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Seasonal Influenza and H1N1 Information
Midcoast Pediatrics in conjunction with Mid Coast Hospital and our Mid Coast community is working together to stay on top of the latest national and state CDC advice regarding both Seasonal Influenza and H1N1. In an attempt to make it easier for families to access Seasonal Influenza vaccine and H1N1 vaccine, many area schools will be holding flu shot clinics. These clinics are being offered with full knowledge and support of all area pediatric practices. At Midcoast Pediatrics we will regularly be monitoring the national and state CDC websites and passing on the latest influenza information via our own website to all of our patients and their families.
We therefore advise you to check our website often for up-to-date influenza information including what's going on around the state and in our community, vaccination information, flu clinic dates and locations and more.
*1/6/09* We are now scheduling ALL children for both Seasonal and H1N1 Flu vaccines. Please see new Flu Clinic dates that have been added in January and February on the clinic schedule link at the right of this page.
RECALL-You may have heard on the news about the recall of some doses (these were for children age 6 months through 35 months) of the H1N1 vaccine. The good news is that Midcoast Pediatrics has not administered any of these recalled H1N1 doses to any of our patients. So if your child received an H1N1 vaccine at the 121 office you can rest assured that your child did not receive a recalled vaccine.
If your under 3-year-old child received the vaccine at another location you do not need to worry. Even if your child was given a dose of the recalled vaccine it does not change his/her H1N1 vaccine schedule.
If you have a child between the ages of 6 months and 5 years of age who has not yet received a Seasonal or H1N1 flu vaccine, or a child age 5 years or older who has not yet had an H1N1 vaccine and cannot receive one elsewhere, please call our office now to schedule an appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should my child be vaccinated against Seasonal Influenza?
Should my child be vaccinated against H1N1 (Swine Influenza)?
My child is under six months of age. What do we do?
My child has asthma (or another chronic health condition). Does this mean he is a high risk patient and should receive his flu vaccine before anyone else?
Do you have any Seasonal Influenza vaccine yet?
How many flu shots will my child have to have?
When will you have H1N1 vaccine in the office?
What are the symptoms of the Seasonal and H1N1 Influenza?
How do I know when to call the doctor if I think my child has Seasonal or H1N1 flu?
Should my child be vaccinated against Seasonal Influenza?
The current CDC guidelines advise that the following children be vaccinated against Seasonal Influenza:
- All children 6 months through 18 years (up to their 19th birthday) should be vaccinated as early in the season as possible. Particularly children 6 months through 4 years (up to their 5th birthday) and older children with chronic health conditions such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease.
In addition, the CDC advises the following people be vaccinated against Seasonal Influenza:
- Household contacts and out of home care givers of children less than 6 months of age
- Household contacts of person at high risk for complications from influenza
- Pregnant women
- People 50 years of age and older
- People of any age with certain chronic health conditions (e.g. asthma, heart disease, diabetes)
- Healthcare workers
- People who live in nursing homes and other long
- term care facilities
Should my child be vaccinated against H1N1 (Swine Influenza)?
The current CDC guidelines advise that the following children be vaccinated against the H1N1 Influenza:
- Children 6 months through 18 years and young adults 19 through 24 years
In addition, the CDC advises the following people be vaccinated against H1N1 (Swine Influenza):
- Pregnant women
- Household contacts and care givers of children under 6 months of age
- People age 25 through 64 years of age who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza.
- Healthcare and emergency medical personnel
My Child is under 6 months of age, what should we do?
The CDC advises that any household contacts and care givers of children less than 6 months of age be vaccinated against Seasonal Influenza and H1N1 Influenza. Parents and care givers should contact their primary care physicians to ask about being vaccinated.
My child has asthma (or another chronic health condition). Does this mean he is a high risk patient and should receive his flu vaccine before anyone else?
The CDC does advise that children with asthma, diabetes or heart disease be immunized as early in the season as possible with Seasonal Influenza vaccine and as soon as the H1N1 vaccine is available.
Do you have any Seasonal Influenza vaccine yet?
Our office has plenty of seasonal flu vaccine for both younger and older children. As we have in the past, we will be having flu shot clinics here at our office. These will be by appointment. Please check our website frequently as we will update the site regularly to keep everyone informed of when vaccine is available and when our office will begin scheduling patients into the flu shot clinic times.
*If you have a child age 6 months through 35 months who has not yet received a Seasonal Flu vaccine please call our office to schedule an appointment at one of our flu clinics as soon as possible. It is especially important that these little ones be protected against the Seasonal Flu.
How many flu shots will my child have to have?
Season Influenza vaccine-Children aged 6 months up to their 9th birthday who were vaccinated for the first time during the 2008-2009 influenza season but only received 1 dose during that season should receive 2 doses of the 2009-10 influenza vaccine. All other children aged 6 months up to their 9th birthday who have previously received 1 or more doses of influenza vaccine at any time should receive 1 dose of the 2009-10 influenza vaccine. Previously unvaccinated children aged 6 months up to their 9th birthday who only received a single vaccination during a season before 2008-09 should receive 1 dose of the 2009-10 influenza vaccine.
H1N1 vaccine-As of today (9/23/09) the most recent report from Dora Mills, M.D., M.P.H., Public Health Director is as follows:
"It appears from preliminary clinical studies released today from the U.S. D.H.H.S. that children 10-18 may only need one dose of the H1N1 vaccine. Previous results in adults ages 18-65 indicated this population will also only need one dose. Dosage results for younger children are pending."
More details regarding H1N1 vaccine administration will be available once the vaccine has been made available for shipment.
When will you have H1N1 vaccine in the office?
As of today (12/11/09) we have more injectible H1N1 vaccine that must be used for high risk children age 3 to 5 years and those over age 3 who have asthma, cardiac problems, cystic fibrosis, diabetes. In addition any children over age 5 who have not yet had an H1N1 vaccine and cannot receive one elsewhere, please call our office now to schedule an appointment.
We have a good quantity of injectible H1N1 vaccine for children age 6 months through 35 months.
In addition we have just received a new shipment of the intranasal (inhaled) H1N1 vaccine for otherwise healthy children age 2 years and up.
What are the symptoms of the Seasonal and H1N1 Influenza?
The Seasonal flu is different from a cold. The flu usually comes on suddenly and may include these symptoms:
- Fever (usually high)
- Headache
- Extreme tiredness
- Dry cough
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Muscle aches
- Stomach symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, also can occur but are more common in children than adults
These symptoms are usually referred to as "flu-like symptoms."
The symptoms of H1N1 are very similar to the regular Seasonal flu.
- Fever (Temperature higher than 100 F (37.8 C))
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Body aches
- Headache
- Chills
- Fatigue
- Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting.
How do I know when to call the doctor if I think my child has Seasonal or H1N1 flu?
*(updated 11/20/09)
If you have a child who you think may have symptoms of the Seasonal or H1N1 flu AND...
- If the child has asthma, a cardiac condition, cystic fibrosis or diabetes, or is under the age of 2 years, you should call our office as soon after the onset of symptoms as possible.
- If there is a family member in the household who has had a positive flu test and there is also an infant under the age of 2 years in the household
- If the child is under the age of 4 months and has a fever of 100.4 or more rectally
- If the child is age 4 months to 1 year and has a fever of 101.5 or more
- If the child is over 1 year of age and has a fever for more than 72 hours
- If the child seems to be having any difficulty breathing in his/her chest
- If you are worried about dehydration
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