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Health Tips for Parents
What do I need to know about the flu?
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Children under the age of 5 years are more likely to be hospitalized from flu complications than those in other age groups. Parents should talk to their doctors about who in the family should receive the flu vaccine.
Seasonal influenza
Seasonal influenza is a contagious, but preventable, respiratory illness that can be dangerous for young children. Every year, approximately 20,000 children under the age of 5 years are hospitalized because of complications from the flu, with some developing serious health problems such as pneumonia or bacterial infections. Although deaths are rare, dozens of children die from flu complications every flu season.
While influenza and the common cold are both caused by respiratory viruses, flu symptoms are significantly more severe, says Carlos Lerner, M.D., medical director of UCLA’s Children’s Health Center. Although both illnesses can produce runny or stuffy noses and coughs, flu symptoms often also include high fevers (over 102º F), body aches, sore throat, vomiting and diarrhea.
Prevention
Because influenza is spread through droplets in the air, children suffering from flu should stay out of school until they are no longer contagious — usually five to seven days. Children at risk of developing complications may receive anti-viral medications such as Tamiflu. Hand-washing, covering coughs and using alcohol-based gels can help stop the virus from spreading, but the most effective approach for prevention is the flu vaccine, Dr. Lerner advises.
Flu vaccine updated annually
Unlike some viruses, influenza virus varies from season to season. While some vaccinations provide a lifetime of protection against a particular disease, a new flu vaccine is formulated every year to 
contain the three strains expected to be most common during the upcoming flu season. The 2010-2011 flu vaccine protects against H1N1, the “swine flu” strain that caused an unusually high number of deaths during the previous season.
When to vaccinate
Flu season typically runs between late December and February. Dr. Lerner recommends that children receive the flu vaccine as soon as it becomes available. Rare side effects include soreness or redness at the injection site, hoarseness, red eyes, cough and mild fever lasting one to two days. The flu vaccine, however, cannot make a child sick with the flu.
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