Over 100 Children’s Flu Deaths This Year Highlight Risks, Even for the Healthy

This flu season, more than 100 children in the United States have succumbed to the illness, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While this number isn’t a record high, it underscores the serious threat flu poses to children, even those without preexisting health conditions. Over half of the children who died had no known medical problems prior to their flu infections.

According to Alicia Budd, the CDC’s domestic influenza surveillance team leader, such sobering statistics are not entirely unexpected but serve as a critical reminder of the flu’s potential severity in children.

Recent CDC data reveals a worrying trend: a large proportion of children who succumbed to the flu (53%) were previously healthy, with most deaths occurring within the past few weeks.

The flu season continues, with the CDC estimating over 28 million cases and 310,000 hospitalizations, alongside the pediatric deaths. Misconceptions about the flu being a minor ailment can be dangerous, as explained by Dr. Kristina Bryant, a pediatric infectious disease specialist. She emphasized the severe impact flu can have, even leading to deaths in some cases.

Children are particularly vulnerable to flu due to smaller airways and a robust immune response, sometimes excessively so. This overactive immune response, often involving cytokine storms and high fevers, can lead to severe symptoms requiring intensive care.

This year’s flu vaccine has proven effective, with nearly 90% of the children who died from the flu not being fully vaccinated. Although just over half of the children received the flu shot this season, it has been shown to significantly reduce the need for medical visits and hospitalization.

The unpredictable nature of flu virus strains complicates efforts to mitigate its impact. This season, influenza A and B strains have been predominantly responsible for pediatric deaths.

One particularly heart-wrenching case was that of Gianna Wehrkamp, a 2-year-old who died in the 2014-15 flu season, illustrating that even healthy children are at risk. Gianna’s sudden deterioration and death within 48 hours of flu symptoms onset left her family in shock and with deep regret for not vaccinating her. Her mother’s story serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of flu vaccinations for children.