For or against Nasal Flu vaccine

[LondonerWith2]

So I'd just like opinions on the flu vaccine as I'm torn.
My eldest had one in reception last year and was fine, youngest received it at GP few months back and was dreadfully ill afterwards.

I'm unsure of whether or not to allow my 6 year old to have it so would like other opinions?

TIA :)

It’s just unusual the pattern we’ve noticed for the past 3 years. Every other cough cold illness it’s gone round everyone in the house but each time after the nasal flu vaccination it’s just been the child who has had it a few days after extremely ill. It will be interesting to see what happens after the injection one we’ve opted for now for our 5 year old hopefully that won’t cause any reaction. Going forwards I will probably opt for the injection for all next year

The nasal one will make your child more poorly because it is the actual flu virus albeit watered down.

Just imagine how bad they would be without the vaccine!!

Dd can't have the live vaccine, in fact she can't even be in school for the day of and 48 hour after due to a form of chem she takes. She has had the injection for years as a result.

She had hers in September with absolutely no issues. I had it 2 weeks ago and have had high fever, sickness, hacking cough, horrific headaches and sinus pain ever since. Today is the first day I haven't felt ill since. I always have a more severe reaction to others but it's still better than actual flu. (And yes I did a covid test and no I didn't have it)

I’m all for the flu nasal/jab. Most of us are unlikely to get flu that would be life threatening but it does happen. My friend work in ICU & she’s had deaths/v poorly people from flu. I will
protect my child & myself from it if I can. My ex is against it as part of his conspiracy theory lifestyle but we’re v lucky to be offered protection from life threatening illnesses & I jump at the chance of protection from it.

Yes exactly this is why I still need to get them vaccinated but I think the injection will be better for them , 2 are in at risk groups too so I have to get it done but the nasal one hasnt worked out for us at all

Sorry inwasnt suggesting you were saying you wouldn't get them vaccinated. Just trying to explain why the reaction is more severe in some kids on the nasal one.

For. My DC have had the flu spray every year it's been available. Last year, DS2 was ill a week later but correlation does not equal causation. He had a bad case of bacterial tonsillitis and needed antibiotics. They've never been ill afterwards any other time. Including this year, DS2 had his at the GP a few weeks ago as he has asthma. All fine.

What wasn't fine was, before the flu spray was available, the year they got actual flu. They were 18 months and 3.5 years old and both so poorly. Then, just as they were starting to get better, I came down with it. The only one in the household who didn't catch it was DH who'd had his free flu jab. A few years later, the flu spray was being offered and they've had it ever since. DH gets jabbed in the arm at the GP and I often pay for one at the chemist.

yes I know what you mean and you’re completely right I can’t imagine how bad real flu would be for them it’s been quite scary we’ve ended up in hospital a few times due to it so I don’t think they’d cope with real flu 😞

That must be terrifying for you, I'm so sorry.

As someone else has said corelation doesn't equal causation but its hard not to jump to conclusions when it's our babies that are poorly.

Hopefully the injection will be better for them next time and cuase less side effects

My kids have it most years and been fine if that helps. I think it’s been available for so long and well researched. They’ll be getting it this time too.

How do you think they'll be if they catch actual flu???? A lot bloody worse, I can assure you

Having had genuine flu last year, I'd always get them vaccinated.

Same as you my eldest had it twice Joe and been fine my middle had it couple months ago and was poorly I felt so bad I'd actively made her poorly but like others have said actual flu would be so much worse

I did not allow my dd to have the flu nasal spray when it was given in school. I have heard too many frightening things about children getting ill after having it, I understand people who want to get it but definitely not for us. I also didnt allow her the mmr when she turned 4.

That’s the thing I could be right or I could be wrong so I don’t want to not vaccinate at all in case it wasn’t that so I’m hoping the injection is a good alternative so they still have protection . Being a parent is just so anxiety inducing !

Yes exactly which is why we are having the injection now this year after changing the consent form for one child and will
for all the others next year

Absolutely. Damned either way at times.

All we can do nissan honour best and for me that means vaccinations are done every time.

Dd has had all her covid ones and been Absolutely fine after each one where as I always feel a bit run down for a few days.

Each to their own unless it is false info spreading anti vaxers.

Exactly. I’m just relieved there’s an alternative we can do instead of the nasal one in this case !

Yes, you should absolutely ask a bunch of random strangers on the internet rather than take the advice from science based Public Health.

DS was very ill after the spray. He has viral wheeze so he had the attenuated jab this year. I wouldn’t do the spray again.

Well my husband and mum aren't happy with me.

I always get them vaccinated. Both were done Monday. Eldest was off ill Wednesday to Friday. Youngest was fine.

I had the Covid jab though then had blood clots in my lungs without an explanation so my family have says I should know better.

I don't know what to do for the best?

I didn't think there was an attenuated jab available in UK.

The 2 sorts on the NHS are the flu sniff (attenuated strains) and the jab (killed strains)

DS has had it every year since he was 5 and tends to be fine with it. He’s on his teens now. He’s only had flu twice - once when he was 2.5, which was before flu vaccinations were offered to children in general, and 2 years ago when for some reason his flu vaccination at school wasn’t scheduled until mid January. That just happened to be the year there was a nasty flu epidemic over December and he was so so so poorly with it. He said he never wants it again and always wants the vaccine.

Mine have been fine with the flu vaccines. And I say that having had a horrendous experience with the vaccines they had at 8, 12, 16 weeks, and 1 year. They were so ill after those, but nothing at all to report with the flu vaccines, or the pre-school vaccines. I guess everyone's different but I will carry on getting it for them.

My DD had the nasal spray when she was 4 and ended up in hospital with fever and horrific side effects. I was raging. The doctor told me he didn't vaccinate his children, after seeing my fury. That sparked off six months of ill health - and she was a child who had never even had a cold in her life.

DD is coming 14 now and has not had any vaccines since. She has been perfectly fine without them.

Please point me towards these statistics!