Search over 1.4 million articles by over 600 experts
  1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Pediatrics

More from About.com

Browse Topics A-Z

Your Baby Week Nine

By Vincent Iannelli, M.D., About.com

Updated: October 4, 2007

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by Kate Grossman, MD

7 of 7

Health Alert - Flu Shots

Although your baby is too young to get a flu shot, that doesn't mean that the flu vaccine can't protect him from getting the flu.

If that statement confuses you, just remember that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that "household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age" should get a flu shot each year.

So if your baby lives at home with mom, dad, and a 6-year-old brother, and goes to day care, then during flu season:

  • his household contacts (mom, dad, siblings, nanny, etc.) should get a flu vaccine
  • his out of home caregivers (day care workers) should get a flu vaccine
  • the baby should get two flu shots one month apart if he turns six months old during flu season, which generally lasts from October to March or April in most years
Even though your baby might be too young for a flu shot, if everyone that he is around is vaccinated, then they shouldn't get sick with the flu and won't bring the flu virus around your baby. And if your baby isn't exposed to the flu virus, then he shouldn't get sick with the flu.



Sources:

Prevention and Control of Influenza. Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2007. MMWR. July 13, 2007 / 56(RR06),1-54.

7 of 7

About.com is accredited by the Health On the Net Foundation, which promotes reliable and trusted online health information.
  1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Pediatrics
  4. Ages and Stages
  5. Your Baby Week By Week
  6. Health Alert - Flu Shots

©2008 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.