Emily was a healthy, energetic three-and-a-half year-old. In late January 2004, she began to show signs of illness — she had a fever and was vomiting. Her physician diagnosed her with influenza (commonly called “the flu”) and told her parents to keep her hydrated. Unfortunately, her condition grew worse over the weekend. Just hours before Emily was scheduled for another doctor’s appointment her parents found her lifeless body in bed.

The following month, a happy, healthy little girl named Amanda developed symptoms of the flu. A similar flu virus that attacked Emily raced through young Amanda’s body. The four-and-a-half year-old developed a cough and a mild fever. The next day she began vomiting. She went to bed that evening and woke up in the middle of the night still not feeling well. By morning Amanda was gone — another innocent victim of influenza.

The parents of these two young girls were grief-stricken and searched for answers. One by one, they turned to a nonprofit volunteer organization called Families Fighting Flu, Inc., and quickly the parents realized they were not alone. The organization, established in 2004, is made up of families and healthcare practitioners who have experienced first-hand the death of a child to the flu or witnessed severe medical complications caused by the flu.

The group’s efforts are focused on urging the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) — a group of experts who provide advice and guidance to the CDC on the most effective means to stop the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases — to change the current influenza vaccination recommendations and include all children below the age of 18. The organization’s efforts are starting to pay off.

In February 2006, Families Fighting Flu was instrumental in influencing the ACIP to expand the age recommendation for annual influenza vaccination, from children 6-23 months to children 6-59 months.

This flu season, for the first time, the CDC recommends that all healthy children, from 6 months up to 5 years of age, and household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children age 5 and younger get vaccinated against the flu — a move that will help prevent additional tragedies and needless deaths.

“Parents should talk with their family doctor about vaccinating their children against the flu,” says Richard Kanowitz, father of Amanda and president of Families Fighting Flu, Inc. “Amanda and Emily did not get vaccinated against the flu the year they died because at the time the CDC did not recommend children their age get an annual flu vaccination,” continues Kanowitz.

Children have the highest rates of influenza infection of any age group, with more than 20,000 children under the age of five hospitalized due to the flu each year. Children are two to three times more likely to develop influenza than adults because of their less-developed immune systems. The flu vaccine can help children stay free of influenza during the flu season, and potentially help stop the spread of the virus to families and communities.

“At the time of Amanda’s death we did not know how serious the flu could be,” says Kanowitz. “Had we known that she could potentially die from influenza, she would have definitely received a flu vaccination.”

Every year, children die in the United States from influenza and its complications. In fact, more than 225 children have died from influenza over the past three flu seasons. These are unnecessary losses, especially since there is a vaccine available to help prevent the virus.

Losing a child is a parent’s worst nightmare, but families touched by influenza have somewhere to turn for support — Families Fighting Flu. Through the organization’s sustained education and advocacy perhaps another tragic death will be avoided.

For more information about Families Fighting Flu, go to www.familiesfightingflu.org.

Courtesy of ARA Content

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