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American Morning
Facts About Getting Flu Shots
Aired December 02, 2002 - 08:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Talking about -- you and I talked quite a bit about health topic, flu shots. Bill has an opinion on that, but more on that later. Flu season is well underway. This time around, though, there is a big change concerning flu shots. In the past, the vaccine was considered most important for folks over 50 and those with health risks. Now, a key medical group, pediatricians, recommending shots for babies and those who take care of them. Our medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen is in. Dr. Sanjay Gupta is off. Elizabeth joining us from Atlanta.
Elizabeth, good morning.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. Daryn, just what you said, we usually think of flu shots as being for older people. But now the American Academy of Pediatrics says that children need to get it, too. Let's look at the exact ages of what the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends. The American Academy of Pediatrics says that children ages six to 23 months ought to get a flu shot, and the household contacts of children under the age of 23 months. So birth to 23 months also ought to get flu shots. And that would be parents, siblings, anyone who has close contacts with those children.
The reason for that is that the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC which recommends the same thing -- the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC says that kids are hospitalized at the same rate as older people for the flu. Again, children six months to 23 months, hospitalized at the same rate. And since it is considered a safe shot, they say children ought to get it so that they don't later get complications from the flu -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Elizabeth, why do they cut it off at 23 months? Your kids, for instance, they would come above that. I would think that would be a question you might ask your pediatrician.
COHEN: Oh, and I have, many times. I definitely have, and I'll tell you what the answer is. The answer is that the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC doesn't actually come out and say, "You know what? We think children older than that should get it."
What they say, basically, is "There is no reason not to." And in fact, I know that many of the researchers who work in this area, they get their school-aged children flu shots, and I always thought that was kind of interesting. So again, what experts say is that there is no reason not to get it for children who are older than that, but they don't come out and recommend it because children who are older than that don't get complications, don't get hospitalized as much, as the little tiny ones.
And so what they tell people is if you want to do it, you go ahead and do it. Children who are at high-risk, in other words, children who have immune problems who are older, it's definitely recommended that they get it.
KAGAN: Well, speaking of risks, what about the risk of giving a perfect healthy child a flu shot? There has to be some kind of a risk involved.
COHEN: I'm sorry, Daryn, could you say that again, please?
KAGAN: Is there any kind of risk, the side effects perhaps that you risk when you give your child a flu shot?
COHEN: Right. Health authorities have said over and over again, no, there is no risk. Yes, you might get a sore arm, your arm may hurt for a few days but they have said over and over again, the flu shot is a safe vaccine, it does not give you the flu.
Now, I know a lot of parents think that vaccines can cause autism or can cause other problems. Again, health authorities have said this is not true, and especially not true of a flu shot, which again does not give children the flu, even though that's what some parents think -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Elizabeth Cohen in Atlanta, thank you so much.
COHEN: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 2, 2002 - 08:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Talking about -- you and I talked quite a bit about health topic, flu shots. Bill has an opinion on that, but more on that later. Flu season is well underway. This time around, though, there is a big change concerning flu shots. In the past, the vaccine was considered most important for folks over 50 and those with health risks. Now, a key medical group, pediatricians, recommending shots for babies and those who take care of them. Our medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen is in. Dr. Sanjay Gupta is off. Elizabeth joining us from Atlanta.
Elizabeth, good morning.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. Daryn, just what you said, we usually think of flu shots as being for older people. But now the American Academy of Pediatrics says that children need to get it, too. Let's look at the exact ages of what the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends. The American Academy of Pediatrics says that children ages six to 23 months ought to get a flu shot, and the household contacts of children under the age of 23 months. So birth to 23 months also ought to get flu shots. And that would be parents, siblings, anyone who has close contacts with those children.
The reason for that is that the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC which recommends the same thing -- the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC says that kids are hospitalized at the same rate as older people for the flu. Again, children six months to 23 months, hospitalized at the same rate. And since it is considered a safe shot, they say children ought to get it so that they don't later get complications from the flu -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Elizabeth, why do they cut it off at 23 months? Your kids, for instance, they would come above that. I would think that would be a question you might ask your pediatrician.
COHEN: Oh, and I have, many times. I definitely have, and I'll tell you what the answer is. The answer is that the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC doesn't actually come out and say, "You know what? We think children older than that should get it."
What they say, basically, is "There is no reason not to." And in fact, I know that many of the researchers who work in this area, they get their school-aged children flu shots, and I always thought that was kind of interesting. So again, what experts say is that there is no reason not to get it for children who are older than that, but they don't come out and recommend it because children who are older than that don't get complications, don't get hospitalized as much, as the little tiny ones.
And so what they tell people is if you want to do it, you go ahead and do it. Children who are at high-risk, in other words, children who have immune problems who are older, it's definitely recommended that they get it.
KAGAN: Well, speaking of risks, what about the risk of giving a perfect healthy child a flu shot? There has to be some kind of a risk involved.
COHEN: I'm sorry, Daryn, could you say that again, please?
KAGAN: Is there any kind of risk, the side effects perhaps that you risk when you give your child a flu shot?
COHEN: Right. Health authorities have said over and over again, no, there is no risk. Yes, you might get a sore arm, your arm may hurt for a few days but they have said over and over again, the flu shot is a safe vaccine, it does not give you the flu.
Now, I know a lot of parents think that vaccines can cause autism or can cause other problems. Again, health authorities have said this is not true, and especially not true of a flu shot, which again does not give children the flu, even though that's what some parents think -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Elizabeth Cohen in Atlanta, thank you so much.
COHEN: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
