Question: Should our children receive both the regular flu shot and the H1N1 shots?
Dr.Bill: This year’s flu season is shaping up to be a potentially serious one. In addition to the “regular” seasonal flu, which kills 30,000 or more people in the U.S. every year, we are now confronted with something new. Formerly called the Swine Flu, H1N1 flu is a highly contagious virus that seems to have produced relatively mild symptoms for most people who have been infected. However, 525 Americans have succumbed to this infection since April. The H1N1 flu is a more serious infection for the younger population and pregnant women and has a higher chance of causing more complications or even death. What makes it a serious threat is that the spread has gone global, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to formally designate it as a pandemic. Unfortunately, all flu viruses have the ability to mutate frequently, so it can easily change into a more virulent strain.

The current pediatric recommendations are that all children between the ages of 6 months to 18 years receive the seasonal flu vaccine, and all people between the ages of 6 months to 25 years receive the H1N1 vaccine. Also anyone with long-term/serious conditions, such as asthma, diabetes and heart/lung problems, should also get vaccinated. For more specific details on who else should receive the flu vaccines, visit www.CDC.gov . The number of actual shots will vary depending on your child’s age. For seasonal flu, children under 9 who are receiving the vaccine for the first time need 2 shots over a 1-month period. Everyone else requires 1 shot. For the H1N1 vaccine, it is looking like everyone will probably receive 2 shots, spaced one month apart.

Both vaccines are basically the same except for the viruses they protect against. The seasonal flu vaccine is created based on surveillance of strains during the preceding year and may or may not be effective based on the actual strains that manifest themselves this year. The H1N1 vaccine is specific for this particular strain and should work if the manufacturing process for the vaccine was done right (tests are still underway to determine how effective it is going to be—let’s hope it will be highly effective!).

Given the statistics out there, vaccinating for both types of flu seems like a prudent choice. Currently, the seasonal flu vaccine comes in injectable and nasal spray forms, but the H1N1 vaccine will only come in injectable form. Note that people with egg allergies cannot get either vaccine. Check with your pediatrician on the availability of the vaccines; we expect the H1N1 vaccine to be available by the end of October/early November.
Should you or a family member come down with flu-like symptoms, see a doctor as soon as you can but otherwise stay home. If caught early enough, we can diagnose the flu with in-office tests and most likely treat with antiviral medications.