Florida parents busy with back to school activities need to add one more important task: make sure your child has a flu shot. It's not too early!
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), most children need to get a seasonal flu vaccination this year even if they got one last year.
The good news is that the 2011-12 flu vaccine provides protection against the same three flu strains as last year's vaccine. The bad news is that within 6 months of getting the vaccine, immunity can decrease by as much as 50 percent. So in order to get maximum protection, it's important for children to receive another flu shot this year.
This is only the fourth time in the past 25 years that the trivalent seasonal flu vaccine has stayed the same for two years.
The AAP recommends that children 6 months through 8 years old get two doses of the seasonal flu vaccine four weeks apart if they got none last year. Otherwise, everyone who got last year's vaccine and is over age 6 months should receive one dose. Infants under 6 months of age are too young to be immunized.
Because children under age 5 and children with conditions like diabetes and asthma are at high risk for complications should they develop the flu, all family members and caregivers of these youngsters should be immunized. Additionally, women who are pregnant, planning on getting pregnant or those who are breast-feeding should get a flu shot.
Although the flu vaccine is said to be safe for most children whose only manifestation of egg allergy is hives, parents should consult an allergist before flu vaccine is given
For more information on the flu vaccine for children: The CDC website
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