Welcome Parents!
It's that time of year again: new clothes, colorful leaves, a cool breeze and apple picking. It's also time to start thinking about influenza season. Spread the Word-NOT the Flu! is designed to help you and your family prevent influenza. Were you aware that it is estimated that each year in the United States, more than 20,000 children younger than five years old are hospitalized due to influenza?
You probably know that the best way for many people to help prevent influenza infection is to get a vaccination. But did you know that it's important to get vaccinated every year? That's because the virus that causes influenza changes frequently. In fact, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) issued new guidelines that recommend children between the ages of six months and 18 years of age get vaccinated against influenza each year.
The best months to get vaccinated are October and November, but vaccinations given in January or even later can still be effective.
Materials For Your Child
To help you teach your child about influenza, Weekly Reader Corporation Custom Publishing has made the following educational activities readily available for your use:
- Parent Letter
- Student Activity: Grades 3–5
- Student Activity: Grades 6–8
- Poster: Ways to Help Prevent Influenza
Weekly Reader Corporation Custom Publishing has also developed a Teacher's Guide which will help you introduce the activities to your child and check the correct answers against their work.
For more information about influenza, visit www.FluSource.com or click here for additional helpful websites.
