Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AiBU to be hesitating over whether toddler shld have the nasal flu vaccine?

120 replies

heatherscot · 10/10/2018 12:03

Have you guys done it, what are the side effects, is it effective, is flu that bad (usually)? Toddler in question will be around old people, new baby and preggo people quite a bit so is it irresponsible not to vaccinate?

OP posts:
hendricksy · 10/10/2018 12:06

My son hasn't had it , I'm not an anti vaxxer and he has had every other one but he had a very good immune system and something about messing with it bothers me ..I'm sure someone will tell me I'm irresponsible but 🤷‍♀️

MsFrosty · 10/10/2018 12:08

My daughter has it every year. Flu can be nasty and I'd rather she has some extra protection. Administering it is easy and she has had no side effects

nomorespaghetti · 10/10/2018 12:10

My daughter's had it, just a bit of a runny nose, but no other side effects. We've got a new baby in the house, DH takes immunosuppressants, plus she's got an additional medical need so is strongly encouraged to get it every year. Plus i don't want to have to deal with a 2 year old with flu. It can be very dangerous.

TubbyTubster · 10/10/2018 12:11

Have you ever had flu? It can be very severe. Definitely getting mine vaccinated to protect himself and others who can’t have the vaccine.

Hoardernomore · 10/10/2018 12:12

We haven’t heard anything about this and dd is old enough to qualify this year.
Are surgeries contacting people? Or do I have to call them?

GreenLantern53 · 10/10/2018 12:13

our school does it. mine wont be having it due to the gelatine though.

Hunlife · 10/10/2018 12:15

I've always had my two DDs done and they haven't had any side effects. I've had flu quite a few times and it is absolutely horrendous. I would worry about how a small child would cope with it. I now always have an annual flu jab and so does DH (he actually gets his though work).

Sirzy · 10/10/2018 12:15

I have had flu twice as a healthy adult. It is awful.

Ds can’t hsve the nasal spray but has the injection every year.

RNBrie · 10/10/2018 12:16

My three dc have always had it with no side effects at all. Its a painless vaccine and I don't understand why you wouldn't have it?

Its not just about protecting the individual child, toddlers are vectors for disease, they spread it with their grubby, snotty, toddler ways. You aren't just protecting your child from a vicious, potentially life threatening illness, you're also protecting more vulnerable people who have weakened immune systems.

EvaPerron · 10/10/2018 12:20

I've just read an article that said 172 people died from flu last year, so yes it can be serious. It's a quick squirt up their nose so I'm struggling to see why people don't want to tbh.

Coldilox · 10/10/2018 12:29

Flu can kill. The vaccine reduces the chances of catching it. No brainier for me.

QuantamBaby · 10/10/2018 12:31

Have the vaccine - why on earth would you not protect your child?

Wolfiefan · 10/10/2018 12:31

Flu is awful. YABU.

MemoryOfSleep · 10/10/2018 12:33

Kids can die from the flu.

www.wral.com/why-do-kids-die-from-the-flu-what-are-the-signs-children-need-to-go-to-the-doctor-/17283406/

It's rare, but it happens more often than you would think.

mumofmunchkin · 10/10/2018 12:36

Flu is awful - it's not just a bad cold. My kids have it every year, they've never had any side effects.

For those asking about when you can get it, your surgery normally contacts you. I was in yesterday so asked and mine doesn't have enough stocks yet to run a clinic - as soon as they do they will contact parents to arrange appointments.

mumofmunchkin · 10/10/2018 12:36

As in, they have the vaccine every year, not flu!

LukeSkywalkerBoots · 10/10/2018 12:39

We all had flu last year, it was awful. Ds was so floppy that I could barely wake him. It was frightening. Me and dh haven’t felt that ill maybe ever. Get the spray done.

Original poster
heatherscot · 10/10/2018 16:41

What about side effects,?

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 10/10/2018 16:42

Never had any issues but I have had flu and it left me bed bound.

RamblingFar · 10/10/2018 16:48

Flu can kill previously healthy toddlers. It's a nasty illness that we can't fully vaccinate against yet, but we can try to prevent deaths and serious complications.

bluebird3 · 10/10/2018 16:53

Side effects are rare other than a slightly sore arm if you have the injection. Some people get some mild flu symptoms that last a few hours but again, this is rare. Most have no side effects other than a strengthened immune system. Not having does not 'strengthen' your immune system as some people wrongly think. Getting the flu is horrendous and can be deadly.

Gooseysgirl · 10/10/2018 16:53

Proper flu is horrendous, I've had it once in my life and I'll never forget it... I was off work for nearly two weeks. My DCs get the vaccine every year. I would never forgive myself if they passed on flu to our elderly parents. It is a dangerous illness. YABU

NorthernRunner · 10/10/2018 16:54

My daughter had it last Christmas she was 23months, she had no side affects at all. Not even slight temp.
We decided to go for it because my friend and her son were very ill and it totally knocked the little boy about so figured nasal spray it’s best 🤷🏻‍♀️ I’m not 100% sure I will do it again this year though

Stupomax · 10/10/2018 16:55

We all get vaccinated.

DD1's school closed for a week last year because so many kids got flu.

Hoardernomore · 10/10/2018 16:55

Ds had the flu jab for the first time the year before last and it did make him ill. I’m sure people will tell me it wasn’t the jab but I’m pretty sure it was. He’d got to y3 only ever having had one sickness bug so it seemed pretty coincidental. Of course coincidences do happen but it was as though he’d read the ‘possible side effects’ leaflet and then ticked every one.
Slight fever, really tired, headache, lack of appetite (never known ds lose appetite even with the sickness bug!) and a weird brown nasal discharge (gross). It came on about 5 days after the jab I think, he was off school for three days and it took him a fortnight to get his appetite back and he was still really tired all that time too.

However we still vaccinate him against it as I’ve seen real flu and there’s no way he was anywhere near as ill as that. He was just more ill than I’ve ever seen him previously!