Flu-mist or Flu Shot for My Kiddo's

My husband used to have to get the mist every year, and every year he got sick from it. My son had RSV as a baby, so he is not allowed to get the mist, nor is any one with breathing issues.

My kids have asthma so we do the shot.
The mist is a live virus and not recommended for kids with asthma.
Every time DH has gotten the flu mist he's had the flu for 2 days which is better than the normal flu but still miserable.

Our doctor says they are equally effective. I let my boys choose, and they both choose the shot. They tried the mist once and hated it.

In response to Jo's post:

I sometimes think about not getting them (or me) the shot, but always end up getting it. I'm not sure why. As for the antibacterial note. I totally agree with you. I teach high school, and kids are constantly sneezing on and around me, yet I never, ever get sick (knock on wood!). I don't rush to wash my hands or use antibacterial gel. My immunity has simply strengthened through the years. I have that same philosophy with my children, and I'm hoping they will also build up their immunities. It seems to be working. They are both sick less often as they are getting older.

*We aren't gross or anything. We just don't freak out about germs. ;)

I immunize my kids but have never got the flu shots for me or my kids, we are not high risk, there is just no reason. Plus they tend to immunize you with last years flu, well by now that has mutated nicely.

So between my 24, 22, 13, and 11 year old, we have had one case of the flu in our house. One! Not sure how the shot would have made that record any better. 24 years, one case, three of us had it.

I would say skip the shot.
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Oh, because I feel this is important, I am not an antibacterial kind of mom. I believe let them be exposed. This does seem to give my family a better natural immunity than the people who seem to always be disinfecting their children.

we had to do flu mist two years in a row (not last year), and both times my kids got flu-like symptoms. now, let me explain flu-like symptoms...full blown flu symptoms, plus months later we got 'the real flu.'
last year i refused and asked for the shot. kids got the shot (they both hate the needle but that was what they had to do), so no symptoms afterwards and we didn't get the flu last year. on friday my kids are getting the flu shot for this year.

Your children will be protected , with which ever one you choose.

I would let them decide what they prefer . Oddly , my son always picks the shot because he doesn't want something sprayed up his nose & the spray can cause headaches. It works out because our Peds office, always seems to be out of the mist.

My 5yo has gotten the flu mist several times with no problems. My 3yo will, hopefully, get it this year.

Good luck!

I personally had the flu mist one year because they were giving it out free at a local university. It was the worst mistake I made. I had a sinus infection/cold for 3 weeks afterward. I have had the shot on multiple occasions and with the exception of maybe one year, I have had no side effects whatsoever. Our pediatrician also recommends the flu mist, but I believe we will be sticking with the shot. The shot hurts for just a second, but the flu mist possibly may give symptoms that are a whole lot worse that the shot and last a whole lot longer.

My oldest has been getting the mist for the past 5 years and has never had any side effects from it, and it is so much easier on the kid. As long as they don't have asthma or other things of that nature it is fine.

My 7 year old gets the mist. He's never had a problem with it. My four year old has to get the shot due to health issues. My husband and I also get the mist.

My kids both started getting the mist as soon as they were old enough, and I get it too. My kids don't complain of any side effects. I get a sore throat for a day afterwards. We have never gotten sick from it, and it's been 4+ years for multiple family members now.

Besides the obvious difference of not getting a shot, I prefer it for this reason. It seems like a more natural way of getting immunity. I do have some worry about the chemicals in the flu shot (even the preservative-free version). The chemicals do get injected into me with the shot. With the flu mist, there is no injection so no chemicals going straight into my body, and the weakened virus gets into my system the exact way the regular flu virus would. The saline that it's in just gets washed down my throat and out of my system. And all flumist is preservative free.

So for me, it's more than the 'shot versus something up the nose' decision.

This is my line of thinking.

I have my boys use the flu mist. 8 and 5. They prefer it over the shot. no symptoms, no problems, no flu, either. It was a real blessing when my (then) second grader's whole class (ok, it seemed like the whole class) over the course of three months was out for flu and he wasn't!! Yay!

Please reconsider either. Do more research on the effectiveness, ingredients, side effects, etc. several of my doctor friends never get anything of the sort for themselves or their kids. Extra vitamin d, normal bacteria exposure, good diet, and good hand washing is more than enough to keep the flu away.

My guy is 3.5 and when we went to his pediatrician last week she asked if I wanted him to have the flu vaccine and I said "yes." She said he could have the mist as he had the shot last year (always has.) He had absolutely no problems with it :)

As long as your daughter is not allergic to eggs I say the mist is fine. My daughter had the mist when she was in elementary school. No real side effects either. I think for half a day she was off kilter not feeling the best but then all fine

My boys are 2 and 5 and have gotten the mist this year. My 5 year old also had it last year, and they did not have any side effects at all. My 5 year old was so happy to be able to get this "nose squirt" this year again, and not have to do the shot. I will be continuing with the mist in the future for them.

My kids received the flu mist last week. I was told that if the child has a history of wheezing, the flu mist is not recommended. That was the primary difference.

Good luck!

My son got the mist one year and it gave him a bad stuffy nose and it chapped his nose really bad. I'm not sure if he didn't inhale it right or what but his nose was red and chapped for weeks afterwards.

We do flu mist every year in August, ever since the mist was introduced. So... how many years is that? 4? 5? Anyway, they have never gotten sick. I did it myself one year, and the most I got was a little irritation in my throat from the liquid running from my nose down into my throat. We've never had a problem with it.

My son has had the flu mist for the past two years. It is sooo much better then getting him to take the shot. He hates shots, and the last year he got a flu shot he would not hold still, and was stuck so many times. It sucked. This is much better. Kinder, and easier. All they have to do is inhale it up their nose! I'd rather have the shot, personally as I am prone to sinus issues..It works for my son.