Childrens health care

This year there will be two different influenza (flu) vaccines: the usual, "seasonal" flu vaccine, and the H1NI or "swine" flu vaccine. These will be completely separate immunizations.

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Seasonal Influenza (Flu) Vaccine

At this time, the Centers for Disease Control and the American Academey of Pediatrics recommend that the following groups of people receive the SEASONAL flu vaccine:

• All children aged 6 months to 18 years
• People with chronic medical problems that put them at risk for more severe flu, including:

o Asthma

o Diabetes

o Cystic fibrosis

o Heart or lung disease

o Sickle cell anemia

o Kidney disease

o Children receiving long-term aspirin therapy

o Conditions or medicines that weaken the immune system

• Women who will be pregnant during influenza serason
• Household contacts and caregivers of children under 5 years old (and particularly under 6 months old)
• Household contacts and caregivers of other people at high risk for severe influenza
• Residents of long-term care facilities
• People aged 50 years and older
• Health-care personnel

Please Note: Supplies permitting, children under 9 years old need two shots (spaced at least one month apart) if it is their first season receiving the flu vaccine, or if it is their second season and they only received one shot last year.

Our seasonal influenza vaccine has begun to arrive, and all of our offices are taking appointments for flu shots on a first-come, first-served basis, supplies permitting. For your convenience, we are also planning a few evening or weekend "flu shot clinics" in our offices. Shots at all of these times will be by appointment only. Please contact any of our offices for further information or to schedule a flu shot for your child.

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H1NI "Swine" Influenza (Flu) Vaccine

We are hoping to start receiving H1N1 "swine" flu vaccine some time in October. Unfortunately, it is expected that the supplies will be limited. Because of that, the final recommendations from the Department of Public Health as to which groups will receive the vaccine are still in question. The current Centers for Disease Control recommendations give the following groups priority to receive H1N1 influenza vaccine:

• Children aged 6 months to 4 years
• Children aged 5 to 18 years who have high-risk chronic medical conditions (see list above for examples)
• Pregnant women
• People who live with or provide care for infants aged less than 6 months
• Health-care and emergency medical services personnel

If there are adequate supplies of vaccine, all people aged 6 months to 24 years old will also become a priority group.

Again, these guidelines are very tentative and subject to change. Ultimately, it will be up to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health in consultation with the Centers for Disease Control to decide which groups will receice H1N1 flu vaccine. Because of this uncertainty (and the fact that no vaccine has been distributed), we cannot make appointments of reserve immunizations for any patients at this time for H1N1 flu vaccine. Please check back with one of our offices in October for updated details.