Toddler Flu Jab

[Jen8888]

2.5 year old has had a letter through for the for the flu jab.

Is this normal?

We have have Covid so I haven't rang and booked yet but will do it this week, on the letter sent to remind me to book it mentioned in some cases it is administered through the nose.

Can anyone shed any light?
Is this a regular jab or squirted up the nose?
Did you DC feel ok after it?

Xx

This year all 2 and 3 year olds will be offered it. I don't know anything else as mine was just 2 so she is too young.

My son had it a couple of weeks ago along with his other Pre school boosters. They just sprayed it up his nose, he had no side effects

It's a nasal spray for the over twos. Nothing to worry about and standard even pre-COVID as far as I know (I looked into it last year too but DD wasn't eligible as too young).

Thanks everyone will call tomorrow and get it booked x

It is painless and over quickly though our 2.5 year old has had some side effects he got it on wed - a slight temp , runny nose and his cough has come back (had only just got it away last week since august)
These are common side effects as the kids vaccine is a live vaccine so be aware they can spread it during the first 14 days after getting it (my dm is just finished chemo last week so that part was particularly important for us to know as we were warned not to go near their house even though we would have been social distancing)
Despite the side effects I still firmly believe it's better to have the vaccine than risk catching the flu. Ds was on steroids last week for croup too so possible they left his immune system a bit weaker and more open to the effects of the vaccine.

smurfIf your DC was prescribed oral steroids in the past 14 days they shouldn't have been given the nasal spray unless advised by a respiratory specialist.

My DD 3.5 yo had it on Friday with the preschool booster. No side effects at all

My 3.5yo had his last Thursday. He also had it last year. No side effects either time.

It’s a nasal spray.
As long as he doesn’t have a bad allergy to egg he will be eligible.
He will be offered it every year right through high school.

It is a live but weakened vaccine.
They can theoretically ‘shed’ the vaccine for up to 14 days, but if the immunocompromised person is going to work/shopping/ out patients they are as much risk from catching flu there as they are from the child who has had the nasal flu.

Yes.

@cptartapp ds was prescribed steroids - 3 tablets dissolved in water to be taken in one go last Wednesday and then a second dose prescribed for the Thursday night also. Then given the flu vaccine the following Wednesday -so 7 days from the first dose of steroids. The nurse knew about it as she asked was he feeling better which I replied yes he seemed much better and although still having the very occasional cough. She went to check with a dr she said and came back saying as long as he hadn't had a temperature in 48 hours then he was fine to get it. He never had a temp even when first prescribed the steroids. 🤨

The Fluenz Patient Group Directive which allows non prescribing nurses to give medication says to exclude children having had steroids within the last 14 days. The GP wouldn't be aware of that, they don't use PGD's and they don't administer it.
The risk is minimal, but unless the GP signed a prescription at the time to cover her to give it, the nurse was strictly acting outside the guidelines.
Lots of face to face updates have been cancelled this year due to Covid.

@cptartapp that's interesting to know. Thankfully ds seems to be OK but it did mean he had to have a 3rd covid test in the space of 6 weeks which I would rather not have had to subject him to.
His temp has stayed below 37 yesterday and today though he's not eating as he normally would so thinking perhaps a bit of a sore throat and he asked me to kiss his head better at 5am yesterday so he's just a bit under the weather generally. Covid test came back negative this morning.