Below is a release on a policy statement appearing in the November issue of Pediatrics, the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

For Release: November 3, 2008, 12:01 am (ET)

A new AAP policy statement recommends that all children, 6 months through age 18, receive an annual influenza vaccine. The policy statement, "Prevention of Influenza: Recommendations for Influenza Immunization of Children, 2008-2009," expands the previous recommendations to include all school-aged children, the population most likely to contract the disease and need influenza-related medical care. The policy statement, which mirrors a similar recommendation earlier this year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), calls for all children to be immunized during the 2008-2009 influenza season. The policy statement also recommends that household contacts and out-of-home care providers of children with high-risk conditions and healthy children younger than age 5, pregnant women, and health care professionals, also receive a flu vaccine each year. Influenza vaccine administration should begin as soon as the vaccine becomes available, and immunization efforts should continue until May 1.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.