flu shot or mist

mrs. remy · September 2011

I just made an appt for the flu clinic at my pedi's office for DS and they asked if I wanted the shot or the mist. I said the mist since he is over 2 now and I thought that was the only real requirement for getting the mist (besides not being pg, etc). Am I missing anything? Is one preferable over the other? TIA.

boo-bitz · September 2011

They are both the same vaccine, so really there is no difference. Up here the only difference is that the Alberta government pays for the shot and not for the flumist

leslie13510 · September 2011

The biggest difference is that the mist is a live vaccine, and the shot is not. I honestly have no idea if one works better than the other, but you could probably find out the differences on the CDC website.

My kids will probably be getting the shot every year (at least for a while) for a couple reasons. 1. I don't see them handling something being shot up their nose very well. For them, that would be more traumatic than a shot. They're weird about things like that though. LOL. 2. If I remember correctly, the live virus vaccine has a very very small chance of being passed on to other people for a couple days after getting it. This wouldn't be a big deal, except that I don't get a flu vaccine, due to adverse reactions that I personally have. Since they are usually all.over.me. after doctors' visits, that small tiny risk of getting the flu, even a mild form of it, isn't worth it for me.

But yeah, the biggest reason for them getting the shot is that they would flip out over something being shot up their nose, where they barely seem to notice shot needles anymore.

mrs. remy · September 2011

leslie13510:
The biggest difference is that the mist is a live vaccine, and the shot is not. I honestly have no idea if one works better than the other, but you could probably find out the differences on the CDC website.

My kids will probably be getting the shot every year (at least for a while) for a couple reasons. 1. I don't see them handling something being shot up their nose very well. For them, that would be more traumatic than a shot. They're weird about things like that though. LOL. 2. If I remember correctly, the live virus vaccine has a very very small chance of being passed on to other people for a couple days after getting it. This wouldn't be a big deal, except that I don't get a flu vaccine, due to adverse reactions that I personally have. Since they are usually all.over.me. after doctors' visits, that small tiny risk of getting the flu, even a mild form of it, isn't worth it for me.

But yeah, the biggest reason for them getting the shot is that they would flip out over something being shot up their nose, where they barely seem to notice shot needles anymore.

I knew about the live/dead difference but I thought it was inactivated (can't think of the correct word right now) so there is little chance of it making you sick unless your immune system is really compromised. Isn't one of their other vaccines they get up the nose? Rotovirus? I thought I remembered that. Maybe it was down the back of their throat though. But that's a good point, thanks.

leslie13510 · September 2011

mrs. remy:
leslie13510:

The biggest difference is that the mist is a live vaccine, and the shot is not. I honestly have no idea if one works better than the other, but you could probably find out the differences on the CDC website.

My kids will probably be getting the shot every year (at least for a while) for a couple reasons. 1. I don't see them handling something being shot up their nose very well. For them, that would be more traumatic than a shot. They're weird about things like that though. LOL. 2. If I remember correctly, the live virus vaccine has a very very small chance of being passed on to other people for a couple days after getting it. This wouldn't be a big deal, except that I don't get a flu vaccine, due to adverse reactions that I personally have. Since they are usually all.over.me. after doctors' visits, that small tiny risk of getting the flu, even a mild form of it, isn't worth it for me.

But yeah, the biggest reason for them getting the shot is that they would flip out over something being shot up their nose, where they barely seem to notice shot needles anymore.

I knew about the live/dead difference but I thought it was inactivated (can't think of the correct word right now) so there is little chance of it making you sick unless your immune system is really compromised. Isn't one of their other vaccines they get up the nose? Rotovirus? I thought I remembered that. Maybe it was down the back of their throat though. But that's a good point, thanks.

Yep, Rotavirus (I think) was a nose one, and they hated it. For about a month after the last one they wouldn't let you touch their nose, even just to wipe it, and would start flipping out like they did when they got it at the pedi's office. That was so long ago that they might be over it by now, and maybe they'd have no issues with the mist, but it was not a pleasant time. And for me, I can't get the vaccine plus seasonal allergies usually have my immune system pretty overworked anyway. The chance of me getting sick from their mist would still be less than 1%, but they do fine with shots, so there's no point in me taking any of that risk. And it's not something that 99% of other adults out there would even have to worry about.

2bulldogmom · September 2011

This may help:

https://children.webmd.com/vaccines/flu-shot-nasal-spray

mrs. remy · September 2011

Thanks ladies!

macchiatto · September 2011

I'm considered (minorly) immunocompromised and I was told that it's safer for me if my kids get the shot instead of the mist because of what pp said, the small chance of them passing it to me. She said just to keep a close eye on them for symptoms if they do get the mist and keep my distance/be very careful if they do develop them. So I'm torn on which I'll get for my boys. I hate to put them through a shot just for my sake but like pp mentioned they might not be wild about the mist either.

mrsjones06 · September 2011

DS1 had the mist last year based on pedi recommendation & again this year. I was concerned about him getting the live virus this year as we have a newborn at home, but pedi said any symptoms he had wouldn't be contagious. (He got the mist last Monday & hasn't had any symptoms though.) DH was the one who took him to his appointment. He said DS was more upset about being held down than the mist itself, but I guess he would've been restrained for a shot too.

LuvinMyKids · September 2011

Yes, there is a very small chance of what is called "shedding" with the flu mist.

With the Rotovirus, all of my kids got one that they had to drink- a liquid.

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