Influenza bij kinderen

In this article influenzavirus infection in children is reviewed. Young children often present a influenzavirus infection with atypical symptoms, which complicates recognizing the diagnosis. In risk groups, influenzavirus infection can have a serious course. Young children play an important part in the spread of influenza among adults and other children. There also is an association between influenzavirus infections and other diseases in childhood, like otitis media acuta, and febrile convulsions. Recently, many articles concerning the high morbidity and mortality in young infants are published. Development of influenza medication and vaccines opens possibilities to reduce the morbidity and mortality in young infants. Introduction of new intranasal influenzavirus vaccines will make vaccinating children at a larger scale, as in National Health Programmes, a realistic and feasible option.