New Hope For Flu Vaccine for Kids With Egg Allergies

According to newswise.com, it's now safe for kids even with egg allergies to get a flu shot.  

All doctors have to do is observe the child for 30 minutes after getting the shot, much like the procedure for any kind of allergy shot, the Web site reports.  It's also important to "have the shot under the care of a primary care provider, if the reaction to eating eggs is only hives, or an allergist, if the reaction to eating eggs is more serious."

Used to be, kids with egg allergies -- even grown-ups -- were warned away from the flu shot because it is prepared with eggs. But, “In a large number of research studies published over the last several years, thousands of egg allergic children, including those with a severe life-threatening reaction to eating eggs, have received injectable influenza vaccine (IIV) as a single dose without a reaction” newswise.com quotes allergist John Kelso, MD, fellow of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI).

“The benefits of the flu vaccination far outweigh any risk,” Dr. Kelso told newswise.com. “As with any vaccine, all personnel and facilities administering flu shots should have procedures in place for the rare instance of anaphylaxis, a severe life-threatening allergic reaction."

Egg allergies are among the most common forms of food allergies. By age 16, about 70 percent of children outgrow their egg allergy, according to newswise.com. Most allergic reactions to egg involve the skin. In fact, egg allergy is the most common food allergy in babies and young children with eczema.

As serious as a food allergy can be, the flu may be even more dangerous.  "The flu is responsible for the hospitalization of more than 21,100 children under the age of five annually, yet only two thirds of children receive the vaccination each year. Some go unvaccinated because of egg allergy," says newswise.com.

Now they no longer have to.





Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Social Media Replacing Human Contact? Nah

Take Herbal Supplements? Even Green Tea Extract Can Lead to Liver Damage

Don't Wash Your Chicken and Other Food Safety Myths