Flu Shot

Kim - posted on 10/21/2010

Once my oldest hit preschool and was bringing home more germs, I opted for the flu shots for all the kids.

Frances - posted on 10/21/2010

Hi Marisa, and to get right to your question which is a very good one if i may add, my grandson is turning a year old, and i sure would love to no the answer to that question , so that i can share it with my son.if find out please feel frre to contact me at frances1956@yahoo.com, please put in subject, Flue Shot for baby.Thanks.Be Bless

Barb - posted on 10/21/2010

ABSOLUTELY NOT. Children already have too many vaccines in their tiny bodies. Rather than go on I am with Joy. The flu is always changing it's strain. I've had one flu shot and I was very young. We do not need all the vaccines we are told we need. It also depends on the person.

DELETTA - posted on 10/21/2010

Thanks for the insight!

DELETTA - posted on 10/21/2010

PROBABLY IN YOUR SITUATION I MIGHT WOULD DO THE SAME. BUT I HAVE NEVER BEEN ONE TO RUN MY KIDS TO THE DR. EVERYTIME THEY SNEEZED (NOT SAYING YOU DO) AND LOTS OF MY FRIENDS DID AND THEIR KIDS SEEMED TO BE CONSTANTLY SICK. LIKE I SAID WE ARE A HEALTHY FAMILY WITH LITTLE SICKNESS AND I BLEIEVE IT IS IN PART BECAUSE WE BUILT UP IMMUNITIES TO MANY THINGS AND ABOUT THE WORST THING ANY OF US HAVE IS SINUS PROBLEMS!! THANK GOODNESS THAT IS ALL. I BELIEVE THAT OUR OVER ALL BODY MAKEUP (GENES) HAS A LOT TO DO WITH IT AS WELL. THANKS FOR THE TIP THOUGH

Kellilyn - posted on 10/21/2010

chicken pox is required unless you have a dr note-but since my hubby gets shingles-i had dr permission. i wouldn't have gotten it for them anyway. the kids born in 1995 have not yet reached adulthood. still unknown side effects. there are many vaccines not required by school hep-a and a few others.

Hannah - posted on 10/21/2010

go with your pediatrician (i'm married to one), but fyi this year's shot (as always) is a combo shot (still one shot) that covers the h1n1. Your ped should know, but toddlers and babies are not allowed to get the nasal mist (live virus). I would recommend it if your child goes into childcare/mdo, has asthma or other airway-restrictive happenings (RSV has also started early this year), or if a member of your family (or someone you see often) is going through chemo. Hope this helps!

Laura - posted on 10/21/2010

I work for a public health department so I may be biased but I'm also exposed to a lot and in a higher risk population. I get it annually and so does my daughter. My husband chooses not to. Talk to your pediatrician, read up on it. My daughter has never had complications and she's 5. Things to consider: This year's vaccine combines the regular flu with H1N1 and your daughter is entering the age group most at risk for H1N1. Do what makes you comfortable.

DELETTA - posted on 10/21/2010

MY CHILDREN ARE GROWN, NOW AND I HAVE 2 GRAND CHILDREN. I NEVER GOT THEM THE SHOTS AND I DON'T TAKE THEM, WE ARE A PRETTY HEALTHY FAMILY AND I BLEIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BUILD UP OUR OWN AMUNITY TO THESE THINGS, AND THE FLU SHOTS ONLY COVER 1 OR 2 STRAINS OF THE FLU AND THERE ARE MANY AND THEY CHANGE CONSTANTLY. BUT THAT IS A PERSONAL DECISION EACH OF US HAS TO MAKE. GOOD LUCK BUT STUDY AND DO YOUR HOMEWORK TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.

Nicole - posted on 10/21/2010

This is a personal choice. I felt it was unnecessary for my son to get it. I have only gotten it once in my life and that was last year when I was going through chemo. My immune system was compromised by the drugs so I would've been susceptible. First question, did you give her breast milk? Also, I would read up on it and see if it is totally necessary for her. If you want to safeguard her, you and your spouse (whoever is around her a lot) should get it. Also, be really conscientious about hand washing. If you go out, make sure that you wash hands, use anti bacterial gel/wipes to get the "germy buggies" off. Hope this helps.

Allison - posted on 10/21/2010

Do you give your kids the chicken pox vacine? Why to protect them in the event that they should contract the disease? Then give them the flu shot the logic is the same if we can protect our kids why wouldn't we. LOL In the trenches mom

Jennifer - posted on 10/21/2010

As long as baby is 6 months old then they can get a flu shot if you want to get one for her, you have to get 2 a month apart for little kids for them to have full coverage. I plan to get my daughter her flu shot on Monday when she has her 6 month well baby. =D HTH

Teri - posted on 10/21/2010

Yes. She is at the age she needs one along with you and any other family member over the age of 6mths. Just helps prevents everyone from getting sick.

Ginny - posted on 10/21/2010

I personally don't believe in flu shots as not only does it not protect you from all the strains it lowers your immune system. There are things you can do to protect your children and yourself one being vitamin D3 which helps your immune system. Google D3 and do some research.

Marguerite - posted on 10/21/2010

This is the first year I am not getting the flu shot. I am not of fan of the combines H1n1 flue shot.

Patricia - posted on 10/20/2010

The current recommendation is for EVERYONE 6 months of age and up get the flu vaccine.

Beth - posted on 10/20/2010

We've always gotten flu shots ... lately moved the kids to the nasal swab/spray that they're offering to avoid them having to deal with a needle. and they seem to work just as good ... not to mention the kids are SO much happier without the needle prick.

Jualie - posted on 10/20/2010

We just took our son who will be 10 months old on the 28th this morning for his first flu shot. I almost hated to do it but then I thought how badly I would feel if he got the flu and something really bad happened. I would much rather have him take the shot than to chance it and him end up with the flu. They are so little and defenseless that I would rather not chance it.

Layla - posted on 10/20/2010

Vaccines are not mandatory in all states. Many have exceptions. Here in CA you just sign a waiver. Both my kids have had only the tetanus shots and they are both very healthy. I make sure they eat well and sleep enough so that their immune systems are strong. I know too many children who have had severe reactions to vaccines not to question them and how harmful they can be.

Angelique - posted on 10/20/2010

Ask the doc. They can probably sneek it in while she's getting her vaccines and she wont even notice the extra needle. I have a friend who's son got H1N1 and he hasn't been the same since. Sick alllllll the time. Reaks havoc on the immune system. So my opinion is yes she should get it but it's totally up to you:-) I was afraid the first time my girl got it but she didnt even cry for the shot. If she's in daycare or with a nanny and other kids it's probably a good idea:-)

Teresa - posted on 10/20/2010

I would do some research on my own. Read about the swine flu shot reactions in 1976 connected to Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Follow the peace in your heart.

JEN - posted on 10/20/2010

I get it to protect my children from catching it from me, But I would never let my children have it, as I just dont think science has quite got that shot right yet. I would never forgive myself if my child got very ill or worse just because I decided to give em a shot they prob didnt need any way. They are now 7, 5 and 3 and all healthy.

Sherri - posted on 10/20/2010

Kellilyn Robbins - The chicken pox vaccine is mandatory for your child to attend school just as any of there other shots are. Also the chicken pox vaccine was given to US children starting in 1995. So it is not new and has been given to our children routinely for the past 15 yrs.

Stacey - posted on 10/20/2010

it's entirerly up to you. speak to your doc and pead and get as much info as you can before you decide. i have this thing with my kids i must try everything before they have it to see how it affects me only because they can't tell you how they feel. i don't give my kids the flu shot because me and my partner had it and we were crook for weeks with the flu. also you pead will tell you if your child has an egg allergy they shouldn'y get the flu shot.

Marisa - posted on 10/20/2010

It only protects one stand.. what if its not the strand they use in the shot... they can still get sick

Tiffany - posted on 10/20/2010

Most definitely. You are only helping to protect your child and you should get one too.

Barbara - posted on 10/20/2010

I really debated it too.. I had run into a lady who was telling me how horrible the immunizations (all) are so bad for our kids.... How they totally mess up or body's system. She said that she would really research it before going that route. I know the search results will be split. In the end... I don't want to take the chance and then wished that I would have give the kids the shot. I heard that the mist is a LIVE form. I wouldn't do that one again... that is a little too scary.

Beth - posted on 10/20/2010

My father in law, a physician, insists that we get our son vaccinated. He said people our age (20s, 30s, 40s) can get it to be safe or not get it, and still be ok. But he insists that it's safer for children to be vaccinated.

Kellilyn - posted on 10/20/2010

the chicken pox vaccine is also strongly recommended-none of them have gotten that yet either. they have no idea what the long term side effects are. my kids aren't guinea pigs. they only get what is absolutely mandatory according to school-and even then-i spread them out.

Krista - posted on 10/20/2010

You need to get it and so does your baby. All babies over 6 months can safely get the flu shot and it is recommended - strongly!

Kellilyn - posted on 10/20/2010

I have a 11 yr old,a 9yr old and a 3 yr old. All girls. None of them have ever gotten the flu shot-or the swine flu shot. A flu shot protects against only 1 strand of the flu virus-there are hundreds if tnot thousands. They guess at which one will be the most popular that year-and vaccinate against it. Our bodies need to learn how to fight off infection. It's the flu-not cancer. Not worth it to me to have 3 scared,crying kids for nothing. I have never had one,and neither has my husband. Ultimately it's your decision-but it's just the pharmacutical companies trying to make more money.

Jo - posted on 10/19/2010

Yes definitey! There is no excuse for a child or infant to get influenza when it is preventable. If you have ever had the flu and you know how awful it feels I would never want my child to have that experience.

Layla - posted on 10/16/2010

‎"In the US, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) announced in August that "Afluria [the version of Fluvax approved by theFDA for use in North America] should not be used in children aged 6 months through 8 years."

Kelina - posted on 10/16/2010

I've never gotten the flu shot, and won't be getting it for my son. I had the flu when I was 6 and again last year and it's never hit me that hard. I seem to remember having it before i started school as well but as there's no one to confirm that don't quote me on that one! When the H1N1 went around last year I actually asked the health nurse about the vaccines and why we should get them. She couldn't give me a better answer than "because" and from what reading up I did do on the H1N1 I wasn't convinced. Most of the people that died from it had underlying health issues. In fact when I asked the health nurse she said if you've been sick already you've probably had it, which we were pretty sure we had as one of my husbands coworkers had caught it from her daughter. AND in our area they were telling people that if it wasn't life threatening no to go to the doctor or hospital which meant that a lot of H1N1 cases went undiagnosed. The reason I've never gotten the flu shot is because from what the doctors have told me, they guess which flu strains to put in that shot so if they miss their guess, you're going to get it anyways. If my son had health issues like asthma, i wouldn't hesitate to get it for him just to be safe, but if you have concerns definitely talk to your doctor and see what info he can give you other than just that she should have them. Personally I don't think they're necessary, but it's up to every parent to decide whats right for them and their children.

Myka - posted on 10/16/2010

My little boy is 15 months old. He has gotten his flu shot. We all usually take one. He got one last year as well.

Sherri - posted on 10/15/2010

CHICAGO — The biggest study ever to look at the side effects of flu shots in children confirmed that the vaccine is safe for babies and toddlers.

Researchers studied 45,000 U.S. children and found almost no side effects requiring medical treatment during the six weeks after the youngsters were vaccinated.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 90 children under 5 die of the flu each season.

With the shots now recommended for all children younger than 5, the findings are reassuring, said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious-disease specialist at Vanderbilt University who was not involved in the study.

“Linus had a security blanket, and this is a huge security blanket,” Schaffner said. “This is a comfort to all providers, parents and policymakers that we can move ahead with great, great confidence.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15402967/

Sara - posted on 10/15/2010

And as far as H1N1 not being rigorously tested, it's no different from the other seasonal flu shots that have been around for decades. So, I don't really see what the big deal is about that one. They pretty much manufacture all flu vaccines the same way, just FYI. And the deaths "linked" to the vaccine in Sweden were in older people with underlying health conditions. There's no real reason to think that in a young healthy person an adverse reaction would occur.

Sara - posted on 10/15/2010

I got a flu shot when I was pregnant, last year when my daughter was one and she will get one again this year. Personally, I think the benefits outweigh the risks. When I was 16 I nearly died from the flu. I have gotten a flu shot ever since and will continue to get one for myself and for my family.

Layla - posted on 10/15/2010

No. Especially with all of the recent health problems that kids have been having. A few countries , such as Australia, india and (I think) Holland have now banned the flu shot and H1N1 nasal spray for children ages 6 months - 8 years.One baby girl has died and many children have been hospitalized. Doctors and hospitals have been reporting children developing narcalepsy and long term body aches and pains. In addition, a study just came out recently linking the H1N1 vaccine with over 3000 pregnant women having miscarriages and stillbirths. The problem is that H1N1 is now bundled into the seasonal flu vaccine. The long term effects of H1N1 has not been rigorously tested. I'm on my phone so I dont have all the links for the articles Ive read but these things I mentioned can all be googled. I would personally rather me and my family eat well and boost our immune systems and possibly get the flu. At least with the flu I know what to expect but with the shots and sprays I have no idea what kind of possible side effects we could be victims to.

Kelsey - posted on 10/15/2010

I'm definitley gettiung it and so are my kids. I hate to see how my miserable my kids get with a cold, I don't want them to have to go through it if they don't have to. Of course, I'm well aware of the fact they could still get a different strain of it. I'm getting it because I'm a full-time student and can't afford to miss class. Also, next semester my kids may need to go to daycare, they bring home enough colds that we don't need the flu in this house.

Terri - posted on 10/14/2010

Yes, she should have the shot. Talk to your pedicatrician about your concerns.

Jennifer - posted on 10/14/2010

Here in the UK the flu shot isn't given to children. It is only given to the old or people with certain medical conditions or people who work/live with the ill. We also don't have a chicken pox vaccine which I know the US has.

My son has had all the vaccines here in the UK but if they were to start giving babies the flu vaccine I wouldn't make him have it. It only protects against certain types of flu for a start.

Marisa - posted on 10/14/2010

Her Pedi say YES YES YES ! lol But i just dont want to. I didnt want her to get any immunzations at all but i gave in

Dree - posted on 10/14/2010

Marisa my best words of wisdom on this...do your own research on the flu vaccine. Follow your heart. Talk to your daughters dr and see what is suggested. I know my kids the flu shot yearly. They still come down with the flu but its normally only a minor case. I would really hate to see how bad it would be for them if they didnt get the shot. But my kids are also 15 and 17 yrs old. My 15 yr old is special needs so I get him the shot mainly for my own sanity. He is not tolerable of being ill so the less amount of time he is sick the better of my sanity is LOL Myself on the other hand, I decided last year to get the flu shot for the first time ever. I will never be getting it again, however this is simply because I almost died afterwards. Twenty minutes after I got the shot my throat swelled shut, my heart started racing, my pulse sky rocketed, and my blood pressure dropped. (I'm already a heart patient so this was not very good. I had a major allergic reaction to the shot. First thing I was asked was if I were allergic to chicken or eggs and I am not. So in my case they have no clue what it is I'm allergic to that is in the shot therefore I'll never be getting one again. For my kids however, as long as they live under my roof they will be getting it. So with that said I go back to my original statement...Do your own research about it and follow your heart!

Danielle - posted on 10/14/2010

The flu kills. Since the 1960's it has killed anywhere from 3,000-49,000 in any given year. The flu shot, any shot, has some risk. Do your research and weigh the risks.

Lucy - posted on 10/14/2010

YES, YES, YES. Have you ever had the flu? It is miserable and could be fatal for an infant.

Huneka - posted on 10/14/2010

My personal choice is not to give my children the flu shot, I feel their body does a great job of building immunity against illness, they have not ever had the flu (knock on wood) and they are 10 and 12 years old. My husband and I both got the flu shot last year at work, and both of us had the flu over the Thanksgiving holiday, we were careful and neither of the kids got it.

Mina - posted on 10/13/2010

We don't get the flu shot in our home, family with 3 and 5 year old. Never any problems. You should ask your pediatrician, but I believe you should wait until your child turn one. Again, please don't quote me, ask your doctor. Good luck!

Charlene - posted on 10/12/2010

I don't get the flu shot anymore. The last three that I got caused some nasty reactions, so I just avoid them altogether. I'm not sure if I will bother with Gracie getting one.. I'll be talking to her doctor soon though.

Sherri - posted on 10/12/2010

My son has asthma so it isn't an option he gets it every single year. Getting the flu for him is a life threatening situation.