Flu Nasal Spray 2019 for DD?

[Wintercoming]

Just received letter about flu nasal spray for DD year 4. Do most people do it/ think necessary? DD has never had it. All my children have had all their childhood immunizations including MMR. I don't normally have a problem. DD was offered the nasal spray in nursery aged 2 or 3 in the 'trial year' when they first started rolling out out in the UK. I didn't want her to be in the trial group as such so said no and have done since.

This year i'm thinking of letting her have it. But i spend so much time researching pros and cons I confuse myself.

Even if she doesn't have it I've read that with all the shedding she can't avoid it anyway, so I'm thinking she may as well have it too. She is at an age where she wants to have it as the majority of the class do. It's only about 3 parents who refuse each year I think. not sure what to do for the best. She's a very hardy little girl. None of us in our family have ever had flu jabs normally, apart from Nana.

I’d do it. Children are super spreaders so it will protect a lot of people.

I have one every year and pay for it.

My DS (age9) hasn't had it for the last few years. I've just had another letter, and it's a no again from me. He has had every other immunisation offered. He had it in the past, and was ill for months after it - both times, think full of cold, coughing,snotty. Took ages to eventually clear up

I hadn’t thought about the shedding before though - is she likely to catch the strains from others in the class who have it? Or is that only for immuno compromised people? I know a couple of children who didn’t have it as family members were undergoing chemotherapy.

Mine have always had it. My eldest was in a trial year too. And I always pay for mine.

DD2 had double pneumonia when she was 3 (now 8), MIL is in a nursing home, and quite honestly children are super spreaders. My own experience of flu included 6 weeks off work as a previously very fit and healthy 21yo. All that means I'm really wary and take what precautions I can.

I don't think your DD would catch it from others having the nasal spray though if she's otherwise fit and healthy.

Mine gets it every year and I also get a flu jab every year (I would be quite ill if I got the flu). The only parent I know to refuse it in our class last year (because you know natural immunity and the powers of a sugar free gluten free diet in preventing all ills ) sure did a lot of whinging at the school gate when her ds then got the flu about two months later and ended up being rushed to hospital because of asthma attack and was off sick for two weeks.

I think why would you not? Flu is awful and is a notable cause of morality in under 5s globally. It seems horrible to take the chance of them getting that ill if you could do something to make it a little bit less likely.

I'm offered free flu jab at work.and not taken it up before. I had flu 5 years ago and was in bed for about 4 days I think. But generally fit and healthy. I'm thinking of letting her have it this year and if she seems bad with it like D'S of CacenCrunch then not repeating next year.

My kids have it.

I am paying for it this year as I caught Flu in March of this year, and it was horrendous, they didn't.

Anything to lessen that pure hell is worth it.

I find it difficult to make the decision about it. I have always said no except for one year and that was the year ds got very ill. I decided to be a no this year for nasal but get him the jab.

Both mine have had the nasal flu spray every year they’ve been offered. They’re having it again this year. I get a free flu jab from work.

It's a no brainer for me. I got flu once when I was 19....spent a week feeling like I was going to die barely able to make my way from my bed to the loo. And that was as a fit and healthy young person.
Imagine how it would feel if you were frail, extremely young, or immunocompromised.

I have my flu jab every year due to my job. Apart from never wanting to feel that ill again, I dont want to be responsible for making someone else feel that way, or even causing their death by spreading flu to them if they couldnt avail of the vaccine.

My mum is on chemo ....your DD could pass the flu on to her, even if your dd isn't showing any signs or symptoms of the flu, simply by standing next to her in a queue. That flu could cause my mum to die. She's 64.

My sense of social responsibility is quite high when it comes to vaccines. Wheres yours op?

My dd caught flu and was hospitalised in February 2018. Two days after discharge she was rushed back to hospital with a bacterial infection. Fighting the flu had depleted her immune system so much that a bacteria took hold in her sinuses behind her eyes. She had an emergency operation to drain the infection and save her sight. The infection was so widespread it started to affect her optic nerves and moved her eyeballs out of position.

After 9 days in hospital on iv antibiotics, antivirals, full ward isolation and 3 months of oral antibiotics, she is now fully recovered. She was 6 at the time.

The psychological effects, however, still affect both me and dd. I will never forgive myself for not getting her the spray.