Kids with neurological conditions at higher risk of flu death

Children with neurologic disorders such as cerebral palsy, intellectual disability or epilepsy are at increased risk of dying from flu, a new study says. The findings highlight the importance of influenza vaccination to protect these children, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers analyzed data on influenza-related deaths among children younger than 18 during the 2009 H1N1 swine flu pandemic. The number of flu-related deaths during the pandemic was more than five times the median number of children’s deaths reported in the previous five flu seasons. Sixty-eight percent of those deaths occurred in children who had underlying medical conditions that elevate the risk of serious flu complications. Information was available for 336 of the children with underlying medical conditions who died from 2009 H1N1 flu-associated causes. Of those, 227 had one or more underlying health conditions. One hundred forty-six (64 percent) had a neurologic disorder. Of the children with neurologic disorders...