A Caregiver’s Guide to Navigating the Flu: Understanding Influenza and Protecting Your Child

This article is for people who care for a child who can get vaccines, or anyone who wants to learn more about the flu vaccine. The goal of this activity is to help you understand how flu vaccines work and why it’s important to get your child vaccinated.

You will learn about:

• What the flu is, and signs and symptoms that your child may be sick

• How flu vaccines work to prevent flu, and why flu vaccines are safe and important

• Flu vaccines that are available for kids

• Questions to ask your doctor about the flu

The flu, short for influenza, is an infection of the lungs, nose, and throat, caused by the influenza virus.

The flu is very contagious (it spreads easily) and can cause severe breathing problems, especially for young kids.

Flu symptoms usually start suddenly and can include:

• Fever or feeling feverish

• Body aches

• Chills

• Cough

• Headache

• Feeling tired

• Vomiting and/or diarrhea

• Runny or stuffy nose

Many people get better quickly after having the flu, but some people – especially kids – can get really sick. Even healthy kids can get very sick. More kids died of the flu this past year than in the past few years – the total was close to 200 -- most of the kids who died were not vaccinated against the flu.

The flu can cause inflammation/swelling of different body parts and cause serious problems, including death. Complications from the flu in children can include:

• Pneumonia (infection that causes inflammation and fluid in the lungs)

• Bronchitis (inflammation in the bronchial tubes, or airways, of the lungs)

• Sinusitis (infection in the sinuses)

• Ear infections (infection of the space behind the eardrum)

Luckily, we have a way to prevent getting really sick from the flu, with the flu vaccine!

The best way to protect your child is by getting the flu vaccine every year. While the vaccine does not give 100% protection from the flu, it does greatly lower the chance of getting the flu, and also helps your child’s body learn how to fight off the flu in case they do get sick. Most importantly, the flu vaccine greatly reduces your child’s risk of dying of the flu.

If you care for a child, you should also get a flu vaccine each year. By getting vaccinated, you will be less likely to get flu and less likely to spread the flu to your child.

There are different strains (types) of the flu virus. Experts predict the most common strains for the year, and then a new flu vaccine is made to fight those specific strains. That’s why it’s important for you and your child to get the vaccine every year, because each year the virus changes.

For the 2024-2025 flu season, the flu vaccine will be what’s called a “trivalent” flu vaccine meaning it’s a 3-strain vaccine. It used to be a “quadrivalent” vaccine meaning a 4-strain vaccine but scientists determined that 1 strain of the virus is not needed anymore.

The flu vaccine is available as a shot or nose spray. It’s safe, and even kids with egg allergies can safely get the vaccine. Talk with your doctor about the best option for your child.

Yes, research has shown that the flu vaccine is very safe.

Some important points:

• It’s impossible to get the flu from the vaccine– the vaccine does not cause the flu or any other infection

• Some people may feel a little bit achy after the vaccine – but it’s not from the flu. It just means your child’s immune system is recognizing the parts in the vaccine that looks like the flu virus. Their body is building protection from the virus.

• If your child feels achy or sore after getting the vaccine, consider giving a pain-reliever

If you have worries about the vaccine’s safety or side effects, talk to your doctor. They can give you an honest answer based on scientific research, and help you decide what’s best for your child.

It’s important to be honest with your doctor about your concerns and questions – there is a lot of incorrect information about vaccines, but your doctor can help make sure you know what is true and how to protect your child.  Here are some questions you can ask:

• What flu vaccine is best for my child?

• When should my child get the flu vaccine this year?

• How well will the vaccine work for the flu this year?

• What are commons side effects, and can I give my child medicine to help?

• Where can I find reliable information about vaccines?

Congratulations!

You have successfully completed the program A Caregiver’s Guide to Navigating the Flu: Understanding Influenza and Protecting Your Child

View Additional Materials on this topic that you may find useful:

Protect Against the Flu

Flu Guide for Parents

Seasonal Flu Vaccines

Vaccine Safety