Protecting Kids Too Young for a Flu Shot

Two recent studies say that newborns come into the world better protected if the family, including kids who are old enough, get their flu shots first.

How's this for a new-mama dilemma: More babies under 6 months old wind up in the hospital with complications from the flu over any other group of children, yet they're the ones who are too tiny to get the flu shot that could protect them.

So, if you're going to have a new baby in the house during flu season (November through March), what can you do? Obviously, you can't sew your cervix shut till spring, nor can you keep your baby in a plastic bubble, or wrap all visitors and well-wishers in Saran Wrap and surgical masks. The simple solution? Get yourself, your spouse and your kids the flu shot.

Two recent studies seem to back this theory up. Researchers at Johns Hopkins confirmed that moms-to-be who get the flu shot during their pregnancy can pass on some of the protection to the baby in-utero. Docs saw a whopping 63 percent reduction in flu among babies born to vaccinated mothers while the number of serious respiratory illnesses to both mommies and babies dropped by 36 percent.

OK, so what if you didn't get the flu shot while you were pregnant? No worries, mate. Here's some backup ammo: Vaccinate your fam before bringing baby home. Doctors at Duke Children's Hospital reported that giving everyone in the family, even kids, the flu shot at the hospital (except the baby, of course!) creates a cocooning effect that can protect newborns from the virus. Which is kind of like wrapping everyone in Saran Wrap, only a lot cheaper!