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

To not give dc flu jab

224 replies

Somepoorbugger · 03/12/2019 19:41

I didn't let my 7 and 9 year old have the flu jab this year. My reason was that some relatives had it a few years ago and were extremely sick afterwards. Me dp and dc have never had the flu and I probably ignorantly underestimated how nasty it can be.

I've started with a nasty cold this week - don't think it's flu as I'm still functioning just feel crap. But it made me think how terrible I'd feel if the kids did get it. Wibu to not let them have it and can I request it through the GP?

OP posts:
ComisSousDePartie · 04/12/2019 10:05

My dad was ill after his flu jab. I’m convinced that this was because he was sero-converting, and packed him off to bed with some lemsip. If he felt crap after the attenuated jab, the full blown fly would have killed him.

SteeperThanHell · 04/12/2019 10:08

Try one of the pharmacies I listed above and pay for the vaccine - or ask the school for the phone number of the immunisation provider for the schools programme and phone them for advice. The number would have been on the original consent form.

LilQueenie · 04/12/2019 10:11

yanbu its not for everyone. Also the nasal version IS likely to shed to those who are immunocompromised so its worth being careful.

FizzyIce · 04/12/2019 10:14

They are only offered the spray, the jab is for those that suffer from asthma or other illnesses

perfectpanda · 04/12/2019 10:18

My friends on chemo so her kids needed injections rather than nose sprays. And pretty sure they both had the injection so i think kids can have injections. Good luck. Btw I know lots of people who opt out of the flu jab round here who do all other vacinations. It is one vaccination that people seem less informed about.

FizzyIce · 04/12/2019 10:20

They can have the jab but will only be offered the spray at school

Original poster
Somepoorbugger · 04/12/2019 10:20

I've now spoken to the immunisation team, school and doctors and waiting on info from all of them about any possible catch up sessions. I can't really do much more. If I can't have manage to get it for them I will just have to hope for the best this year and make better decisions next year

OP posts:
SillyUnMurphy · 04/12/2019 10:22

I was really shocked at the amount of parents at my DC's school who don't give authorise their children to have the flu vaccine. Some of the reasons were "Their bodies have got to learn how to fight illnesses" or "the vaccine made them really ill last time". One of the mums is a nurse.

A woman I went to school with's daughter died from sepsis, brought on by flu when she was three. Why would you take the risk?

scaredycatz · 04/12/2019 10:23

Is everyone supposed to have the flu jab? I have it ever other year because of asthma but I didn't know everyone was supposed to have it Shock my DC and husband have never had it. DC 12 is very phobic of needles and is sick/faints at the sight so I don't know how I'd ever convince him to have it Confused and I've tried to get my husband to have it this year because I'm pregnant so thought it better if we both have it but he says he won't because he's never had flu before Angry

scaredycatz · 04/12/2019 10:24

*every year, not every other. Don't know how that got in there!

Zippy1510 · 04/12/2019 10:25

@turfsausage except IPV DTAP MenC HIB aren’t annual vaccines and we still give them to children.

Venger · 04/12/2019 10:27

Everyone who is able to should consider having the flu vaccine to help keep themselves healthy and to help limit its spread in the community. For people in at risk groups the NHS will provide the vaccine for free, for those not in at risk groups you can get it privately at most pharmacies.

A lot of people who don't qualify for a free NHS vaccine think that this means they don't need the vaccine when really they would probably benefit from it.

BlaueLagune · 04/12/2019 10:30

Is everyone supposed to have the flu jab

no but having looked at my local surgery website the categories receiving it appear to be expanding.

My DH gets it at work, he wouldn't qualify otherwise.

I don't qualify on the NHS and have never had one, although they've been offered in a couple of my previous jobs for a small charge.

he says he won't because he's never had flu before well there's always a first time! But you've been vaccinated yourself I assume.

scaredycatz · 04/12/2019 10:33

Yes I got vaccinated in October. I just thought if he was vaccinated as well there's even less chance of it coming into the house.

PlugUgly1980 · 04/12/2019 10:50

Mine 5 year old was eligible for the nasal spray at school, but we declined and she had the jab instead at our GP surgery, but that was on the advice of her respiratory consultant due to severe asthma and the fact that the nasal spray is a live vaccine which can trigger viral wheezing in susceptible children. That said my 3 year old has mild asthma and had the nasal spray also at the GP surgery and was fine. Both myself and DH are also asthmatic, rather than wait for sessions at our surgery we booked in at Boots weeks ago now and got our jabs. It's not worth taking the risk from our perspective. None of us who had the jab have had anything other than a sore arm. And my 3 years old didn't display any side effects from the vaccine.

TheHodgeoftheHedge · 04/12/2019 11:06

This thread is timely as one of my "friends" on facebook started posting her anti-vax shit about the flu jab this morning...

geekone · 04/12/2019 11:25

YABVU my friend died of flu at 21. Why would you even risk that with your children Confused

Beseen19 · 04/12/2019 11:26

@Somepoorbugger theres some chat online about superdrug not having an age limit if you have one local it's maybe worth a try there?

Also...sorry you are getting so much hate Flowers. You obviously love your kids and are just trying your best. I almost didnt get DS done because our local doctors had ran out. Thankfully our Department of Health had a stand in a shopping mall and we managed without much trial!

Original poster
Somepoorbugger · 04/12/2019 11:30

@Beseen19 thank you. Feel bad enough about it without being told stories of death tbh. I guess after nearly ten years of motherhood I should have educated myself better but it's just one of those things I never thought was worth the risk. Because none of us have ever had the flu I didn't realise how serious it can be. I'm trying all I can now to sort things. Superdrug is the only place I can see that would perhaps privately offer the nasal spray but we don't have one in my area Sad

OP posts:
GlitterNails · 04/12/2019 11:40

My mum and I had flu in March. We couldn’t list our heads to sip water. Was bed bound for weeks. My mum has to be taken to hospital with complications - plus she entirely lost her hearing and took weeks to return. It took six months to recover entirely as was left with weakness and dizziness.

It wasn’t fun.

GlitterNails · 04/12/2019 11:41

Sorry my last sentence cut off - so you are definitely doing the right thing getting it done.

Nat6999 · 04/12/2019 11:49

I won't have a flu jab, every time I have had it I end up with the worst chest infection ever. I haven't had it for the last 3 years & no chest infections, not even a cold. I'm mainly housebound,don't go out to crowded places & don't use public transport, ds has had it every year but has missed this year because he was too poorly to have it with a chest infection. I will be making sure he gets it once he has finished his antibiotics.

PhilCornwall1 · 04/12/2019 11:54

I wish I could put into words how hateful I think you are being.

Bloody hell!!!

That'll be me as well then. Ours have never had it!!

Sweetbabycheezits · 04/12/2019 11:57

It has never occurred to me to get the flu jab for myself or my DCs; we aren't eligible for it, anyhow, but I grew up in the USA, and the only people who were ever recommended to have the jab were medical staff working in hospitals.

LLMD · 04/12/2019 12:01

There’s a huge misconception that getting the flu jab gives you flu.

It really doesn’t.

A few people I know have complained of being ill after the vaccine and claimed it’s flu but it’s actually just a bad cold and just coincidence with it being winter etc.

I’ve had my flu jab for the last 5 years and the worst I’ve got from it is an achy arm in the evening, and even that is minor.

My DC isn’t old enough for flu jab yet but when he is ill be getting it for him.

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.