Kids and flu shot/mist

Luckystar2

Has anybody had their kid get flu mist or going to?

I have to say I don't love the idea of the mist since its a live vaccine but I really don't know enough about it. I just get the shot and we have been doing the shot for dd.

Well dd had her 5 year shots not too long ago and really hated them. The nurse doing them sucked and it made for a not so great experience. What kid likes shots...I know! But dd hasn't minded them too much in the past and that's changed.

If she needed something obviously she would have to have a shot. But since there is an alternative for the flu shot I feel like I should look into it!

Not to mention our pedi office does flu shot/mist clinics (need to go then and not just an appt whenever) and they are mostly flu mist for her age group. I have a hard time every year getting her the shot since they don't do much there for shots in her age. Makes me say why not just do the mist.

So any experience/info? Just wondering what others do with their kids (obviously this is geared towards kids over 2)

egpitt22

we've done the mist for Jake every year since he was 2, no negative side effects!  thanks for the reminder that I need to schedule the kids!

northhillsbride

Well, the shot is the live vaccine, too, isn't it? (Please correct me if I'm wrong!)

We have never done the mist because Gavin has asthma. (I wish he could, though, because he flips out at the mere thought of a shot...it's ugly.) I'm hoping this year is the first we can try the mist as Conall is 3.5 now - it's something I'm going to have to ask the doctor.

I completely didn't think about flu shots because we're having 95 degree temps here - doesn't seem like a pressing matter, but I know the flu can hit anywhere!

lala5507

Both of my kids got the mist last year.  It's still a little uncomfortable to have something shot up you nose but they both did fine.  Neither one reacted any different to the mist (as opposed to the shot) as far as symptoms go. 

AmandaJLewis

another kid with asthma, so no mist for us. But like Gavin, EJ can be a real baby about a shot. Last year she screamed for 10 minutes while they prepped the shot and two nurses had to hold her down.  She gets hers next week at her allergist appointment. So fingers crossed it will be less intense than last years.

MaryM

We do the mist and have since my kids were 2. It has always been easy and uneventful...

egpitt22

northhillsbride said:

Well, the shot is the live vaccine, too, isn't it? (Please correct me if I'm wrong!)

We have never done the mist because Gavin has asthma. (I wish he could, though, because he flips out at the mere thought of a shot...it's ugly.) I'm hoping this year is the first we can try the mist as Conall is 3.5 now - it's something I'm going to have to ask the doctor.

I completely didn't think about flu shots because we're having 95 degree temps here - doesn't seem like a pressing matter, but I know the flu can hit anywhere!

No, the shot vaccine is not a live virus. (which is why when people say they got sick from the flu shot and that's why they don't get it I feel all stabby)

egpitt22

northhillsbride said:

Well, the shot is the live vaccine, too, isn't it? (Please correct me if I'm wrong!)

We have never done the mist because Gavin has asthma. (I wish he could, though, because he flips out at the mere thought of a shot...it's ugly.) I'm hoping this year is the first we can try the mist as Conall is 3.5 now - it's something I'm going to have to ask the doctor.

I completely didn't think about flu shots because we're having 95 degree temps here - doesn't seem like a pressing matter, but I know the flu can hit anywhere!

No, the shot vaccine is not a live virus. (which is why when people say they got sick from the flu shot and that's why they don't get it I feel all stabby)

rona118

We did the mist the last 2 years also. Last year was horrible and I think maybe half ran out of her nose. She will still say how horrible it was. So I think this year we are going to do the shot instead. At her 4 year well visit she had shots and did horrible for that too. So I am in a no win.

I am waiting until October to do the shot though. My mom (a nurse) recently said get it too early and it will not be so effective with 2nd round of flu in March.

waltsgirl102503

My kids do the mist, as well.  We've never had any issues at all.

Meghan&Rich

egpitt22 said:

northhillsbride said:

Well, the shot is the live vaccine, too, isn't it? (Please correct me if I'm wrong!)

We have never done the mist because Gavin has asthma. (I wish he could, though, because he flips out at the mere thought of a shot...it's ugly.) I'm hoping this year is the first we can try the mist as Conall is 3.5 now - it's something I'm going to have to ask the doctor.

I completely didn't think about flu shots because we're having 95 degree temps here - doesn't seem like a pressing matter, but I know the flu can hit anywhere!

No, the shot vaccine is not a live virus. (which is why when people say they got sick from the flu shot and that's why they don't get it I feel all stabby)

Or when people say they have the flu, when in reality whatever they have is not even close to being the actual flu.

Jcubed2003

My son had the mist last year for the first time.  He also had his first nosebleed at some point (a day or two) overnight afterward.  Other than that, no real issues. 

Luckystar2

Thanks! I was just talking to somebody else about it and they were bringing up how the mist might not be pleasant either.

Maybe I will just talk with dd and let her decide. I'm sure she will just choose the mist since she knows for sure she doesn't like the shot. But at least it's her choice.

I'm amazed every year how difficult it is for me to find someplace to do the shot so doing the mist would probably be easier.

egpitt22

Meghan&Rich said:

egpitt22 said:

northhillsbride said:

Well, the shot is the live vaccine, too, isn't it? (Please correct me if I'm wrong!)

We have never done the mist because Gavin has asthma. (I wish he could, though, because he flips out at the mere thought of a shot...it's ugly.) I'm hoping this year is the first we can try the mist as Conall is 3.5 now - it's something I'm going to have to ask the doctor.

I completely didn't think about flu shots because we're having 95 degree temps here - doesn't seem like a pressing matter, but I know the flu can hit anywhere!

No, the shot vaccine is not a live virus. (which is why when people say they got sick from the flu shot and that's why they don't get it I feel all stabby)

Or when people say they have the flu, when in reality whatever they have is not even close to being the actual flu.

OR, when some people (like my husband), get the flu shot for the first time ever after you harass them when pregnant, get bronchitis 5 weeks later and try to blame it on the flu shot.
~X(

egpitt22

Meghan&Rich said:

egpitt22 said:

northhillsbride said:

Well, the shot is the live vaccine, too, isn't it? (Please correct me if I'm wrong!)

We have never done the mist because Gavin has asthma. (I wish he could, though, because he flips out at the mere thought of a shot...it's ugly.) I'm hoping this year is the first we can try the mist as Conall is 3.5 now - it's something I'm going to have to ask the doctor.

I completely didn't think about flu shots because we're having 95 degree temps here - doesn't seem like a pressing matter, but I know the flu can hit anywhere!

No, the shot vaccine is not a live virus. (which is why when people say they got sick from the flu shot and that's why they don't get it I feel all stabby)

Or when people say they have the flu, when in reality whatever they have is not even close to being the actual flu.

OR, when some people (like my husband), get the flu shot for the first time ever after you harass them when pregnant, get bronchitis 5 weeks later and try to blame it on the flu shot.
~X(

smynings_bride

We did the flu mist for the 2nd year in a row with no issues. I was open to either since DD doesn't seem to mind shots, which is weird but her pedi says she thinks the mist provides better coverage from the flu so that's why we went with the mist.

lilly25

rona118 said:

We did the mist the last 2 years also. Last year was horrible and I think maybe half ran out of her nose. She will still say how horrible it was. So I think this year we are going to do the shot instead. At her 4 year well visit she had shots and did horrible for that too. So I am in a no win.

I am waiting until October to do the shot though. My mom (a nurse) recently said get it too early and it will not be so effective with 2nd round of flu in March.

Wow great to know about waiting until oct!! Thank you!! Oh and does your mom say one is better than the other with its coverage?

rona118

Sorry she didn't. She pretty much just deals with the shot and adults.

Luckystar2

Well I asked dd last night which she would rather do and she said neither, ha! But I showed her some videos of kids getting the flu mist so she could understand what it was like and she said she would do that.

So we'll see how it goes! At least after this year she will have had both and can better decide in the future!

northhillsbride

egpitt22 said:

Meghan&Rich said:

egpitt22 said:

northhillsbride said:

Well, the shot is the live vaccine, too, isn't it? (Please correct me if I'm wrong!)

We have never done the mist because Gavin has asthma. (I wish he could, though, because he flips out at the mere thought of a shot...it's ugly.) I'm hoping this year is the first we can try the mist as Conall is 3.5 now - it's something I'm going to have to ask the doctor.

I completely didn't think about flu shots because we're having 95 degree temps here - doesn't seem like a pressing matter, but I know the flu can hit anywhere!

No, the shot vaccine is not a live virus. (which is why when people say they got sick from the flu shot and that's why they don't get it I feel all stabby)

Or when people say they have the flu, when in reality whatever they have is not even close to being the actual flu.

OR, when some people (like my husband), get the flu shot for the first time ever after you harass them when pregnant, get bronchitis 5 weeks later and try to blame it on the flu shot.
~X(

Good to know! And my husband is like yours - blames everything on the flu shot! (Which he doesn't get.) Ha!