CDC's immunization schedules recommend FluMist for children

WASHINGTON The 2008 Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedules were released together by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians; they all called for expanded use of the FluMist vaccine for children and revised meningitis vaccine guidelines for teens, according to published reports.

The childhood schedule changed to expand the recommendation for the nasal spray flu vaccine, FluMist, to now include children from 2 to 4 years of age without a history of asthma or wheezing. The vaccine had previously been limited to healthy children 5 years of age and older and healthy adults up to age 50.

The updated immunization schedule also includes vaccination against meningococcal disease, or meningitis. The meningococcal conjugate vaccine is now recommended for children 11 to 12 years of age and teens 13 to 18 years of age who haven’t been previously vaccinated and other people at heightened risk of meningococcal disease, including college freshmen living in dorms, as well as military recruits, the statement said.

The new schedule also clarifies and updates recommendations for use of the pneumococcal vaccine, which protects against pneumonia. Healthy children 24 months through 59 months of age not completely vaccinated should receive one dose of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. Children 2 years of age and older with underlying medical conditions should receive the vaccine, the statement said.