Should my child get the flu shot?

Flu season is just around the corner, and it was a good thing I had my daughter vaccinated early. She’s in school these days, and I see a lot of runny noses already.

If you’re wondering whether you or your child should get vaccinated, the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following guidelines.

People at high risk for complications from the flu, including:

• Children aged 6–59 months,
• Pregnant women,
• People 50 years of age and older, and
• People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions;
• People who live in nursing homes and other long term care facilities.

People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including:

• Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu (see above)
• Household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)

Here’s who SHOULD NOT be vaccinated without consulting a physician:

• People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs
• People who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination in the past
• People who developed Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) within 6 weeks of getting an influenza vaccine previously
• Influenza vaccine is not approved for use in children less than 6 months of age
• People who have a moderate or severe illness with a fever should wait to get vaccinated until their symptoms lessen

Tags: flu, seasonal flu, flu shot, flu vaccines, flu vaccination, CDC, immunization, children