Although vaccination does not provide foolproof guarantee against flu, there are reasons why parents should consider getting their children vaccinated. Children who had flu shots, for instance, are far less likely to suffer from flu-related complications than children who did not receive flu vaccinations at all.
A new study released by the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday suggests that children who received flu vaccinations have reduced risks of developing complications that arise from contracting flu.
In the CDC study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases March 26, the researchers examined the effectiveness of flu shots in preventing flu-related ICU admissions in children who were between 6-months to 17-years-old by evaluating the medical records of more than 200 children who were admitted to 21 pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) during the 2010-11 and 2011-12 flu seasons. The researchers also involved 93 children who were not hospitalized to comprise the study's control group.
The researchers found that children who had flu vaccination had 74 percent lesser risks of getting admitted to the ICU because of flu than children who were not vaccinated.
"During the 2010-11 and 2011-12 US influenza seasons, influenza vaccination was associated with a three-quarters reduction in the risk of life-threatening influenza illness in children," the researchers reported.
The CDC says that about 20,000 children below five years of age are hospitalized in the U.S. per year because of flu. Of this, up to 24 percent needs to be admitted to PICU. The researchers said that their findings show that while flu shots may not always prevent flu, it can protect children from developing more serious complications.
"These study results underscore the importance of an annual flu vaccination, which can keep your child from ending up in the intensive care unit," said Alicia Fry, a medical officer in CDC's Influenza Division. "It is extremely important that all children - especially children at high risk of flu complications - are protected from what can be a life-threatening illness."
Children who are 5-years old and younger and children with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes and asthma are particularly vulnerable to flu-related complications. The researchers said that people who have high risks of developing complications may be prescribed with antiviral drugs.
"Because some people who get vaccinated may still get sick, it's important to remember to use our second line of defense against flu: antiviral drugs to treat flu illness," Fry said. "People at high risk of complications should seek treatment if they get a flu-like illness. Their doctors may prescribe antiviral drugs if it looks like they have influenza."
