Flu Shot or Not?

i would definitely do the flu shot for a 9 month old since it is flu season....you would rather your kid have the shot vs. getting the flu...flu in kids can lead to many other complications especially at such a young age...my kid just turned 1 and we did the flu shot...have the doctor talk to you about it before making your decision...

Personally, our entire family NEVER gets the flu shot. The shot itself is just a guessing game. To select which influenza strain to put in the vaccine, the researchers look at which strains have been most prevalent over the past few years. I believe there are at least 12+ strains to choose from. The 3 most common strains are then put into the vaccine for this year's flu shot. As viruses always change and mutate, the chances that they will have chosen the correct strain and that it hasn't mutated are VERY slim.

Unless your daughter has a compromised immune system, or someone in your family is, I wouldn't give her the shot. Ever notice how about a week after the clinics start giving the flu vaccine, the community starts with the flu virus???? Sure, because they're releasing the viruses into the public!

Best thing to do is wash, wash, wash your hands and hers. Keep the hand sanitizers with you everywhere you go, clean the shopping cart handles very well, don't borrow the cashier's pen (or anyone elses) when you're asked to sign something. Eat your fresh healthy vegetables, take your vitamins, consider taking the herb Astragalus daily through the cold/flu season. Ask the workers at your local health food market, like Whole Foods, or New Life if you're in Tucson. Unlike Echinacea, Astragalus can be taken daily without the need to take a break after 9 weeks. There is a lot of information on the web about Astragalus. It is an immune system builder.

This is just my opinion as a pharmacy tech for 15 yrs and the mother of a cancer survivor.

Best wishes for a happy and healthy year for your family.

L.

I would say, get it. My little 5 yr old has had a flu shot since she was 1 yr old. She has asthma, so it's a given. She's never really been sick.

I would say no. Neither of my kids (almost 3 years old and 17 months old) have ever had a flu shot. My daughter had it once, very mild, last year. My son never had the flu. The flu shot is only an educated guess on what strain is going around. Since it is a virus, viruses change and mutate in order to affect as many people as possible. So if the flu season starts out with one strain, it doesn't mean that it will continue with that strain. If your child had the flu shot and it worked once, it doesn't mean it will always work because the doctors don't know for sure what strain will hit and when.
I, also, have never had the flu shot. I had the flu once in the last 10 years. My mother in law gets the shot every year, and every year she gets the flu.
And honestly, the flu isn't that bad. Yes, a very small amount of people get hospitalized every year for it, but they are usually the older people.
Another thing to consider is if your daughter is in daycare. Both my kids are home with me and are around other kids, but minimally. They aren't constantly swapping germs with other kids. And when we go out, I always make sure their hands are washed as soon as we leave a store. That seems to ward off germs better than anything I know of. I work as a part time teacher too, so I make sure I clean my hands before touching the kids. We have a nanny come in, so no worries about taking them out and about in flu season.
Last, if you are aprehensive for any reason, listen to your gut. We have the motherly instincts for a reason, so listen to them! :)

My kids are 3 & 4 1/2 they have both had the flu shot every year and I have not had to deal with seriously sick kids yet. The years I have gotten the shot I have been clear of the flu also. I say get it.

I chose to give my 9 month old the flu shot. In terms of how he felt afterward, it was the easiest. We didn't even need the Tylenol! They get half a dose and then go back in another month and get the other half.