The age of 6 months is a significant period in an infant’s life. This could be termed as the age of discovery as the infant is able to creep, crawl, stand with support and exhibit strong curiosity and exploration traits. Language skills are discovered, mental abilities initiated and social skills are exhibited. Literally, the world is at infant’s footstep.

With this exciting phase of your child’s life, it is important to equip him with the proper protection in this age of exploration. The latest recommendation of the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination, Philippine Pediatric Society, Philippine Infectious Desease Society, United States Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices and the American Center for Desease Control is to vaccinate infants against the flu from 6 months onwards.

Studies have shown that children less than 2 years old–even healthy children–are more likely than older children to end up in the hospital with serious complication if they get influenza. These complications can include pheumonia, dehydration, worsening of long-term medical problems like heart disease or asthma, encephalopathy, and other bacterial infections, including sinus and ear infections. In some cases, these complications can lead to death.

Extending this age of exploration, one would expect a more active child during the toddler age group. This would make him more prone to getting the flu. Rightfully so as clinical studies have also shown that children aged 24-59 months have more outpatient and emergency room visits primarily due to the flu than any other illness! A recent New England Journal of Medicine article by Poehling, et al., demonstrated that there is an under-recognized burden of influenza in young children, with outpatient visits 10 to 250 times as common as hospitalizations, with the highest rates in children 24 to 59 months of age. The New England Journal of Medicine is a peer-reviewed medical journal published by the Massachusetts Medical Society and is considered as one of the most popular and widely-read peer-reviewed general medical journals in the World.

Based on this and other evidences, the United States Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendation was expanded to endorse flu vaccination recommendations for children beginning at 6 months up to 5 years old. The ACIP consists of advisors to the Center for Desease Control and Prevention, selected by the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, to provide advice and guidance on the most effective means to prevent diseases through nation-wide vaccination campaigns. ACIP recommendations serve as one of the references for local immunization practices which are endorsed by the Philippine Pediatric Society, Philippines Foundation for Vaccination and the Pediatric Infectious disease Society of the Philippines.

To protect their health, all children 6 to 59 months old should be Vaccinated against flu!

Two doses must be administered at least 28 days apart for children 8 years old and below who have been vaccinated against influenza before. Children previously vaccinated only need one dose yearly. The best time to give the flu vaccine is from February to June. This corresponds to the period just before the flu peak season especially in the Philippines.

So get rid of flu by having your kids vaccinated. It is a small investment to a wealth of protection.