Flu Shots??

My pedi has lots of shots available. So does Albertsons and other pharmacies. She should be one of those that get them first since she's so young.

From my experience, that is not normal. For the last 3 years my pedi has known when she will have her shots and books a month ahead of time for her BIG one day flu clinic. She runs the "flu clinic" from 3-7 pm mid October every year. After that she has them and you can get them any time but I know most of her patients get them at the clinic. Next week my little girl will get her 2nd dose, so we are pretty into being protected with the shot.

CC Health Department in McKinney has them, I think they are around $15 for children. Max wait time is 30 minutes and you must have a copy of the childs shot record.

M.,
I want to let you know that the flu shots have Thimersol in them and they are extremely toxic to us , especially our little ones! Please reconsider this. I have a 6 year autistic boy and I have researched vaccines for hours on end. They have removed (so they say) Thimerasol out of the vaccines because of the danger but left it in the Flu shots. If you really want to give her one please try to find somewhere that has the Thimerasol FREE ones.
Thanks, L.

Your pediatrician is correct. I am an advanced practitioner RN. Due to difficulty manufacturing the flu shot this year it is true that it will not be ready until mid-November. I have to tell all my patients the same that it's not ready until November. Each year the health organization has to formulate several strains which they believe will be prevalent this year and combine them into one injection. It's not an easy process. But just hang in there, it will be available. Therefore it will be difficult to get an appointment until he has it. No one really knows when it will be ready but it is slated for mid-November and all are trying to get it. And although most MD's know when they will be running their clinics this year is different! The manufacturers are still working on the final product. I noticed many responses to this and you will notice that although some MD's have it it is not in great supply. November really is the best month to get it as January is officially flu season. It takes approx. 2 weeks to acquire the immunity from the shot. November is still a great time to get the shot, not to worry.

Sorry our pedi in Arlington had no problems getting them or giving them to my kids. Neither of which are "high risk" children. Good luck I Hope you are able to get them.

I was put on a waiting list 2 weeks ago and got a call this week saying the shots had come in. My daughter has an appointment for tomorrow.

The doctors give them to the children who are already at risk, asthma, or other serious conditions, first. They also prefer not to give the shot unless there seems to be a chance your child will be more at risk of getting it. There is a side effect of the shot that can cause paralysis.

I don't know what "standard" is, but our pediatrician has had the flu shot available in September and had no problem getting one for my son. Dr. Daniel Myint, Richardson (Campbell & 75).

M.. My son got his shot when we went in for his well child.
Had no problem getting it, but they did mention they only had 6 left. that was last week . You have to keep in mind that once your daughter gets the shot it can take up to 2 weeks to have it's full protection. Mid november almost misses the peak of flu season. When I drive down the street I see places with banners advertising shots. Maybe check one out. Good luck. And stay flu free!
B.

My twins are 2 years old now and each year I've asked about the flu shot and have heard the same thing. Basically they get them early and start giving them at a clinic once a week. I didn't get it last year because DS tested positive for egg allergy. This year he was re-tested. The test was negative this time. I went in for the flu shot that I really didn't feel comfortable about. We sat in the waiting room and then examining room for about 45 minutes. When the doc came in I was told that there were no more shots available. All the ones they had left were spoken for for the next day's flu clinic.

I could've gotten angry since I made my appt about a month prior to time it with a Hep A vacc...two of those vaccs should have had our names on them. But, I wasn't completely convinced I wanted the shot anyway so I said okay, we'll wait for the next batch in November. My pedi then informed me that their vaccine was not the preservative free like last year....it has Thimerasol. So DH and I declined it altogether for now. Maybe we'll just stay home like hermits this year.

Good luck to you.

We just saw my ped last week, and they are having the same problem. He said there are 3 (I think) companies that sell the vaccine, and their particular one is getting it to them slow. He said they ordered 2000 doses and have been getting them slowly at about 50 a week. We lucked out b/c we were there for our 2 year old, but since they had so few shots they weren't giving them to kids over 3 until they got more in.

My younger daughter had her flu shot at her well child check. Unfortunately I left my older daughter (3-1/2) at home. They told me that if I had brought her she could have gotten it to. My ped. had ordered 2,000 and only got 200. Consequently, they are making any more apt. until they get more in which should be the 1st or 2nd week of November. According to the nurse I spoke with yesterday @ my ped. flu season really starts in January so November is still a good time to get them. She also told me that they were reformulating by adding for another strain which is part of the delay - whether this is true or not I can't say...

Hi M.,

My 1 year old just had his well checkup and they asked me if I wanted it or not. They did it in two rounds 1 month apart. No problems. Maybe other pediatricians are different I am not sure but i would definetly check around. Good Luck!

My baby got his this week at his pediatricians. Her name is Dr. Agrawal in Dallas, TX

You can go to some pharmacies for it. My ped gave me the wait list schpiel and I'm having a baby in Jan and wanted my 16 mo not to get it! Call before hand b/c a lot of places don't have the pediatric one for under 4 yrs. I went to a specialty pharmacy. The other advantage is that we didn't have to go be exposed to germs at the ped and there was no wait! Loved it. I will do it every yr! If you're in FTW, I went to Whitten's Country Day Pharmacy.
R.

Health Services has them. I am an extern at Medical clinic in the Carrollton/Farmers Branch area and we have ran out and been on back order but we have had them for at least 3 wks.
I know I have signs all over from Primacare saying "WE HAVE FLU SHOTS" specifically in Plano off of Alma near Spring Creek and Parker area.

Good Luck!

I don't think this is normal at all. My pedi had the shots Sept 30th. I think you need to change drs. I take my son to Dr. Debroah Wardell on Josey Lane in Carrollton. Her number is ###-###-####- she takes most insurance plans. There should be no reason you can't get that shot this early. This is just my opinion. My son is 4.5 yrs and he has had the shot every yr. Also he is not high risk- every child between 6 mths and 2 yrs needs the shot, regardless of risk factor. This is the second pedi I've used and even the first pedi I used, had the shot. Again, I don't care what anyone says- this practice isn't standard and as a mom of such a young child- I wouldn't put up with it.

Hi M.,
Although I do not give my self or my kids the flu shot, I wanted to just let you know my pedi office had a note posted stating they were waiting on more as well. Sounds weird that some have it and others are out.

K.

ADDED: I have seen some people seem very nervous about the flu and I understand why, however you may want to have you and your child take echinacea through this season. I have been on one antibotic in seven years (for sinus infection I guess when I suddenly developed allergies??) and have fought off other viruses etc by taking the liquid form of echinacea when I feel run down. My husband has had the flu a couple of times and still I have avoided it each time. You can give echinacea to children as young as 6 months...go to www.askdrsears.com and look up his articles on echinacea. He gives specific dosage amounts for treatment and preventative. I get it at GNC. There is one at Market Street that is sweetened but can't be given to children under 1. I just put it in juice or mix in baby food.

Yep, pretty standard. That's what mine said, too.

I work for a pediatrician in Richardson and we have a similar situation with the flu shots. The maker of the pediatric flu shot did not send our entire order because of not making enough of the serum. Because of that we only got 200 doses which was easily gone in a wk. We are supposed to be getting more any day and then the rest of the shipment in mid November.

However, we do have been placing patients on a waiting list. But there will be at least 170 calls for the staff to make when they do come in.
I understand your frustration and is frustrating for all of us in the industry!!

Many of the pharmacys and grocery stores do have similar shots but will not give the to children under the age of 12 because of liability reasons.

Once they get them in they should schedule an appointment. My doc in Dallas has them. Got them on Thursday. Call your doc again. Or call a doc in a box.

Prima Care has flu shots for $20.
S.
http://www.lalaschildcare.com

I got my flu shot Wednesday due to me being hospitalized in the middle of November. I have seen them giving shots at Wal-Greens and Albertsons. Try them if you are concerned.

A. Lynn

Yep- our office got in a very limited supply for "at risk" kids. The general poulation will get theirs when the second shipment arrives- which is sometime after the first of November.

I saw that some moms have recommended Walgreens, Kroger etc... those places are fine- just make sure they have the split virus- which is the recommended dose for under 9 y/o old.