Are You Giving Your Kids a Flu Shot?

I don't even tell my son when he's going to get shots until the doctor says "time for your shot". This way he doesn't get anxious or panic. Afterwards, I let him pick what he'd like (ie. matchbox car, ice cream, etc).

Also, before his kindergarten immunizations, I read him "The Berenstain Bears Go to the Doctor". It talks about getting shots and how some medicines are to make you better after you're sick, and some are to make sure you don't get sick in the first place. This really helped my son understand what it was for.

My whole family gets the flu shot every year. I think some people mistakenly think it's to cover the stomach flu and it's not. It's for the upper respiratory flu - the real "flu". Someone below had mentioned getting the flu anyways but I don't think it was the real flu but just stomach bugs. If they had the real flu they would know it :o)
J.

I agree with Jessica. Why tell them in advance and have them all anxious and scared. Wait until you are at the doctor's office, then tell them both that the nurse has to give them medicine in their arm - so they don't get "sick" because of "son's name" going to preschool. Tell them it's only a little pinch of medicine and it will only sting for a minute.
The shot really doesn't hurt O.. It's just a pinch.
Keep them occupied with something or looking at you, when she gets ready to do the shot. "singing" ect.... Good luck.

my 3 year old got hers today. Every single winter we ALL end up with the flu...when she was 6 months old she was hospitalized due to severe flu and dehydration. Last year we got the flu shot for the first time, all of us, and NONE of us got sick! We were even around our friends who ended up having the flu, still none of us got sick. We won't be going through a winter without them ever again. Not after seeing my tiny baby with an IV from the flu.

We get our flu shots every year--we have an appt in a week or so. I'm not looking forward to dealing with that with a 5 and 2-year-old by myself, but I think I'll get them a treat afterwards. :)

But I would definitely do it! I got my latest edition of Parents magazine lately, and in one of the letters people write in, someone wrote in that it's so important to get the shot, because 4 years ago, they lost their daughter Jessica to the flu. It's just not worth the risk.

Maybe it would help if you get a shot first so they can watch and they see you are not afraid. Also tell them it will only hurt little and they pain goes away fast.

I'm a mom to a 33 month old and he just got his flu shot on Wed. With kids hanging around each other all the time and sharing germs, I believe it is needed. What I told my son is that he was going to get a little pinch that would feel like a small booboo and he was prepared. I also stayed by his side holding his hand during the shot telling him what a big boy he was and that I was proud of him. It did the trick. He didn't even cry just a little pout.:0)

my 2 yr old just got one last week at his sister's well-baby, we hadn't planned it till we got there and he started to flip out(having just seen his sister scream at the shots, no kidding, eh), but then i just told him he was going to get a prick in the arm, and it might hurt a bit, but it will keep him from feeling yucky- and then he sat and took it like a man =) by that age, they are already able to reason like that, also i think it helped that the dr gave him a big boy sucker already too....

I get my daughter a flu shot every year because she is at risk due to being borderline asthmatic. She got the flu at age 2 and I missed a week of work unpaid, we went to the doctor 3 times so 3 copays plus a visit to the E.R. and I was freaking out she was so sick. She slept 17 hours straight and I couldn't wake her up. She didn't get out of bed at all. After that I'm like forget it. I am a huge fan of flu shots. They say toddlers and preschoolers are the biggest group to get it and pass it on to the rest of us, they play very close together, share alot of things in general, put things in their mouth, and handwashing isn't the greatest at that age.

My daughter is 5 and this year I messed up. I told her she was getting a flu shot and made her a nervous wreck and she had alot of anxiety. I went first to show her how easy it is. When is was her turn it was very hard to hold her down and the nurse ended up bruising her at the injection site because she was flopping all over the place. (not the nurses fault) so next year I'm not telling her. She'll be told were going to the doctor and I'll leave it at that. I tried to explain to her how wonderful a flu shot is and how she would hate to be sick like she was when she was little and she didn't really care the only thing in her head was the word "SHOT"! But no regrets for 5min. of hysterics it is worth it to me to get her one financially and medically. So your a smart mom for choosing to do this.

I just want to add that the flu shot doesn't protect against viruses, stomach flu, and other stuff going around. So many people confuse the stomach flu with the actual flu. The real flu is more of a respitory thing with fever, chills, body aches etc. It's not a throw up and feel better thing. That's why children with asthma can get so bad because it's a RESPITORY thing.

Hi O.,

I'm a 50 yr. old mother of ten...25 down to almost 5 now. Flu shots I've never given my kids and with 6 still 17 down to amost five in the house I haven't had colds, flu, bronchitis, etc. since I started using a wholehouse air purifier in our home in November of 2002. Kansas State University and my kids have proven that it removes bacteria like viruses, e.coli, salmonella, staph & candida even off of surfaces (air touches all surfaces right...if it's powerfully purified air it works).

I'd rather purify than give them shots. Maybe your son's preschool would be interested in such a purifier too. Even when my kids go out and about and come home with a cough or sniffles....they just sleep and breathe in the purified air all night and it's gone within a night or two at the most....it's not a medical machine but it sure makes a difference breathing purified air indoors. Plus the pet odor and mold spore elimination, etc. is well worth it.

B. in Eau Claire, WI

Hi,
We as a family of five went togather 2 weeks ago and got our first flu shot. 11 yr old, 5yr old, 2 yr old. I asked the nurse to take one child in at a time, so they don't have to watch each other. I didn't tell the kids, but the oldest figured it out in the waiting room. My 5 yr old was very mad after it was done, so I think I should of explained it beforehand to her. My 2 yr old didn't flinch becaues they had the sticker drawer open and she was eye balling that the whole time, we all got a chuckle.
I gave all the kids tylenol before we lefted. And we did reward the kids with Mcdonalds for dinner.
Good Luck, I think it's worth it!!
-M.

I took our 5, 4, 15month old boys to the shot clinic by myself. They new what was going on but I did not tell them that it was going to hurt. I just told them that if they co-operated with me and got it done they could get a treat. I did my oldest first on down (the youngest tends to take it the worst) With two kids in school and a new baby on the way we figured we had best get everyone covered.
I think if you are positive and encouraging their does not need to be any talk about pain or anything else. A promise of a treat helps too!! Our youngest is too young but our other two ended up with a kiddy cone from McD's.
Good luck!

Hello, I have 2 girls 6 months and 5 years old and we just got flu shots yesterday. I told my oldest that she was getting the shots and explained that they would feel like a pinch. She was fine until the nurse brought in the actual shots and she saw them. After the whole ordeal she was fine but played the sympathy card the rest of the day. If I were you I would just tell him what he was going to do and then be prepared!!! My daughter fought so hard to get my husband to let her go that she ended up popping all the blood vessels under eyes! So we told her that she did such a good job that we went for ice cream afterward! No matter what they will be fine. Honestly, I think that I had a harder time with it then they did!!! Good Luck.

my son has gotten the flu shot every year for the last 4 years. all we told him just before the shot that this was to help him from getting very sick. and then we had a special toy at home for him after the shot as a surprize. so with him knowing that there was a surprize at home waiting for him the shot didn't bother him.

I already got my child a flu shot. He cried for a few minutes but he was alright after that. He didn't experience any of the negative side effects that we were warned about so my son is good.

hi i dont tell mine either.. if i do i cant get them both out of the car to get them..lol.. when we are up there my daughter knows as she 9.. if she gets it without fighting she gets to go to her fav aunt house which she loves.. my son is 4 and he dont know till after you grab him and hold him down cuz he fights like a horse and hes 54 lbs and strong.. so its better he dont know.. and he gets what he picks movie rental, ice cream cone, match box car.. my kids get one every year. my son has athsma and if i can help some what for him not to get sick im gonna do it.. hope this helps you.. hugs and hope it goes ok..