DD got her flu shot today.

HawaiiBrideGrm

Wow, they're starting early this flu season... b/c of the swine flu. My pedi, very old school Jamaican dude (he's gotta be nearing 80 y.o.) said that he thinks it may help prevent swine flu as well. Which is great b/c I'm a nurse and am getting coughed on all day long. Although my clinic is pretty good to me, being that I'm pregnant. They send someone in to screen the patients before they get near me. Thank God.

JulieandBen

As a nurse did you opt for the flu shot over the flu mist for your daughter for a reason? I'm just curious. We did the mist last year and plan on doing it again this year unless we learn of reasons not to. We will wait and talk to our pedi about the swine flu shot. Thanks.

Halo79RN

well, the flumist is a weakened live  virus , it is not approved for children under two, some say under 5 (I think 5 was the old school rule of thumb).  if your child had the vaccination in the past, they get one injection. if they do flumist, they will have to come in for the 2 part series the first year they receive it (I believe that is even after getting the injection in the past).  side effects to the injection are generally related to the site of injection (redness, tenderness) or fever ... side effects to the flumist can be runny nose, wheezing, vomiting, headache, muscle aches, fever.  I would also question the effectiveness of administration with young children as they are more likely to fight and pull their head away when administering a med at the face then if you hold them and they get an injection in the leg (just from my experience from giving injections vs taking nasal specimens from children). I'm not sure about effectiveness with the latest H1N1 strain. my understanding is the flu vaccine should include this  (the injection as an inactive strain), I'm sure flumist is covering it too (check their website)???  Let's just hope the darn buggie doesn't mutate... that's the stress about it...watching for mutations. 

 

talk to your pedi about what would be the best course for your child. I'll probably just have the injection given. ds has a history of wheezing with colds... I don't need to introduce anything into his airway that could cause and immune reaction an cause wheezing.  

heehee611

Be careful - it is REALLY early to be getting the flu shot!  There's a chance that by the time flu season peaks (usually January or February) your DD's immunity will have worn off.  I'm a hospital microbiologist and there are very mixed opinions on how long immunity lasts.  But I usually wait until end of October or beginning of November just to make sure.

Halo79RN

heehee611:

Be careful - it is REALLY early to be getting the flu shot!  There's a chance that by the time flu season peaks (usually January or February) your DD's immunity will have worn off.  I'm a hospital microbiologist and there are very mixed opinions on how long immunity lasts.  But I usually wait until end of October or beginning of November just to make sure.

 

good point. but I know there are some h1n1 breakouts in the south...   wondering if we'll have to vaccinate more than once a year given the h1n1 doesn't seem to have a season ???  I don't know. they were closing schools for weeks at a time up here in June.  and with school starting in the south, the rates have increased.  May need for the start of the school year now???  do you know of any pattern to suggest a "season" of h1n1 flu?   I have to admit, I haven't seen the latest ny health dept reports on it. 

HawaiiBrideGrm

heehee611:

Be careful - it is REALLY early to be getting the flu shot!  There's a chance that by the time flu season peaks (usually January or February) your DD's immunity will have worn off.  I'm a hospital microbiologist and there are very mixed opinions on how long immunity lasts.  But I usually wait until end of October or beginning of November just to make sure.

Halo: What flavor of RN are you?

HeeHee611: Yes. This is an interesting point. I have run a flu vaccination clinic for almost 10 years, and have always thought the same thing. However, I brought this up to my Pedi today and he looked at me strangely and said, "Since when does it's protection peak 2 months after administation? I can assure you that that will not happen." He then bought up the point of experts reporting that if we got the flu shot last year, we are probably still partly protected against H1N1. How could that be explained? I honestly think they don't know much yet.

Halo79RN

trauma icu... but I've done pacu and a short stint (1 1/2yr) in a peds acute clinic after dd was born (sah for 10m) and while pg and after birth with ds.   I have to say, while I saw more sick visits (was off hours) and did not give the flu vaccine much, I don't remember seeing flumist in the clinic at all.  cost issue or pedi group preference???  IDK?  it was a large group and in IL so all children had access to coverage and free vaccines.

Emerson2007

We went for my Lo's 4 month checkup a couple of days ago, and the pedi advised me strongly to get my 2yr olds flu shots this week if possible. She told me to give him flumist and that my DH and I should also get flumist over the shot. She told me it worked better than the shot and it covered more strains than the shot. ( I have heard this from other nurses over the years as well). I was also concerned about how they will get my child to do that since he hates nasal aspirators, and they told me they make sure he sniffs it or gets it in before he leaves as most children don't like it. She said 2 was old enough to get it. He will be getting flu mist tomorrow and DH and I are going to our local Health Dept. and paying to get the mist. I think it is $25 each. He travels intl. for business and is on very long plane rides so we don't want him bringing anything home to the kids. I think H1N1 will dominate the flu season, so I will vac. them for that when it becomes available. The flu is no joke for little ones, so I will be overly cautious.