A lot of people don’t think the flu is a big deal, not understanding that influenza (flu) can be extremely serious — even for kids and teens who are otherwise healthy. After all, many of us (including our kids) have gotten the flu before and survived. As a result, parents hoping to shield their children from an extra needle jab may ask: Should kids get the flu shot? Can’t we just do holistic care and stock up on multivitamins or something?
Who should get the flu shot and why?
Side effects of the flu shot: What to look out for and when to be worried
Like all vaccines, there are side effects to the flu shot. The most common of which are:
- Pain
- Swelling and redness at injection site
- Possible mild flu-like symptoms like headache, muscle aches, fatigue, and low-grade fever
As for the nasal spray, the main side effects are a possible runny or stuffy nose and cough.
Most of these side effects will go away within 24 to 36 hours and don’t mean your kid caught the flu. It’s just the child's immune system doing its job.
Contact your health care provider or go to the hospital if within a few minutes or hours after getting the vaccine you or your child experience:
- Severe allergic reactions like swelling around the eyes or lips, difficulty breathing, wheezing, hives, dizziness, fast heartbeat
- High fever
- Behavior changes
Though these sound super scary, life-threatening reactions to flu vaccines are incredibly rare. Ultimately, the benefits of the flu shot outweigh the cons.
“I have had the flu with the shot, and I have had the flu without the shot,” writer Eliza Broadbent shared with us. “It keeps you safe from serious illness. You might still get the flu. But when your entire family is sick at the same time, you’ll function fine.”
