Let's Talk about Kids Dying with the Flu
And why your kids need a yearly flu vaccine.
It’s no secret that kids die with the flu each and every year.
But did you know that it is mostly unvaccinated kids who die when they get sick with influenza?
And despite what anti-vaccine influencers might try and tell you, many of these kids who died had no underlying conditions that put them at extra risk to die.
Let’s Talk about Kids Dying with the Flu
That this is true is easy to see when you simply take a minute to read about some of the stories of kids who have died with flu this season…
a preschool aged child in Virginia died with the flu (Jan 2026)
a previously healthy 4-year-old in Utah died with the flu (Jan 2026)
an unvaccinated two-year-old in New Jersey with no previous medical problems who died after developing a high fever and seizures (Jan 2026)
a previously healthy unvaccinated teen in Ohio died with the flu (Jan 2026)
an unvaccinated teen in San Mateo County, California, died with the flu (Dec 2025)
a child in Sacramento County, California, with no underlying health problems died with the flu (Dec 2025)
an unvaccinated child in Kenton County, Kentucky, died with the flu (Dec 2025)
And this is just a handful of these kinds of tragic stories.
Remember, on average, about 130 children die with the flu each year.
Of course, there was nothing average about last year’s flu season, when there were 289 flu deaths in children and teens, the most ever recorded!
Not surprisingly, to go along with the record number of pediatric flu deaths, we also saw higher numbers of unvaccinated children.
“Whereas approximately 80% of pediatric decedents who were vaccine-eligible had not received seasonal influenza vaccine in previous seasons (6,7), during the 2024–25 season, approximately 90% of eligible children with known vaccination status who died from influenza were not fully vaccinated.”
MMWR - Influenza-Associated Pediatric Deaths — United States, 2024–25 Influenza Season
And many of these children were previously healthy.
“Among 262 pediatric decedents with available information on medical history, 148 (56%) had at least one reported underlying medical condition.”
MMWR - Influenza-Associated Pediatric Deaths — United States, 2024–25 Influenza Season
So if you are doing your research and trying to decide whether you should get your kids a flu vaccine, know those stats.
“The AAP recommends annual influenza vaccination of all children without medical contraindications starting at 6 months of age.”
Recommendations for Prevention and Control of Influenza in Children, 2025–2026: Policy Statement
Know that previously healthy kids die with the flu, and you can reduce that risk and their risk of being hospitalized with a yearly flu vaccine.