Flu Shots for Children Under 2

Although the flu is rarely serious in healthy adults, it can be much more dangerous in children. Kids are also two to three times more likely to get the flu. Flu shots for children are a simple and safe way to keep your family healthy.

Flu Signs and Symptoms in Children

Many different strains of the influenza virus cause the flu. Different strains are common in different years.

Even though the type of flu may vary, the signs and symptoms are generally the same. In children, signs of the flu include:

• Congestion
• Sore throat
• Cough
• Fever -- as high as 103 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit
• Chills
• Seizures, as a result of high fevers
• Headache
• Muscle and body aches
• Vomiting and nausea

The flu itself isn't the only problem. Sometimes, the flu can weaken a child's immune system, allowing him or her to contract a bacterial infection. Young children are at higher risk of complications from the flu, which include:

• Pneumonia
• Bronchitis
• Sinusitis
• Earaches

How Do Flu Shots for Children Work?

Flu shots for children are the best way to protect kids from the flu and its complications.

The flu vaccine is made from dead influenza virus cells. Because the virus is inactive, it can't give your child the flu. When the body's immune system comes in contact with the flu vaccine, it develops special antibodies designed to fight the virus. When your child gets infected with the real flu later, the body is ready to defend itself. If all goes well, your child's body fights off the virus and develops no symptoms at all.

Flu shots for children don't always work. Since there are many different strains of the flu, your child could be infected with a type of flu that the vaccine doesn't protect against. But even in this case, the flu vaccine may still make the symptoms less severe.

Remember that flu shots for children do not protect against all viruses. Your child can still get colds and other infections.

To learn more about why flu shorts are so important for children, watch the CDC's video: Children Lost to the Flu.

Who Needs Flu Shots for Children?

The Centers for Disease Control recommends flu shots for children between 6 months and 18 years old. Children under 2 are at greater risk of having complications from the flu than older kids. Children should get the vaccine by October of each year. Flu season is usually between November and May, with its peak in February.

The benefits of flu shots for children don't last as long as those of other vaccines. That's because the flu virus is always changing. Each year, the flu is a little different, so a new vaccine has to be prepared.

The first time your child gets a flu vaccine, he or she will need two doses, separated by at least a month. A child usually receives the vaccine in the leg or arm.