New recommendations have been released regarding the influenza vaccine.  Currently it is recommended that children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years be vaccinated against the influenza virus annually.  This age group is most at risk of suffering from a fatal case of the influenza virus.

Starting with the next flu season the CDC is recommending that all children between the ages of 6 months and 18 years be vaccinated against the influenza virus annually.  The hope is that by vaccinated children the rates of influenza among adults will also decrease.  Often it is the children who bring the flu home to their families.  It seems to me that this should have been the recommendation a long time ago.  Children often don’t get as severe a case of the flu as adults do after age 5, but it still makes sense to help prevent them from getting it at all.

Talk to your child’s pediatrician regarding these new recommendations and find out how it affects your child.