Pediatricians' Group Urges Flu Shot for Kids Aged 6 Months and Up

Parents, daycare workers also should be immunized, AAP guidelines say

MONDAY, Sept. 10 (HealthDay News) -- The leading pediatricians' group in the United States is again urging parents to get all children aged 6 months or over immunized in preparation for the coming flu season.

The American Academy of Pediatrics noted that young children are especially vulnerable to influenza.

"The risk of influenza-associated hospitalization in healthy children aged under 24 months has been shown to be greater than the risk of hospitalization in previously recognized high-risk groups, such as the elderly," according to the AAP's Committee on Infectious Diseases.

In its updated guidelines published online Sept. 10 in the journal Pediatrics, the AAP also urged that anyone charged with regular care of a young child -- a parent or daycare-center worker, for example -- also be immunized, a strategy aimed at protecting kids called "cocooning."

"The concept of cocooning is particularly important to help protect infants less than 6 months of age because they are too young to be immunized with influenza vaccine," the AAP explained. Cocooning can also greatly help shield older babies and toddlers, as well as prevent the spread of influenza between children and the wider community, according to the group.