Flu shots for little kids?

blackredyellow

I know that we've had flu shot debates on here before, but I'm wondering what the thoughts out there are for little kids.

Our son is 18 months old didn't get one last year, but his pediatrician recommended it again this year. I've never gotten a flu shot, neither has my wife, and we are a little apprehensive about getting a flu shot for him.

It's strange, we've not had a problem with any other vaccinations that he's gotten, but this one just seems unnecessary to us.

Any thoughts from the other parents out there?

pandora

that is scary I would be leary also
my sister in law in the health profession had said that it is required or recommended 6 mos to 18 years I believe cause this flu strikes those with less immunities to the flu like older people have. They are in a dilema over vaccinaytng her granddaughter.
I guess you'll have to research more and see if its as bad a breakout as they expect. Daycare and school would be a factor too- some may require for you to vaccinate to attend as to not spread it there and risk closing facilites

Steve Dunne

touchy subject indeed. some years we've done it, some not. i have 3 young ones. if the kids travel alot and are in schools/daycares, then i would CONSIDER it and let the debate continue. if they are in a 'stay at home' environment pretty consistantly, then i would pass. my opinion only.

arq

Look for a second opinion another pediatrician and if both agree go for it, don't over complicate things, and even if you never had a flu shot doesn't mean that you didn't need it, maybe a lot of people had it a that made less provable for you or your wife to get sick.

covered in bliss

Has your son been really, really sick before? Are you prepared to deal with that? With a fever, vomitting and diarrhea, an 18 month old can become severely dehydrated in a matter of hours. That's kinda why docs highly recommend them for young children. It's very scary and not worth taking a chance over. A child's immune system isn't like an adults... just because you never get sick doesn't mean you've never been infected.

purple_chick79

Dare I ask, why would someone not want a flu shot for their children or themselves? What is this debate over it? Sounds as silly as parents who don't want kids to get MMR vaccinations.

stuckinline

getting a flu shot does not guarantee you won't get the flu. flu shots are made up of the medical community's guess of what strain of flu will emerge, they are often wrong.

purple_chick79

stuckinline wrote:

getting a flu shot does not guarantee you won't get the flu. flu shots are made up of the medical community's guess of what strain of flu will emerge, they are often wrong.

While you are correct, I'm damn glad I got a flu shot last year when the flu went rampant in the nursing home I work in. It was literally almost a month of 100+ residents shitting and puking, then people bring that home to their families. I did get sick, but it was NOTHING like it could have been, and mine only lasted 24 hours. Some people, staff and residents were sick for days on end. It was so bad in fact that the managment did not hold call outs against staff during that time.

_

According to the CDC, severe influenza complications are most common in children younger than 2 years old.

Rygar

purple_chick79 wrote:

stuckinline wrote:

getting a flu shot does not guarantee you won't get the flu. flu shots are made up of the medical community's guess of what strain of flu will emerge, they are often wrong.

While you are correct, I'm damn glad I got a flu shot last year when the flu went rampant in the nursing home I work in. It was literally almost a month of 100+ residents shitting and puking, then people bring that home to their families. I did get sick, but it was NOTHING like it could have been, and mine only lasted 24 hours. Some people, staff and residents were sick for days on end. It was so bad in fact that the managment did not hold call outs against staff during that time.

While I have nothing against flu shots, that is the stomach flu which isn't actually a flu, and not what the vaccine is for. That isn't to say it didn't help you otherwise, but whatevs.

acoustic guy

purple_chick79 wrote:

stuckinline wrote:

getting a flu shot does not guarantee you won't get the flu. flu shots are made up of the medical community's guess of what strain of flu will emerge, they are often wrong.

While you are correct, I'm damn glad I got a flu shot last year when the flu went rampant in the nursing home I work in. It was literally almost a month of 100+ residents shitting and puking, then people bring that home to their families. I did get sick, but it was NOTHING like it could have been, and mine only lasted 24 hours. Some people, staff and residents were sick for days on end. It was so bad in fact that the managment did not hold call outs against staff during that time.

Same here. My wife daughter and I all got the flu last year and b/c my daughter (2) at the time had a shot prior, she had a much much less of a problem then my wife and I . We have been talking about this also. My wife is preggo and my dughter goes to day care two days a week so I am worried for them both. I want my daughter to get shot I think but my mother who thinks doctore no nothing is so against it. She send me all this info about how its bad bla bla bla. Well, I dont believe the doctors are trying to kill us. And my daughters doc has two vey small kids aswell do if he says its good then thats fine for me.

Fifthelement

A little bit of research into past flu epidemics (or flu season in general) reveals that those under five, those over sixty-five and anyone with a compromised immune system have a much higher chance of complications or dying from the effects of influenza.

Fear-mongering in the media aside, anyone in those high-risk groups, or people who work with them should seriously consider getting a flu shot. Yes, as one other poster said, the flu shot that is developed is based on what the specialists believe will be the most common strain, but it will still lessen the effects of any flu virus that you come into contact with.

I'm in the category of compromised immune system (asthma) and I get a flu shot every year. If I do get sick, which only happened once that I can recall, it only lasted about 24 hours. So, in my opinion, it is definitely worth it

TravisTheSky

I have never had a flu shot and I'm not sure if I've had influenza (once, in 2006, I referred to the illness I was suffering from as flu. Friends and relatives all said it was not severe enough- that the virus must put me close to death or it could not possibly be flu. Why can't there be degrees of symtoms with flu as with ALL OTHER VIRUSES?!)...

Do as much research as your time allows! I don't have children so I CANNOT speak for the fear that parents must have about kids becoming ill, and the guilt when they do. Please rely on your own heart and mind, not the opinions of fellow PJ fans.

Earlier today I got a nasty reply to a brief comment I made on another site. I typed, "I urge people to do their own research about the ingredients that go into the scores of vaccines small kids are shot up with nowadays." And about the effects on both the brain and the body in the short term and long term. The respondent suggested I be charged with child endangerment.

So in her world, Ignorance is a substitute for knowledge and understanding. I want people to educate themselves about both sides of the argument. I was not telling people what conclusion to make! I did not say, "My thoughts must be yours." I, personally, was terrified after reading books about vaccines. Other people might turn into vaccine advocates. When it comes to a medical issue, a fully informed decision is the only correct one.

arq

TravisTheSky wrote:

I have never had a flu shot and I'm not sure if I've had influenza (once, in 2006, I referred to the illness I was suffering from as flu. Friends and relatives all said it was not severe enough- that the virus must put me close to death or it could not possibly be flu. Why can't there be degrees of symtoms with flu as with ALL OTHER VIRUSES?!)...

Do as much research as your time allows! I don't have children so I CANNOT speak for the fear that parents must have about kids becoming ill, and the guilt when they do. Please rely on your own heart and mind, not the opinions of fellow PJ fans.

Earlier today I got a nasty reply to a brief comment I made on another site. I typed, "I urge people to do their own research about the ingredients that go into the scores of vaccines small kids are shot up with nowadays." And about the effects on both the brain and the body in the short term and long term. The respondent suggested I be charged with child endangerment.

So in her world, Ignorance is a substitute for knowledge and understanding. I want people to educate themselves about both sides of the argument. I was not telling people what conclusion to make! I did not say, "My thoughts must be yours." I, personally, was terrified after reading books about vaccines. Other people might turn into vaccine advocates. When it comes to a medical issue, a fully informed decision is the only correct one.

You are not going to study medicine to make a real informed decision, you need to rely on scientist (like medical doctors) not just in "on your own heart and mind" both heart and mind can be easily decieived by the circunstances, "mommy feelings" are not science.

Fifthelement

TravisTheSky wrote:

I have never had a flu shot and I'm not sure if I've had influenza (once, in 2006, I referred to the illness I was suffering from as flu. Friends and relatives all said it was not severe enough- that the virus must put me close to death or it could not possibly be flu. Why can't there be degrees of symtoms with flu as with ALL OTHER VIRUSES?!)...

Do as much research as your time allows! I don't have children so I CANNOT speak for the fear that parents must have about kids becoming ill, and the guilt when they do. Please rely on your own heart and mind, not the opinions of fellow PJ fans.

Earlier today I got a nasty reply to a brief comment I made on another site. I typed, "I urge people to do their own research about the ingredients that go into the scores of vaccines small kids are shot up with nowadays." And about the effects on both the brain and the body in the short term and long term. The respondent suggested I be charged with child endangerment.

So in her world, Ignorance is a substitute for knowledge and understanding. I want people to educate themselves about both sides of the argument. I was not telling people what conclusion to make! I did not say, "My thoughts must be yours." I, personally, was terrified after reading books about vaccines. Other people might turn into vaccine advocates. When it comes to a medical issue, a fully informed decision is the only correct one.

To your first point, there are degrees to influenza. You do not need to be near death in order for it to be considered flu (although it might feel like you are ).

To your second point, nasty comments by anyone are not helpful and do not indicate a reasoned and rational argument. Sorry you had to be on the receiving end of that. I agree that people should do some research, but as arq points out, research shouldn't have to lead to a medical degree.

To your third point, I find it more terrifying that people don't vaccinate their children. With most vaccinations there are very little to no serious side-effects for the majority of recipients. When people refuse to vaccinate, i.e. mmr, etc. they are contributing to allowing viruses, many of which have technically been eradicated in the West, to spread and endangering scores of others in the process.

That being said, it's up to the OP whether or not they want to immunise their child from flu.

Peace

TravisTheSky

Fifthelement wrote:

To your first point, there are degrees to influenza. You do not need to be near death in order for it to be considered flu (although it might feel like you are ).

That's what I meant: It seemed like flu to me, but everyone around me believed that flu had to be severe, or else it must be just some random virus. I did not agree with them! They could have contracted flu every year, but if their symptoms were mild, considered it a cold. Perhaps I have had flu many times, but my immune system coped well and I did not recognise it. Influenza could be far more common than people know, if many of us don't become terribly sick from it.