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Why does the government now think that Tamiflu is safe for children under 1?

Health Canada has reviewed the available safety data with respect to the use of Tamiflu in children under 1 year old. As there are no other products available for this age group, and in the context of the current H1N1 pandemic, Health Canada has concluded that the known and potential benefits of Tamiflu outweigh the known and potential risks for children under 1 year of age. Treatment decisions remain with your child’s physician, who would consider prescribing Tamiflu after weighing the potential risks and benefits to any individual patient.

Health Canada knows that Tamiflu thus far is effective in treating the vast majority of people who have H1N1, making their symptoms less severe and the illness lasting fewer days. The department now has some evidence that there seems to be less risk in using Tamiflu in young children. By providing guidance to doctors to prescribe Tamiflu for young children, Health Canada is filling a gap in terms of treatment availability and dosing information.

Source:
Frequently Asked Questions - H1N1 Flu Virus. Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC):