DD is unwell after flu vaccine and seems to have flu...

[OldDogNewTricks]

Can this be a coincidence?

I took DD (2.9) for the flu nasal spray on Tuesday. She was absolutely fine when we got there.

It was an early evening appointment. On the way home in the car, she was unusually quiet. When we stopped the car she was sitting with a mouth full of saliva looking as if she was going to be sick (it was a short journey & she doesn't suffer from car sickness). I took her inside and she said she was okay but she was very quiet & also seemed a bit unsteady on her feet at first. I kept a close eye on her (in case she was having a reaction & I had to drive her back to the surgery). After about 30 minutes she perked up a bit, then went to bed at the usual time.

On Wednesday she was quiet & sat on the sofa for most of the day with a slight temp & a runny nose. She had calpol.

Thursday was worse. DD complained that the back of her neck was sore. She still had a severely runny nose, watery eyes, started coughing, was still a bit hot and was not herself.

Today, just the same except the cough is a lot worse & she has a slight wheeze as well. She has been really clingy and.tkept asking me to "take the cough away" . She has spent the day lying with her head on me.

She went to bed as usual & then woke at midnight, vomiting everywhere & burning up. She's gone back to sleep after being cleaned up and given Calpol. I'm still awake because I can hear her coughing constantly & am worried that she is going to be sick again. I also feel very guilty that I took her for the vaccine. No-one we know has had flu, DD is fit normally and doesn't pick much up. I know she could have picked it up but it seems such a coincidence when she was perfectly well beforehand.

Her younger sister (9 months) has also woken tonight with a temperature, her nose is running & she has started to cough.

Now, this may be a silly question... but I will ask anyway..as DD1 seems to have developed flu symptoms after the vaccine, is it possible that DD2 has caught it from her? Common sense tells me that this can'be possible but I can't help wondering.

I looked at the NHS website for info & I noticed that about 10 people have posted on the page, saying that their children were very ill after the vaccine, with high temperatures, vomiting & flu-like symptoms.

I am so upset with myself for just going along after receiving the letter. If I'd looked at the website first then I would have had second thoughts.

[Patilla]

Indiny know the answer OP and my DC straddle the eligible ages atm but I am watching this thread with interest as I've known someone else whose DD got quite unwell after her flu vaccination, although not as bad as your DD.

You will obviously also have those who report no ill effects but it makes you wonder.

No matter what the cause I hope you all recover quickly and try not to beat yourself up about it - you did what you thought was best at the time and didn't know this would happen. Hope you're managing to get some rest.

[OldDogNewTricks]

Thank you. DD has just woken up & is worse. She is coughing so much she can't speak & is constantly retching (as well as wheezing). Her eyes & nose are still streaming & she looks dreadful. I am waiting for the out-of-hours service to call me back so I can get her seen re: wheezing.

I keep picturing her little face when she was sitting there having the spray. She had it because I took her & she trusted me & I just can't help feeling so guilty about it!

[OddBoots]

Everything I have read says it cannot give you flu - the chances are she caught flu just before and was already incubating it - my dd did the same with measles at her 1st MMR time. I hope she feels better soon.

[Bearandcub]

I would say as your younger DC has it it is a bug with very unfortunate timing. My DC are exhibiting similar symptoms overnight but were 100% when they went to bed. They have not had any flu jab/ vaccination.

Whatever the bug it does appear to be acting fast.

However, it does sound like she is having an adverse reaction to the vaccine: wheezing.

Hope she feels better soon OP and stop feeling guilty it will do nothing but make you feel worse. You are being a great parent in looking after her health.

[IamInvisible]

I know they say it can't give you flu, but I think it can make you really poorly.

DS2(16) is a severe asthmatic and has always has the flu jab. Every year without fail,it made him ill. When they combined it with the Swine flu vaccine it made him terribly ill.

2 years ago, he was so very, very poorly after it. He was off school for over a week, vomiting, coughing, wheezing, aching, sleeping, high temp. He asked last year if he could not have it and I agreed and he hasn't had it this year.

I don't think that in the 12 years he had it, he was coincidentally brewing a bug at the same time, everytime.

Hope she is better soon.

[OldDogNewTricks]

We have a Dr's apt this morning. I've just been to the NHS site to look at the comments about children with similar reactions & they have all gone! Which seems strange, especially since they disappeared overnight. Only positive/slight reaction type comments are left now.

I know it could just be coincidence but I've never seen DD so ill before. I've reported it through the yellow card scheme & will be doing more research before I take up any more vaccines for them. I didn't realise this one was a live vaccine with a higher risk of side effects. I also read that it was found to cause wheezing in children under 2. My DD is petite & I am wondering if her size & weight have anything to do with her reaction.

Thank you for taking the time to reply, I hope she picks up soon.

[Rooners]

I hope she is better soon, too. I have heard a few other reports of horrid reactions on here.

Please don't kick yourself - you weren't aware of the risks.

I have also read that after having the live vaccine people should stay away f rom the immune compromised or vulnerable for a couple of weeks.

So if that's correct then I would assume (not being qualified in any way, of course) it is entirely possible that she has infected dd2. Sorry.

I hope that's not the case and they both recover quickly. Thinking of you.

[saintlyjimjams]

That's weird olddog. My mum (talking about adults -she's a nurse) said they have seen a lot of reactions this year. And I have heard the same from others. Also saw my FIL a few days after his & he was really unwell. Your dd's reaction sounds a little quick but maybe she felt initially unsteady after the nasal spray then the illness bit kicked in.

If you google yellow card you can record it as a potential reaction (up to them to decide whether it is or not). Might be worth doing - especially if they're removing negative comments from the NHS website

[saintlyjimjams]

Oh sorry missed your latest post. Yellow carding it was a good idea.

Don't let your GP ignore your concerns & I'd ask him/her about the missing comments on the NHS website as well! Just so he/she knows.

[larrygrylls]

It could be a reaction but it is most likely just coincidence. There are a lot of viruses this time of year and it is quite likely she was just incubating something.

In any event, given her symptoms, it is worth getting her seen .

[notso]

You need to complain to the surgery about the lack of information given.
When DS1 was invited to have it I was sent a leaflet, when I phoned to see if it was suitable for him as he is being treated with steroids for wheezing, I was given very clear information about the nature of the vaccine.
When we went for the vaccine the Nurse reiterated that it was a live vaccine listed potential side effects, told me that he was not to come into contact with people with very low immunity but was no risk to babies. We had to wait at the surgery for 15-20 minutes to see if he had a reaction.

[yourcruisedirector]

I think only a very specific blood test could tell you if it's the same strain she was vaccinated against, but you're doing the right thing reporting it. Flu vaccinations actually only vaccinate against very specific strains of 'flu, and every year there are many active strains and mutations.

I hope you all feel much better soon. Fwiw I had the flu jab a good while ago. DD and I have been ill with cough, wheeze, streaming mucus, sinus pain, aches and pains for three weeks now. Yesterday I started with a sore throat and feel even worse! I know it's not 'flu as I've had it twice in the last ten years and it felt much worse than this.

Which is a longwinded way of saying that there are some very unpleasant viruses going around this year and please don't blame yourself. Chances are that it's a coincidence, and she's suffering more because her system must be fighting at least two viruses (vaccine and the other one).

Fx she's better soon

[therunnawaybride]

Op my dd(2.9) also had the spray on tues and had the same symptoms as your dd (bar the wheezing) she woke up on thurs night vomiting and has developed a nasty cough.
I too felt angry at myself I didn't want her to have the vaccine but I did as I was told by a bloody letter from the doctors! Thankfully my dd is fine now back to her usual full of beans self but I will be researching vaccines offered more carefully from now on!
Hope your dd feels better soon!

[neolara]

I knew a child who had a similar reaction after a vacination, although not sure if it was a flu vacination. I mentioned it to a friend who is a GP. Her view was that if the child was so unwell as a reaction to the vacination, then thank goodness they had had the shot because if they had actually got the illness they would have been very, very sick indeed.

[saintlyjimjams]

Runaway bride - you should yellow card it as well. If there is some sort of vomiting etc as a reaction they'll only pick up the pattern if enough people report. Google yellow card & it can be done online. Glad she's better now.

[OldDogNewTricks]

DD1 has picked up a bit now. The GP who saw her this morning said that he can't say for certain that her illness is a reaction to the vaccine but he did say that he thinks the vaccine scheme for toddlers has been rushed through & is ill thought out.

Unfortunately, DD 2 is in hospital for observation due to wheezing & high temperature. She has had a nebuliser & I'm hoping we will be allowed from later tonight if she keeps fluid down & her temp is under control.

Rooners - you are right about there being a transmission risk because it is a life virus. The Fluenz information describes the risk as being small and says it only applies to those with compromised immune systems. The clinic trials also shows that children under 2 suffered from wheezing & a risk of being hospitalised after receiving the vaccine

I don't think it is a massive leap for me to wonder of there is a link between DD1's vaccine & the fact the DD2 is now in a hospital bed looking dreadful. The Dr described her as looking "very viral". She said that it is probably coincidence but that it is worth reporting DD2's illness through the yellow card scheme as well.

Fingers crossed that we will be home soon. It has been quite a long day!

[OldDogNewTricks]

*live virus

[OldDogNewTricks]

*notso - I will also be complaining to the surgery, thank you.

[saintlyjimjams]

I'm glad you had an open minded ear (is that possible??) from your doc anyway - I think it helps. Also glad it's all being yellow carded & am sending get well vibes for dd2 (and dd1)

[Bakingtins]

My son had a very similar reaction, high temperature and vomiting starting within 24 hours of the nasal flu vaccine having been well beforehand. He was too unwell to attend nursery for a week and we had to take several days off work.
I reported it to the GP surgery and they appeared to have no system in place to report an adverse reaction, so I did it myself online (took me about 10 secs of googling to find the yellow card scheme so no excuse for the GP)
I'd encourage anyone whose child has been affected to report it, it is a new vaccine and they need to know about significant side effects. I'm pro-vax but my son will not be having this particular vaccine again.
OP, I hope your DD2 is better v soon.

[Rooners]

I'm so sorry to hear that dd2 has been admitted.

You poor thing, you must be exhausted.

I'm sorry for all of you who have children who reacted in this way. It does seem a very poor year for reactions.

[bishboschone]

My
Friends dd had a terrible reaction to it this week. In scared to give it to ds.

[saintlyjimjams]

Is your ds in a risk group bison?

Remember you don't HAVE to give it. Start by working out your child's risk from flu. Some are offered the flu jab because they're at higher risk of severe illness from flu itself.

If your child isn't in that group they are being offered the flu jab to try & reduce the numbers of elderly people catching flu because they bed block with flu & cost the NHS a fortune. If vaccinating children reduces numbers of bed blockers it is cost effective to vaccinate (this is not me being cynical - read the JCVI minutes - this is why the flu jab is being introduced for healthy children who are not in a flu risk group)

You don't have to give the vaccination. Don't be guilted into it if you are not comfortable with the idea. It is perfectly ethical to put concerns about your child's health above an attempt to save the NHS money.

Of course if your child is in a risk group you may well be keen that they have the flu jab - in that case you may be able to argue for the injection is you have concerns about the nasal spray (I have no idea but would worth asking the GP)

[bishboschone]

He is 2 and a half with special needs but mostly very well. He has just started nursery and has had bugs back to back since which I know is normal . I have had all the standard vaccinations but didn't have the flu jab when I was pregnant as I am hardly ever I'll and it just didn't feel
Right . I know real
Flu is nasty but I'm just not sure about this vaccination.

[IHATEBARCLAYSBANK]

I had the adult flu vaccine this year & it did make me very ill, with hindsight I think I would rather have had flu - the injection site was so painful I couldn't roll over in bed without waking in pain for well over a week & I'm no wuss, on top of that I had all the symptoms of flu,

GP tried to insist that I had just been unlucky & picked up a bug at the surgery on the day if the jab, but like your own DD the effect after the jab was almost instant flu & a virus wouldn't explain my very sore arm, nor the fact that my symptoms subsided at exactly the same time as the jab site pain did.

I know it's not a live vaccine, so in theory its impossible to get flu from it, but I certainly reacted badly to it & I know others who did too