Childhood Vaccine Update

Combining annual flu shot with other vaccines may increase child's seizure risk.
WebMD (2/23, DeNoon) reported, "Combining the annual flu shot with other vaccines -- particularly the pneumococcal PCV13 vaccine -- may increase a child's risk of a seizure associated with high fever." Getting the two vaccines "together increases this risk by about one case per 1,600 double vaccinations in children aged 12 to 23 months. The new data come from a CDC investigation of an apparent increase in febrile seizure in kids getting flu shots, first reported in January." The preliminary results of the CDC investigation were reported yesterday at the meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.