It’s hard to think about winter illness season when summer abounds around us. But there’s no specific season when it comes to protecting our children.

Partners in Pediatrics has the FluMist available now. 

New this year -  we are offering our ReadyCare service for flu vaccine!  Just walk in to any of our offices and let us know that you and your child re ready to be vaccinated.  Or, if you prefer, we have appointments available.

We hope to have injectable vaccine in soon. Look to this web site for further information on availability and flu vaccine clinic times.

This year, as always, the vaccine contains protection against three common strains of influenza predicted to affect our community. The H1N1 strain is again is included in the seasonal vaccine.

A second dose of vaccine should be given to those children under age 9:

• Who have never had flu vaccine
• Who had only one seasonal flu vaccine for the first time last year
• Who have had no prior H1N1 vaccine

Children with the following conditions should not get the influenza vaccine:

• Severe egg allergies
• Active neurologic disorders
• Severe illness or an acute asthma flare (a minor illness without a fever is not a  reason to avoid vaccination)

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and Partners in Pediatrics recommend that everyone should be vaccinated.  Those children in the following risk categories are especially vulnerable:

• Children younger than five years, but especially children younger than two
• Children with long-term health problems such as heart disease, kidney disease, metabolic diseases like diabetes or blood disorders
• Children with underlying lung disorders like asthma, reactive airway disease or respiratory problems secondary to prematurity
• Any child on long-term aspirin treatment such as children with arthritis
• Any child who lives in a group home
• Any child with a weakened immune system due to drug treatment or an underlying immune disorder
• Children who live in the same house hold with any of the above at-risk children

We will continue to update this web site with influenza information as it becomes available. Look to this space for:

• Availability of both nasal and injectable vaccine
• The times and locations of flu vaccine clinics