The use of vaccines for the prophylaxis of influenza in children is limited. This is despite high annual rates of influenza in children and despite the complications caused by influenza in children with chronic respiratory illnesses. The disease burden of influenza on infants and young children is reviewed and the potential of recommended influenza vaccination in healthy children, to reduce the direct and indirect health and socio-economic costs, is considered. Clinical experience with a virosome-formulated subunit influenza vaccine in children is presented. These clinical trials in children have shown a virosome-formulated subunit influenza vaccine to be immunogenic and well tolerated, indicating that it might be recommended for immunising healthy infants and children against influenza virus.