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Share your tips on how you prepare your child for a flu vaccination with Public Health England - £300 voucher to be won! NOW CLOSED

309 replies

EllieMumsnet · 08/11/2017 12:20

Flu season is fast approaching, which also means flu vaccinations have arrived. Getting a flu vaccination can be a daunting experience for anyone, especially for young children, click here to find out everything you need to know about the children's flu vaccination. Public Health England (PHE) want to know your tips on how you prepare your child to get vaccinated against flu.

Here’s what PHE have to say: “The nasal spray is a quick, easy and painless way to help prevent young children catching flu. Flu can be horrible for little children, and if they get it, they can spread it around the whole family. PHE encourages all parents of children who are eligible to get their children vaccinated. ”

Do you tell them in advance or wait until they get there? Perhaps you let them take their favourite toy to school to use as a distraction? Or do you plan a treat for afterwards so they have something to look forward to?

Whatever your tips, share them on the thread below to be entered into a prize draw where one lucky MNer will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck

MNHQ

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Share your tips on how you prepare your child for a flu vaccination with Public Health England - £300 voucher to be won! NOW CLOSED
OP posts:
CommonFishDiseases · 09/11/2017 18:43

I explained to the children what was going to happen a few days ahead of time (and then again on the day), in a very matter of fact and breezy way. I encouraged DD to also explain to her younger brother about the flu spray and what happens. He then felt grown up also getting it done!

AWholeLottaRosie · 09/11/2017 19:12

I’m a big believer in telling children the truth, appropriate for their age, and not making any fuss.

TheKnackeredChef · 09/11/2017 19:32

I think it depends on the child. Sensitive DD would have needed loads of preparation and talking about it when she was little, whereas DS, who's stoic to the point where he won't even let you give him a cuddle if he falls over in public, has it at school and doesn't even mention it.

foxessocks · 09/11/2017 19:49

I explain before hand, give the facts , say its non negotiable and then give a little chocolate or biscuit afterwards

ErinSophia · 09/11/2017 20:16

I explain to my daughters that it will hurt a little bit but it's really important, they understand why it has to be done and aren't scared anymore.

camelfinger · 09/11/2017 20:22

I sent my husband as I knew there would be no fuss with him there. I’m sure if I had accompanied my son instead he would have made a song and dance about it. The nurses are so used to doing it they’re really quick so they haven’t had chance to get annoyed. Timing it with a nap has helped too - he didn’t wake up thankfully.

JudgeRulesNutterButter · 09/11/2017 20:30

DD (4) had hers today. I had explained the vac and the reason for it a couple of days before, told her that it would be a spray up her nose and it might tickle and make her sneeze. We spent the rest of that school run discussing the variety of sneeze noises she might make GrinConfused

Reminded her this morning. After school she told me she had been fine with it and reassured a friend who was worried (that last bit is probably her imagination though!).

Whoateallthecheese · 09/11/2017 20:36

Our two have had this. Explained to them both on the morning before the appointment what was going to happen and what they needed to do, also why it is an important thing to do. Oldest has regular blood tests so is always relieved it's not an injection! They were both fine and got given a sticker afterwards.

CheeseEMouse · 09/11/2017 20:39

Explain but try not to fuss too much as it is only a squirty vaccination and not painful.

GriseldaChop · 09/11/2017 20:43

I told my son he was getting a tickle up his nose to stop germs getting in his body. He wasn’t phased at all when got there and took it in his stride. He’d also seen the nhs advert for it and we’d say that little boy was getting his tickle too.

PugwallsSummer · 09/11/2017 21:11

DD was having it done at school. I completed the permission slip but heard nothing more. On the first day back after half term, I collected her from school to find she’d had it done that day! My DD is an anxious little soul, and I would usually prepare her well for anything like this, but she took it in her stride. It has made me wonder whether it’s the preparation that makes her anxious...

Theimpossiblegirl · 09/11/2017 21:17

I think having them done in school is great, they are with their peers and will generally fuss less. The nasal vaccine isn't painful so most children will take it in their stride.

Some children might need more preparation and cope less well with the unexpected, (thinking of a little girl I know who has Asperger's) so I do think the exact date should be communicated with parents so that they can be well prepared.

buckeejit · 09/11/2017 21:33

Explain beforehand & say we'll count together, look at me and then we'll go to the shop for a treat- if only one jab then it's just distraction & jab over with before any hysteria while talking about if we're going to get a scone or a bun etc

Sleepysausage · 09/11/2017 22:00

I just tell her what's going to happen. We don't make a fuss. The less fuss we make the less fuss she makes

Easylikeasonntagmorgan · 09/11/2017 22:04

I explain the procedure to my daughter before she goes to the appointment, so she knows what to expect. I also tell her why she needs to be vaccinated. I then tell her she can have a chocolate bar afterwards Grin

MrsFrTedCrilly · 09/11/2017 22:32

We talked about what was going to happen and how it would protect them from bad bugs making them ill. DC1 has ASD and hates the unexpected so we practiced our “sniff” with a saline nasal spray so the actual vaccination wouldn’t freak her out.

del2929 · 09/11/2017 22:50

i have never given my children the flu vaccine before- this year we were sent a letter from the GP flagging us up as we have a baby with a CHD (congenital heart defect) therefore they strongly recommend we all get vaccinated to keep little one safe.

i have explained this to all the DCs, they are hesitant as they all dread the needle as do i lol

for me personally i think prepping the children beforehand is essential. making them aware of the reasons behind the vaccine helps,

Quietvoiceplease · 10/11/2017 06:07

Keep advance notice brief and factual: I find the more I talk about something and the more I try to reassure, the more their 'guards' are up. Basically "mummy's talking about it AGAIN, so it must be a BIG DEAL".

So now I tend to keep anything like this very matter of fact - much like the dentist really - we've an appointment - you'll get some medicine, then we'll crack on with the rest our day.

ShangriLaLaLa · 10/11/2017 06:38

We always referred to it as The Tickle Up The Nose, right from when they first had it as tinies. As they grew up, more information was given, but even from the earliest days, it’s never been an issue. This year DS (7) has graduated to referring to it as The Flu Check. Don’t think they associate it in any way with other standard vaccinations.

mrspiggy22 · 10/11/2017 07:00

My dd doesn’t like it so I couldn’t just spring it on her. So I explained why she was having it and why it’s need to be done. Also told her to be brave and that it’s such a quick process.

ShatnersBassoon · 10/11/2017 07:31

No fuss, simple factual statements. I get the flu jab every year, so put a brave face on it.

asuwere · 10/11/2017 07:54

Not flu specifically but for any vaccines, I've just told them on the day and explained in age appropriate way exactly what was going to happen. I find if I don't make it into a big thing, then they won't either.

MakeTeaNotWar · 10/11/2017 08:14

I tell them. It's the nasal spray so not as scary to a small child as a jab but even still, they don't really like it. I just tell them it's medicine to stop them from falling ill and it can also help Mummy and Daddy not to get sick either so they accept that in the same way as they accept a vitamin tablet.

misskatamari · 10/11/2017 08:51

We always talk about having them before hand, and it helps to pretend play giving some toys injections with the toy doctors kit before hand.

The nasal flu vaccine was easy peasy compared to normal immunisations and my dd aged 3 just thought it was funny having tickley “water” up her nose. Other immunisations aren’t as fun and we usually have some tears with injections, but thankfully all the hcps which have delivered them have been fantastic. Always really friendly and reassuring (the last one even gave her some sweeties and a biscuit which certainly took her mind off things Grin)

TellMeItsNotTrue · 10/11/2017 09:37

We just don't make a big deal of it, mention it in passing "oh that's today isn't it, have you got PE today?" so that they know it's happening but really play it down, especially now that it's just a nasal spray. No treats or anything afterwards because for us that starts making it in to something that needs to be rewarded so you must have to be brave etc.

Normally they talk about what happened in school nothing, as always! and I ask if they had it done "oh, yea they did it before lunch and we got to miss English!"

Just comes from them falling over as babies, if someone started fussing and asking if they were OK they seemed to think that must mean they aren't ok, and would get upset. I used to just laugh "oopsa Daisy" help them up and quickly scan for bumps etc and they just toddled off again. I've just kept the same attitude after realising that, the bigger deal you make of it, the bigger deal they think it must be