Flu Mist vs. Flu Shot

[drako]

DD is able to get the Flu Mist this year. I am on the fence about it. Do any of you have experience with the flu mist (like/dislike)? Any side effects with the Flu Mist? DD has gotten the flu shot with no or minimal side effects. I am thinking the mist will be less traumatic than the shot. She has taken saline nose spray without any trouble when she's been congested. I am just unsure about the live virus. She has been off and on sick with a cold since she started a 2 year old preschool program this year. I don't want to overload her system. Peds office said as long as she hasn't had a fever for 48 hrs. she can receive the vaccine.

I don't want to debate why not to get the flu vaccine or why you don't believe in it. We fully vaccinate and want to know the experience of those who have gotten the mist.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Ds1 **hated** the mist. I think we got it when he was 6yo and since then he has asked for the shot instead. I don't like that the mist sheds the virus.

Beth

[chays]

We do both - DSs & I all get the shot, DH & DD do the mist. No issues here. Good friend works for Medimmune and would say DO THE MIST!! :-)

[mommylamb]

We're big fans of the mist in our house. DS had it yesterday actually. He has had it every year since he was 2 (I think that was the first year). It's very easy. None of us are immune-compromised, so I'm not really worried about the shedding aspect. I'm pregnant, so I did ask the pediatrician about the shedding issue just in case it would be an issue for me and she said it's absolutely no problem.

[MSWR0319]

We were told by the pedi that you will get a runny nose, maybe low fever, not feel good or a day or two after the shot. Because it's a weakened live virus, you will get mild symptoms of the flu. I decided we didn't want to mess with that and got DS the shot. I have heard that the mist can be slightly more effective, but have never looked for research to see what it says.

[Gena]

DS is not eligible for the mist becuase he has asthma, so he always gets the shot.

But my friend has a DD who got the mist last year at the age of 2.5 and again this year at 3.5. That little girl much perfers the "flu nose-thing" to the shot. My friend told me that the mist was much less traumatic for them both.

I think it really depends on the individual child.

[egoldber]

My older DD cannot get the mist because it is contraindicated for people with asthma. Younger DD got the mist last year for the first time and HATED it. I would MUCH prefer she get the shot. She was screaming and almost uncontrollable after the first nostril and then they have to do it again in the second nostril.

[missliss55]

DD#1 & DD#2 have gotten the mist for the past 2 years and haven't had a problem. They prefer it over the shot. I would have done it for DS but he had been wheezy and the dr said he couldn't have it b/c of that and DD#3 had a really stuffy nose so we weren't sure how much of it she would actually get. I would do the mist too but we get flu shots through DH's work and they only do the shot.

[mom2ethan]

DS, DD and I got the mist for the first time last year. We had no issues at all. They are begging to get the mist again this year instead of a shot.

[scrooks]

DD got the mist at 2 and absolutely hated it. She has gotten the shot since. DS was offered the mist for the first time this year and I stuck with the shot based on DD's reaction at this age. Our sitters DS is the same age as DS and he got the mist and did fine. I guess it really depends on the kid.

[Indianamom2]

Both of my kids (7 and 2) got the flu mist this year. It was the 2 yr old's first time and it didn't phase him a bit. DD much prefers it to the shot.

They both have had a case of the sneezes the last couple of days, but otherwise there were no noticeable side effects.

I do always make sure that the doctor listens to their lungs to make certain that there is no wheezing, as both kids have had issues in the past due to viruses. If either of them had asthma, I wouldn't consider.

[arivecchi]

DS1 (almost 5) loves the flu mist. He thinks it's the best thing ever as he hates shots. We all got the mist this year at the ped's office and DS2 (2yr, 9 mos) was shocked that he did not get a shot. His face was priceless! No side effects for us.

[WatchingThemGrow]

My kids were bummed about not getting a cool bandaid when they got the mist this week. DD said her nose her the next morning, and the next afternoon, there was a delightful conversation in the van about "the hard things" stuck in their noses and how perhaps they might be left over from the flu mist. (I'm sure they were regular boogs.)

DS2 gets his shot tomorrow b/c of his asthma.

[Tammy]

DD1 has gotten the mist the past three years. She didn't have any problems with it, just a runny nose that day and the next. Seems like she did cough a little one year but went away after a couple days. She would prefer to get the mist. This year however she was diagnosed with asthma and uses her inhaler so she'll be getting the shot. Yippee...can't wait for that day. She doesn't even go to kindergarden til next year and she's already telling me she doesn't want her shots then. :rolleyes:

[vdrake71]

Where do you get the mist? I have tried our Dr. office and Walgreeens.

Thanks,

[veronica]

DD , DS and I just got the mist for the first time. My mom works at the health department and they do a free family clinic yearly for flu shots. We went on Wednesday and I had asked my mom to possibly ask to set aside the mist for the kids.

typically, the kids have done fine with the shot. DD doesn't cry because she knows some sort of treat will come but DS can be a bit harder to deal with. I just wanted to make sure this year that the mist would not pose a risk to the babies and it didn't. There were plenty of mists there and we went right in and out. they were excited at the prospect of no shot so that mist process was not a big deal at all.

In fact, I told the kids to watch me go first (I wanted to see what it felt like so I could describe it) and DD would not let me. She went, then DS then I was last!!! It also went over really well because, at the same time, there was a 4 YO little boy screaming over the shot he had gotten and he was terribly upset. DD and DS just looked over and behaved wonderfully. I think this may be the way to go for us from now on!

[JElaineB]

DS is 9 this year but he has gotten the flu mist for the past several years. He just got it this week in fact. He always hated shots so he much prefers the flu mist. He doesn't mind it at all and hasn't had any side effects. He hasn't gotten the flu either. The main thing with the mist is that they can't blow their nose for a half hour afterwards.

[Kymberley]

DS got the mist this past Monday. He had the sniffles and a temp around 100 for a couple of days. Getting the actual mist in his nose didn't bother him nearly as much as getting a shot. He's back to his typical 2 year old shenanigans today.

[ellies mom]

DD1 has gotten the flu mist for the last few years. She has never had a problem. This is the first year DD2 is old enough. Both girls are good with shots too. I'm leaning toward the flu mist this year for both girls because I've heard a lot of complaints of sore arms the next day and I'd like to save complaints of sore arms for the vaccinations that can't be given another way. If that makes sense to anyone other than me.

[lovin2shop]

Both my DS love the mist, and oddly enough, they really look forward to it each year! They really enjoy snorting it up there in a rather exaggerated fashion, so at least I know they are getting a good dose! Ahh, boys!!!

[georgiegirl]

Dd (5) loves the mist. She thinks it's so much fun. We started doing the mist at 2.5 and it has made our lives easier (no crying). She's never had a problem. We did the shot for ds (2) though, since I knew he'd freak out either way and it's easier to give a shot to hysterical child than the mist. I think he'll be mature enough for the mist next year.

[YouAreTheFocus]

My son just turned 2, and they gave him the mist at his 2 yo check up. It seemed pretty much assumed that if you are 2+ you get the mist. But, he was getting 2 other shots anyways, and in retrospect I think we should have done the flu shot along with those. He wasn't able to comply with the sniffing instructions (he blew the whole thing out all over my arm).

[geochick]

My kids got the mist once, and only once. They were both freaked out about breathing in through their noses while it was being puffed up there. I worried through the whole flu season that they didn't actually get mist in their bodies. The nurse told me it just needs to get in their noses, but after the puff, they both wanted to blow it out. I'd only do it if you have a good nose sniffer kid.

Now we only do the injections.

[barkley1]

It's supposed to be more effective than the shot for kids. DS is 2,but they wouldn't do the mist on him bc they said if the kid's under three, the shot is best bc of the sniffing thing...not sure if little ones actually get the whole dose if they don't do it right.