According to the CDC, 280 children in the United States have died from influenza last flu season.
It's the highest number of pediatric flu deaths recorded in 15 years, when a record 288 deaths were reported during the 2009-2010 H1N1 pandemic.
"The number of child deaths are actually devastating. Up to 70 children from the prior year," said Dr. Matthew Harris, a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Cohen Children's Medical Center.
So why is there a 25% jump in child deaths from one flu season to the next?
"What we know is that rates of vaccinations against the influenza have climbed over time," Dr. Harris said. "And roughly 70% of all children that have died of influenza last year were unvaccinated."
Harris says there's a direct correlation between kids that are vaccinated and those that have the flu.
"We should know that flu deaths are entirely preventable in children who are fully vaccinated," he said.
The uptick in flu-related child deaths is sending shockwaves to Long Island parents.
"That's kind of crazy and it's scary for parents," said Elmon resident Lesby Osegueda.
There were three child-related flu deaths in New York last season, and although none were tied to this hospital, it still saw an uptick in near deaths in child cases.
"I do think there has been an increase in number of children we've admitted into the intensive care unit with flu-related problems, whether that was inflammation of the heart, pneumonia or in a really devastating fashion, flu, which is inflammation of the brain," Dr. Harris said.
Dr. Harris, who is also the medical director for Clinical and Infectious Disease Preparedness, says the majority of children with the flu will have a mild fever and cough for a couple of days, but many others could get very sick and be hospitalized.
He says part of the problem is that there has been a steady decline in flu vaccinations over the past few years.
"I think in the setting of the COVID pandemic and vaccine process, there were some lost in trust in the medical society, but now is an opportunity for us to re-engage and encourage parents to take a vaccine that's been around for decades, has proven to be remarkably safe and remarkably effective in reducing severe disease," he said.
It's advice that's now making some parents rethink their choices.
"Probably get their flu shot the next time we get to the pediatrician's office," said Garden City resident Marie Halloran.
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