The impact of influenza infection on young children, their family and the health care system.

Background: Influenza is a major cause of respiratory illness in young children. Assessing the impact of infection on children and the community is required to guide immunisation policies.

Objectives: To describe the impact of laboratory-proven influenza in young children and to compare its impact with that of other respiratory viruses on the child, their family and the health care system.

An observational study of febrile seizures: the importance of viral infection and immunization.

Background: Febrile seizures are common in young children. Annual peaks in incidence mirror increased respiratory virus activity during winter. Limited virological data are available using modern diagnostic techniques for children with febrile seizures.

The impact of pandemic A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza and vaccine-associated adverse events on parental attitudes and influenza vaccine uptake in young children.

Introduction: Parental attitudes towards vaccination significantly influence vaccine uptake. The A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza pandemic was followed in 2010 by an unprecedented increase in febrile reactions in children receiving trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine manufactured by bioCSL. Uptake of TIV in children <5 years in Western Australia (WA) decreased in 2010 and has remained low.

Effectiveness of trivalent flu vaccine in healthy young children.

Background: There are few studies evaluating the effectiveness of trivalent influenza vaccination (TIV) in young children, particularly in children <2 years. The Western Australian Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Study commenced in 2008 to evaluate a program providing TIV to children aged 6 to 59 months.

Methods: An observational study enrolling children with influenza-like illness presenting to a tertiary pediatric hospital was conducted (2008-2012).

The experience of being an Asthma Amigo in a program to decrease asthma episodes in Hispanic children.

Asthma is the most common chronic illness among Latino children in urban areas. It is especially problematic for schools serving low-income and minority populations. The purpose of this study was to describe the experience of being an Asthma Amigo, a community-based educator who delivered asthma education to a Hispanic community in a train-the-trainer educational model.