With the flu season "widespread" among 48 U.S. states, precaution for children is at utmost importance.
According to WHPTV, a CBS affiliate, Debbie Stoops, an immunization coordinator for the York City Bureau of Health, said children transfer germs much faster than adults.
"Kids don't wash their hands," said Stoops. "They touch everything and everybody puts things in their mouth. So yeah it just travels so much quicker among kids."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) supports Stoops first statement, noting the flu is "more dangerous than the common cold for children."
So far the 2012-13 flu season has led to 29 deaths in children and with the season not yet coming to a conclusion, it can pass the 2011-12 figure of 34 deaths. The pediatric mortality figures are low compared to the 282 deaths during the 2009-10 season.
Children six months and younger are categorized as "higher risk" of receiving serious flu complications and unfortunately are too young for get a flu vaccination.
"Because children younger than six months cannot get a vaccine, but are at high risk for serious flu-related complications, safeguarding them from influenza is especially important," the CDC stated.
The CDC said parents should receive a flu vaccination as it can protect both the parent and child, keep the baby away from people who are sick, cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, washing hands often with soap and water, disinfect and clean all surfaces.
The CDC provided the following statistics:
- Children commonly need medical care because of influenza, especially before they turn five years old.
- Severe influenza complications are most common in children younger than two years old.
- Children with chronic health problems like asthma, diabetes and disorders of the brain or nervous system are at especially high risk of developing serious flu complications.
- Each year an average of 20,000 children under the age of five are hospitalized because of influenza complications.
The CDC does note four antiviral drugs approved for children to use: Tamiflu, Relenza, Symmetrel, and Flumadine, however, there are side effects for each before mentioned drug.
For more information on the side effects, click here.