WAG Would you get your kid a flu vaccine before a meet?

[lovegymnastics22]

Definitely. I'd fit it in whenever you can. Flu shot more important than gym meet.

 

[Anna's_Mom]

I would avoid shot due to sore arm but would be ok with mist. Note that the mist has been reformulated this year so it is no longer a live vaccine so sickness from it in prior years shouldn't be a worry.

 

[teksquad]

No, I would not. I wouldn't risk her feeling sick right before a meet.

I would rather beef up on a wide variety of probiotics to help fight off whatever virulent bugs there are out there. A flu vaccine only contains a few strains of the flu that the CDC predicts might be widespread for any given year.

Pass the fermented food! (-:

 

[profmom]

The only way I'd postpone would be if I could get it done right after, but I probably would figure that it's better to get the shot or mist sooner to lower the chances of getting the flu. One of the sadder things I've witnessed was a group of L9s-L10s who had to miss their own home meet because their practice group was hit hard by the flu.

MUCH to his annoyance, I pulled my son from practice last weekend to run him over to the flu clinic for his mist.

 

[curlymop]

I would do the mist but probably not the shot. My arm is sore for days after the shot, and I've been known to feel achy and sluggish for about a day. The kids had the mist this year and didn't seem to have any negative effects. If you don't want the mist, I'd see if they can get you in early the next week for the shot. Last year we never found the time to get it done, and my son ending up getting the flu really late in the season. He was out of practice for a whole week.

 

[2G1B]

I would aim to do it on like a Tuesday or Wednesday. A few years ago we did the shots and my older DD (7 at the time) had a swim meet the next day. Her arm was so sore for the meet that that she had a tough time swimming.

We have swapped to doing the mist now. My kids all got it this year with no problems. I felt bad the day after and a little bad 2 days after; but certainly not as bad as I have felt when I got the flu.

I say get it; but give a couple days for a cushion.

And yeah, it takes about 2 weeks for the immunity to fully kick in, so getting it now won't help with catching flu at a meet this weekend.

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

I wouldn't, but we don't do flu shots. We did one year, and all got sick. The other years it has been pretty hit or miss, and we are all healthy people so usually whenever we DO get the flu it's fairly mild.
I would feel differently if we had extenuating circumstances (sickly preemie or something) that made getting flu shots necessary.
I respect everyone choosing whatever is right for their family, so absolutely no judgement.... I don't know that I would recommend ANY vaccine right before a meet (within a few days). My kids do sometimes tend to get a bit sore and/or feverish after other vaccinations.

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

We've never had a problem after flu shots.

 

[MyHappyLife]

My two kids and I all got the mist earlier this week and have had no negative effects whatsoever. This is the first year I have gotten the vaccine in probably 10 years. Lesson learned - last year I got the flu and it was the most sick I have ever been in my life. I'm an otherwise healthy, active adult, but it quite literally left me unable to get off my couch for 10 days (even after a round of Tamiflu) and it was a good month before I really felt back to 100%. I hope to never go through that again! So I say go for the mist and enjoy the meet

 

[mommyof1]

This year I had a fever the day after I got my flu shot. I would do it after the meet, unless you are willing to keep her out of the meet if she doesn't feel 100%. It seems like having a kid compete with a fever or a very sore arm might invite injury.

It should not be difficult to find somewhere to get the vaccine, even on a Sunday or during evening hours. Most pharmacies now offer the vaccine for $0 copay with health insurance. My daughter and I got our flu shots at Target in the middle of running errands. They offered several formulations (mist, preservative-free, traditional), and it took less than 10 minutes. We never get flu shots at the doctor's office any more--it is too inconvenient and I don't like exposing my daughter to the germs in the office.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

I have had a hard time finding time for my DD to get her flu shot/mist between gym and being out for a week with the flu... I can do it tomorrow (Thursday), but she has a meet Saturday. Would you do this? I know adults sometimes feel flu-like after a flu vaccine, but kids seem more resilient...

no

 

[Midwestmommy]

It it were me, I would wait and get it somewhere on the way home from the meet. Where we live, there are easy-to-find flu shots without an appointment, there is no need for a doctor appointment here. Flu shots are no guarantee against getting sick, as they determine the strains based on the previous year's flu strains (and new strains may show up each year). There have been a few virulent strains in recent years, so we are definitely getting the shots. We had a family member in the hospital for four days with the flu over Christmas a couple of years ago, no fun... Our extended family all gets our vaccinations since that somewhat harrowing experience.

 

[kimute]

Thanks for all your replies. We will find a way and a day to do this post-meet!

 

[windydays]

We don't do flu shots and have stayed healthy. I would rethink the nasal as it can shed to others.

 

[Midwestmommy]

For anyone who is interested in doing a little more digging on the this year's available vaccinations, here's the CDC's information for this year on the vaccines, statistics, etc.
It is obiously going to be pro vaccination since the CDC decision in 2010 to advocate for universal vaccination to help protect society as a whole in the U.S. from potential spread of influenza viruses to the degree that it's possible. There is a lot of information about the different strains, types of vaccinations, etc.

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm

 

[wgymmom]

Did you get sick right away? My DD had the mist about 7-8 weeks ago and was perfectly fine after and hasn't been sick at all.

I would wait till after the meet TBH-but I'm a little OCD and worrisome about things

Yes, right away. After 7-8 weeks, I wouldn't worry.

 

[Rapunzel]

What's interesting about this years Northern Hemisphere flu season is the strains they're vaccinating against are the same as last years. So if the predictions are right it shouldn't be a bad year for flu.
Dd2 who is a very healthy robust child ended up with septicaemia and in hospital because of flu (well 2ndary infections tonsillitis led to the sepsis)but she was floored by flu when she was 5. Scariest thing ever to have the doc say they're calling an ambulance and then watching your needle phobic child just lie there while they put canulas in. It took her 3months to fully recover (fatigued easily) - maybe that's why she never made squad gymnastics as she missed so much then! Our GP won't let her have flumist (as they only give in UK based on a list, she's not on the list as a healthy robust 7yr old).
It's an unpredictable beast, the flu.

 

[raenndrops]

Our doctor stresses the importance of flu shots... OG and I have asthma, so she starts hounding us on Oct. 1 until it's done... but for me, she also requires the pneumonia shot (I almost died at 18 months AND 24 months from pneumonia... and had it, but not as bad, 6 other times), so I have to go to the health dept with a doctor's order to get them both.

We have, in the past, gotten the shots on our way to gym practice with no problems. Soreness kicked in later, but a little pain reliever and ice (they REALLY like ice for EVERYTHING) helped.