Parents: Help Children Fight Flu
Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory disease caused by influenza viruses. Flu can be more dangerous than the common cold for children. Each year, flu places a large burden on the health and well-being of children and their families. Annual flu vaccination offers the best protection against flu and its potentially serious complications in children. Parents can help children fight flu by getting themselves and their children vaccinated against flu each year.
Children younger than 5 years old—especially those younger than 2—and children of any age with certain chronic health conditions, like asthma and diabetes, are at higher risk of developing potentially serious flu complications. Because these groups of children are at higher risk, it is especially important that they get a seasonal flu vaccine to help prevent flu, and to reduce their risk of being hospitalized or dying from flu if they do get sick.
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While not at higher risk, healthy children 5 years and older can also get very sick from flu, in addition to spreading flu to vulnerable family members like infants younger than 6 months and adults who are 65 years and older or people of any age who have certain chronic health conditions. It’s important to vaccinate everyone 6 months and older against flu each year to help protect those most at risk.
Keep Reading:
Print Resources
- Flu: A Guide for Parents (English) [639 KB, 2 pages]
- Flu: A Guide for Parents (Spanish) [769 KB, 2 pages]
- Ready Wrigley Prepares for Flu Season [1.60 MB, 20 pages]
Other CDC Resources
- CDC Digital Media Toolkit
- Information for the 2024-2025 Flu Season
- Parents of Children
- For Parents: Vaccines for Your Children
External Resources