The Flu Vaccine and Your Child
By Lana Vasiljevic-Abelson, MD, MS
Influenza, also known as “The Flu,” is a set of symptoms and complications caused by infection with the Influenza virus. This virus is typically active in the winter months, spreads from person to person through contact with respiratory secretions (ex: coughing) or objects covered by secretions (ex: door knobs). It typically incubates in the body for one to four days before the infected person shows their first symptom. Younger children (less than 5 years old), the elderly, and those with other underlying diseases (ex: asthma, congenital heart disease, diabetes) are at risk for more severe illness, complications, and hospitalization.
Symptoms of Influenza infection include: fever, headaches, muscle pain, fatigue, coughing, sore throat, runny nose. In children, symptoms can also include high fevers lasting more than five days, vomiting, and difficulty breathing. On occasion, individuals can experience additional complications such as pneumonia, ear infection, asthma exacerbation, inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis), or inflammation of the brain (encephalitis). Tamiflu is a common medication prescribed to help stop the virus from continuing to replicate and produce worsening symptoms, but does not stop the infection or ‘cure’ the infected individual.
New strains of the Influenza virus are present in circulation around the world each year. Since 1977, two main subtypes have been identified and followed annually – Influenza A and Influenza B. Each year, public health leaders study which strains are in circulation in other parts of the world, then create an updated vaccine that represents the strains anticipated to be in circulation in the winter in the United States. Current annual Influenza vaccines, or “flu shots,” are Quadrivalent, meaning they are made of two strains of inactivated Influenza A and two strains of inactivated Influenza B, therefore providing opportunity for protection against four total strains each year.
Individuals over the age of 6 months old can receive the vaccination. For children ages 6 months – 8 years old who have not previously been vaccinated with the Influenza vaccine, two doses are required the first year, given one month apart. Individuals older than age 9 can receive one single dose per year. Contraindications to the Influenza vaccine are severe allergic reaction to previous Influenza vaccines or egg protein. In children ages 6 months-5 years old, the most common vaccine reactions are pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site, mild irritability, loss of appetite, and drowsiness. In children ages 6-17 years old, and adults, the most common vaccine reactions are muscle aches, fatigue, and headache. These vaccine reactions typically last less than 24 hours.
Flu shots are now available at all seven of our Torrance Memorial Physician Network Pediatric offices, as well as our Primary Care locations.
Lana Vasiljevic-Abelson, MD, MS, practices at Torrance Memorial Physician Network Pediatrics, and is located at 705 Pier Ave, Suite C, in Hermosa Beach and 2110 E. El Segundo Blvd in El Segundo. She is accepting new patients and can be reached at 310-406-0827.
