In our house, we have always been big proponents of the flu shot. We all get them every year. And, it is that time of year again. My husband works in the medical field, and in past years, he has had to be in contact with flu patients regularly. Since our children are young, we have always been cautious.
In his current job, he is not in close contact with patients infected with the flu, although he does still work in a hospital. So, I found myself asking him if it was really necessary. I had never really questioned it before because I kind of leave those kinds of things up to the one with medical knowledge, however, I have had more and more parents tell me in the past couple of years that they have never bothered with the flu shot for themselves or their kids, and have never had any problems.
My 10 month old had his flu shot at his 9 month well visit. However, since he didn’t get one last year, he is supposed to have two shots within a month for it to be most effective. I’m dreading taking him back in for his second shot (I should have already) because he did not have a very good reaction the first time around. He had a fever for a couple of days, a rash, stomach upset, and some sleepless nights. Not fun for him or me!
So, is the flu shot really necessary?
If your baby is younger than 6 months, then it is too early for the flu shot. However, the Center for Disease Control suggests that people over 6 months receive the flu vaccine.
Complications from the flu are the greatest risk, according to the CDC website, “Complications of flu can include bacterial pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes.” Children are considered high risk if under 5 years old. However, their website goes on to state that under 2 years old is at even greater risk.
While vaccinating is a personal choice for everyone, for me, I think the risks outweigh the negative side effects. At least in my family. While you may take extra special care in making sure that you avoid germs, you can pick up the flu anywhere, and so can your children. Get the facts, and find out if you are making the right choice by avoiding the flu shot.
Last year was a very mild flu season, resulting in only 34 pediatric deaths, but no one can predict whether the flu season will be mild again this year. In 2009, there were 282 pediatric deaths as a result of the flu. And, webMD goes on to state that, “Aside from the short-term misery and lost workdays, flu can have more serious implications. Sure, most people who get the seasonal flu recover just fine. But the seasonal flu also hospitalizes 200,000 people in the U.S. each year. It kills between 3,000 and 49,000 people. That’s close to the number of women killed by breast cancer each year, and more than twice the number of people killed by AIDS.”
As a result of my own fact checking, I’ve decided to go ahead and get the next shot for my little guy. Even if it results in sleepless nights and some fussiness, I am protecting him against something far worse.
*Photo courtesy of Morguefile.com