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

[EllieMumsnet]

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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I tell my daughters in advance and explain what's going to happen. Emphasise the no pain aspect. Special treat afterwards.

Haven't really thought about it to be honest and in fact it might already have happened at school without me realising

He's been poked and prodded and injected a lot before though and I always tell him what's going to happen and why it's going to happen which has always helped. There was one awful occasion when I didn't know what a doctor was going to do, it wasn't explained to either of us, and it led to a very traumatic half hour for DS so preparation is definitely the key .

Always told them in advance. I got them to watch the little video re flu vaccine about super heros.

Mind's only 2 and a half, talked a bit about going to the doctors and getting chips for our dinner afterwards (the surgery is near a good chippy) so he was quite focused on the chips. No need though, it was no hassle at all he didn't even seem to be entirely aware of what had just happened!

I just simply tell my son he has go to the doctors for the flu shot and he is fine. Never really had any problems at all taking him for vaccinations. I think if you talk to much about it then it makes it appear worse and hype it up. The nurse gave him a sticker when he was done, job done.

I tell preschool dc in advance that they are having the flu spray and that it is to help their immune system to stop them from getting a nasty poorly. Dh uses a nasal spray to prevent allergies, so we make a big deal of him doing that in the mornings for a week or so before, so that they can see it is painless. They always want to copy Daddy anyway as he is a hero, so it is this which helps to get them on board with it, despite their nerves around going to the doctors.

Don't make a big deal of it, but explain it medicine that will stop us getting poorly. And we're lucky to live in a country where we can have this medicine

I told my son it would be 'a tickle in his nose' so he wasn't scared.

It's not a big deal is it.

I prepare my children in advance. I wouldn't like to turn up at the doctors or at work and be told "you are getting this today" so why should we expect our children, who don't really understand that this slightly unpleasant thing that is happening to them is for a greater good to do it like that. We have a talk, ask if they have any concerns and then buy them a small treat afterward for being brave.

We did a bit of roll play with teddy and the doctors set before we went, I was doctor first showing him what would happen , then he did it next with teddy telling him what to to, don't look a the needle teddy, it will hurt for a wee while then stop. It nearly worked we still had tears, but they did not last too long. The we went out for tea, for a special treat,

telling them that they weren't getting it and not to worry because they would be fine

I aways tell the truth that it might hurt as I don't want them to think I lie to them - obv with the nasal spray it doesn't hurt but I say it will tickle and have a bag of chocolate buttons in my bag for straight after.

I explained to my Son before we went that he'd be having the flu spray and why he needed it
He was okay with it as he's quiet used to the doctors and knows most of the staff and also because it didn't involve any needles!

It’s nice and easy when they have it done at school. All I did was remind my child that it was happening some time in the next few weeks.
I work in a school and the school nurses came in this week - Reception to Year 4 had their nasal spray flu vaccination - one of the children was mine and I work next to the room where they carried it out so had a front row seat all morning.
The nurses were brilliant and explained to every class what they were doing, why, what it would feel like etc. They did about 90 children in one morning and not a single child looked uncomfortable with the process.
There’s something to be said for peer pressure and great school nurses! 😂

My DC felt really unwell & grotty for a few days after the nasal shot. Even grumpy, which is really unusual. So keep in some calpol & nurofen for children, be prepared for a possible 3 or 4 days where nothing really could cheer them up. It's a bit like the adult debate on whether you should have the shot, there can be side effects. I hope and pray your DC are completely fine after.

I've only ever mentioned it in the car on the way to see the nurse - the less hype about it the better with my lo!

I give my Ds some calpol and explain why it’s important. I do have his just before we go to the gps. I then give him a jelly baby when he’s finished.

I got a leaflet about the flu nasal spray, and we chatted about it, and how the spray would help protect him from really bad aches pains and sneezes, which is so important as it would be really horrid to have it for Christmas. We took Teddy and it was over in a jiffy.

Make them proud of their actions and behaviour after and ask them to show you what happened. Hopefully they will pretend play/act it out with you and you can mimic their bravery so they can see how an adult might react too.

DD almost 3, I told her they would put liquid in her nose. It made her cough a little but luckily no tears. I’m not sure how much was to do with knowing what was coming or just her own nature though.

Tell them to run quickly in the other direction.

The flu spray is a doddle. I found it best to not make a big drama out if it. I waited until the day and told him he was going to get some stuff squirted up his nose to stop him getting any bugs over the winter. That was it.

We had a discussion about flu and how having a quick, pain free squirt up the nose was a much better option!