Things for Parents to Know About the 2016-2017 Flu Vaccine – Dr. Mina Kim

As we say hello to fall, let’s take a moment to talk about the flu. Influenza is a virus that causes illness even among the healthiest of kids (and adults). Every year, thousands of people are hospitalized, and just last year, 77 children died from complications associated with the flu. So protect your family and get vaccinated! Here are 5 things that every parent should know:

1. Children can begin vaccination starting at 6 months old.  Parents of infants less than 6 mos should all be vaccinated to prevent exposing their baby to the flu

2. The flu can take up to 1 week to be effective, so vaccinate early

3. Most children with egg allergies can still get the flu vaccine

4. Flumist (nasal flu vaccine) did not offer appropriate protection in the last few years and so is no longer approved for children

5. The flu vaccine is a killed virus, so you cannot get the flu with the vaccine

For more information, please visit healthychildren.org – Prepare Your Family for Flu Season or give our office a call at 312-202-0300.

Dr Mina

Parenting myth: “The Flu vaccine causes the flu”

Fall is here and WP has flu vaccine for all children over 6 months of age.  Please come into our office at noon 7 days/week to get your child vaccinated.

Myth:  “flu vaccine cause the flu disease”

If you want to read more parenting myths, please type “weissbluth” into your phone’s App store search field!

This is a particularly dangerous myth because influenza kills many children all over the world every year. There are currently two vaccines available in the United States: the first is a “dead” virus that is injected-at the site of injection, there may be redness, swelling, or aches. This vaccine can also cause a fever. However, this “dead” virus cannot cause disease. The second type of flu vaccine is a “live”, attenuated vaccine- this is a genetically modified flu virus that also cannot cause flu in its recipients. There are no known cases of this genetically modified “live” vaccine reverting to the original influenza virus and causing disease. There are certain children who should not get the influenza vaccine and parents need to discuss their child’s health with their pediatrician prior to getting the vaccine.

So why does this myth persist? There is a Latin saying: “post hoc ergo propter hoc” which translates to “after this, therefore, because of this.” This fallacy in logic refers to the belief that because A precedes B in time, that A causes B. Many people believe this myth because when they get the flu vaccine, they are also contracting other viruses that are making them sick. Whether this is due to the time of year when the vaccine is administered (winter=more viral complaints) or where the vaccine is administered (health care providers are where many sick people congregate), it is hard to tell. Feeling sick after receiving the flu vaccine is oftentimes a coincidence. That’s why pediatricians recommend routine influenza vaccines for infants over 6 months of age, toddlers, children, and adolescents.

-Daniel Weissbluth

Weissbluth Pediatrics

References:

Tosh, P.K., T.G Boyce, and G.A Poland. 2008 Flu Myths: dispelling the myths associated with a live attenuated influenza vaccine. Mayo Clinic Proceedings 83 (1): 77-84

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm

What’s New with the Flu?

Did you know it is National Influenza Vaccination Week? It’s a great time to make sure you and your family are protected from the flu this season. Flu numbers are on the rise, and sadly five pediatric deaths have already been reported this year.

All infants and children six months and older are able to receive the influenza vaccine. The very first year a child receives the flu vaccine, they will need a second dose, or “booster shot,” four weeks after the first one. This has been shown to give the best levels of protective immunity. If your child is over two years old, they may be eligible for the nasal spray FluMist instead of the injection.

If you’ve been watching the news, you may have heard that the flu vaccine is “less effective” this year. What does this really mean? In short, it means that the flu virus is unpredictable, and despite our best efforts to guess what strain will be going around in any given winter season, there is always the possibility that the specific flu strain will change. The CDC has stated that about 50% of the flu cases being seen so far this winter are not covered by this year’s flu vaccine. The good news is, the other 50% are! It’s also important to keep in mind that in the past, 90% of pediatric flu deaths occurred in unvaccinated children.

The importance of vaccinating to protect against the flu virus cannot be overstated. And it is absolutely not too late to vaccinate! The majority of flu cases usually occur in January, February, and March.

Call our office at 312-202-0300 to find out more about flu vaccination or to schedule a “flu shot” visit today! For more information online, check out The Flu Page at healthychildren.org, published by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Happy holidays and be well this season!

-Dr. Zeba Hasan

Weissbluth Pediatrics

Sources:

http://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/Pages/What%27s-the-Latest-with-the-Flu.aspx

http://aapnews.aappublications.org/content/early/2014/12/05/aapnews.20141205-1

Friday Parenting Myth: “Flu Vaccines Cause Children to ‘Get the Flu'”

As the colder weather approaches (and your little ones will soon be outside in search for Halloween candy!) it is important to clear up this myth.

This is a particularly dangerous myth because influenza kills many children all over the world every year. There are currently two vaccines available in the United States: the first is a “dead” virus that is injected-at the site of injection, there may be redness, swelling, or aches. This vaccine can also cause a fever. However, this “dead” virus cannot cause disease. The second type of flu vaccine is a “live”, attenuated vaccine- this is a genetically modified flu virus that also cannot cause flu in its recipients. There are no known cases of this genetically modified “live” vaccine reverting to the original influenza virus and causing disease. There are certain children who should not get the influenza vaccine and parents need to discuss their child’s health with their pediatrician prior to getting the vaccine.

So why does this myth persist? There is a Latin saying: “post hoc ergo propter hoc” which translates to “after this, therefore, because of this.” This fallacy in logic refers to the belief that because A precedes B in time, that A causes B. Many people believe this myth because when they get the flu vaccine, they are also contracting other viruses that are making them sick. Whether this is due to the time of year when the vaccine is administered (winter=more viral complaints) or where the vaccine is administered (health care providers are where many sick people congregate), it is hard to tell. Feeling sick after receiving the flu vaccine is oftentimes a coincidence. That’s why pediatricians recommend routine influenza vaccines for infants over 6 months of age, toddlers, children, and adolescents.

-Daniel Weissbluth

Weissbluth Pediatrics

References:

Tosh, P.K., T.G Boyce, and G.A Poland. 2008 Flu Myths: dispelling the myths associated with a live attenuated influenza vaccine. Mayo Clinic Proceedings 83 (1): 77-84

CDC, “Key facts about Influenza and Flu Vaccine” http://www.cdc.gov/flu/keyfacts.htm (Accessed June 2011)