What Are Your Thoughts on Giving Your Kids the Flu Shot

My oldest has asthma and gets terribly sick with just a simple cold will be enough for him to develop pneumonia and my youngest does not have asthma but he develops sinus infections and ear infections with every cold :( They get the flu shot every year. Yes one brand of flu shot this year had bad side effects in children in Australia THE USA IS NOT USING THIS BRAND ON CHILDREN! people need to get their facts straight and not trust every wacko website they read. Last year my boys both got the h1n1 vax but not early enough (takes time for it to work) and my oldest got it and it was a nightmare that I never want to go through again. If I can help prevent it I will. I would feel horrible if either of my kids got the flu and ended up either in the hospital or worse. The flu generally effects the young and the old healthy adults not so much.

I personally don't get a flu shot and my boys will not being one this year. I'm not willing to put anything in my sons body that can and will have long term side effects. This is my personal opinion.

I have no intention of getting it. Even before we all actually got the flu. The number of people who die from the disease is VERY low & from what I've seen & read, are people who should get the vaccine. People who are immuno-compromised & eldery. The average healthy person, while getting sick is no picnic, will do just fine if they do get the flu.

There are odds he can get flu like symptoms from the flu shot. Many will say they've been 20 years without it and have never gotten the flu. Every one will have a different experience because it really is a gamble on how one's body will react to the shot. The flu strain and thus the formula is different every year. I had to get the flu shot growing up because my father had leukemia, so it is something ingrained in me, though some years I forget.

As someone who works closely with pandemic information and community awareness, it's important to note that the flu can be fatal to children, adults, pregnant women, and the elderly, and those with certain disorders. Now, there are reports that the flu death numbers are way too high, but in 1918-1919, a flu pandemic swept through America and killed more people than died in the WW1 at that time.
http://virus.stanford.edu/uda/

Flu vaccines help prevent widespread tragedy such as that. In 2009, there were about 400 deaths from the flu. Though if you add in flu with other complications such as pneumonia, then the number skyrockets is in the tens of thousands. (and yes, Swine flu epidemic did happen, I know many people who got it and ended up in the hospital, my pregnant sister being one of them. Maybe not in vast numbers, but it happened and didn't get out of control because of the vaccine).
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/

If you do constant hash washing, not touch your eyes or mouth in public, and do not have any pre-existing conditions or a weakened immune system, then you may be alright without the flu vaccine if you stay at home as much as possible. That's what we do anyways. But if you are high-risk, such as working with a lot of children or with the public, have diabetes, live with someone with a weakened immune system, have asthma, are pregnant, young child, morbidly obese, have certain blood/metabolic or organ disorders, than it really is recommended you get it.

More information here on prevention and info for specific groups:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/

I don't do it. First of all, the media and our Dr.'s have us all running scared from getting sick. While the flu maybe dangerous to the eldery who aren't healthy in the first place, or possibly to small kids, it is not a bad thing to get sick. It helps build your immunity. And there is so much junk in these vaccines that is not meant to be put into a human body!
Second, there are many. many strains of the flu. So just because you get vaccinated doesnt mean you wont pick up another type. I don't mean to sound crazy, but the pharamceutical companies are very powerful, and they drop our Dr.'s alot of money for pushing their drugs. Drugs there arent really needed, and sadly before all of their side effects are proven as well as their safety. Dont get me wrong, some vaccines are well worth the risk, and have elimnated some bad diseases. But thats not the case with the flu.
Thats my take on it. Good luck, it's very confusing to make the right choice for yourself and your family!

I agree with Peg M and MommaL completely. Over 30,000 Americans every year die from the flu (mostly the elderly and very young), and thousands more are hospitalized with complications. Getting vaccinated with the flu shot is far, far safer than getting the flu. Very, very rarely does the flu shot have serious side effects. The reason that medical professionals encourage us to get the flu shot is because it is far riskier to get the flu than to get the vaccination against it. The flu shot has been available to people since 1976. It is well proved, and has no long-term side effects. It is made the same way other vaccines are.

If you are concerned with preservatives, the preservative free (mercury free) shot is easy to find. I called Las Vegas pharmacies like CVS and Wallgreens and found the preservative free version in minutes. My family was able to get preservative free flu shots earlier this month.

Additionally, you are right about reading that the flu shot is dangerous - there is lots of anti-flu vaccination "information" on the internet. But the sources for these websites are dubious - along the same lines as the websites that claim Barack Obama was born in Africa and the United States Government was responsible for the attacks on 9/11. I had a woman tell me recently that the flu shot was a plot by the United Nations to cause women to become infertile. She teaches anti-vaccination courses in Las Vegas.

So, please, please, please think critically about what you read on certain websites. I find the most reliable information comes from trusted sources like the websites of the Harvard Medical School, the Mayo Clinic and the Centers for Desease Control:

http://www.health.harvard.edu/topic/flu-resource-center

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/flushot.htm#whatare

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/flu-shots/ID00017

Last, don't rely on others' personal experiences. Medical professionals base their findings on science, statistics and an overview on public health. People who claim that nutrition alone will protect you from the flu, or that the flu makes your immune system stronger, are not necessarily guided by science. (http://www.health.harvard.edu/flu-resource-center/how-to-...)

-J.

P.S. One last thing to consider... By getting the flu shot, and thus not spreading the flu around, you are helping people who cannot get the flu shot because they are too young, or immunocompromised, stay healthy. You may even save a life.

Have you ever had the flu? It's miserable. I don't want my kids to be miserable if they don't have to be. I know the flu shot isn't 100% effective against all strands of the flu, but better safe than sorry. Also, my youngest has asthma and gets seriously ill with even the smallest cold. She had h1n1 last year when she was 13 months old (before the vaccine was available) and was hospitalized. It was a terrifying experience. Everyone does what's best in their particular situation, and the flu shot is best for our family.

Both of my kids (11 months and 4 years) just got them as did I. There were no side effects at all. Not sure what long term effects you have read about and I would research who was behind the information.

Flu shots are made the same way any vaccine is made. There's no mystery to it.

One time, I had the flu so badly that I threw up for 8 days straight. I ended up being hospitalized because I couldn't even keep water down. I never want to repeat that experience again, and I don't want my kids to be that sick ever in their lives. Therefore, we get flu shots.

A Mother's instinct functions amazingly well, but all too often is ignored because of the desire to fit into society and obey the Pediatrician... Seriously... With a healthy diet, including a variety of fruits and veggies, along with a whole-food multi and additional D3 during the colder months, a flu shot is not necessary. Heck, a flu shot is not necessary period, but general nutrition support is.

This is coming from a no-vaccine Mom. Where I would not say that you shouldn't vaccinate your children period... That is completely up to you. I will say that the flu shot is completely unreliable and should not be a substitute for poor nutrition and food choices. Even with that being said, I grew up with some poor food choices, no flu vaccines, likely didn't take my generic processed vitamins, and made it through all 28 years perfectly fine. First time I got the flu was while pregnant, and at that, it only lasted 3 days. Granted I have worked with nutritional supplements for the past 6 years and I loaded on D3 when I got sick.

I say, why risk possible side effects, especially when your child is relying on you for the health and safety. Who knows if what strain they think is coming is really going to be the one that is a problem... i.e. the crazyness of the swine flu epidemic that NEVER happened.

We all get the flu shot in my house. For us anything we can do to keep us from getting sick is worth it. Especially with my son now in pre-school he is exposed to so many different things. My husband never gets sick so he hasnt gotten the flu shot since our first was a newborn but with the new addition in the house we all got it.
Its reccommended by doctors for a reason. And as with anything there are always risks.

I have gotten a flu shot every year, as has my husband, and I am not aware of any negative long-term side effects. As soon as our daughter was old enough (over 6 months) she got the flu shot and has continued to get it yearly (she is now 3 and she did get the H1N1 vaccine last year as well as the "regular" seasonal vaccine). None of us have ever had any problems afterwords. We are all planning to do the same thing this year. For me, it is a no-brainer. Vaccines protect against disease. None of us can afford to be laid up with the flu, or take the chance of complications that could result in hospitalization or worse. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

When my daughter was a baby, my husband's ex-wife could not be bothered with having her sons (my stepsons) vaccinated against the flu, even though they would be at our house and around our daughter every weekend. My husband said something to her about it but she pretty much blew him off. And that really bugged me.

we all get one every year. actually we use the flu mist for the boys. i'd rather be somewhat sore for a day (not that it usually happens) if that than be miserable for 5 days, then pass it around the whole family. that being said, we did NOT get the swine flu shot last year. we waited till they had time to work on it. this year it's an all in one shot, so the choice was simple.

I get the Flu shot (preservative free) every year, because I have Asthma.
My kids, get the Flu Nasal Spray version, every year.
My kids and me, have NEVER gotten ANY side-effects whatsoever.... nor have they been sick with the flu nor seriously sick, in any way, from it.

My SD did NOT get the flu shot and hasn't gotten one in years. Last year my SD's mom, her other child, the grandma and grandpa all got flu shots. They all got the flu anyway! My SD was at their house and she did NOT get the flu.

There are so many factors that go into whether a person gets sick. The state of their immune system, their nutrition, even their mental state. The flu viruses are OUT THERE. Why do only certain people catch it?

If your children are usually healthy, their nutrition is good and they are not stressed then they are probably fine without the shot.

Still, it's a choice only you can make.

We will all have the Flu shots,thanks for reminding me.
My family had the Asian Flu many years ago and that was awful...
I never had Flu shots before but decided why not.Why take the chance, with 3 children in school.

So what they do is they guess as to which flu strand actually will be the "popular" one. So if you get vaccine for strand A but strand B is the one that hits hard, then there is no point, but if you get vaccinated a lot then if C is the popular one, and you got C then you should be covered. So it's really a toss up on if you actually get the flu or not.
I personally wont, just because I don't want extra toxins in me and my son. Don't get me wrong, I do vaccinate my son, but the only way for our immune system to get stronger is to have experience (kind of like real life). And I spread out the vaccines so he won't have an overload of everything.

I find it interesting how people post "thousands of people have died from the flu" and yet to put it into perspective, thousands to millions of people have died from other common infectious diseases (just google common infectious diseases). Also, the person who said "not to base it on other people's experience." Well, I researched the effectiveness/pros/cons of the flu shot (which I would hope most people would do, and then make their own decision) - especially with the H1N1 outbreak last year and opted out of it for myself and my LO. I've never had the flu shot and have only had the flu once in the last 20 years - granted I'm pretty healthy, but I attribute my great immune system on eating right, exercise and good clean living and not on a bunch of shots. Now if myself or my LO had other underlying health issues, I would probably reevaluate, but for now I would rather continue to build up my immune system than to use a crutch in the hopes that they come up with the right formula from year to year. I've also mentioned this before, but if you ask three different doctors/professionals you will get three different variations of what they think is best and why.

Also - the flu vaccination is not 100% effective as there are a multitude of strains and some mutating from year to year - H1N1 from last year was a variant of the Spanish flu. Just saying =)

I'm in favor of the whole family getting flu shots every year.
A disease will cause more harm than a vaccine will.
At it's height, the bubonic plague killed 2 million people per year.
The Spanish Flu of 1918 killed 25 million people per year (my great grandmother died of it during the 2nd wave).
With more illnesses becoming more antibiotic resistant, prevention is crucial.
I get very tired of the anti-vaccine rhetoric.
Still, there's a purpose for everything, so invest heavily in funeral homes and crematoriums. It'll pay off big time sooner or later.

I get the flu vaccine for myself and family every year. My son has been getting one since he was old enough (nasal mist this year), and has not had any ill side effects, and has avoided the flu thus far! The CDC is correct when they say you cannot get the flu from the vaccine, though keep in mind that they are only guessing which strain may be going around, so you can still get the vaccine and contract another strain or cold. I work in health care, and personally would much rather get the shot or nasal mist than to get the flu!

I am not sure how old your kids are, but mine are now 5 and 7. I stopped giving them the flu shot at 4 years old. I too was bullied by the doctors that I must give them their flu shot. It is one thing to provide the information to your patience and let them decide, but there are so some doctors out there that scare you into thinking that if you don't do certain things than you are a bad parent. I just have a real problem pumping my kids with all these vaccines year after year when there is so much information for them and against them. Who do you believe???? The worst part is that you don't "really" know the long term affects of these until it is too late. I am 37 years old and I read somewhere that the number of vaccines given now is double or triple the number of vaccines we had to take back in the day. Do we really need to pump our bodies w/ the unknown? In any case the best medicine is to eat healthy foods and exercise. Best of luck to you!

I think that if you practice proactive messures --- washing your hands often, eating a lot of fruits and vegetables, staying away from sugar as much as possible (sugar suppresses the immune system), exercize regularly, then you should be fine without getting the flu shot.

mine got hers 2 weeks ago and gets one every year.

We don't get flu shots. Both our boys are healthy. Our ped gives the flu shot in his office but does not recommend it. He only recommends to children with weakened immune systems etc. I asked my doc who also has a young boy and she said she won't get it for her family or her son. My boys are vaccinated and I believe in getting vaccines just not flu since they aren't really sure what the flu season will bring and you can still get the flu even if you are vaccinated. If your kids are healthy otherwise just make sure they are eating a variety of foods (fruits/veggies), washing their hands, and running around (exercise...).

Hi M.!
I see one poster in favor of the flu shot gave info from the Mayo Clinic.

I am NOT in favor of the flu shot and a report from the Mayo Clinic actually confirmed my decision to not get the flu shot for my family.
In May 2009, Dr. Joshi from the Mayo Clinic reported that the flu shot effectiveness was unestablished and that kids that had been vaccinated were 3x MORE likely to be hospitalized compared to kids that had not received the vaccine, based on a Mayo Clinic study.

My husband had the flu shot one year, after being pressured by his doctor, and ended up hospitalized for DAYS.
I was the only person from my work (health care) to opt out of the flu shot. All 22 of our staff contracted influenza from our vaccinated clients and I recovered in 5 days.......the rest of the staff was sick for 3-4 WEEKS. I worked more overtime during that month than I ever want to admit.

So.....no flu shot for us! Instead of compromising our immunity, we will be boosting it with Vitamin D3, probiotics (healthy digestive tract lends to a healthy body), fish oils and plenty of healthy food (no McDonald's!) and good sleep.

Good luck in your decision!

We don't do flu shots. My son had O. until he was 3, I think.

nope- won't do it. We all had the flu last year and we just ate chicken soup and took a ton of vitamin C. but my family is pretty healthy and I don't really like going to the doctor unless it is something I know I can't handle(I have enough common sense on when to call the doc) but it is up to you- if your kids are prone to sickness- it might be a good thing to look into more. My sister in law gets them for her kids every year but her kids all had RSV when they were little and tend to catch colds more easily. One of my reasons is that there are thousands of flu strains and you will get inoculated for one- whatever one they think will be the most wide spread that year- so you could get a different strain anyway and still get sick.
~C.

we never get flu shots until we found out my son has iga deficiency and he needs the extra protection because his immune system doesnt work

I won't this year!! There are too many kids in other countries that are using the same version as ours and they are getting very sick afterwards. This years shot is also combined with the H1N1 which I think is nothing more than a silly scare made up by the pharmaceutical companies to make money off us and they have the government in they pockets that's why they are supporting it! I'm not even getting it this year either!

JMO
S.

Everyone I know who gets the flu shot, gets the flu all winter long anyway. I'm always reading FB statuses that read, "I just got the flu shot a week ago, and now I'm sick!"
It's not worth it, IMO. We have no idea what is in those shots, there can't possibly be enough time and testing done to see what side effects there may be. The unknowing is too much of a risk for me and my family. My son (5 at the time) drank a bottle of Ensure milk (super vitamins) every day last winter and did not get sick once. I think I will stick to that.