Technical Report: Reduction of the Influenza Burden in Children
Margaret B. Rennels, MD and H. Cody Meissner, MD
Committee on Infectious Diseases
Epidemiologic studies have shown that children of all ages withcertain chronic conditions, such as asthma, and otherwise healthychildren younger than 24 months (6 through 23 months) are hospitalizedfor influenza and its complications at high rates similar to
those experienced by the elderly. Annual influenza immunizationis
already recommended for all children 6 months and older with
high-risk conditions. By contrast, influenza immunization hasnot
been recommended for healthy young children. To protectchildren
against the complications of influenza, increased effortsare needed
to identify and recall high-risk children. In addition,immunization
of children between 6 through 23 months of ageand their close
contacts is now encouraged to the extent feasible.Children younger
than 6 months may be protected by immunizationof their household
contacts and out-of-home caregivers. Theultimate goal is universal
immunization of children 6 to 24months of age. Issues that need to
be addressed before institutionof routine immunization of healthy
young children include educationof physicians and parents about the
morbidity caused by influenza,adequate vaccine supply, and
appropriate reimbursement of practitionersfor influenza
immunization. This report contains a summary ofthe influenza virus,
protective immunity, disease burden inchildren, diagnosis, vaccines,
and antiviral agents.
ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND
MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION
PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS
OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR
LEGAL ADVICE. THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND
COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH
YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.
"A foolish faith in authority is the worst enemy of truth."
-- Albert Einstein, letter to a friend, 1901
"I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves, and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education."
-- Thomas Jefferson, letter to William C. Jarvis, September 28, 1820
"What's the point of vaccination if it doesn't protect you from the unvaccinated?"
-- Sandy Gottstein
"Who gets to decide what the greater good is and how many will be sacrificed to it?"