Influenza causes symptoms which may include sudden onset of high fever, chills, generalized muscle and body aches, fatigue, and headache. Respiratory symptoms including dry cough, sore throat, runny nose and swollen glands may also develop. Remember, there are many illnesses that can mimic influenza, but if your child does develop these or similar symptoms, feel free to call PMA for advice and to make an appointment if necessary. Also, remember to NEVER administer aspirin if you think your child may have the flu.

This season is unlike previous ones in that we are anticipating the appearance of seasonal influenza in addition to the re-emergence of so-called “swine flu” or novel H1N1 influenza.

For protection against seasonal influenza, PMA is recommending that children at high risk of developing flu should be vaccinated against the illness beginning in October. High priority groups include:

• ALL children aged 6 months through 18 years of age;

• Children 6 months or older with underlying chronic medical conditions, ie. heart or lung conditions including asthma, or other chronic conditions such as diabetes or kidney disease; and 

• Children 6 months to 18 years on long term aspirin therapy.

The CDC also recommends that household contacts and caregivers of children from birth through 5 years of age receive the seasonal flu vaccine.
Your child should not receive the vaccine if he/she:  

• Has a severe allergy to eggs

• Had a previous severe reaction to the vaccine

• Developed a paralytic condition called Guillain-Barre´ syndrome within 6 weeks of previously receiving the vaccine

• Has a moderate to severe illness with fever (wait until your child is better before receiving the vaccine)

• Is less than 6 months of age

Current recommendations are for all children aged 6 months to less than 9 years to receive 2 doses of vaccine one month apart, if they have not received flu vaccine in previous years. For children in those age groups who received 1 dose in their first year of vaccination, 2 doses are recommended the following year, with single annual doses in subsequent years. Note that we anticipate having adequate supplies of the inactivated, injectible flu vaccine for your child. However, we have chosen not to offer the live intranasal vaccine (FluMist) during the 2009-2010 flu season.

With manufacturers prioritizing production of the H1N1 vaccine, some spot shortages of seasonal influenza vaccine have been reported. As of the week of October 25, PMA has an adequate supply of seasonal influenza vaccine available for children 3 years of age or under. We anticipate having adequate supplies for children over 3 years by December 1, 2009. Demand for these vaccines has been strong, so please check with our office if you desire influenza vaccination for your child, to see if the vaccines are available, and to verify if your child is eligible to receive the vaccine. If you are a parent or caregiver of a child, and feel you may be a suitable candidate for the vaccine, call your own personal physician to ask about vaccine availability. Here is a helpful link which addresses some common questions about flu vaccine. A detailed monograph on the seasonal influenza vaccine can be found here.

Note that seasonal flu vaccines will not provide protection against the 2009 novel H1N1 influenza (swine flu). Vaccines to prevent the 2009 H1N1 virus have been licensed and produced, but there were some delays reported by manufacturers in producing the vaccine in sufficient quantity to meet demand.

We at PMA are delighted to report that we will have access to a supply of the injectable novel H1N1 vaccine, and will be providing immunizations to our patients beginning the week of November 15. Consistent with CDC recommendations, PMA is also recommends that our patients aged 6 months and above receive the H1N1 vaccine. A booster dose, given 3-4 weeks after the primary vaccination, is recommended for any child under the age of 10 years. However, we will give preference to those requesting the initial H1N1 immunization.

Please call our office during the week of November 15 to make an appointment for your child to receive the H1N1 vaccine, and to ensure that we have it in stock. We anticipate demand for the vaccine will be high. If we exhaust our supply of vaccine, and you continue to have problems finding a location for your child to receive either the seasonal or H1N1 vaccine, Google has posted a new “Flu Shot Finder” website that you may find useful. It can be found by clicking here.

Click here for more information about 2009 H1N1 vaccines.

Updated 11/14/09