Children with neurological disorders ‘no more likely to receive flu vaccine despite higher risk’

New research has revealed children with neurological disorders are no more likely to receive a flu vaccine despite being at highest risk of experiencing complications from the illness.

A study carried out by the University of Louisville and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found 50 percent of parents with children suffering from a neurological disorder such as cerebral palsy or epilepsy reported that their child has either received the flu vaccine or was scheduled to do so.

This is only slightly higher than the 47 percent recorded among parents whose children do not have such a condition.

In a survey of doctors, 74 percent said children with cerebral palsy are at higher risk from flu. Some 51 percent said the same about epilepsy and 46 percent about intellectual disability.

Dr Michael Smith, associate professor in the University of Louisville Department of Pediatrics and a pediatric infectious disease specialist with University of Louisville Physicians, stated: "More education about the need for annual influenza vaccination is needed, both for parents and healthcare providers."

Full details of the research were published in the journal Vaccine.