Toddlers: 24 Months+
saturdaynightdoubletree
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3 yr old - flu shot or mist?
saturdaynightdoubletree
member
Our pedi offers the mist for kids over 2. DS will still need a shot, and although I don't want to torture DD with a needle it might be easier having them both get a shot at the same time. Also, DH has had both, and always has a much harder time after the mist. The pedi says "It's exactly the same, just in mist form vs. needle." I don't really buy it, but also have no idea. Thoughts?
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Re: 3 yr old - flu shot or mist?
I have had the mist myself, while dh and ds have always gotten the shot. I say the worst part of the shot is the needle itself - which is just a tiny pinch. I don't plan on getting ds the mist, because I think it would be a worse fight getting him to snort the mist, rather than a quick shot on the arm.
Just my opinion though.
I was planning to do the shot at DD's two year appointment. I figured she was already getting one shot, what's one more? Plus I get nervous about anything that is newer and the mist is still semi-new.
I talked it over with her pedi and she said that while it's true that it is the live virus it is weakened so it can't multiple. She says they think it might be more effective than the shot because of the way it enters the body and that it seems to have a better defense if they don't guess the flues spot on. So in other words if they make a prediction as to which flues will be bad and are wrong, but get it close enough the mist is thought to be more effective than the shot. She said the only down side in her mind is that some kids get runny noses from it (DD did not). I was kind of concerned as to how my child who just turned two would do with a mist, but she just sat there and let the nurse squirt it up both nostrils. She still talks about it how the nurse 'tickled her nose.' I don't know, but I was sold after what the doc told me.
My dd got the mist last week. She is so nervous going to the doctor already, that I figured it was a win-win - flu protection and no needles. Our pedi talked it up like it was the best thing since sliced bread and she feels that its more effective then the shot, and thats what my pedi and everybody in her office gets. One of my friends did the mist last year and she felt like she was less sick then everybody else, colds included. I figured I'd give it a whirl and see how this winter goes.
DH and i will get the shot, but thats because we have to go to a pharmacy because of our insurance and thats all they will do.
DD didn't have any side effects, just sounded a bit stuffy the rest of that day, otherwise that was it. I told her the nurse was going to "tickle her nose" (just like saline spray) and she loved it and raved for the next 4 days that "nurse karen tickled my nose!".
This is kind of what I was thinking too. Plus, I thought I remembered when I was pregnant with DD that they told DH to stay away from me because it could actually make me sick. So not sure having kids with it would be wise. Hmm. Maybe I'll double check with my OB. Seems like people like the mist though. DH always just said it made him feel like crap for a couple days, and I've only had the shot.
Both boys just got the mist on Monday. DS2 has had a runny nose (bad) for 3 days and almost a fever. DS1 woke up this morning w/ congestion/runny nose.
They both got sick when DS1 started preschool on 9/10 and they had that for almost 2 wks so I feel like they have been sick forever.
From pediatrics.about.com re: flu shot vs. flu mist:
Why? What happened?