What do we think about when we talk about the end of summer? It’s natural for our minds to think back to summer fun we had and preparation for the new school year. However, here at North Atlanta Pediatric Associates, the end of summer means it is once again flu shot season. After last year’s long and severe flu season, it’s more important than ever to be proactive about flu vaccines for your kids.
For anyone wondering why flu vaccines change every year, it’s actually an interesting story. Every year, new strains of the flu virus are born in Asia. They then spread to Europe and North America (and eventually South America) after about six months. Flu researchers in America make their best guesses as to what this year’s strains are going to be like based on what is occurring in Asia; however, flu strains can be challenging to predict. This is why it’s better to be safe than sorry when developing new, comprehensive flu vaccines each year.
When it comes to treating the flu, prevention is often the best treatment alternative. Proper flu prevention for kids includes annual flu vaccinations, as well as good hygiene habits like consistent, thorough handwashing and covering coughs and sneezes. Practicing these prevention tips will help prevent or minimize getting the flu or an upper respiratory infection. When discussing the flu vaccine, it’s important to remember that there are two types of flu vaccines: the injection form (flu shot) and a nasal spray known as FluMist.
When FluMist was initially released, it became a favorite for pediatric patients due to its effectiveness and its ability to administer vaccinations without the pain of an injection. However, after some modifications to the formula in 2009, many experts agree that it is not nearly as effective as it used to be. In recent years, FluMist was pulled off the market as they tried to figure out the issue and address it.
After years of working on the formula, FluMist was recently reintroduced as an alternative for flu vaccinations. At North Atlanta Pediatric Associates, we tend to follow vaccination recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a leading organization in the study of vaccines. And although they have approved FluMist for the upcoming flu season, we have decided not to offer it at our practice this year. When it comes to the safety of our patients, we always feel it’s better to be safe than sorry. That’s why we would personally feel more comfortable waiting a season to confirm that the FluMist nasal vaccine is as effective as it needs to be to keep our patients protected during flu season. If this year goes well, we intend to make it available for flu vaccines next year.
We’re anticipating a very busy flu season this year. Flu clinics at North Atlanta Pediatric Associates will be available this August and we recommend getting your child his flu shot as early as possible. As a reminder, for parents with kids under the age of three years who have never received a flu shot, they will need to get a booster shot at least four weeks after their initial flu shot. We can provide booster shots for kids who did not receive them last year. For more information about flu clinics and flu shots, please contact North Atlanta Pediatric Associates to schedule an appointment today. Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more up to date health tips and the latest news in children’s health care.