How can I keep my child from getting the flu?

People with the flu are most infectious during the 24-hour period before symptoms appear and also on the days when the symptoms are at their worst.

Good hygiene and regular housecleaning are the best ways to prevent the flu from spreading. The following are more ways to help prevent the spread of the flu:

• Teach your children to always cover their mouths and noses when they cough or sneeze and how to use a tissue.
• Use tissues for wiping runny noses and to catch sneezes. Throw them in the trash after each use. Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing frequently.
• Avoid kissing your child on or around the mouth or face.
• Make sure everyone washes their hands before and after coming into close contact with someone with the flu. Everyone should wash their hands with soap and warm water for at least 15 seconds (about as long as one verse of “Happy Birthday”). You may also use a waterless hand cleaner in addition to hand washing or if soap and water are not available.
• Don’t let children share pacifiers, cups, spoons, forks, washcloths, or towels. Never share toothbrushes.
• Use paper cups in the bathroom and kitchen. Throw them in the trash after each use.
• Wash dishes, forks, and spoons in hot, soapy water or the dishwasher.
• Change cloth towels often and wash them in hot water.
• Wipe all surfaces, including toys, with a disinfectant or soap and hot water. Viruses can live for more than 30 minutes on doorknobs, toilet handles, countertops, and even toys.
• Keep children, particularly infants, away from secondhand tobacco smoke. Don’t smoke around your children. Children who are exposed to tobacco smoke cough, wheeze more, and have a harder time getting over the flu.

What types of flu vaccines are available?

There are safe and effective vaccines to protect against the flu. The 2 types of influenza vaccine used to immunize both children and adults are inactivated influenza vaccine and live, attenuated influenza vaccine (also called LAIV). Inactivated influenza vaccine is given by injection and LAIV is sprayed into the nose (nasal spray).

Who should get the flu vaccine?

Inactivated influenza vaccine is recommended for the following:

• All children 6 months of age or older with serious health problems, such as lung disease, heart disease, a weakened immune system, or cancer
• All healthy children aged 6 through 59 months
• Household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of all children with high-risk conditions and of all healthy children younger than 5 years
• All health care professionals

For children younger than 9 years who have never before been vaccinated, 2 doses of vaccine, given at least 1 month apart, are required to provide adequate protection against the flu. After that, only 1 dose of vaccine is needed each year. Children younger than 9 years who were immunized for the first time last flu season, but only received 1 dose of vaccine, will need 2 doses this flu season.

LAIV is currently approved only for healthy children aged 2 through 17 years and healthy adults aged 18 through 49 years. It should not be given to any child who has asthma or recurrent wheezing.

The best time to get the flu vaccine is before the flu season starts, beginning early in the fall. Find out from your child’s doctor when the vaccine is available in your area. Because the flu season often lasts well into March and beyond, the flu vaccine is recommended through late winter to early spring.

Who should not get the flu vaccine?

Both types of flu vaccine should not be given to anyone with known allergic reactions (like hives, angioedema, asthma, and anaphylaxis) to chicken or egg proteins, or any other parts of the flu vaccines. This is because eggs are used to make them. Your child’s doctor may recommend skin testing before giving the vaccine to any child who may have had an allergic reaction to eggs in the past.

Published online: 11/07
Source: The Flu (Influenza) (Copyright © 2004 American Academy of Pediatrics, Updated 10/07)

Healthcare professionals may order this publication in multi-copy packs.
Parents can find more information on this topic in Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5. To order a copy of this book visit the AAP Bookstore.

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The information contained in this publication should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.

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