Are You Getting LO a Flu Shot?

meltoine

DS's pedi asked me yesterday if I wanted to give him one. I hadn't really thought about it. I've never gotten a flu shot. What are you doing? Why?

blossom_0826

I'm interested to see responses to this as well.  I've never had one before, not even during my pregnancy.  So I'm not sure about getting one for DD.

EVA116

I am going to get her a flu shot. Doc told me that her getting the flu would be way worse for her then if  an adult got it. I don't want her to get sick. Doc told me she is perfectly fine to get the shot.

SeussicalOne

Yes. He got the first half at his 9 month appt and goes back in a few weeks for the second half. Even though I SAH, he does go to the church nursery and we go out in public so I want to protect him as best I can. The flu is no joke.

CarrieLiz

DS got the first one at his 6 month visit.  We chose to get it mostly because my family has been getting them yearly since my father's stem cell transplant five years ago.  None of us have gotten the flu since getting the shot, so I'm operating under the assumption that it works

ms12345

I hope this thread doesn't turn into a heated moralistic debate. This seems to be one of "those" topics on TB.

That said, DH and I have never gotten a flu shot and don't intend to. DD needs one by law for daycare.

HenHen25

DS got one at his 6 month appointment. The flu can be pretty dangerous for small babies, so I'm not taking any risks.

mmarsac

HenHen25:

DS got one at his 6 month appointment. The flu can be pretty dangerous for small babies, so I'm not taking any risks.

This.  They can run a super high fever with it.  DD and I are getting our flu shots at the same time.

CaniacMom

My LO is going for his 9 month check-up on Monday.  I think I am going to get a flu shot for him.  I got my first one last year while pregnant.  I had the flu about 7 years ago and it was terrible.  I usually catch it every 6-10 years so I want to avoid getting it again.

 I will also take 14yo in for his shot in the near future as well as schedule an appointment for myself.

 

LuvMyBobs

DS got his at his 6m apt 2 weeks ago and I am going to get one ASAP (I just got over a cold last week and have to be symptom free for 2 weeks) DH will be getting one too.

 

GHBEA

I have respiratory issues as well as my oldest DD so yes all 6 people in my house will be getting the flu shot.   DH got his at work yesterday the rest of us go next week.

RSMom32011

I've never gotten the flu, and I've never had the shot. But with that said, DD is still getting one. I don't want to take the chance of her catching it at daycare.

chardonnay24

Yes. I would have gotten one anyway, but he had a bad cold over the summer that landed him in the ER because he was having trouble breathing. I never want to be as terrified as I was watching my baby writhe and gasp for air. I will do anything I can to prevent him from getting that sick again. The flu is nothing to mess around with, especially in a baby.

GreenFlamingo7

Yes. LO will be getting his 1st flu vaccine in 2 weeks, and the 2nd flu vaccine at his 9 month appointment. I will be getting my flu vaccine in 2 weeks at my Army Reserve unit, DH will be getting his flu shot at work at his clinic.

We are choosing to vaccinate because the benefits outweigh the risks. When I was working at Ft Hood I ran the vaccination program for the Family Medicine clinic. I've read every single vaccine patient and provider insert for all of the vaccines that we carried at the clinic, including the inserts from all of the different manufacturers. I've read the CDC's, AAP's, and WHO's guidance. I've read up on the studies. I know what additives are in what brands, and what the risks are for those particular additives. I know what the side effects of the vaccine are and I know what the potential issues are that can arise. I have looked at the stats listed on the VAERS system. My LO has no contraindications to receiving the flu vaccine, my pedi recommends the vaccine, and my husband and I both work in healthcare and are exposed to the flu every year.

Despite the risks of complications and side effects, the risk of severe illness from influenza is greater. I know that the vaccine will only reduce the risk of developing 3 strains of flu out of hundreds- but it is a risk reduction measure that I feel is beneficial.

GreenFlamingo7

GhostMonkey:

He got the first round at his 6 month appt, second will be on Saturday. Judging by some of the comments here, I don't think some of your pedis realize they changed how they are giving. Anyone under 9 years receiving it for the first time is supposed to get two doses a month apart. It's new for this year.

It was recommended that way the past two years as well. Not sure about before that as I wasn't schooled up on childhood vaccines until then.

Even with the recommendation in place, and explained to parents, getting those parents to bring their kids back to the clinic was hell. We probably only had a 50% compliance rate. I even had my LVNs doing calls to the homes of the kids to remind the parents and we still couldn't get everyone to come back in.

chicsub

Speaking of the second shot, does anybody have any info on effectiveness of only doing 1 of the 2?  DD got horribly sick after her last round of vaccinations (nobody else in our household has been sick or got sick since then and she's not in daycare or any classes yet) and I'm hesitant to get the second one.  I realize it could have been any of the vaccinations, but she was too sick to nurse and I don't want a repeat of that. 

stilts1

Yep!  Our LO just got her's at her 9 month check-up last week....and will get a booster next month.  I figured I rather her cry for a few mintues than experience the hell that is the flu.  I realize that it's not completely fool-proof, but it's something I can do to minimize the risk.  I'll be getting one as well....

violaplayer

Everyone in the house but Ethan will be getting one. (Ethan reacts to eggs). I have asthma and they are babies, so we have serious risks if we catch the flu.

cyn-d

Yes. DD(6.5 mos) will get hers, DS(5 yo) will get his, and I will get mine, next month. (DH doesn't feel the need for one for himself) I've had a flu shot for the past 10 yrs or so (2 of those years I was pregnant), and DS has had his each year ever since he was 6 mos old. Never had any complications...hopefully never will.

aktemple

GhostMonkey:

He got the first round at his 6 month appt, second will be on Saturday. Judging by some of the comments here, I don't think some of your pedis realize they changed how they are giving. Anyone under 9 years receiving it for the first time is supposed to get two doses a month apart. It's new for this year.

My pedi said she had to get two shots: 1st at her 6th month appointment and 2nd at her 9 month appointment.  Is that incorrect? Why does it need to be done within a month?  

aktemple

GhostMonkey:

aktemple:

GhostMonkey:

He got the first round at his 6 month appt, second will be on Saturday. Judging by some of the comments here, I don't think some of your pedis realize they changed how they are giving. Anyone under 9 years receiving it for the first time is supposed to get two doses a month apart. It's new for this year.

My pedi said she had to get two shots: 1st at her 6th month appointment and 2nd at her 9 month appointment.  Is that incorrect? Why does it need to be done within a month?  

I was told at least a month apart. DS's will be 6 weeks. I never noticed the 2 shot thing prior to this year, but I didn't pay attention to it much. The CDC page makes it seem like it is new this year.

Thanks for the clarification. I wanted to make sure I didn't need to call back and get something scheduled faster.  

aktemple

At out pedi office you don't have a choice to opt out of shots.  They follow the AAP guidelines.  If you don't want to follow those guidelines you have to find a new doctor. This may not be for everyone, but it works for us.  They go over this in detail before they take you on as a patient and they have signs up all over the lobby stating that if you don't follow the schedule you will be asked to leave the practice. 

SecondTimeinMSU

We got our round 1 on monday and I have an appointment to go back for the second next month.Will it be two doses then until he is 9 or just for the first time he gets it? It sounded like the latter from what I read but I wasn't 100% sure. We decided to vaccinate since I remember how terrible it was for my nephew when he got the flu when he was about 1 so I am hoping to reduce our odds of having to go thru that with DS.

SweetGirlC79

I happen to agree with you too.  I am going to let my DS get his flu shot too because I am going to start putting him in the church nursery and my mom is going to start putting him in the daycare at the gym so she can work out during the day.  I rather keep him as protected as possible.  It's worse if he would get the flu than if he got the shot you know. 

teshy1

Yes.  DH and I get one every year, and we agreed that DD should get one, too.

chicsub

It's just for the first time, not every year that they get two.  FWIW, they did this in 2009 for DS, so I'm not sure when it started.  He had the H1N1 and two flu shots on top of it.

SeasideBride06

Yes, DD#2 will be getting the shot(s).  DD#1 has also always gotten them.

My sister is severely disabled and our entire family is pretty much told we have to get them.  The flu could literally kill her.  I skipped getting it about 7 years ago and I actually got the flu that year...it was awful! 

Even though they don't offer it to young babies, I will add that I will never get, or let my children get, the flu mist. 

kwitt22

DD got her first round yesterday. Then will go back in a month for the next one. I personally am not a fan of the flu shot for healthy adults. I got one the first year I worked in my current job bc I work with the public. I have never been so sick in my life as that year. I was almost hospitalized bc I was so sick and antibiotics wouldn't help. Maybe it was a coinidence, maybe not but I wont ever get it again.

Swan21

The Army made me get one every year. I will continue to now so that I don't bring it home to LO. DD already got a flu shot a few weeks ago. The pedi suggested it so we did. He said she has to get a second one in November.

TofuMama7

Yep. Jack got the first flu shot at his 6 month appointment and the booster about a month later. I also got one (for the second time ever, first time being when I was pregnant, and DH also plans to get one). The flu is really dangerous for babies and I didn't want to take any chances.

flhokie

DD got her first shot Tuesday (I got mine that day too) and will get her second one at her 9 month appointment in about 1 month (DH will also get one in the next month). I travel pretty much every week for work so I'm on planes, etc. and work in pharmacies so I will almost surely be exposed to the flu many times this season and I don't want DD to get it if at all possible. 

I've had one every year since I've been doing this job and have yet to get the flu (knock on wood that I don't jinx that by saying it).  

GreenFlamingo7

kwitt22:

DD got her first round yesterday. Then will go back in a month for the next one. I personally am not a fan of the flu shot for healthy adults. I got one the first year I worked in my current job bc I work with the public. I have never been so sick in my life as that year. I was almost hospitalized bc I was so sick and antibiotics wouldn't help. Maybe it was a coinidence, maybe not but I wont ever get it again.

Antibiotics won't do anything for something viral. The flu is viral, as are many other diseases.

You can not get the flu from the flu shot.

It was coincidence.

joyful.girl85

Never gotten a flu shot, never had the flu and am not getting my son one. The thing with flu shots is that it's an 'old' vaccine based off of the last flu going around. They can't predict a vaccine for something that hasn't come yet. Injecting your body with the virus itself to gain antibodies/resistance can't be good, right? 

My son has had one cold in his 22 months of age.. he eats super healthy and sleeps well and has an amazing immune system. I don't want to destroy that. 

lulling

I don't know what we are going to do yet.  I have never had the flu, and never gotten the shot.  My husband has never gotten the shot.  And as far as I am aware he has never had the flu.  Our child won't be attending a daycare as our friend will be watching it in her home.  

If our child is like us and doesn't really get the flu I would hate to pump vaccines into it's system for no reason.  Although, you don't know if they get it or not until they get it.  We will have to think on this one some more.   

akquinn

Yes, it is based off of last season, but they use last season to do their best to predict which strains will be most virulent this season, and considering how many people get the vaccine and do not get the flu, I'd say they do a pretty good job.  The virus is attenuated, so it cannot harm you and it never hurts for you body to have a little extra defense.  You will not destroy your son's immune system by vaccinating.  You will make it stronger... and it's better than the alternative.

valeivegas

DS will be getting one in a few weeks at his next checkup.  He's in daycare so he definitely needs it.  I'm getting one too - I already had a short bout of the flu a couple weeks ago - not fun...

melodybaber

My LO received his at 9mo and we go back next week to get his booster.  I'd rather be safe than sorry.