2 Year Old and the Flu Vaccine

The H1N1 virus is so contagious. My entire family got it with in a weeks time! It started with my 3 year old son. He ran a 103 fever. Then my husband, my 2 year old daughter, and finally I got it. Although it spreads like wild fire, the virus was not as bad as everyone said it would be. We only ran a fever for a day, and we were a little achy for about 3. Crazy thing was, we actually enjoyed the "family time" with eachother. Flu shot or not... the H1N1 is not as bad as the media portrays.

My 2 year olds doctor highly recommends the shot... but they are out! My Walgreens doesn't give it to anyone under 9 (they don't carry pediatric doses)I'm finding that getting the seasonal flu shot for her a real challenge, but I'll let you know if I do find some out here. My understanding is that there is the seasonal flu shot now, and later there will be 2 H1N1 shots to be given 3 weeks apart from each other. My daughter will be getting these as we are expecting a baby in January and she is in a playgroup with lots of little ones who have school age siblings (plus she grocery shops with me- which is scary enough as far as germs go!).

Your doctor may just be more cautious with vaccines and I think that is ok. Our pediatrician recommends the flu shot, but our chiropractor (who we use for general health too) does not agree with vaccinations unless you have a compromised immune system. They have so many toxins that, regardless of what drug manufacturers want you to believe, have been linked to autism and other long term problems. The smaller the child, the more likely they are to be affected, so maybe that is where your doctor is coming from.

I personally have vaccinated all my children, but we will NOT be getting anymore flu vaccinations and definitly not the H1N1 vaccines.

GL!

My pediatrician gives both my kids (ages 2 and 7) a flu shot (or flu mist) every year. I think you should get your child one. Right now they are only for the regular flu. The swine flu shot is not out yet.

i vacinate my son each year since he was 8 months and he is ok i just go to wic offices to get the influenza vaccine one per year ,also i don't think i will get my child vaccine for h1n1 because people don't know the risk they will start giving the vaccine without even trying so is out of question .
people died every year for influenza related complication so the people who died for h1n1 because they don't go to the dr. until they show advance pneumonia(sp)a friend of mine has a son who was infected with h1n1 and he is good he is a happy boy because he go to the doctor ontime.just try to boost up the inmune system with food,vitamins and he will be okay.

don't roisk your child health with a vaccine you don't really know the side efects and don't panic.

G.:)

My kids have both gotten the flu shot since they were 1 year old. We do the shots in lieu of the mist because their allergies keep their noses so stopped up most of the time I'm afraid it wouldn't be as effective. The 1st time your son will have to have 2 shots - each about a month apart. Not sure about the mist. Most docs I have heard about recommend the vaccine from a year on. Especially this year. You might call around find see about a primacare or minor emergency clinic that is giving the shots and see if they will give them to your son. I would definitely do it. As far as the H1N1 shot - not sure about this one yet. I'm waiting until it is actually out before making a decision. I was against it but my son has asthma and we really want to do everything we can to keep him well.

Most people in the medical field recommend the flu shot for children 6mo up to 18 and adults over 50. My daughter got one last year when she was 9mo and will be getting it again this year. Good luck!
FYI...my pediatricians office is out, but you can get them at some CVS for children over 18mo.

All 3 of my children have had the flu shot at ages 6 months and up. I think it's better to protect them than to risk getting the flu.

yes, 2 year olds get the flu shot and they are in the high risk group for H1N1 and are supposed to get that shot first. Did the Dr. say why he recommends against getting the shot? I think the benefits always outweigh the risks.

Most pediatricians recommend the flu vaccine for kids from 6 mos and up. I know my daughter has asthma, so we definitely give her one. She gets anything respiratory that comes her way. So... I would recommend it. I wouldn't recommend the mist type for little kids though. It is usually a live virus vaccine, and so it's harder on the body (especially respiratory system) than the shot.

Just FYI, the H1N1 vaccine works just like the regular flu vaccine. What many people don't know is that the flu shot is different every year. They CDC basically makes an educated guess as to which strains of flu are going to be prevalent in the coming year, and they put those strains in the flu vaccine. The H1N1 vaccine is the exact same thing as the regular flu shot, just made with the H1N1 virus. If the CDC would have been forward thinking (what can you do... it's the government) they would have just added the H1N1 virus to the regular flu shot so everyone would only need one shot. It's not made with anything new or untested. It's the same shot, different strain of virus, just like every flu shot every year.

Still, if your child has asthma or respiratory issues, wait for the actual shot... not the mist.

There are several things to consider before deciding to get the flu shot for your son. One, you have to reasearch the different types & manufacturers. Flu shots are one of the few vaccinations that may still contain mercury. How much mercury depends on where it is added in the manufacturing process. Mercury is a highly toxic substance. Another concern to research is the amount of aluminum in the different vaccines. This is in all vaccine injections. Your son will also need two injections if he's never had a flu shot previously. If you go to Dr. Sears' website, he has a lot of good info. there to help you in your decision. You also need to understand that there is no guarantee that the flu shot will even prevent you son from getting it. As for the H1N1, it is a seperate vaccine. I would not rush out to get it until you see the types of reactions people have that first get it. The last time there was a swine flu vaccine, a lot of people got sick and died so I am very wary of it, especially for a child. Good luck in your decision.

My doctor practically insists on the flu vaccine. He talked me into it when I thought I was against it. I know for sure that he got the flu mist at 2, but he may have also received it at 1 yo. I will not be getting the H1N1 vaccine. I feel like this has been rushed and like the other poster, I worry about unforeseen side affects and reactions. Instead we will be vigilant about hand washing and seek immediate care if symptoms arise. I am not sure about CVS, but Walgreens won't give flu shots to kids under the age of 9.

i think you need to confirm with the ped's office whether they are not recommending the regular flu shot or the h1n1 (swine flu) shot. It is typical for a 2 year old to recieve the regular flu but might not recommend the h1n1. i'd check with your physician and request the reasoning behind either/both.

I got the flu vaccine for myself and will probably do my almost 3 year old son's vaccine next week. Initially, I would say no because he's not in school or childcare, but we do go to the park, to the library's storytime, and gymnastics class so he's around children. I do not feel any peace about giving him the H1N1 vaccine because there's not enough information out. Like one poster said, it seems rushed. At the time I made this decision, they couldn't even tell us yet if it will be a one dose or two dose vaccine! (I read about it online, asked 2 pharmacists, my obgyn, and my doctor...noone could give me enough information). If they don't even know that, but plan on giving it to people, it seems like a total crapshoot and they're just injecting stuff into my son without a definate plan. No thanks! My personal thoughts are that we'll practice good hygeine and nutrition, get enough rest, and with the regular flu vaccine helping to keep that down, if anything looked wrong, he'd go to the doctor for immediate evaluation. That's just my personal opinion.
In addition to that, my grandma told me that they all took "swine flu" vaccines in the 70s, they were highly encouraged to do so "or else", and a lot of people had ill effects and a lot of people died from it. My grandpa, stationed in Egypt at the time, came home reading the news and asked "why in the world would you take that?" and she answered "we were told to by people who were supposed to know....you would have taken it to if you'd been here". It was removed from the market, after so many people took it. She also talked about the "cold vaccine" they used to give years ago, and how she had a cold that she couldn't shake all winter because of it. They removed that from the market as well. How many lawyer commercials do you see where they're doing class action lawsuits against yet another drug that has been approved by the FDA but later pulled off shelves for detrimental effects? I personally just don't want to be a guinea pig; if it were tried and true for years, I wouldn't have an issue with it.

A.,

I agree with Nina M. As a mom of 6 18-18 mos, I did not vaccinate my last 4 because of how many shots they give and the risks. Do your research. You will have to do your digging as there is more positive than negative info. The government makes money off of every vaccine given good or bad for us. Please look into it as much as you can. This is your childs health and believe me we are decieved more on this issue than most medical ones. I pray you find what you need. God Bless.
E.

My daughter is 15 months and got her first flu shot at 6 months and she just got one for this year. If he has never had the flu shot he will have to take it in two doses. The H1N1 I am not so sure about. There doesn't seem to be enough information about the shot yet. My daughter has her next checkup in December, and I am hoping there will be more information to help me make a decision by then.

I would look into a new pediatrician before you decide. I have a 3yr old and his pedi has given him the shot all 3 yrs. I was concerned about the vacines, but my doctor reassurred me of the benefits and the risks, which I will tell you the risks are far greater if you do not have the shot. Hope this helps.

I'd further investigate why your pedi doesn't recommend the shot for 2 year-olds. Do they delay vaccinations in general? That may have something to do with it. Your son is eligible for the flu shot unless he's allergic to eggs. Then he can't get it because one of the ingredients in it has to do with egg. If this is his 1st flu vaccine he will need two shots for the seasonal flu (a booster). CVS Minute Clinics administer the flu shot to children but regular CVS or Walgreens stores only will with a prescription from your doctor. He will also need the H1N1 shot - different strain of flu- and now, they're stating that it's crucial for 2 & 3 year olds to get it. They're saying it will be available later in October, so in total he would need 3 shots.