Children's health professionals promote flu vaccinations

Media Release – 30 April 2013

Paediatricians urging families to make sure vulnerable children are vaccinated against flu

People working in child health throughout the South Island have added their voice to the call for families to make sure children with underlying health problems get vaccinated against the flu ahead of winter.

The South Island Child Health Service Level Alliance, which is made up of clinicians and managers from South Island DHBs, is reminding families that the influenza vaccination is free in the Canterbury DHB area for young people from six months old until their eighteenth birthday. So that parents can make yearly flu vaccination a healthy habit, CDHB has committed to providing free flu vaccinations to under 18s until at least winter 2015.

Child Health Alliance chair and Nelson paediatrician Dr Nick Baker explains, “We know children with underlying health problems, particularly respiratory problems, will be affected much more seriously by influenza – it is important that families take action now to have their children vaccinated to help keep them well this winter.”

“Families are often busy and getting around to having your kids vaccinated can be a challenge; particularly if your child has a chronic condition and already has a large number of health appointments – it is easy to let one more, like vaccinations, fall through the cracks. However, when we see kids who were already vulnerable struggling with flu, we know it is absolutely worth parents making flu immunisation a priority.”

“If a child’s health is already compromised, flu can be very serious, even fatal. The importance of getting children vaccinated was brought home to me in the most unfortunate way when a young patient of mine died of flu. It is vitally important to get children with conditions which may make it harder to breathe or cough, like asthma and cerebral palsy, vaccinated against flu.”

The South Island Child Health Alliance is encouraging families to talk to their General Practice team about getting vaccinated now. For more information about the flu vaccination you can also go to: www.fightflu.co.nz or www.fluinfo.org.nz

ENDS

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