My son and daughter just got the flu mist on Monday. My daughter(4yr)started getting getting hoarse last night before bed. She then woke up in the middle of the night with a stuffy nose and a little cough. I searched on the internet about reactions from the flu mist and it said it was common to have these reactions. I was just wondering if anyone else has had their children have these reactions or is my daughter getting sick (she does not have fever). Thanks in advance!
I called the nurse and she said that this common and to treat as a cold. Thank you so much for the replies. I'm not so sure we will do the mist next yr.
Yes, this is common. It happens because the mist is a live vaccine. The shot doesn't have these reactions. My son had the mist this year and the same thing happened. It makes them a little under the weather and has minor cold like symptoms. Treat it like a cold, humidifier should help with the raspy voice/throat, lots of liquids and plenty of rest should do the trick.
I don't have much new info to give you but I can tell you our experience to compare to others. My son had the flu mist in September before cold and flu season got bad. His pedi told me minor flu like symptoms were possible. He had no problem with it what-so-ever. He certainly doesn't have the strongest immune system in the world but still did fine with it. Since we are in the midst of cold and flu season, it is possible her immune system has already been weaked from some other virus. She may have another cold or maybe a weakend immune system caused flu symptoms after the flu mist. My son is fearful of shots; we will definitely do the mist again next year. However, I recommend doing it as early as you can in the year and when she has been healthy with no signs of any cold, etc. Good luck.
It's probably hard to tell if it's a reaction or just a cold. I had one child get the shot and one get the mist (needle phobia). It was fine for us. We get the vacines and are rarely sick. My kids have strong immune systems. We all got the flu one spring break without getting the vaccine and it was absolutely miserable.
This won't help much now, but maybe next year. I have to agree with Lisa K. The problem with the Flu (shot or mist) is that it gives you the flu to make you immune to what ever strain you are most likely to catch that year(WHAT). It only covers one or two of the many strains out there. I realize everyone (I don't)thinks they need it. I think the key is to keep your immune system healthy through good nutrition. Checkout Dr. Sherri Tenpenny on the web. She is acutually anti-vaccine. She has many reasons "WHY", books, etc. She is worth googleing. I hope your daughter feels better soon. www.mybiopro.com/claudia13
They say the mist causes more reactions than the shot. My daughter got the mist three years ago right before Thanksgiving and was sick with the flu symptoms all through the holidays. That is not the usual case, though. I think her immune system's the issue. She's 11 now and it still doesn't take much to knock her down. It caused high fever, chills, and she was miserable. They told me the nurse should've looked because she was suffering from allergies and on shots and they should've never given her the mist. So, I'm sure your daughter is just having some of the minimal side effects and probably be better in a day or so. They wouldn't given it to both of your children if it wasn't okay.
My son came down with the flu seven days after receiving the Flu Mist. They say the odds of him getting the flu from the Mist is very very low, but I think it happened. Flu Mist is a live/weakened virus vs. the flu shot which is a dead virus. Next year we will be getting the shot not the Mist. Thank God I got my flu shot in September and didn't get it too. My 19 month old daughter caught it from her brother...it was a long sick two weeks.
Hi- my 4 yo daughter recvd the Flu Mist 2 weeks ago. W/in 2 days she was sick too. She is still coughing, sneezing, and has very watery eyes. I feel so bad for her. She has no fever so my pediatrician is just telling us to treat with OTC's but she is miserable. I think it is a pretty common reaction but it sure doesn't make it any easier does it? She had the shot last year and had a severe reaction the ended up with us in the emergency room. She will never have the shot agin! Good luck to you. Our ped just told me to watch her and let her know if it gets worse.
My son got the mist last year and he came down with flu-like symptoms for 3 or 4 days. It was like a shortened, less-severe flu. He was very achy. I would guess this happens since the mist is actually live virus, as opposed to the shot which is not live.
This is one of the many reasons I have never gotten my children any of the flu vaccines. I am a former Respiratory Therapist and I do not think children should be getting the flu vaccine. Also, my children have never had the flu. And they rarely get sick. My 13 year old has not been sick once in about five years and my 3 year old has not been sick at all this year. However, all my friends that get their children tons of vaccines including the flu vaccine are always sick. Makes me wonder whose child has the stronger immune system.
Lisa
I think it could be a reaction to the mist, but it is suppossed to me a very mild form of flu as oppossed to getting it full blown. My son had the mist without problems, but they did say a reaction could occur.
