A South Australian mother has spoken out about her heartbreaking ordeal after the flu left her young son with permanent brain damage.

She's now urging families to vaccinate their children, as a new needle-free option called "flu mist" is about to be rolled out.

Three-year-old Clive is undergoing rehabilitation to relearn basic motor and speech skills after contracting influenza B, which he hadn't been vaccinated against.

The infection rapidly progressed, causing inflammation in Clive's brain.

"We got to the hospital, Clive was completely unconscious," mother Monique Bussenschutt told 9News.

"They ran CT scans, MRIs, and it showed significant changes in Clive's brain from influenza B.

Despite five days of intensive treatment, medical professionals have indicated that some of the neuro

See Full Page