2003-2004 flu season, CDC received reports of 152 flu-related deaths among children under age 18.

• All of these children had influenza infection diagnosed by lab tests.
• Most of the children were less than 5 years old.
• Almost half of the children had an underlying medical condition, but 40 percent were previously healthy.
• Of the 135 children who died that could have been vaccinated, only 5 were “adequately” vaccinated against the flu. Seventy-six children had not been vaccinated against flu at all.

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A Note to Parents:

The best time to get vaccinated is October or November. Children getting a flu shot for the first time will need two doses given 30 days apart so begin the process sooner rather than later. (The first dose primes the immune system; the second dose provides immune protection.)

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov