Thoughts on flu vaccination for nearly 3 year old?

[Exceptionalroar]

DS has been offered the fluenze nasal spray at doctors. I'm in two minds about it. I'm not particularly fond of giving him anything, but my sister, a pharmacist said I should. I worry about side effects. equally, I don't want a winter of flu!

Any thoughts?

[worldgonecrazy]

Are there any reasons why your child would be more susceptible to flu than others? Do you spend a lot of time with people who would be vulnerable to high risks if they caught flu?

[OneLittleToddleTerror]

My 2yo DD had it and didn't have any side effects. Some people gets a few days of flu symptons. It's up to you really. DD goes to nursery so she's quite susceptible to anything that goes around in the community. The nursery already had their first outbreak of winter bugs this year! (It's hand foot and mouth, and lots of children were sent home).

[OneLittleToddleTerror]

It's not about if she spent time to people who are vulnerable. More I don't want a winter of flu. Proper flu knocks you out for 7-10 days. If you add in all the other illness they are more vulnerable to in winter, it's a lot of time off sick.

[Exceptionalroar]

Nursery is the highest risk and he's there 2 days a week. Obviously that's the worst breeding ground for bugs - last winter was his first there and he was ill quite a lot, which I think is expected when starting out.

[worldgonecrazy]

I guess I should have added, it depends on your child. DD (3) has been very lucky, although she goes to nursery 3 days a week and has done since she was very young, she has never had anything worse than a snuffle or two, and nothing serious enough for me to take time off work.

[OneLittleToddleTerror]

exceptionalroar this is DD's third winter in nursery. First year she got broncholitis and was in hospital for about a week. The second year, she was a lot better in that she hasn't got anything serious enough to end up in hospital. The big one was chicken pox (which she has to stay home until all the pox scabbed over. about a week). I remember I used 10 days of annual leave at the beginning of this year for her sickness before the winter is over. DH also helps out with the days too. It's mostly one or two days of temperature or vomitting. Nothing serious as I said.

The hand foot and mouth is only half day off for us. But little things like this adds up.

[Sleep404]

Depends on your pros and cons. So far this Autumn, DH and ds have had hand, foot and mouth. we've all had nasty throat infections and colds consistently since September and dd and I are off today. Me with a throat infection and dd with vomiting and diarrhea.
So if it was on offer I'd probably let both kids get the vaccine as I'm just so fed up and don't want anything else.
It isn't, so I've arranged through work to get it myself. At least that way I will be able to look after the others if they get flu.

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

It's not just protecting your child. Young children tend to smear snot everywhere/sneeze without covering mouth etc. As such young children are very much implicated in spreading flu. So it's to try and create some sort of herd immunity.

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

Oh, and DD is going in this morning for it.

[OneLittleToddleTerror]

DH and I both had flu vaccines we paid for too. We are just sick of us all falling ill as well. I've forgotten DD had D&V already too this Autumn. That's another day off sick for me.

[worldgonecrazy]

Sleep - that's a lot of sickness in a short time. Is there a particular reason your family are susceptible to illness? We haven't had that much in 3 years, nevermind in less than a month.

onelittletoddleterror I can understand you wanting to ensure you keep your family as protected as possible if you've had a previous scare of a hospital visit.

[Sleep404]

I think it is because ds has just started nursery and I've just gone back to work, so we are both, but ds in particular, infecting the other two.

I've started dd and myself on vitamins, washed all the sheets and aired the house just in case that helps.

[Sleep404]

Ps Ive always had a fairly weak immune system and catch anything going. I think dd takes after me but was going ds didn't as up until nursery he seemed very robust.

[kohl]

Dd and I (preg) have both had the vacc. We've both had a week of flu-like symptoms, but rather that than proper flu. Is there a special reason for her not to have it?