What % of Toddlers of 2-4 Years Old Range Do Get Flu Shot?

www.drtenpenny.com

I am a former NICU Respiratory Therapist. I have never gotten the flu shot nor do my kids. My kids are 14, 5, 6 months. Never had the flu either. Research has shown that the flu shot does not work on children.

Lisa

Mine will be 3 in January and hasn't ever had the shot, at this point I don't ever intend to give it to her. Good vitamins, probiotics, flaxseed, lots of fruits and vegetables, active play and sunshine....

My kids are 16,13 and 8, I also have a home daycare and we have never gotten the flu shot and don't intend to. Some of the kids I care for have had the shot and some haven't. I don't believe it is necessary if kids eat right, take a GOOD vitamin, get enough sleep, and practice hand washing (or using hand sanitizer). I think you will find it is about 50-50, people have strong opinions on both sides. The flu strains vary from year to year and I don't see how they know which strains will hit an area months ahead of time.

I have a 3 year old and a 20 month old. Neither has gotten flu shots & never will if I can help it!
The flu shot (in my opinion) is a scam. THe 10 or so viruses they include in the shot are a guess by doctors of what they think will infect people this year. In the past they have been wrong & none of the included viruses caused the flu in that year. As another poster said, the shots are only effective for a couple of months & you have to get new ones every year. The shots have preservatives in them. I think that is a lot of bad chemicals to expose your child to each year.
Also, very few people get the flu each year & even fewer are hospitalized for it (I looked it up once - It was about 0.01% of the US population was hospitalized for the flU & flu related symptoms). Even most people who are hospitalized recover just fine, very few people die. Those that do die are usually very old, very young (less than a year), or already sick with something else (severe asthma, heart conditions, cancer, etc).
If your children are healthy I wouldn't burden them with an additional shot. If they get the flu at least they will be permanently protected from that version of it.
Lastly, in NJ the legislature passed a law requiring all pre-k & daycare kids to get the flu shot. Their reasoning was that this age group passes the flu most easily among themselves & their illnesses result in lost WORK TIME & PRODUCTIVITY of their PARENTS! It is required not to protect the children from getting sick, b/c the illness it self is dangerous, but b/c the state doesn't want parents missing their jobs to take care of their kids!
I taught at a HS & my husband teaches at one & neither of us has gotten the flu in our adult lives. I think I had it once as a kid. Neither of my kids has gotten the flu either. Even though my husband brings home germs every day.

Mine never have and never will! Dr. Sherri tenpenny has good information, and www.thedoctorwithin.com. After this years shot, my grandma passed away after being very ill for two weeks immediately after receiving it. No thank you! Didn't like it before, definitely not now! Majority of my friends do not get them for themselves or their children. We got the swine flu last year and it was the easiest flu experience I've ever had, and my kids! Over within a day or two and just mostly uncomfortable. Our doctor didn't even have us come in, he said your kids are very healthy, they should fight it just fine!

We were also exposed to whooping cough directly this year and didn't catch more than a fever for one day. We have had our kids adjusted by a chiropractor since day one, more when sick, limit hand sanitizers, and don't obsessively clean our living environment. Good luck in making the best choice for you and your family! I wouldn't go by how many of us tell you what we do, but rather encourage you to research it, heed opinions, and make your own educated decision.

My girls have never gotten the flu shot and likely never will. They've also never gotten the flu - though I'm sure they'll get THAT at some point.

My 2 1/2-year-old got the flu shot and will be getting one every year. Getting the flu shot every year builds up your general immunity to all of the strains of flu (not just the ones that are included in any given year). I got H1N1 last year because the adult doses of the shot were not available yet in my area. (Fortunately, my daughter was immunized.) Not fun. Let me tell you. I haven't been that sick ever I think. I was totally incapacitated. My husband had to stay home from work to look after our daughter. I'll take the time to get a little poke every year so that I won't have to go through that again.

My 2 year old and myself both got the flu shot last week. I've never had it before but am pregnant so thought it was best. There is a preservative-free vaccine that is available which you can request (we got ours done at Walgreens). The pharmacist recommended I receive this because of being pregnant. There is also a child's vaccine that is preservative-free which my son received. He did not have any side effects from the shot and handled it really well, he didn't even cry from it.

my family never has and never will. ever.

no flu shots for my 2.5 year old and just turn 4 year old this past week. I tried it once and both were sick within 2 days after getting the shot. I have never gotten one and neither has my husband. I will not be pressured into it by people standing at the door at Walgreens, the pediatrician or other moms.

My kids are 5 and 8. Neither has ever received the flu shot. Both have had the "flu" and recovered quicky. Most of our friends get the flu shots. Most of those kids are sick often. Maybe my kids just have a healthy immune system? Honestly, I don't know. The research I've done thus far though, leans me in the direction of no flu shots for the family, for now anyway.

By the way - if you are on FaceBook, email me and I'll send you a page that does a lot of vaccination talk/ pro/con.

I figured on reading all of the responses so I could gain a little more information on what other moms are doing so as to know what to do for my family this year. Well, I ended up getting a little annoyed at some of the responses. I find it somewhat naive that parents think that by giving their children good exercise, probiotics and vitamins that they can ward off the flu virus if it comes in contact to them! Tell ya what- you come in close enough contact to the virus you're getting the flu! Doesn't matter what you ate for breakfast!! My goodness.
However- I think if you don't want to have yourself or your children vaccinated against the flu that fine, just know the facts!
I'm still not positive that we'll have the shot here in my house (hubby, 2.5 yr old son and myself- pregnant) but I'm leaning towards yes. I babysit 3 other children in addition to my son and this past flu season we did NOT get the flu shot and had passed the flu around 2 times. I don't want that again!
I understand that it's all a gamble as to which strains of the flu virus go into this years vaccination, but as much as the creators don't know for sure if it'll be effective enough, we as parents/adults don't know that we WON'T need it.
Just my two cents!
Be sure to let us know your results and decision!

My 2.5 yr old son will not get the flu shot this year. Hasn't ever gotten one. Not the nasal spray either.

My son turned two last month and I will not be getting him the flu shot. I nor my husband will either.

We all get our flu shots every year. Since Whopping cough is running rampant we're all getting DTap boosters, too.

None of my family will be getting the flue shot including my 2yr old daughter. NOT WORTH IT!!!

I have gone back and forth on the flu shot. I have a chronically ill child who has gotten it every year. He has often become very sick from the shot itself. Two years ago, he and I were the only ones in our family of 5 (which contained a 1 and 3 year old at the time) who got the flu shot and we were the only two in our family who later got the flu that season. Because of our experiences, we have decided to no longer get the flu shot in our household.

I can't read the many responses because I AM SUFFERING FROM THE FLU. Man, this really sucks. Anything to save your child from this or the rest of your family, do it! That's my two cents. I'm going back to bed and my gallon of gatorade. Best of luck.

My kids get flu shots every year. The pro is they don't get the flu. The con is that they get it and possibly become very ill. The flu is nothing to mess around with in little kids. Hits them quite hard.

NOPE! Never have and never will.

My kids get flu shots.

every year. current ages 3-6-9. the flu shot is a dead virus-if taht helps. we stated getting the shots because one of my kids in immuno compromised.

Nope none of us get them.
C.

My husband, 5 children and I have never had the flu shot nor have we ever had the flu.

My son is 3 and I get him one every year because I work around lots of sick kids and I don't want to bring anything home to him. He also started preschool this year and I wanted him to be protected against catching anything there too.

My girls will be getting theirs on Thursday.

My daughter is almost 4 and has never received a flu shot. We aren't a family who gets sick often, and it's minor when it does come, so I don't see the point. Never wished I had done it/ regretted not doing it. I'm not "anti" flu shots, it just doesn't seem useful for our family.

Yes to my soon to be 4 year old and yes to my 7 and 10 year olds

my daughter (3yrs) gets one every year. she is asthmatic. the flu can be deadly in young children. the flu shot is a dead vaccine and theres no way that your child will become sick from it. if your child goes to day care or a sitters house get the shot. one shot isnt going to hurt then when it will help them to keep from getting sick.

when i get the flu i am in bed for a week or more. i know how dead it makes me feel and all the vomiting leaving me very weak theres no way i would want my child going through that. they make these shots for a reason.

My son is 2 1/2 and has had the flu shot every year, including this year. Everyone in our family gets the shot. I work around children and do not want to get sick and pass the flu on to him. He is also in preschool now so I definitely want him to be protected from his playmates' germs. Also, my husband's four-year-old cousin contracted H1N1 last year and had an extremely high fever for days. I know that she regretted not giving him the shot that could have prevented his suffering, and said that she won't make that mistake again.

Yes, my son (just turned 3 y.o.) got the flu mist and I got a combo flu shot.

My babe is almost 2 and had never gotten any flu shots. I am not planning to because Im a little weary of the thermisol. I am pro vaccination, however, and my son has gotten all state recommended vaccinations on time with the exeception of the flu.

Please get it, I always get my kids their shots, but they are older. I had the flu once, and it was horrible.

Sunday, I spent 6 hours in the ER with my daughter to get stiches, and with all the sick (and frankly, not so sick) kids running around holding thier masks instead of wearing them, I was grateful that we had all had shots.

M.

Everyone needs a flu shot every year. Children can die from the flu. My son had 2 this year and he had the mist and shot this year as a booster. Some children are allergic to the vaccine because it uses eggs but there is a Live Virus Nasal Mist available now.

Hope this helps.

My 4 year old has already received her flu vaccine this year (nasal not shot).

I've given our daughter the flu shot every year since she was born. She's 3 now and had the combo flu shot. I think it's a good idea - she hasn't had a bad reaction to it and hasn't had the flu before.

My girls are 2 and 3, they get 1 every year,

My son is 3 and he has had one every year. We are always on the go at play groups and parks so I want him to be protected from all the kids that are running around coughing with snot running down their noises. I use to do in home day care. I watch the same little boy for almost 2 years he never had a flu shot. He was always sick. During winter months his parents took him to doc almost every month for some type of sickness. He would still come to my house sick and my son never had a cold once. It could be that we are just lucky but I believe it has something to do with the flu shot.

My now 2 yr old had flu mist yesterday , last year she had the shot , last year was the first time for all of us. I just decided that with 2 kids at school and by myself and the little always mixing with other kids and being in play areas etc , we were better off getting the shot. I just thought that if I got it then it would mean husband taking time off work to look after kids as I would not be able to , and having had flu twice before (as an adult) and knowing how bad I felt I didn't want the kids to go through that if I could prevent it.

Put me on the yes tally. My whole family gets them. My daughter will be getting her first tomorrow at her 6 mos appointment.

No, I did not get the flu shot for my 2 year old this year.

2 boys ages 5 & 7 they never had the flu shots (or H1N1) and so far no flus either (knock on wood...). Had to fight peditrican when they were babies; however, we moved and the peditrician we see now does not recommend flu shots for otherwise healthy children.

the flu shot is different every year. It only protects against the flu strains that think are going to circulate that year so yes if you are going to get them you should get them yearly because last years will not protect you this year.
Yes my kids get the flu shot especially after my oldest got h1n1 bc it the vaccine was not available soon enough out here. He had to be hospitalized and I do not want to go through that again. He is asthmatic and has a hard time with just a cold. If you do not get him the flu shot and he does get the flu and has to be hospitalized or even worse will you be okay with that when you could have done something to help prevent it.

My son's three and has gotten it each year since he's been old enough. I get it, too, as does his grandmother who is with him often. My husband can't get it due to a chicken allergy, so I figure it's even more important that the rest of us do. I didn't get vaccinated prior to having my son reasoning that I rarely get sick and hadn't had the flu since I was in high school. But if it helps keep my little one healthy - especially now that he's in preschool and even though he's had maybe three colds his whole short life - I figure better safe than sorry.

My son (3 1/2) and I get the flu shot each year. I want to minimize the risks of getting the flu as much as possible, since I am at risk of complications. As my son is in daycare and around a bunch of kids that do not have the best illness prevention habits, I feel that it is especially important that he gets his flu shot. For me, I believe that the benefits of the flu shot far outweigh the risks. I keep asking my husband to get one as well, but he never does. (He's not against flu shots or anything and he doesn't have a problem with us getting them. It's just that he's not motivated enough to get it.)

We normally do not get the shot, but his year my sons private pre-K is insisting, no exceptions. We tried to get it at the base clinic, but where told that the shot they had was known to cause cerebral seizures in high risk children! (he can not get the mist). I had to call around to find the Flu Zone shot, that they insist is safe. I am not feeling great about doing this, but if we do not get it done by the end of the month he can no longer attend his school. We are still unsure of what we will do.

Absolutely for me and my kids. I have spent a lot of time researching it and other vaccines over the past two years. The shot doesn't come without risks (although minor) but neither does skipping it.

My boys have lung issues, one has had a lot more than the others, but we have been in the hospital too many times where he was very seriously ill and struggling to breathe.

It is a personal decision for everyone but while I respect some choose not to, I expect the same respect that for our family it is a lot riskier to skip it and if he would get the flu and, God forbid die, I would always wonder if that one step I could have taken would have made a difference for him. As a side note, because of his health considerations, we do limit any time we have with people who have not gotten vaccinated during the flu season to help protect his health.

Good luck figuring out what you should do in your own family. I know there are definitely strong opinions out there either way.