As the new flu season approaches, a mother from River Forest, Illinois, Christine Wear, expresses her deep anxieties about the potential dangers her son might face.
Her 4-year-old son, Beckett, is slowly recovering from a severe case of flu he contracted back in January.
Wear recalls a frightening week when Beckett became so lethargic that he was unable to move his head or arms, eat, or even talk.
This marks the second time Beckett has battled acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE), a devastating brain disease linked to influenza.
Wear highlights that Beckett’s recovery has been slower this time around.
“It’s taken longer for his brain to recover,” she said, illustrating the challenges families face when flu complications arise.
After a similar diagnosis in September 2022, Beckett had not received his annual flu shot, but he was vaccinated prior to his recent ANE diagnosis.
However, research indicates that flu vaccinations might not be as effective in children who have previously experienced flu-related brain inflammation.
Worryingly, cases of pediatric ANE and other encephalopathies related to flu infections are increasing.
According to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 109 children were diagnosed with this rare yet serious complication during the 2024-25 flu season.
Alarmingly, the data reveals that 84% of the children with influenza-associated encephalopathy (IAE) were unvaccinated.
This trend emerges alongside a bleak statistic: 280 pediatric flu deaths were reported last year, the deadliest season since the H1N1 pandemic in 2009-2010.
Dr. Buddy Creech, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, stresses the unpredictability of the flu’s impact on children.
“We don’t always know how to predict which kids are going to have the most severe forms of flu, which is why we recommend the vaccine for everyone,” he stated.
Contrary to common belief, flu complications are not limited to children with pre-existing health issues; healthy children can also suffer severe consequences.
The reported cases of IAE often include a variety of symptoms such as confusion, seizures, and abnormal movements.
Dr. Molly Wilson-Murphy, a pediatric neurologist at Boston Children’s Hospital and co-author of the CDC study, noted that the increase in severe brain inflammation among children following flu infections is noticeable, despite the lack of formal tracking of these cases until now.
In her clinical experience, Wilson-Murphy observed what she believes to be a rise in severe cases, marking a concerning trend for parents and health professionals alike.
Flu can be dangerous for children, warned Dr. Keith Van Haren, also a co-author of the study, emphasizing that these complications shouldn’t be downplayed.
The data indicates that severe outcomes are prevalent among children diagnosed with IAE; of those reported, 74% required ICU admission, 54% were placed on ventilators, and unfortunately, 19% of the children died.
Furthermore, many cases occurred in previously healthy children, suggesting a serious risk across diverse pediatric populations.
Though flu vaccines often struggle to prevent flu infections effectively, health professionals agree that vaccination significantly reduces the risk of severe complications and fatalities associated with the illness.
The flu shot was noted to be up to 78% effective in keeping children and teens out of the hospital last year.
Disturbingly, around 90% of the children who lost their lives to flu last season had not received their flu vaccination.
Dr. Sean O’Leary, an infectious disease expert with the American Academy of Pediatrics, strongly advocates for family-wide vaccinations as a key strategy to protect against influenza.
Early indications from the Southern Hemisphere’s flu season suggest that flu vaccines are successfully halving the rate of flu-related hospitalizations.
However, the challenge remains concerning vaccination uptake, which has seen a significant decline in recent years.
Last year, only 49.2% of children were vaccinated against the flu, down from 62.4% during the 2019-20 season.
O’Leary identifies multiple factors contributing to this downturn, including rising vaccine hesitancy and access issues due to healthcare staffing shortages.
“Access to care issues” are complicating the situation, impacting families’ ability to receive vaccines.
The CDC recommends that everyone aged 6 months and older should receive an annual flu vaccination, with extra emphasis on the urgency for children like Beckett, who may face severe risks.
Christine Wear reflects on the implications of these statistics, highlighting the importance of community awareness and participation in vaccination efforts.
“It’s easy not to worry about it when it doesn’t directly affect your family,” she says, underscoring the broader responsibility that comes with protecting vulnerable children.
In conclusion, as the flu season looms, the rising cases of severe complications in children, coupled with declining vaccination rates, raise significant concerns for parents and healthcare professionals alike.
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