Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Has your child had nasal flu vaccine and why?

249 replies

MissT84 · 16/01/2018 13:57

Sitting on the fence about giving dc nasal flu vaccine (verging on saying yes). Dh doesn't want them to have it.

So aibu to ask if you have given it/would give it to your dc? And what reasons?

OP posts:
BlindLemonAlley · 16/01/2018 14:43

I am surprised at the number of people that have a similar opinion to your DH OP. There have been some negative things in certain newspapers (DM) saying that it is ineffective against the current strains. DPs and MIL have not been vaccinated because they think it will make them ill and they believe the GPs are pushing it to make the drug companies richHmm Personally, I am more inclined to believe medical professionals than scaremongers and the DM.

gamerchick · 16/01/2018 14:43

The problem is, people get a nasty cold that really knocks them for six but ultimately is not too debilitating and they think they have had the flu

I believe this is the crux of it. They’ve never had proper knock you on your arse flu so don’t see it as a big deal. Get all sniffy nosed about it.

Those of us who have actually prayed for death have a bit more sense I think.

Soubriquet · 16/01/2018 14:46

Had both of mine done (4 and 2)

Neither had side effects and so far touch wood, they have been pretty free of colds too.

Dd has had a bit of a sniffly nose the last couple of days but that's it. It's been lovely

deplorabelle · 16/01/2018 14:47

Yes mine are done. I have just had flu and my children didn't catch it. I couldn't possibly have looked after them while unable to get out of bed myself

Saysomethingnice · 16/01/2018 14:50

One of dd had nasal one had jab neither had any symptoms at all.

MrsKoala · 16/01/2018 14:52

Agree with Gamer. i don't even think i said anything to DH apart from maybe in passing in a what are you up to today? I'm taking the bairns for their flu spray way. I can't imagine it being a decision we had to make. It is just a given that having flu is all kinds of shit and no one wants it if they don't need to get it.

Haudyerwheesht · 16/01/2018 14:52

Yes because we all got swine flu when ds was 3. He got pneumonia and could've died.

munchkinmaster · 16/01/2018 14:52

Of course you should.

As an aside both of my kids had the nasal spray. DH and I had the jag. The two of us have been laid low for 10 days sick as dogs with flu like symptoms. kids right as rain. I do wonder if we have had a mild flu (symptoms reduced by partial immunity) that the nasal spray has protected the kids from.

Either that or our fit as a fiddle t total full of fruit and veg kids just have the edge on their middle aged fatty parents immunity wise.

Roomba · 16/01/2018 14:55

DS2 had it at school (he's in Y1). Why wouldn't I want him to have some protection against a potentially fatal virus? If nothing else it will stop him spreading it to hundreds of other people who aren't as healthy as he is.

DS1 isn't eligible for a free school vaccine (Y7). So I paid for him to have the vaccine instead. For the same reasons as above. I had it too, I don't want flu, it hospitalised me about 15 years ago and I'm not going through that again if I can help it!

Roomba · 16/01/2018 14:55

Oh, none of us had any side effects whatsoever from the nasal spray or the jab.

BeyondWW · 16/01/2018 14:57

Seven year old has, five year old hasn't. They did them in school and the little bugger told the nurse he was poorly (he wasn't...)

Curtainshopping · 16/01/2018 15:02

Mine have never had it. Lots of reasons but mainly because the evidence for its effectiveness is inconclusive.

shrunkenhead · 16/01/2018 15:04

No. Not had it. My husband has as he works with elderly people and people with dodgy immune systems.

mishfish · 16/01/2018 15:08

I had the jab and my DS (8) has the nasal at school

I didn’t realise pre schoolers could arrange to have it done though so will making sure I arrange it for everyone next year

TittyGolightly · 16/01/2018 15:10

This year yes, last year no.

TittyGolightly · 16/01/2018 15:10

the evidence for its effectiveness is inconclusive.

Eh?

bookworm14 · 16/01/2018 15:12

DD (2.5) has had it. Firstly because I want to reduce the risk of her getting flu, and secondly because I am immunocompromised due to the medication I’m on and don’t want to catch flu from DD (I have also had the jab).

Ansumpasty · 16/01/2018 15:12

Yes because I don't want them to get flu, why wouldn't I?

Enidblyton1 · 16/01/2018 15:13

Mine have had the jab for the last 3 years and never had any symptoms with it. (If a child happens to get a cold at the same time as the nasal spray it could be wrongly attributed to the spray)
My husband has no idea the children have had the nasal spray - like a lot of other things I do for them while he is at work. I think it would get very tiring to have to run every little decision past him.

FooFighter99 · 16/01/2018 15:14

Yes, at school with all her peers. Because FLU kills.

A&E is now rammed full of people sick with FLU.

DontCallMeJohnBoy · 16/01/2018 15:15

My DS had it the first year he was offered it. It made him ill (think 3 days sleeping on the sofa and no interest in anything) and didn't contain the most prevalent strain that year, so he got no realy health benefit from it. He never got flu.

We've never agreed to him having it again (thin we've declined twice now). We're not high risk for flu and he rarely sees grandaparents as they live too far away. If we had a baby in the house or GPs did loads of childcare it might be different.

DH was very against me having the vaccine (just had it because I'm pregnant) and the immunisation nurse was explaining to him aobut the risks to pregnant women. I guess for me, the issue with the flu vaccine is that it's not a proper vaccine - take once, never get the disease / get X years of protection. "Here DS have this, it may possibly reduce how long you feel rubbish for if you get flu, but may equally not be worth the vaccine if they've guessed the wrong strain" isn't quite in the same vein.

DS has all his usual jabs - MMR etc. He just doesn't have flu. We'll review next year with a small baby in the house but I'm happy with the no decision so far.

Alpacaandgo · 16/01/2018 15:20

No, mine didn't have it. I'm not against vaccinations in general but my children are very healthy children and I don't like them having something which potentially could make them ill on the off chance they will catch something that they would ordinarily be able to recover from naturally.

2 of the nursery children had a very adverse reaction to it, so I was glad id said no. There was also a lot of flu around at the time that actually 3 vaccinated kids caught anyway and none of mine caught it.

GlitterBurps · 16/01/2018 15:21

My 3yr old ds had it again this year because I wouldnt wish real flu on anyone. Plus we have a now 7mnth ds who I would’ve had it also but he was too young. My mum was having chemo at the time so everyone had it this year.

TooExtraImmatureCheddar · 16/01/2018 15:27

My two have had it, and DH has had the jab as his work offer flu jab vouchers to their staff. My sister's work also paid for their staff to have the jab - seems to be the new thing!

Two reasons:

  1. To protect them
  2. Herd immunity - doesn't matter if it's their grandparents or some random in a shop that they touch/sneeze on etc - protecting the community is good for us all.
imsorryiasked · 16/01/2018 15:29

DS had the spray a month or so ago as part of the programme at school. I gave permission as I think it's important he has a much protection from disease as possible while he's young and his body is developing.
Doubly glad he's had it now as DH & I are into our second week of Australian flu and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

Swipe left for the next trending thread