With all the immunizations that infants get during their first year of life, parents may be very willing to pass on getting the annual flu shot, but that would be a mistake.
The Centers for Disease Control recommends that infants under the age of 6 months get the shot as early as September of the upcoming flu season in order for them to develop immunity.
For children not yet fully vaccinated, they may need two doses.
The nasal spray isn’t as effective as the shot and can be given along with other vaccinations.
While babies can react with fever, chills, muscle aches, headache and nausea, that’s a small price to pay for not developing dehydration, pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma, brain swelling, ear and sinus infections and death.
Think about it...172 children died of the flu during 2017-18 season and 80% of them weren’t vaccinated. You can’t live with the consequences.
Claudia
Join me on Facebook at Dr. Claudia McCulloch.