CLEVELAND, Ohio — A 7-year-old Columbiana County boy who died on Saturday of flu-related illness marked the fourth such death in the state so far this flu season, coming only two days after the death of a Rocky River 6 year old.
Eva HarrisCourtesy of Cleveland Clinic
Eva Harris of Rocky River died February 9th after being admitted to the Cleveland Clinic with a high fever two days earlier. The Columbiana County child was the second from that county to die of flu-related illness since the January 25th death of a 6-year-old Salem boy.
The fourth Ohio child, 7-year-old Ava Coronado, had an underlying heart condition and passed away February 7th, according to the Toledo Blade.
About 20 children nationwide have died of flu so far this season, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Here’s what you need to know about pediatric flu deaths and this year’s flu season.
Is this flu season more dangerous than others?
No. So far, it seems to be a fairly normal season which may be nearing its peak.
The flu vaccine seems to be a pretty good match to the circulating strains of virus this year, says Sietske de Fijter, ODH’s chief of the Bureau of Infectious Diseases and state epidemiologist, meaning that most people who received their flu shot receive some protection.
The dominant flu strain circulating this year is H3N2, an influenza A strain. Eva Harris and the two Columbiana County boys who died of flu complications had influenza A, according to health officials.
“Sometimes that can mean it’s a little more severe a season, but it’s still too early to tell if that will be true,” said Dr. Claudia Hoyen, director of pediatric infection control at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital.
Is it unusual for four children to die in Ohio from flu?
No, but pediatric flu deaths are unpredictable. Over the past 10 flu seasons, the state has seen an average of 3.5 pediatric flu deaths per year, according to ODH data.
But the numbers vary widely by season. Ten Ohio children died during the 2009-2010 season, when pandemic H1N1 flu was circulating, which was particularly dangerous to children.
The best explanation for why four children have died in a relatively short period of time, Hoyen said, is because near the peak of the season many more people — adults and children — are exposed to the virus.
“It’s all a numbers game,” she said. “When you have more people getting sick from the flu, the chances of people having severe complications from the flu are greater because there are just more people who have it.
“This is the time when we’re going to see a lot of cases.”
Were the children who recently died vaccinated?
Under Ohio law, a child’s vaccination status is part of his or her medical record and therefore is private, protected health information. So, unless a family chooses to release it, the health department and other officials often don’t know.
Joseph Marotta and his mother, Serese Marotta. Joseph was five years old when he died of H1N1 flu in October of 2009 in Springboro, Ohio. Courtesy of Marotta family
Some parents choose to share that information as a way to help others. Serese Marotta, of the non-profit group Families Fighting Flu, lost her 5-year-old son Joseph during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic while the family lived in Springboro near Dayton.
Joseph was vaccinated with the seasonal flu shot that year, but the H1N1 vaccine was administered separately in response to the pandemic and wasn’t available in the area until two weeks after his death.
“There are a lot of our families that did not vaccinate their children,” she said. “We never, ever judge a parent. We’re always trying to do the best we can based on the information we have. Sometimes, for whatever reason, people just don’t understand how serious the flu can be.”
During the 2012-2013 flu season, the Centers for Disease Control examined more than 100 pediatric flu deaths that had occurred as of March and found that in about 90 percent of them, the child had not been vaccinated.
That’s why health officials strongly encourage children to get vaccinated, even in the peak of the season. It takes about two weeks to get maximal protection from the vaccine, but flu cases (and deaths) are reported as late as May.
“Even if they’ve only had the vaccine in their system a week they’ve probably developed enough immunity to not get as sick as someone who wasn’t vaccinated,” Hoyen said.
Do most kids get vaccinated?
More children than adults get flu shots every year, but only about 60 percent of children nationwide are vaccinated, on average. The American Academy of Pediatrics estimates that about 54 percent of Ohio children receive a flu vaccine. Only about 40 percent of adults nationwide get the shot.
Marotta thinks that some parents don’t vaccinate because, unlike MMR, pertussis and others, it’s not required for school entry.
“The flu vaccine isn’t mandated, so perhaps people don’t think it’s a big deal,” she says. “Many parents may not know that the Centers for Disease Control recommends uniform vaccine for children older than 6 months.”
Kids 6 months to 8 years getting a flu shot for the first time need two shots four weeks apart. Why?
The two-shot requirement is only for kids who have never had a flu vaccine before, said Hoyen, and its purpose is to help kids mount an effective immune response. It doesn’t seem to be a deterrent to vaccination, she said.
“Most parents who have committed to giving the flu shot are going to commit to making sure that they’ve done everything that they need to do.”
Are some children at higher risk of getting very sick or dying from flu?
Yes. Children younger than 5 years old and any child with underlying medical problems such as asthma, heart disease or heart defects, diabetes, cerebral palsy or other disorders of the brain or nervous system are at higher risk of serious complications from the flu.
“It’s kind of like with adults — the more health problems you have, the higher your risk of serious complications,” said Hoyen.
Can healthy kids die from the flu?
Yes. Healthy children die from influenza every year. A 17-year-old student athlete died of flu January 28th after being ill for several days at home, according to The Baltimore Sun. The student, Kayla Linton, skipped the vaccine this year, the report said.
Marotta says that before her son Joseph died she didn’t know influenza killed healthy children every year. Most other parents who have joined the nonprofit after losing a child didn’t either.
“We’re all educated, relatively conservative parents, and we didn’t know,” she says. “And if we don’t know, then a lot of other parents don’t either. That’s what motivates us now.”
How can you tell if it’s flu?
Influenza symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. But a lot of kids have fevers and coughs.
Hoyen said you’ll know it’s flu because of the severity and because your child will likely have a hard time shaking it off as quickly as other illnesses.
“You’ll also know because it’s peak flu season,” she said. “Be aware.”
What can parents do to protect their children?
“Flu vaccine is really the best protection against getting the flu,” de Fijter said. Even in years when the flu vaccine is not a great match, vaccination can still afford some protection by making infection less severe if a child is exposed to the virus.
A few other recommendations from health officials during the peak of flu season: If your kids are sick, keep them home from school or daycare to avoid spreading the flu; wash your hands (and those of your child) frequently, especially when you return home from being away; cover your coughs and sneezes; if your child shows signs of flu, seek medical care immediately.
Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.
