Many people don't realize how serious influenza (flu) illness can be, even for previously healthy kids and teens. In fact, a record number of U.S. children last year during the 2024-2025 flu season were hospitalized with the flu totaling more than 610,000 admissions and a substantial portion, 33.3%, of all flu cases seen in emergency departments were kids.
The good news is that there is a safe, simple and effective way to protect your children and family. Getting the flu vaccination for your child is the best thing you can do to prevent them from getting seriously sick and getting others sick from the flu.
What Is the Flu?
The flu is a respiratory illness that causes a number of symptoms. These include:
- Fever (>100.4F)
- Chills
- Headache, body aches and being a lot more tired than usual
- Sore throat
- Dry, hacking cough
- Stuffy, runny nose
The flu can last a week or even longer. The flu spreads through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your face. Serious complications can include pneumonia, bronchitis, and in rare cases, neurological problems.
The flu virus changes each season, so even though you may have had the flu or been vaccinated in the past, you can get it again. It’s important to get your flu vaccination every year as soon as possible as it typically takes two weeks for the vaccine to be fully effective.
Typically, flu season begins in the fall, peaks in January and February, and may last until late spring. However, given the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the viral season of the last couple years have not followed our typical timeline, and we’ve actually started seeing the flu season start sooner and last longer.
Is the Flu Vaccine Safe?
The flu vaccine has been studied extensively since its origin in the late 1930s and is safe and recommended for nearly everyone older than 6 months old.
Heavy metals in the flu vaccine have been brought up as a common concern. For example, some formulations of the flu vaccine do contain a small amount of mercury in the form of thimerosal, a preservative used in multi-dose vials to prevent contamination. Thimerosal contains ethylmercury, which is quickly cleared from the body and is not the same as methylmercury, which can be toxic at high levels and is found in some types of fish.
For patients with a mild egg allergy, it is safe for them to receive the normal flu vaccines. For those with a severe or life-threatening egg allergy, there is a special egg-free vaccine available.
While there may be some side effects of getting the vaccination, like soreness at the site of injection and mild flu-like symptoms from our body mounting an immune response, the vaccine does not cause the flu. The potential side effects of the vaccination are much less severe than a potential case of the flu.
What About FluMist?
While the FluMist will be available this flu season, experts at Children’s Wisconsin believe the flu shot is the best way to get vaccinated. In recent years, the FluMist has been far less effective than the flu shot. The FluMist will be available at some Children’s Wisconsin primary care offices, but it is important to know that some children should not get the FluMist because of age, certain health conditions or other reasons. Your health care provider can help you decide.
Where To Get the Flu Vaccine
Children’s Wisconsin is offering a variety of times and locations to get flu shots to make it as easy as possible. Whether your child is a Children’s Wisconsin patient or not, you can schedule a vaccination appointment online.
The flu and other vaccines should be covered by health insurance without a copayment, or coinsurance, but be sure to check with your insurance company to find out if you have to get the flu shot from a specific doctor or location.
Who Can Get the Flu Shot?
There are few kids who are not eligible for the flu shot. Children less than 6 months old, those with a severe life-threatening allergy to the vaccine or a component of the vaccine, and those who have had a previous allergic reaction to the flu vaccine should not receive it. Also, if immunocompromised for any reason, kids should not receive FluMist but can receive the intramuscular injection version of the vaccine.
Children 6 months to 8 years who are getting the flu vaccine for the first time need two doses of the vaccine administered at least four weeks apart. Kids 6 months to 8 years who have already received two doses in a previous season only require one dose. Individuals aged 9 years and older only need one dose of the vaccine each flu season.
If you are mildly sick with minor symptoms like a runny nose or sore throat it is generally safe to get the flu shot. It is also recommended that contacts and care providers of children with high-risk conditions or children under 5 years old should receive the flu vaccine; this includes healthcare workers.
When Should We See the Doctor?
If your child does get the flu, contact their doctor’s office by phone to determine if you should make an appointment or if they need any antiviral drugs. Know that not every kid needs antiviral treatment if they get the flu but if your child is prescribed antivirals by their doctor, please ensure they take them as instructed. This can sometimes make the difference between a milder illness versus a more serious one. It is also important they rest and drink plenty of fluids.
Perhaps most importantly, do not send your child to school or daycare if they are sick. Staying home will prevent the spread of the flu. Likewise, if you get the flu, be sure to stay home from work and rest.
If your child is sick and you are unsure if your child should see the doctor, consider using the Children’s Wisconsin app to help you decide. The app offers a symptom checker to understand if your child needs to be seen. We don't want families waiting to see a doctor if it isn't necessary. The symptom checker can help determine if your child is better off at home resting under the covers, rather than sitting in a waiting room.
If our symptom checker shows your child should be seen, check openings for a same day appointment with your child’s primary care provider or consider reserving a spot at urgent care if your child needs to be seen. The Children’s Wisconsin app can be downloaded for free from the App Store or Google Play.
